** Ludington > Pentwater > Ottawa Beach/Holland > South Haven **
The fun little Michigan coastal towns continued, and now we find ourselves in the central part of the state and still dodging the waves but basking in the beauty the wavering weather paints in the sky. Mitten geography is getting a little more difficult to describe!
Cruising from Frankfort to South Haven
After cruising 51 miles down the coast from Frankfort, we arrived in Ludington, another charming harbor town on Lake Michigan’s eastern shore. It was a gray day and with rain off and on, waves were on the bow so a nice ride. We tied up and settled in for three days of exploration, relaxation, and a little maritime adventure.
One of the highlights for Dave was discovering a fantastic maritime museum, filled with local history, ship models, and stories of the lake’s working vessels. It was a perfect stop for anyone interested in nautical history or a deeper look into the Great Lakes’ past.
Maritime Museum
We also walked out to the Ludington North Breakwater Light. The lake was feisty – strong winds sent waves crashing against the break wall, and we found ourselves dodging cold spray as we made our way to the lighthouse. It was wild, exhilarating, and absolutely worth it for the view at the end.
Ludington Lighthouse
Back in the harbor, we watched the SS Badger come and go. This iconic car ferry makes daily crossings to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She is the last American coal-fired pasenger steamship. There’s something oddly fascinating about watching it maneuver in and out of the harbor – a reminder that Lake Michigan isn’t just beautiful, but also an active transportation route.
The salmon were running, and fishing boats packed the shorelines. While we thought it was a bit stressful navigating through the tangle of them, some didn’t even move much for the SS Badger! That was a bit nerve-wracking to witness.
SS Beaver and fishing boats
We met a couple—well, we met Betty first, their friendly black lab. After greeting her, we met her humans. They come to Ludington each year for a month from Lake Erie for the salmon run. The three of them stay on their small boat and go out fishing nearly every day. They were passionate about the sport and time on the water.
Ludington is very walkable from the harbor, and despite bouts of bad weather, we explored on foot as much as we could. The town had the perfect mix of small-town charm and lakeside energy. It’s definitely a spot we’ll remember.
Ludington
From there, we took a short cruise – just 13 miles – to Pentwater, a town neither of us had heard of before. We were only staying one night, but we packed in quite a bit.
We arrived just in time for the farmers market and picked up banana bread, tomatoes, and green beans—our third farmers market in the past couple of weeks. We’ve been missing our roadside stands back home, and it felt good to get a little local produce.
Pentwater
That night, we returned to the park for a civic band concert. Small-town America at its finest. Pentwater had an impressive number of public sculptures, and even a sculpture trail – sort of like the bourbon trail, just without the bourbon!
Sculpture Trail in Pentwater
We stumbled upon a community historical museum. After asking a few questions the volunteers couldn’t answer and spotting a handful of mislabeled exhibits, I think they were relieved when we left. Oops.
We made our way out to the breakwater wall, beach, and lighthouse. Along this coast, these harbors and lighthouses may be similar in design, but we love visiting every single one – their channels feel like welcoming arms guiding Now or Never safely into port.
The following morning, we left at first light, heading for Muskegon. The lake shimmered as the sun came up, and it was shaping up to be a beautiful day. Tasha had done some research and found us a place to tuck into as Lake Michigan was expected to roar, with 5–7 footers on the way.
Leaving Pentwater at dawn
The plan was a 40-mile run… but it turned into 75.
Tasha got a little wishy-washy on where we should go. The winds were light and the seas calm – perfect cruising weather – so we even toyed with the idea of crossing to Wisconsin. Ultimately, we landed at Ottawa Beach Harbor, near Holland, Michigan.
This wasn’t one of Tasha’s more decisive days. As soon as we saw how close the marina was to the lake entrance, she was worried we’d get beat up by waves. Before we were even docked, she had rented a car – just in case she needed to escape!
We were happy to find fellow loopers Deb and Doug, aboard Morning Sun, waiting at the dock. We’d first met them in a Canadian anchorage and crossed paths a few times since. It was comforting to have company while riding out the weather.
Morning Sun crew, Doug and Deb
We set off to explore Dutch-influenced Holland, located 7 miles inland. With our rental car, we were able to run a few errands that had been impossible at previous marinas: picking up a prescription from CVS, 7 gallons of oil (not bike-friendly!), and a specialty hose from West Marine.
Holland
We also made a day trip to Grand Haven, a port we had originally planned to visit but got squeezed out due to lack of space and the weather. It was bustling – farmers market, Christ is King Festival, and a boat club rendezvous. Boats were rocking wildly in their slips. We were relieved we hadn’t ended up there.
Grand Haven
At the festival, Tasha picked up a wristband with the verse: Be Strong. Be Brave. Be Fearless. – Joshua 1:9 A good reminder for the rougher days on the lake that push her beyond her comfort zone.
Back in Ottawa Beach, we visited the small maritime museum and hiked up to the lookout at Mt. Pisgah, a towering dune 157 feet above Lake Michigan. From the boardwalk’s summit, we had breathtaking views of Lake Macatawa, Lake Michigan, and the iconic Big Red Lighthouse.
Views from Mt. Pisgah
We also hiked through the wooded dunes and ravines, spotting deer who kept a cautious eye on us but weren’t too concerned. Clearly, we weren’t the first humans in their forest.
Mt. Pisgah Dunes – Holland State Park
One night, while walking the docks, we met a woman visiting the area. She was joyful, spiritual, and deeply curious about our journey. She returned the next evening with a friend and brought us a tiny Jesus figurine to bless our trip. Tasha took a photo with Sharon Joy and Debbie as they prayed for our continued safety. These unexpected connections have added so much to our journey. God is good.
Jesus, Debbie, Tasha and Sharon Joy
Surprisingly, the weather and wave protection in Ottawa Beach Harbor was excellent. The north side was calm and still, even though we could hear waves crashing on the beach just down the breakwater wall – sounding like we were right on the ocean. At night, it lulled us to sleep.
Ottawa Beach Harbor
Weather was the daily topic of conversation with Morning Sun. On our fourth day, both our crews canceled our next night’s reservations in South Haven, choosing to wait out another stormy day. But by bedtime, Morning Sun had flipped again and decided to go.
At 6:30 a.m., we heard their engines. Dave was already up. Tasha sprang out of bed – “Should we just go?” After all, we had done all we wanted to in Ottawa Beach.
Leaving Ottawa Beach
By 7:00, we were off the dock and heading toward South Haven, 27 miles down the coast. An hour into the cruise, Morning Sun veered offshore toward St. Joseph, another 25 miles further. Morning Sun indicated they didn’t think conditions were too bad, so they decided to keep going.
We checked our weather sources but decided it was too risky to stretch the day out. Good thing – we hit rougher water in the second half of the run to South Haven. Conditions changed fast and were worse than we liked, but we made it safely. Morning Sun had a very rough, long ride to St. Joe.
At the dock in South Haven, other loopers shared stories of a rough nights – boats snapping lines, power pedestals being pulled off docks, and not a single good night’s sleep. We had intended to stay three nights, but the forecast for the second night didn’t look promising either. Tasha got on the phone again and found a slip in St. Joe for the next couple of nights – hopefully calmer.
South Haven
Once the next day’s dock was secured, we walked up the hill for lunch, then tried to check out the shops between bouts of cold rain. We eventually gave up and returned to the boat. Later, the sun came out, and we walked to the light station and harbor entrance. Our Captain secured everything well, put on chafe guards, and we had a mostly peaceful night.
At dawn, we slipped off the dock and headed toward St. Joe, once again chasing calm water and safe harbor. The themes of wind, waves, and weather are starting to feel like the soundtrack of our journey down Michigan’s coast.
Leaving South Haven
This stretch of the Great Loop reminded us that sometimes flexibility is more valuable than a schedule, and the people you meet along the way are the real treasures. From labs (whoa black Betty, bam-ba-lam), to friendly strangers with prayers in hand, these moments anchor our memories more than any lighthouse ever could.
Cheers! David, Tasha,
& Remy forever in our hearts! – Loop Dog for 1 year and 3357 miles
Our love – Remy
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