Menominee, MI

Very strong west winds again today, with small craft warnings so we settled into another day at the marina. Carol did a load of laundry and I did a bit of cleaning on the boat. Dinner at Ogden Club and a bit of ice cream after dinner. 

Boaters Lounge

A nice stained glass window

Very Clean Marina

The moon rising out of the clouds, east side of the bay

Menominee, MI

Strong west winds today with small craft warnings on the bay all day, so we stayed in the marina for another day. A chance for Carol to get her hair done and for me to defrost the freezer and complete the updates to my computer. This afternoon we went for a walk around town, mainly one main street along the bay with the marina as the focal point along with the Library, and the American Legion.

There were bikes available here free and easier than taking mine off the boat. I biked to a local grocery store to pick up a few items and rode around a bit to see the town. The library has a great garden in a very shady area, quite nice. 

We had supper tonight with Jim and Kathy on JimKat, hamburgers, sweet corn, and two delicious salads the girls prepared. Most boaters are always ready to get together to share ideas and treats. 

Library Garden, a lovely spot

Supper last night was at Berg's Landing

Older building being renovated, decorative roof

County Courthouse

Really windy

Peninsula Park to Menominee MI

July 28, 2015
We departed Nicolet Bay about noon and set a course to Menominee, MI, sunny, with southwest wind that calmed about half way across Green Bay. A forcast storm for this evening with thundershowers and high winds on Wednesday. Time to head for a marina and since we had not visited Menominee and wanted to see the town. 

Nice cruise to a fine marina with capable staff, a 1913 waterworks building has been converted to a first rate boaters lounge. Carol went to the lounge for a shower and met Jim and Kathy Swanson from JimKat, of course we went to supper and all had fish at Berg's Landing. Carol searched for a place to have her hair done since it appears we will be here tomorrow.

Really large Boaters Lounge

The old water purification plant converted to the Lounge

Moonrise and Sunset

Nicolet Bay, Peninsula State Park

Today I needed to visit the ranger station at the entrance to the park to check on the process for getting a camp site without a reservation. But there was an obstacle, I had changed a flat tire on my bike a week or so ago and had not ridden it since, however, last night I noticed that the tire was flat again. So I tied up the bike and lowered the dinghy to go ashore. My first thought was to rent a bike and ride it to the hardware store at the top of the hill to purchase an inner tube and repair kit. But when I went to the bike rental, I thought maybe they could sell me an inner tube or a repair kit. They did not have repair kits and said they really were not worth the effort, but they did sell me an inner tube and provided some good information as to how to look for the leak since the bike had not been used. Dinghy ride back to the boat, take the tire off the bike on the swim platform, remove the inner tube and fill it full of air. No leaks, uhmm!! Put the tube back in the tire reassemble, pump it up, leaking a bunch, Uhmmm!! Take it back apart, blow it up again, and sure enough near the valve stem. Put the new tube in and blow it up, no leaks, Wow!! Reassemble the wheel to the bike on the swim platform, load the bike into the dinghy, and go to shore. Begin my ride to the entrance gate, the tire only took 30 pounds of air, so as I rode I added air as best I could. I don't ride all that much and a few miles is a long trip for me. I think about 4 miles later after going up hill all the way and against the wind, I arrived at the ranger station learned about the walk up system and returned by the Sunset Trail to Nicolet Bay, fully 5 miles as it is marked. Quite tired, I loaded the bike into the dinghy and returned to the boat. Rested for a while, sent a text with the information I had learned to my kids and had a late lunch. \

This afternoon was restful, lots of sitting around and a dip in the lake. Beautiful day here, light winds, sunshine in the 80's I think.

A calm morning

This boat is the same make and model as our little boat

Great floating raft for the kids

Another beautiful day in Door County

Sister Bay to Nicolet Bay

We all slept in this morning, Carol made blueberry, raspberry, banana or a combination pancakes for breakfast. We did some grocery shopping and clothes shopping with the girls before they needed to head back to Madison. I was able to  buy some non-skid material to put on the bottom of the stool so it would not slip so easily on wooden docks. Later George Newell stopped by to discuss the river section of the loop. George and Sue plan to start their loop in Chicago about Labor Day and I hope we will meet as we travel. Short 5 mile cruise to Nicolet Bay, the pace of this harbor is very exciting. We arrived about 5 and there were still several day boats anchored in the harbor. they soon departed, and the overnight boats settled in. At the same time the campers leave the beach and go to their sites for supper and evening activities including campfires and theater adventures. A very pleasant warm day here in Door County.

Shopping at theTop of the Hill Shops

Very Nice plan for visiting and shopping

Great Homes her in Door County

Departing Sister Bay

Sister Bay with Visitors

7/25/15
Stacy and Laura came to visit today, they arrived about noon. There was a Plein Air art festival this week in Door County. This morning was a Quick Draw competition from 9 to 11. Artists were here in the marina and along the water front making paintings for the 2 hour competition. They blew a horn at 11 and all the artists wrapped up their gear and turned in their projects.

Laura and Stacy wanted to visit Washington Island so we drove to Northpoint and took the ferry to the Island. We toured the Island by car and were able to visit Jackson Port as well as the other points of interest. We had lunch at the Nelson's Bitter End restaurant, a quaint place that served 90 proof Angostura Bitters during Prohibition and now claims to be the longest continuous operating bar in the Midwest.

Loading the Ferry

Laura next to their new red Prius

Carol, Stacy and Laura at Nelson's Bitter End

Four Ferry's were operating to Washington Island

Detroit Harbor to Sister Bay

A restful night at anchor and a three hour cruise brought us to Sister Bay Marina about noon. I had scheduled a computer upgrade with Tom Panzenhagen from the School District of  New Berlin. By the time I got loged on to the internet Tom was working away, a really super tech. It required a couple of hours of a slow download to get my anti-virus software updated. Carol went for a shopping walk, I think she is rehabilitating now and soon will be back to her former status of super shopper. I caught up to her at the last store, excellent timing. We worked on designing the furnishings for the new house and hope to have Ruthie provide some of her expertise of design. Tonight we walked over to Al Johnson's for dinner for as many years as we have come to Door County we have never eaten at the restaurant, good meal. Carol mentioned now she feels like we are on vacation. 

Sister Bay Marina, Reunion distant center

Sister Bay Marina

Al Johnson's Restaurant

Escanaba to Detroit Harbor

Tonight we are anchored in Detroit Harbor on Washington Island. We spent the morning touring the historical museum and lighthouse at Escanaba. Nice cruise due south to Washington Island. Again our new Wi-Fi antenna is working great, we are able to get online and send email and keep up with our dirt lives. The Sand Point Lighthouse was very interesting especially since the town of 14, 000 rebuilt the lighthouse in 1987 to 1990. It had been converted to a residence and they removed the siding, and roof section, added the lantern area and brought it back to the original condition, a remarkable process. The museum shows the history of Escanaba, especially the railroading and ore shipping heritage. If you live on the water you better like shipping and naval history. 

A view of the municipal harbor

Lighthouse Keepers Children's Quarters

4th order Fresnel Lens

Adding the Light Room to the Lighthouse

Neat idea for a scabbard 

Washington Island to Escanaba, MI

Great day on the water, the wind and waves finally settled and we cruised easily to Escanaba. The departing sight of Washington Island is a limestone cliff, just beautiful. Escanaba is located on Little Bay de Noc in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Originally established as an iron ore shipping point in 1867, the Milwaukee Road Railway serviced some of the mines in the area and built a track to a dock for loading ore.

Today a pleasant north woods town. The marina has free bicycles for use by slip holders and transients. So we rode bikes to the grocery store, a farmers market and to sight see around the town. The historical society is located directly behind the marina and a lighthouse built in 1867. 

Departing the west side of Washington Island

The Minneapolis shoal marker

A Carnegie Library

The Library is currently under repair

An eighteen story apartment building

Lighthouse at Sand Point

Alibi Dock to Washington Island

07/21/15

Still quite windy this morning from the northwest, but the wind settled as the morning progressed. We departed Alibi Dock about 11:00 and cruised to Washington Island. We planned to anchor in Detroit Harbor, yesterday Owen another Looper mentioned that there was a dock near the car ferry port that had room for 3 or 4 boats. A large private vessel passed us on the way and was landing at the dock. We could see Jim Anderson the owner on the dock and we spoke on the radio and landed.

We wanted to explore Washington Island and rode the Cherry Train around the Island for 2 hours, it stopped 5 times to show us museums and points of interest. Kathy Meader from our church in Racine now lives here in Washington Island and we saw many of her watercolors displayed in the art galleries.

Blacksmith Forge

One room farm house, 7 kids we were told

The old farm museum

Lavendar field

Stavekirke, 1100 AD replica

Ship honoring ancestors voyage

Alter

Workmans Toolbelt left when he died one evening

Ferry Dock next door

Alibi Dock, Fish Creek

The weather forecast changed drastically over night, we decided to stay here in Fish Creek. Small craft warnings on Green Bay all day today and the forecast is for the wind to shift out of the north during the evening a difficult situation for anchoring in any of the bays little protection from the north.

It was necessary to move to a new location here at the marina, after that we walked to downtown visiting shops. Carol found a new blouse and we were able to get a few groceries. This afternoon we met another couple that are doing the loop over several years. A guy and his sons stopped by to talk and we invited them to see the boat, they were greatly appreciative. I remember when I wanted to see a large boat just to get some ideas. 

Dinner tonight was at Summer House, good dinner. 

Maria painted this corner

Nice Wooded Walk to the Lake

Nice Display

Carol and the flowers

Summertime Restaurant

Alibi Dock