Ticaboo Crosses Lake Michigan

After leaving St. Ignace, MI. the Mackinaw Bridge soon came into sight. The straight below the bridge separates Lake Huron and the east side of Lake Michigan.

Ticaboo getting ready to travel below the bridge and enter Lake Michigan.

If you need an emergency tiller for your A-25 or A-27 this might be what you are looking for and the rudder comes with the tiller for free.

These two Mute Swans were right at the entrance to St. James Harbor. The color of the water reminds me of the Caribbean.

This is the St. James Harbor lighthouse and to the right the entrance to the harbor.

St. James Harbor, on Beaver Island, is a busy place, as boats crossing Lake Michigan use the harbor as stop over port. Beaver Island is also a vacation destination for visitors coming from locations around the Great Lakes, by private boats, or the ferry service.

Ticaboo tied to the marina at the St. James State Marina. If you visit St. James Harbor, I suggest staying in the State Marina. The facilities are much nicer, the marina is in excellent condition and the help were very friendly. The opposite can be said of the other marina. Telephone ahead for a slip at the State Marina, as they do not monitor the VHF radio, on a regular basis.

I got a surprise when I entered the Fayette, MI harbor. Two tall ships were rafted together at the wharf. In this picture one of the tall ships is entering the harbor, after an environmental education program tour, on Lake Michigan.

This is Fayette Harbor, with the white limestone cliffs, on the right, marking the entrance to the harbor. The limestone, in the area, was used to smelter iron ore, in the 1860s, at the historic Fayette town site. The "snail shell" harbor is protected 360 degrees.

The wharf at Fayette Harbor doesn't have electric, or water, hook-ups, so be prepared for a primitive boat camping experience. Fees for staying on the wharf are on the honor system. Fee envelopes, provided by the Michigan State Parks Dept. are available, at a bulletin board, near the wharf.

The two tall ships were, rafted together, at the wharf, surprised me when I entered the harbor. Beyond and to the left of the tall ships are some of the buildings preserved in the historic town of Fayette. Some of the buildings, that date to the 1860s, are in amazing condition, with original siding still in tact.

Ticaboo is tied to the wharf in Fayette Harbor. In the mid 1800s, ships carrying iron ore came into this harbor. After smelting the iron ore, ship carried the resulting pig iron, from Fayette, to cities around the Great Lakes.

As a single-handler, the crossing of Lake Michigan, from east to west, was one of my most ambitious trips. I have attached pictures of the trip starting with the crossing from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan, under the Mackinaw Bridge.


I then went through the Grays Reef Passage to Beaver Island and St. James Harbor. What a beautiful place St. James Harbor is. It reminded me of some of the islands in the Caribbean. Even the water colors reminded me of St. Martin.

From St. James Harbor I entered the longest, single day, passage I have done. The tach. time was 10.9 hrs. from St. James Harbor to Fayette, MI.. Fayette is a Michigan State Park, that preserves a smelter town, dating from the 1860s. The harbor is small but is protected 360 degrees and it is referred to as a "snail shell" because of the way it winds in on itself.


From Fayette I finished the trip across Lake Michigan by crossing Big Bay De Noc and entered Little Bay De Noc, where Escanaba, MI marina is located. I will spend several days here in Escanaba, resting, re-provisioning, cleaning and maintaining Ticaboo.


The next leg of the trip will take me south to the Door County Peninsula, in the "protected" waters of Green Bay. Door County is famous for several beautiful bays including: Sister Bay, Fish Creek Bay, Egg Harbor and Sturgeon Bay. After the Ontario, Canada part of this trip, the Door Peninsula will be much more developed and civilized.