2007 Summer Sailing Safari
June 17-19

Having never been to Michigan, John and I decided to take the scenic route to Torch Lake.  We would motor up the coast on highways 31 and 22.  Our goal was the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore.  From there we would cross under Traverse Bay and arrive at Torch Lake.

We took our time packing up at White Lake.  We might have been the last to leave. 

Up Highway 31 we traveled.  We noticed the terrain starting to climb higher and higher.  Northern Michigan is very hilly!  We saw thef irst sign that read "Scenic Overlook"  and pulled in.  An endless row of stairs led up and up.  The climb was worth it.  A magnificent view of Lake Michigan awaited us.  Sparkling water... white sand dunes... cleaner than any Carolina Beach I have scene.

Left:  Stairway to Heaven
Right:  View from Heaven

Continuing up 31, we noticed a sign for Crystal Lake Yacht Club and pulled in.  Our friends had been racing M17s there over the weekend and we chose to check it out.  Crystal was the first of many absolutely pristine lakes we would visit.  Whereas White Lake had it's share of vegetation growing on the lake bottom, Crystal Lake was perfectly clear with a sandy bottom.  It was the first of many magnificent northern Michigan lakes we would visit. 

Two club members introduced themselves and filled us in on the M17 regatta.  Our friends Bill and Angie Wiggins did well but we learned Angie cut her leg badly in the first race.  She returned eventually and she and Bill aced the final two races.  Our friends encouraged us to travel up Pointe Betsey road to see Lake Michigan from beach level.  We did and were treated to an awesome windsurfing exhibition. 

Windsurfer at Pointe Betsy

From Pointe Betsy, we continued on to the town of Manistee where we sprung for a Days Inn and called it a day.  We ate in town at a restaurant overlooking the Manistee River. 

June 18

We were up early, had our standard McDonald's breakfast and headed for further north.  When we arrived at Sleeping Bear, we were asked to park the boats for the seven mile auto tour.  We did so, bought a ticket, and headed up to a superb view of lake Michigan and the sand dunes.   The sand dunes were an average 500 feet up from the lake itself.  We stopped at three overlooks, each resplendent in beauty.

Left:  Sleeping Bear overlook high atop the lake
Right:  A great shot showing how steep the dunes are.

From Sleeping Bear, we headed east through the town of Traverse City.  Once beyond the bay, we turned north up the east coast of Torch Lake.  We arrived at Torch Lake Yacht Club and dropped the boat.  I had decided that we were going back to Traverse City for a night at the Holiday Inn on the coast of Traverse Bay.  The rates were cheap and after a great meal in town, we got some much needed sleep.  Tomorrow we would move into our lakeside house on Torch.