HAPPY SUNDAY! We are officially back on U.S. soil and I have to admit, it’s bittersweet. I’ve been longing for a few of my staple USA items! *Dunkin’ Donuts coffffeeee* 🙈 ☕️ But we LOVED Canada AND as it turns out, we saved the best for last!
The North Channel is, without a doubt, the front runner for our favorite part of the Great Loop thus far. It encompasses everything we love about being on the water. The scenery is breathtaking; hiking trails are plentiful; the gunk holes allow for easy anchoring; and there are even some luxurious resort marinas along the way (Killarney Mountain Lodge)- which as you may have noticed is something I get pretty excited about.
We drifted from Killarney (above) to Topaz Lake at Baie Fine (below).
From there, we overnighted in Little Current – which turned out to be cute and quaint and all things “small town”. (The local grocery store even offered to drive me back to the dock when they overheard I was visiting by boat.) 👸🏼 I picked apples while Tom did some boat maintenance (engine oil change) and then we were off to the Benjamin Islands!
If you’re planning to do the Great Loop…or just happen to have the luxury of visiting the North Channel, put the Benjamin Islands on your “Must Do” list! The islands are simply serene and allow for an absurd amount of fun with easy dinghy access, perfect hiking conditions and ideal campfire sites.
We are blogging today from Drummond Island (🇺🇸 ) and charting our course for the coming week as we make our way to Chicago. I’m practically wiggling in my chair just thinking about getting to Chicago! We’re planning to stay for a week or two and I.Cannot.Wait. to explore another new city!
Post Script: It’s chilly here today – we’re in sweatshirts – and it makes me nostalgic for summer already! 😭
Don’t miss Racine WI 50 miles north of Chicago. Excellent stop, cute town, great restaurants, free booze (on our boat) and cheap fuel. Jim n Jan Pisces. 61 Viking Sport fish. We finished the loop 3 weeks ago.
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Hi Jim! Loved reading this! I will absolutely let you know if we can stop in that way! We “have” to be in Chicago by 9/23 to meet friends that are flying in from home, but aside from that, maybe we can make it!
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Super post. Loved seeing you guys hiking around the beautiful hiking trails
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Thanks, Rob! Maybe a visit is in order once we hit the carribean?!
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Beautiful, beautiful , just keep up the great pic’s and blog, whew you guys so fortunate, have fun and as always just jealous as hell
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Thanks, Jack!! 😎😊
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Enjoy reading your posts! Especially liked your North Channel experience…brought back many fond memories of our trip. Hope you are planning to stay a night or 2 in Bay Harbor, MI…one of our favorites too along with Mackinaw Island & Leland (Fish Town).
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Hi Lloyd! We are in Mackinaw Island tonight (I’m in love) and Leland is also on our list!
I’ll have to look into Bay Harbor! Thanks for the suggestions! 🙋🏼
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See that your next planned stop is Charlevoix. Hopefully you can poke into Little Traverse Bay on your way down for breakfast or lunch…Petoskey, Harbor Springs & Bay Harbor are real gems. We like Petoskey & Bay Harbor for shopping. BH has a speciality grocer for some of those harder to find provisions. If anything just a cruise into Bay Harbor Lake on your way south & then make way along coast to Charlevoix will be a treat. BH is a very unique planned community whereby it was an old quarry that they blew out an entrance into Lake Michigan…depth is about 75 feet & crystal clear waters. Enjoy your cruise through Grays Reef…hopefully it will be a clear day & you can see the Candy Cane lighthouse. 🙂 Lloyd and Buffy
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Hi Kate,
We do want to do the great loop sometime in our near future. These places you have talked about will be on our list of must sees ! You will love Chicago ! We aren’t far from there and you will absolutely adore it !
Thanks for the suggestions. Safe travels!
Jodi
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Thanks, Jodi! 😊
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Enjoy reading your posts! Especially liked your North Channel experiences…brought back many fond memories of our trip. Hope you are planning to spend a day or 2 in Bay Harbor, MI…one of our favorites along with Mackinaw Island & Leland (Fish Town). Lloyd & Buffy
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Love following your travels on the Loop! Consider Harbor Springs or Petoskey (we’re docked at Petoskey for the summer) on your way to Chicago. Great restaurants & food! And if you see activity on Livin the Dream (53′ Carver) stop by for a drink!
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Hi Julie! Thanks for following! It makes me so excited to hear from people!
Adding these to my research list! If we end up in your neck of the woods, I will be in touch! ☺️
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Hello! Great Blog. We started the Loop Friday 9/2 out of Fairport Harbor OH. We are now at Mackinac Island try to get to Chicago before next Sunday. Weather on Lake Michigan not looking good for most of the week. Feel free to contact us.
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Tim! Hiiii! We are at Mackinac island too!! Drinks?? Also hoping to get to Chicago in about a week….Charlevoix in the meantime!
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I just took a walk. You’re docked 4 boats from us. Sorry didn’t see your reply until this morning. Stop over for coffee!!!
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Hi, I’m a bit late to the party here…but after reading the magazine article, I am excitedly following along on your great journey ! Fantastic so far…!!
Perhaps I missed something, but who/what is taking all the great distance and aerial shots/video ?
Safe travels !
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Hi Woody! Thanks for following! 😊 Tom takes most of the photos (and all of the aerials). The aerials are from a drone – the Phantom 4.
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Hello there! I am really enjoying your blog, and I admire your choice to live your life on your own terms! If you end up on the west side of Lake Michigan, be sure to check out Door County and Rock Island. If you find yourself on the Michigan side, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Beaver Island, and the rest of Michigan’s west coast are spectacular. I live in Muskegon, which is a hidden gem for boaters. We have a huge Farmer’s Market that is second to none if you need to replenish your stores! Enjoy your adventure, and I’ll eagerly await your next post.
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Hi Kevin! Thanks so much for following our journey! Charlevoix is our next stop and I can’t wait! We’ve heard wonderful things!
I’m a sucker for a good farmer’s market so I’m looking into Muskegon! Thanks for the tip!
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If you end up stopping in Muskegon, please let me know. I’d love to introduce you guys to some of our community and help you get your Farmers Market finds back to your boat.
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That’s so nice of you! I’ll definitely let you know if we’re able to stop by!
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Irish Fest this weekend! Lots of fun, right on the waterfront.
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Hi there! Looks like we are planning to make to Muskegon! Suggested Marina?
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Love following you. My wife and i are planning to do to loop in the future, no firm date set yet.
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Thanks! You will LOVE the trip! And don’t worry to much about the planning – we’ve been taking to day by day, hoping from place to place based on suggestions and I think that makes it even more fun.
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Super jealous of your trip as my family and I have a love for boating as well. My fam did a very small portion of “The Loop” bringing our boat from Ft. Loudon in Tennessee to Cincinnati. 🙂
Still can’t get over the “bathtub” lock! Following your journey from Chicago and hope you enjoy this amazing city as much as I do. Be happy to share any food recommendations 🙂 Enjoy
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Hi Rachel! Thanks for following along! It’s so fun to hear other stories!
I would love(!) food recommendations! We will be staying at DuSable.
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BBQ – Green Street Meats
Burgers – Au Cheval or Bad Apple
Steakhouse – Bavette’s or Gibsons
Pizza – pequods (Chicago style) or Parlor (good atmosphere)
Asian/Sushi – Sunda
Randolph street in West Loop is kind of like Chicago’s restaurant row. Can’t go wrong with many of the places over there. Girl and the goat is good as well.
Enjoy!!!
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This is great! Just did a screen shot! Thanks so much!
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Great blog! Always thought about doing the loop- you guys have convinced me. Definitely check out Leland if you have time.
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Leland is on the list! ☺️
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What harbor will you be at in Chicago? When will you arrive ?
On Sun, Sep 11, 2016 at 4:13 PM, First Mate Kate wrote:
> 1stmatekate posted: “HAPPY SUNDAY! We are officially back on U.S. soil > and I have to admit, it’s bittersweet. I’ve been longing for a few of my > staple USA items! *Dunkin’ Donuts coffffeeee* [image: 🙈] ☕️ But we LOVED > Canada AND as it turns out, we saved the best for last! The North” >
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We are planning to arrive in a week…by the 21st. Staying at DuSable.
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