* Gore Bay to Beaver Island *
Our long (70 miles and 7.5 hours), choppy ride back to the United States ended at Drummond Island, Michigan – a quaint, secluded island accessible only by private boat or a one-mile ferry ride across the DeTour Passage of the St. Mary’s River. Part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Drummond Island marked our official return to U.S. waters.
Our route from Gore Bay, Ontario to Beaver Island, Michigan
Reentering the country involved checking in through the CBP ROAM app, used by pleasure boaters to clear customs. We had pre-entered our information and completed a quick FaceTime call where both of us had to be visible. We had also purchased a customs sticker in advance – though ironically, no one was around to see it. Yes, we paid to return to our own country, while Canada had welcomed us free of charge.
Back in the USA
Once docked, we lowered the Canadian courtesy flag, swapped out the SIM card in our NEBO tracker, and reprogrammed four VHF radios back to U.S. settings.
We spent one night on Drummond Island, staying close to the marina. A long walk revealed a charming island filled with cozy cottages and peaceful surroundings. Before casting off the next morning, we refueled – taking advantage of a looper discount on both dockage and fuel. Fuel prices in Canada had been high even after conversion, so this was a welcome change and our first fueling since Sault Ste. Marie. We took on just over 150 gallons of diesel at $4.08 a gallon to top off our 500 gallon tanks. We spoke to several boaters from the Lake Michigan side who confirmed that Drummond’s prices beat those on the mainland.
Drummond Island and the light stations near Drummund Island
In just over three hours and 30 miles, we dropped anchor in Government Bay within the Les Cheneaux Islands, another beautiful region in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. “Les Cheneaux,” meaning “the channels” in French, is a network of 36 islands stretched across 12 miles of Lake Huron shoreline. The scenery had changed dramatically – gone were the rock and granite formations of our past six weeks, replaced with thickly forested shores. Normally a well-protected anchorage, we were exposed to north winds that day and didn’t provide the shelter we had hoped for.
Sunset and sunrise in the Les Cheneaux Islands at anchor
Still, we relaxed, grilled, read, and enjoyed the peaceful setting.
The Captain relaxed just fine on the hook
The next morning, with calmer winds, we pulled up a vegetation-covered anchor and cruised through the picturesque channels.
Snagging sea growth on the hook in the Les Cheneaux Islands
Along the way, we left behind the modest cottages and entered a world of luxury lake homes, many with private boat houses and vintage barrel-back Chris-Craft boats docked out front. A charming and elegant area, with easy access to the towns of Hessel and Cedarville.
Awesome boat houses along the Les Cheneaux Island shoreline
Three hours later, we docked at St. Ignace, our final stop in the Upper Peninsula. We wore out our bikes, well, Tasha wore out her brakes – tackling the many steep hills as we explored the town and surrounding state parks.
While there, we tracked down the childhood home of Mike (and Patty) from Michi-GANDER, whom we had spent time with in Little Current and Killarney. Armed with the address, we biked up the big hill and were lucky to find his mom, Patty, outside. She warmly welcomed us, and we had a wonderful conversation about the area. She shared memories of when the Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957 – a milestone in the region’s history. We snapped a photo with Patty to share with the Michi-GANDER crew.
Mike’s Mom Patty in St. Ignace
Tasha, true to form, had us on a mission to find the surveyors’ vantage point for the Mackinac Bridge. This quest took us across the I-75 business route, into the state park and campgrounds, looking for a single small sign. Eventually, we found it, and the view was worth every bit of effort – though smoky haze from wildfires muted the clarity.
Faint view through the wildfire smoke of Mackinac Bridge from the surveyors point in Straits State Park
Straits State Park view, St. Ignace
We then made the questionable decision to head for the park at the base of the bridge. It involved biking on I-75 Business Route, crossing on/off ramps, and descending a massive hill to the water’s edge. The view wasn’t as stunning as from the surveyor’s point, and the climb back up was brutal. Despite having pedal-assist bikes, the small wheels and steep inclines made it a serious workout. Even Captain Dave, who rarely uses assist, gave in on those hills.
Wildfire smoke flanks the Mighty Mac from Bridge View Park, St. Ignace
Our two days in St. Ignace flew by, and before long, it was time to cruise under the Mighty Mac and into our fifth Great Lake – Lake Michigan. Wind and waves were moving the harbor wall, rocking Now or Never steadily but not severely. We hoped for calmer waters for our journey through the Straits of Mackinac to Beaver Island.
At 7 a.m., conditions looked poor; by 10 a.m., the wind remained steady with crashing whitecaps. We could only see a small, confined section of northern Lake Huron—Lake Michigan was still a mystery.
As many of you know, Tasha is extremely cautious when it comes to wind and waves, and rightly so – she’s prone to seasickness and is firmly in the “pleasure boating should be pleasurable” camp. Captain Dave, on the other hand, is game for most anything but realizes – happy wife, happy life. Weather forecasts had been all over the place, but Tasha narrowed it down to her three most trusted sources and identified a midday window. Our 44-mile crossing would be a straight shot of open waters – no land hugging this time.
When the National Weather Service issued a marine forecast calling for 6-8 foot seas (with occasional 10s), Captain Dave was hesitant. But as we watched boat after boat leave the harbor, we finally decided to go for it.
We cruised out through the smoke-filled channel, and the Mackinac Bridge came into view – a stunning, five-mile stretch linking Michigan’s peninsulas, opened in 1957. It’s the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere, carrying I-75 from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace. Passing beneath it was breathtaking—and even better, Lake Michigan greeted us with calm seas on our 900th cruising American’s Great Loop aboard Now or Never. We hope every trip on Lake Michigan is as pleasant as this one.
Mackinac Bridge
Normally we avoid strict schedules, but back in Killarney, we’d arranged to meet friends Pete and Cathy at Beaver Island the first weekend in August. That gave us a set timeline from Killarney to Beaver Island, and we built in a few weather days, which came in handy.
Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan, covering 55 square miles. We knew we wouldn’t be able to explore it all by bike, and quickly learned that only the northern tip is paved. Our bikes weren’t built for off-road adventures, so we stuck to the charming Port St. James village.
The serenity of Beaver Island
Life slows down on Beaver Island. Home to about 600 year-round residents, it’s a nature lover’s dream. The downtown area includes a few shops, restaurants, and a surprisingly well-stocked grocery store.
Beaver Island Maritime Museum and other sights
We visited a small maritime museum rich with local fishing history, and a toy store/museum that felt straight out of a hoarder episode. The walls, ceilings, and walkways overflowed with toys – from vintage gems to modern trinkets.
Toy Store / Museum – bottom right store from the street
Pete and Cathy arrived the next afternoon via ferry from Charlevoix. They had last joined us in NYC back in May to see their daughter perform on Broadway in the musical Chicago. This time, our reunion included good food, a dip in Lake Michigan for the guys, and plenty of relaxed, quality time together. Their whirlwind visit ended two days later as they boarded the ferry back Charlevoix to head back to Indiana.
With Pete and Cathy on Beaver Island
Our crew threw off the lines and cruised across Lake Michigan for 37 miles to Petoskey – another smooth crossing. We love the opportunity to connect with friends along the way, moments like these make the journey even more special.
Cheers! David, Tasha,
& Remy forever in our hearts! – Loop Dog for 1 year and 3357 miles
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