Back to Our Summer Cottage!

 June 5,2024

     We’re back! Bob and I drove from New Bern to Grand Haven, Michigan with a truck full of stuff.  We had 5 crates of non-perishable food and a Yeti cooler full of frozen fish.  Carolina was to go back in the water today, but the weather is not cooperating.  It’s cool and rainy.  We’ve put off the launch until tomorrow.  

     June 6th dawned bright and sunny so we hightailed it down to the. Marina to watch our girl go into the water.  Watching a boat on a travel lift is like watching paint dry - moving from the shed to the launching slip took about 30 minutes but we had no snags.  Bob and I climbed on board while she was hanging and started reattaching all 9 of her batteries.(4 house bank, 1 generator, 2 bow thruster and 2 stern thruster).  Once this was completed we said our prayers to the God of John Deere engines and turned Hercule and Arthur over for the first time this season.   Both started on the first try!!  We love these engines.

Carolina in the Shed

On the move

          We made a quick trip to the other side of the dock and tied up so we could unload the truck.  Bob hauled crates to the boat while I load them to the aft deck and started to put things away.  When most of the stuff was secured, we dropped our dock lines and headed up the Grand River 1 mile to the Grand Haven Municipal Marina.  We had a slip in front of the office and near the facilities.  The evening was fine and we took a short

In the water at last!

walk down the water front.  As we were closing up and getting ready to retire, a booming loud voice started speaking to us from the opposite shore.  He said the show would begin in five minutes.  We’d read about the dancing fountain in Grand Haven us never could local it.  I think it just found us.   We pulled out chairs and sat waiting with anticipation.  We were not disappointed.  Within minutes the music began and the “fountains” began dancing across the river from our slip.  The speakers they use must be 10 feet tall and very loud.  There’s no sleeping till after 10:30 at this marina.  

Dancing Fountains

     The following day the wind came up and, oh my, what a surge we got.  We had been warned that any west wind would bring in a surge and boy did it.  We would have moved but the Michigan DNR does not refund slip fees and we were paid through Tuesday of next week.  We learned to live with it.  We spent as much time as we could off the boat - shopping for perishables, going to the movies, walking around town. By Friday night things had calmed down for a bit and we were looking forward to a restful night - oh wait- no sleeping till after the fountains have danced,🤣   This night they had drones as well as the fountain.  It was spectacular.   We slept well and we’re ready for the Pride Festival on Saturday morning.

Clare at Pride Festival

     We visited the booths and listened to the music from the festival until the rain started then everything shut down and we started boat chores.  Everything inside and out had a layer of dust that needed removing, floors needed cleaning, new sun shade needed snaps applied.  We were busy as beavers getting all kinds of chores done.  It was a very productive day.  We made a trip to the hardware store for a few tools and we’re ready for Sundays fix-it list.

     Sunday dawn bright and sunny with the chance of 80 degree weather.  We got the bikes down and rode out to Harbor Island and the Strawberry Moon Festival.  After much discussion we decided that we’d rather keep riding then stop for the festival.  Maybe some other time.

     We had a nice restful day again accomplishing more fix-it tasks and laundry ( in my new washer!!!).  We also hatched a plan for getting the truck to Ludington the following day.  We would rent a car and drive up in tandem then park the truck and drive back in the rental.

      We slept late Monday(thanks to no surge in the marina) and picked up our rental at 1pm.  It’s an hour and a half drive up the coast road to Ludington.  Really quite pretty and next to no traffic.  We arrived at the marina about 2:20 and parked the truck, unloaded the bikes and found our slip for tomorrow.  Next we went into town and had linner (lunch +dinner) at the Old Hamlin.  We arrived back in Grand Haven around 5pm.  We walked down the river walk almost to the entrance to Lake Michigan then back to the boat in time for the dancing fountains at 10pm.

        We left Grand Haven Tuesday morning at 8:30 and are heading north up the eastern shore to Ludington.  We should arrive around 4:30-5 pm.  We stayed here before and know that there are no dancing fountains just a nice quiet well protected marina.

Keep well and enjoy your summer.  I’ll write again soon.

P.S.  My new washer!!