www.iFourWinns.com

We had a great summer vacation this year. Wanted to share some pictures and information.

Approaching Big Sable Point Lighthouse on Lake Michigan



Passing the Point Betsie Lighthouse on Lake Michigan



We ran from Muskegon, MI to Frankfort, MI, a great run, the seas were less than 1 ft. On our leg from Frankfort to Charlevoix, MI, we had great seas until Grand Traverse Bay. We stayed at the Municipal Marina in Charlevoix on Round Lake. This is a spectacular facility. It is immaculately clean, well groomed and landscaped. This was the week of Venetian festival so we were treated to music every night. It was so HOT! People would 'fall' off their boats into the crystal clear lake for some relief.



Got a gourmet Burger cooked to order by these kids. I chose to dingy out and talk to them, but they deliver. GREAT BURGER!



Shot this picture while leaving Charlevoix.




Returned to Frankfort and stayed at Jacobson's Marina. This is another beautiful facility. They have a great pool and boater’s lounge. We stayed there for three days and shared the facility with several badly damaged sail boats returning from the Chicago to Mackinac race. I saw two de-masted boats and three with booms snapped in two. We stopped in Ludington MI and stayed at Harbor View Marina for a couple of nights. This is an equally beautiful facility with a pool and a boater's lounge featuring a panoramic view of their channel. When there, try out the James Street Brew Pub for Lunch or dinner. We had great seas again for our 60 mile return trip to Muskegon.



The Muskegon, MI channel, note the three lighthouses. I have to say I love my home port. Dan & Mary, MaryAnnII

I am stuck on a 12,000 acre lake so never going to be able to do something like that. Thanks for the pics.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

Looks like you had a great trip! We absolutely fell in love with Charlevoix on our trip and seeing your pics made me miss it even more than I already do! If we can't make it by boat this year we at least plan to make the drive up there to keep the memories alive! Thanks for sharing!

Actually I just noticed my sig pic looks like it's on the same dock as you, opposite side!

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

Ben,
We determined that the wind would decide where we were going. Several days of gentle South wind pushed us North. If the wind had been North, we would have come to visit you. South Haven, New Buffalo and Chicago were the alternate plan. Dan

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Current Boat: 1994 278 Four Winns Vista

WOW - you make me feel like a rockstar on my 29K acre lake.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

A South Haven, New Buffalo, and Chicago trip would be great, and we would of loved to have you visit, but Northern Michigan is hard to beat! You Michigan boaters have it made with your gorgeous cruising grounds surrounded by massive sand dunes and great little port towns!

Right now we are torn between driving up the coast in a car to see all the little port towns we missed on our trip, or a small boat trip to the South Haven/Grand Haven/ Saugatuk area.It sounds like the boat trip would be the obvious choice, but we really want to explore Northern Michigan some more and the only way we will see our beloved Charlevoix again this year is by car! We also figured we could use the car trip this year to help plan out another big boat trip next year. It's a tough call

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

Great trip and pictures. I really miss our cruiser at times and miss making trips like this. But we did rent a house on Lake Charlevoix. August 20th - 27th...can't wait. Going to do a lot of cruising and hope to make it to Bay Harbor by water at least once. Michigan marinas are top notch and love exploring new ones. I am looking forward in a few years when we upgrade back to a cruiser.

Looks like you had a great trip Dan along with great water.

Nice pics,,,thanks for the views.

John

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07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

Great pics! It sounds like you had a nice trip. If you do a car trip, some places to stop are Silver Lake Dunes, Pentwater, Ludington, Manistee, Frankfort (Sleeping Bear Dunes)...if you have time visit the wineries in Leelanau and Old mission, towns of interest would be Fishtown, Suttons Bay, Northport, and of course Traverse City, then continue up to Charlevoix, and since you're there, head up to Petoskey and Harbor Springs. All of this and you haven't even made it to Mackinaw. If you come by boat again, Frankfort, Suttons Bay, TC (Clinch Marina is right off downtown, Greilickville is just outside of downtown), Charlevoix (cruise down Lake Charlevoix to Boyne City too), Petoskey/Harbor Springs, Beaver Island, and Mackinaw City/Island/Cheboygan. So many great places to visit, so little time and $. Heck, I live here and don't even get to a lot of these spots on a regular basis

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'99 Horizon 200

298vista & aguyindallas,
Looks like a nice place to be stuck. Everything has its' tradeoffs, call me for a weather report in Febrauary, the water gets really hard. Dan

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Current Boat: 1994 278 Four Winns Vista

Awesome pics!
As soon as time permits i'll post up some pics of our recent crossing.
Charlevoix is beautiful, we love the marina there. Jacobson is great as well, we had to alter our plans due to weather and ducked in there for the night. Nice to have a hot tub and pool on the grounds! I recomend TC as well, that's our favorite place to visit.

Next year we are planning a southerly route. Frankfort, Luddington, Pentwater...still in the early planning stages.
I agree with your assessment of Michigan water clarity, we certainly got the short end of the stick there, they don't call it Green Bay for nothing!!

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Michael Bova


"Swept Aweigh"
2003 Four Winns 328 Vista

Previous Boat
2003 Crownline 230CCR