28 July, 2021. Beautiful calm day but where to hide from the approaching storms

 

25 SM; 3.8 hours

Ok anchorage last night.  Winds generally light as we were in a reasonably protected area.  But we were too close and on the wrong side of a public launch ramp.  We got waked pretty good by large fishing boats headed out.  We have a bit of a dilemma as strong storms and high winds forecast later tonight and into the weekend.  Limited protected anchorages out on Lake Michigan, and designated safe harbor marinas established along the coast are reporting full and no availability.  It is supposed to be nearly calm all day across northern Lake Michigan.  We would like to go further, but the marina with openings is over 12 hours away; an intermediate marina has no availability.  So we are going to take our time and head across Grand Traverse Bay and make safe at Northport MI at the state safe harbor marina.

No rush this morning as there is fog due to calm winds.  By 0730 visibility was improving as we raise the anchor at 0740 and retraced our electronic bread crumbs back out of Lake Charlevoix, into round lake with no wake zones and waited for the lift bridge to open at 0800.  Easing out in to Lake Michigan visibility was ok and water smooth with slight ripples.  One of those mornings were the sky and water blended together and up/down and left/right difficult to determine.  It was such an easy cruise.  A few wakes from passing boats, but light and variable winds with water unbelievably smooth for a Great Lake.  Such a shame to not travel further, but really no place we felt would be safe to anchor later tonight or thru the weekend.  

Red light house exiting Charlevoix Inlet

It was good to cross Grand Traverse bay, it is very long and 10 miles wide and could be nasty with a south-southeast blow.  Navigating around significant shoaling as we approached Northport, we headed due west for the final 3 miles and entered the walled marina and make our way to our assigned slip.  Northport Municipal marina. Tied up to the dock with the diesel and all electronics off at 1120.  (Map). Nice public beach and park adjacent to the marina.  Grocery store 0.2 mile away.  Kim’s video

Wonder who sits in the beach chairs?

Beach cabanas?

We spend the afternoon, cleaning the boat.  The outside is filthy and we have been invaded by spiders and mayflies.  I am going to the nearby hardware store to get poison and apply to the outside of the boat.  Once the boat was cleaned up, we walked to the grocery store, just to look around.  It is a nice small town.  

We expect to be here a few days.  Thunderstorms remain in the forecast, thought it appears the severe and dangerous weather will pass south, but winds in excess of 20 knots expected tonight and all day tomorrow.  Small craft advisory most likely all day tomorrow.  Through the upcoming weekend, thunderstorms and strong winds will keep Lake Michigan churned up.  We will just have to be patient.

5305 SM; 1940.9 hours hobbs.