Leland, MI Leland Township Harbor August 22-25, 2016
Oh My Gosh! Heading to Leland, MI on a crystal clear day, listening to the Beatles Station on Pandora...An added bonus we haven't had in ages (thanks to bad cell reception!) They have played so many of mom’s favorites, she couldn't be anymore mellow if she tried! We arrived in early afternoon and immediately met some new looper friends, Judy Loving & her hubby, Bob Winkelman on Arkansas Traveler, a 36’ Monk and mom met Maria & Mike Fenn, on Aqua-Fennatic, a 44’ Tollycraft whom dad had met before.
It definitely sums up weather up here...
Our view of the marina and Fishtown
More of Fishtown to our Right
Once we were docked we went for a quick walk to see a bit of the town before enjoying dock tails onboard Moondance with our latest friends…Maria and Mike are from Keswick, Ontario.
They haven’t been on the loop long, while Judy and Bob from Arkansas have been spreading the trip way, way out…having started in 2013. …Enjoying a bit at a time each year…incredible!
They have so much experience that they write for the Waterways Guide…celebrities among this crowd!
M & D enjoyed dinner with Mike and Maria at the Cove, (a restaurant that Dad visits each time returning home from the Mac Race.) At the Cove, mom ran into one of her former Taft Museum Docents from her Artists Working in Classroom Program, Susan Forward and her mom…What a surprise and delight! Headed back to our rocking and rolling boat for a good night’s sleep…
After feeding and walking me, M & D took off for breakfast at the Early Bird, mom said her Greek eggs where incredible but she didn’t bring me any home to taste. How could she not?! Since they were shopping, they were gone a bit, so I got a nap in…What a surprise?!
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| The Early Bird, a mom and pop kind of place |
Dad came back to take a nap and mom decided to walk me over to the beach…It was a bit hard getting there since the sand trail was so soft and squishy…but I got so excited when I got there and smelled the air, saw the waves and all that beautiful, warm sand!
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| I kept looking for mom to throw my ball, but I guess she forgot it? |
So, I just laid down and wiggled around in the sand! It felt so wonderful, so of course I had to do it more than once to the delight of the other beach goers…including Judy who caught up with us there. We tried to walk a bit, but there wasn’t much beach to walk on & we were getting wave slapped by that time of the afternoon, so we headed back with Judy.
We arrived back in time to clean up for dock tails on our boat again…I love everyone coming onboard since I get extra attention and snacks: carrots, broccoli and tomatoes…Delicious!!! Tonight, mom and dad headed to dinner with Bob and Judy because Maria wasn’t feeling so well…They went to the Bluebird Restaurant. Our OH friends who own a cabin up here, the Valmassoi's recommended it for it’s pizza & it didn’t disappoint! Bob is my new Best, Best Friend since he sent home a care package of fish taco!
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| Bob, Judy, Maria and I |
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| Mike and Mike |
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| Maria learning Editing Tips on Her Phone |
I really enjoyed it for my breakfast and dinner tonight…Thanks again, Bob! We awoke to the predicted rain and storms, so it was a bit before we could venture out today…I was styling though thanks to mom’s purchase of a lightweight raincoat for me… M & D went to Sisson’s for a Morning Glory muffin and they split a blueberry scone…simply divine! M & D ended up purchasing a few other goodies before leaving there,…including a Buckeye cookie, if anyone knows this recipe, please share with mom. They returned to do some advance planning and to get me before venturing out again.
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| Too many tempting goodies...like chocolate cherry sauce.. |
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Our view from the bridge Looking down to Fishtown and the Dam from the Bridge  The Arts Center beside the bridge  |
Looking into town from the bridge
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| One wonderful shop after another |
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| Bike Rack |
From the top of the hill looking down to Fishtown
If you look closely, you can see Moondance's bimini top showing under the red triangle flag
Thought we had some time before the next shower, so we all ventured out with rain gear ready to visit Fishtown. (Fishtown was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1973 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Northern Michigan's commercial fishing heritage remains alive today in Leland's Fishtown! Walk along the docks, amongst the weathered fishing shanties, smokehouses, racks of drying fishing nets, and fish tugs on the Leland River, and you can imagine what it would have been like in the early 1900s to live and work in this small fishing village, nestled along the shore of Lake Michigan. Fishtown still operates as one of the only working commercial fishing villages in the state of Michigan.) We made it into a few stores and got our lunch from the Cheese Shanty when the heavens let loose once again. Mom didn’t have time to get my new raincoat on before I was soaked. YUCK! Made a run to the Boater’s Lounge and ate our lunch there…where I got plenty of attention once again!
The Transit ran ferries to the Manitou islands close by
Loved that the fish shanteys retained their rustic exterior
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| I didn't get a photo of them before the rain started but there were posters everywhere giving the history about the fishermen who worked here for years |
Wish Kevin on Lone Star came here...she would have bought out this shop...so many cute items!
The Nets Drying
They had upscaled this one a bit
I adored the primitive wooden fish weather vane and the beautiful tiles in this shop...
Some little girls and I were enjoying this grasshopper...so I showed them how to take a photo of it
Returned to the boat to dry off and relax for the rest of the afternoon before M & D left to have dock tails on Agua-Fennatic…with Maria and Mike. A lovely last night stay in Leland.
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