THE LAKE WAS LIKE AN OCEAN

August 21, 2011  Dateline: Leland, MI (Fishtown)

Yesterday and today were short distance days.  Yesterday was only about 30 miles from Charlevoix to Northport and today another 30 miles from Northport to Leland. 

Northport is a small town on the protected west side of the Grand Traverse Bay near where it opens into Lake Michigan.  It was founded in 1849 and obliviously was a milling town.  The main street is called Mill Street and there is this waterwheel located next to a mill.  

The town’s train station has been converted to a hot dog restaurant with the addition of a caboose.  It didn’t look like business was very good as the Depot was being offered for sale.

Last evening I hosted a get together with the owners of Oddysea and Great Escape.  Everyone must have had a good time as they were all smiling.  I first met Oddysea last year at the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 fishing tournament.  A year later we are together again.

I woke up with the sun this morning, but because I am so far west in the Eastern Time zone the sun comes up much later in the morning and likewise sets later in the day.   At almost 9:30 PM it is still light.  I overheard Rich and Carol debating whether or not to leave.  Great Escape left by 7:30 this morning and Oddysea by 8:15.  I stayed behind and went to the fuel dock for some diesel; it is “cheap” at the Northport Marina.  The wind was picking up and I had a hard time getting onto the fuel dock, but I made it.

After leaving the marina and turning into Lake Michigan, the fun began.  Lake waves are different than ocean waves.  The waves in the lake are closer together and steeper.  I was taking them on the beam and did I rock and roll for a few hours.  I heard Carol say she was happy that she but a patch behind her ear this morning before we left so she wouldn’t get seasick----no patch for me.

I got to Leland, MI by about 12:30.  There was a concern as to whether or not there would be a slip for me, there was.  The owners of Great Escape and Oddysea were there to greet me and of course watch Rich use his remote Yacht Controller to slide me into the slip in spite of the very strong on shore wind.

Leland is an old fishing town.  Many of the old shanties in the harbor still stand and have been converted into retail shops.  There is also a Main Street that is full of nice shops. Rich showed me a picture of a Great Lakes Fishing boat, it is interesting because it is all enclosed, and I guess this is because the Great Lakes can get so rough. 

The old channel for the fishing boats is still used by charter boats. At the inland end of the channel is a salmon fish ladder so that the salmon can swim and leap their way up the Leland River to lay their eggs.  Through conservation efforts the over fished salmon are returning to Lake Michigan