Escanaba Michigan

July 25 - 26, 2023

We left Cedar River late morning on day two of our north Green Bay Loop cruise. Favorable winds allowed us to let the jib out two hours into our journey. We added the main soon after and continued under full sail all the way to the Escanaba entrance channel. Everything was in our favor for an afternoon of exceptional sailing. It was easy getting into the harbor and finding our slips. We've been to Escanaba several times before after purchasing Mystic at Vinette Boat works in 2012. This is our first visit to the marina in our boat.

Escanaba Entry Channel

Escanaba sits along Little Bay De Noc

The slips at Escanaba are exceptionally wide. A third boat could easily fit between Mystic and Shoo Fly. After checking in at the marina, we walked into town with Dan & Nena, making a stop at St. Vinny's thrift store. Along the way, we passed a couple enjoying lunch in their Jeep. A seagull sat on their hood begging for handouts. We laughed with them at the sight of it. It was a long, hot walk but it felt good to move after our day on the water! We cooled off in Mystic's cockpit with cold beer, bean dip and chips then watched the sun set through the cloudy sky. The Canadian fires are still effecting our air quality keeping a haze hanging over us.

Shoo Fly and Mystic at Escanaba Marina

Mystic & Shoo Fly with room to spare

Mystic in her wide berth at Escanaba
With Our Gold Looper Flag Flying

Lunch time in Escanaba, begging Seagull.

The bathrooms were a short walk to the marina office building. On my way there, I noticed a muskrat meandering along the rocks. Fascinated by it's confidence, I followed until it slipped into the water and crossed to the park side. As I watched him move easily through the water, I was surprised to hear someone playing a saxophone over on the point. The haunting music carried across the water.

Docks at Escanaba

We woke to overcast skies and heavy humidity but the forecasted rain stayed away. We'd booked a two day stay in Escanaba. Dave and I  went on a soggy run to Park Point. The Mooney's joined us for a walk to the point after breakfast. As we passed over the Bath House Road bridge we saw lots of police, both on land and in the water conducting dive training. When we reached the point, a sailboat was coming in the channel. They were in rough conditions and had to fight their way between the entry channel markers. We waved at them and encouraged them forward into the calmer waters.

We headed into town for provisions at the grocery store and farmers market. The Escanaba City Band had a concert in the park at 5:00. It was within walking distance. We were surprised to see how well attended it was. The City Band put on a great concert! They played big band favorites but also popular oldies in mash ups including Motown and Country. We ran into the sailing couple we saw coming in while we were walking to the point. They told us they'd just come from Fayette which is our next stop. They're on the same Green Bay Loop as us, only they are going counter clockwise. After the concert, I made chicken masala for dinner and we sat in Mystic's cockpit and chatted about our busy day. We calculated that we put in 15 total miles in one day of walking around Escanaba! 

Escanaba Amphitheater City Band Concert

Across the dock from us the power boat Freedom raised their gold looper flag. Mystic was wearing the gold as soon as we got into port. The Looper Flag is a beacon of comradery that brings us together. We chatted with them a bit and realized that they know Loopers Kathy & John on Free spirit, and Dean & Jan on Blue Barnacle. The cruising community and the America's Great Loop Cruising Association, (AGLCA) are part of a small close knit world.

Dan and Nena met a sailor named Marilyn at the docks. She and her husband, Glendon, own a Tartan 41. They'd been sailing Green Bay for more than 70 years. Marilyn was full of knowledge and history. She mentioned that there are so many places that are uncharted on Green Bay that local knowledge was often important to safe passages. We definitely agreed with that! 

When we returned the bathroom key we found that the bushes around the office were covered with spider webs. The morning dew had left mist over them and the water droplets had captured the light. It was really cool but also a bit alarming. With all those webs there must have been a whole lot of spiders too!

Dave taking photo of spider webs

Our next stop is Fayette. We are very excited to experience the ghost town tucked into the curve at the top of Green Bay on Big Bay De Noc. From what we hear, it is a hidden gem!

Beth Aboard Mystic at Escanaba

Mystic at Escanaba Marina

Cedar River Michigan

We left the docks in Marinette on July 24th with our friends aboard Shoo Fly following in our wake. We're off on an adventure to explore north Green Bay. The channel was bumpy with waves rolling straight at us. The bay was bumpy too. We wanted to throw out some sail but the wind was so light that we continued under engine power with the Canada wildfire haze hanging over us. Shoo fly followed at a distance that could almost appear as though we were attached. We moved north one wave at a time.

Shoo Fly Passing Menomonee light
Photo by Nena Mooney

Calm Day on Green Bay

Mystic Leading The Way

Video by Nena Mooney

We passed a loon which made me realize I'd forgotten my good camera with the zoom lens; I was beyond disappointed! We arrived at our first stop, Cedar River and made our way to the marina through the narrow channel, noting the skinny water along the north side. After settling our boats in their slips we borrowed the blue beach bikes and rode to and through Wells State Park. At the beach, two older women on e-bikes stopped to chat. They'd ridden 100 miles up from Algoma, looking for Yooperlight, the rock that glows under UV light. We'd never heard of it before. Apparently Yooperlight is as popular as agates. People collect them but also make special pilgrimages to visit the big rocks too large to take home in their pocket. The gals were looking for two massive ones in the park; one along the shoreline, the other at a campsite. 

After our ride, we relaxed aboard Mystic, munching on taco dip & chips and chatting with Dan and Nena about our easy first day out. Dock swallows danced along the water and through the boats. We discovered they were nesting under our pier.

It was a very quiet night. There were a lot of spiders making the docks appear to be held together by their webs. Our boats sat low against a bumper board, below the stationary docks. We had to climb upward to depart. There are two pilings between us and Shoo Fly. The slips at Cedar River are so wide that a third boat would fit between us if the pilings were eliminated.

In the morning, we took a long walk out to the bay. The Robert Louis fishing vessel was blocking the channel along the Cedar River. Good thing we realized this before leaving the dock or we'd have had to turn back. We set out to explore our surroundings until the channel reopened. 

Art Swaer VII

The Robert Louis

Green Bay view at Cedar River

Quiet Morning at Cedar River

We ran into Dwayne, the marina Dock Master and chatted about the area and how he became a part of this quiet town. He gave us local history of the fishing vessels and the Ruleau Brothers Fishing company that has supplied white fish to Greater upper Michigan, Green Bay and the Door County area for 160 years. The Robert Louis is part of their fleet.

We walked around the marina and along Old Mill Lane which runs parallel to the bay and leads to Dead Mans Cove. It is beautiful and quiet, with lots of summer cottages and log homes that are part of Cedarville township. Next, we grabbed the bikes and rode out to Dead Man's Point but couldn't get to the actual point because it is off of a private road.

After returning the bikes we prepared our boats for the next leg of our adventure, Escanaba, about 30 miles north. We planned this cruise with easy days in mind, sail as much as possibilities then enjoy and explore each destination. We left the dock late morning and headed out into the bay under sunny skies, a good way to start our day. 

Caution - Kildeer Parking

I got a text from our dock friends Kathy and Ric the other day. They wanted me to know that they found three baby kildeer in the parking lot at Nestegg Marina. When we left the boat 10 days ago there were three eggs and a mama who guarded that nest with a vengeance! The eggs were surprisingly large compared to the adult kildeer! It seemed like a silly place to make a nest but those eggs were perfectly camouflaged amongst the pebbles. We had to look closely to find them each time we checked on their progress.

Kathy was so excited that those eggs survived the parking lot. She said she was convinced that they only made it because we blocked off the area so no one would run over the nest.

We were not there to see the results of our efforts but our hearts are filled with joy that these cute little birds have a chance at life now. Isn't that what we all wish for, a fighting chance! It never hurts to have a little help from our friends.

Look closely for the newly hatched kildeer

Celebrating July 2023 With a Bang

The Nestegg docks were busy for the fourth of July holiday. The weather has been perfect! We've been filling every moment of each day with the things that bring us joy. Dan and Nena Mooney, aboard Shoo Fly, have sea kayaks. They joined us as we launched our Old Towne Loons and took a leisurely paddle around Stephenson Island. We led them to the deserted Mystery Island Marina across the Menomonee River. It's a ghost dock that looks like a tornado passed through. It would be a good option for docking on the Menomonee River if the owners would put a little work into the place. 

Nestegg Dinghy Tree 

Going under the interstate bridge

Dan floating under the bridge

Dan and Nena

Dave dug out our dinghy and inflated it. He wanted to take it out and test our e-propulsion electric motor. Dan and Nina joined us in their dinghy with a gas powered motor that was new to them. We followed the same course that we kayaked, but cut things a bit close on the back side of the island and hit some rocks just below the surface. We got lucky; our prop incurred only a few small scratches from the contact. We know to avoid the shoreline of the island in the future.

My birthday was on July 3rd. We planned to have a cookout with our neighbors at the marina. We grilled corn, bratwurst and chicken breast. I made baked beans on the boat to round out our meal. We bought a carrot cake for dessert. We started a campfire and sat up chatting until midnight. It was a lovely birthday.

The fourth of July fireworks were held in Menomonee. They were set off on the breakwater between the Menomonee Marina and Green Bay. We knew it would be a madhouse if we tried to drive, so we walked over the interstate bridge with the Mooneys and our camp chairs, selecting a nice spot near the amphitheater to view the show. 

As we waited, I noticed a older couple who seemed to be in distress. At first the gentleman was sitting in the chair while his wife sat in front of him, leaning back against his knees. The next time I glanced at them, the man was on the ground and the wife was in the chair. It seemed like she was trying to encourage him up. I pointed out the situation to Dave and Dan and they went over to offer assistance. He was a big guy so they had to work at getting him up on his feet. He told them that the chair tipped backwards dumping him on the ground. Dan said that he had a chair that was quite stable and insisted that the man use it. After a bit of resistance he agreed. Dan sat on the ground during the fireworks. When the show was over, Dan and Dave helped the man back to his feet. This was a beautiful thing to watch unfold; people helping people.

The fireworks were great. They began with a series of very loud explosions at ground level, no burst of light in the sky. Fireworks that sounded like missiles filled the air with brilliant light every few minutes. I couldn't help thinking that it sounded like we were in a war. At the end of the show, an American Flag firework formation lit up the breakwater. It was very moving.

Fireworks over Menomonee 

Boat masts lit up by the light

The Marinette Logging and Heritage festival was held the weekend after the 4th of July holiday. It is a small town celebration that brought about 5,000 folks into town. Fireworks were ignited off barges on the Menomonee River. We had a bird's eye view of them from Mystic's cockpit. It seemed like they were exploding directly above us. It was one the best displays we'd ever seen.

Our daughter, Brie, joined us for the weekend of the Logging and Heritage Festival. We tried to fit a lot in, taking her to the Menominee Lighthouse, Red Arrow Park and III Bridges Brewery. We also went out for a sail. It was her first time sleeping aboard Mystic. She lives in an efficiency apartment in Madison. She said it seems luxuriously expansive compared to our boat!

Sailing Green Bay

Rainbow after the storm

Walking along the Menomonee River

Red Arrow Park Garden in the sand

With Brie Menomonee Light

Menomonee Light

Dave and I got married on July 4th, 1987. We started our union with a bang. Fireworks have always been a part of our celebrations. This year we celebrated well, with family and friends on the water!

Menomonee River Sunset

A Sailing Flotilla On Green Bay

We're finally getting some beautiful weather here in Marinette. In spite of the light winds at the dock, we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous conditions and head out to the bay for a day of sailing, or bobbing if we had to. Dan and Nena aboard Shoo Fly joined us. Kathy and Ric aboard Suzi Q said they would catch up to us on the bay. After slipping under the Ogden Street Bridge and passing the Menomonee Lighthouse, Shoo Fly and Mystic raised full sail and pointed north. 

Shoo fly coming under the Ogden Street Bridge

Passing the Menomonee Light

Much to our surprise, the wind was stronger on the bay. Our boats sailed in tandem for about two hours, moving at a gentle pace from 4 to 5.5 mph. We were so close that we could hear each other's voices and the water lapping at our bow. It became an exhilarating dance and an exciting shared experience.

Mystic under full sail

Dan & Nena aboard Shoo Fly

Big fluffy cotton ball clouds formed above us, creating the perfect canvas backdrop for photos. After moving a good 10 miles underway we hit a dead spot and the biting flies found us. Dave called Dan on the radio and asked if they were ready for the down wind run home. Ric heard the call and chimed in. SuziQ was behind us and gaining ground. We tacked only a few times to get on a perfect course to connect with Suzi Q. Ric and Kathy slipped into the pack and we became a flotilla of three. Suzi Q flying the American Flag off the top of her mast. The photos we took were dramatic!

When we got back to the dock, we all agreed that this was a fabulous day of some of the best sailing we could remember! We can't wait to get back out there. Maybe next time the entire sailboat fleet at Nestegg will join us.

Mystic flying the AGLCA Gold

Shoo Fly behind us

Shoo Fly beside us

Our first glimpse of Suzi Q

Suzi Q joining the flotilla

Shoo Fly

Suzi Q on the down wind run

Kathy in the princess seat

Tandem Tack - Shoo Fly & Suzi Q

Shoo Fly & Mystic
Photo by Ric & Kathy Mellon

Shoo Fly & Mystic Dancing on Green Bay

Video by Ric & Kathy Mellon