MACKINAW CITY - STILL!

Trip Day:	148	Latitude:	45° 46.84' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	0	Longitude:	084°43.40'W	Locks Total:	81
Total Miles:	2,955	Location:	Mackinaw City, MI

Plan “A” was to go to Petoskey today, however, when we call the bus we found out they only to Petoskey on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  We were bummed because we had tried to rent a car and there are simply no car rentals within 255miles of Mackinaw City.  We were forced to go out to breakfast to offset the disappointment!  After doing laundry and cleaning the boat inside and out, we set about to enjoy another day in this little tourist city.  The Mackinaw Coast Guard  Icebreaker museum was just a couple of blocks away from the marina—all 265ft. 

This icebreaker was commissioned in 1944 and broke ice on the Great Lakes for 62 years until 2006.  It was in remarkably good condition and looks like it could still be breaking ice.  During World War II its sole purpose was to break ice for the container ships to pick up iron ore cargo for delivery to the lower Great Lakes for steel manufacturing.  The Mackinaw is the largest icebreaker ever built. 

One of the key elements of the ship was its forward propeller which was used to suck   water out from under the ice, which made the ice easier to break.  This ship was about the same size as the U.S.S. Chowanoc, which was the salvage tug that Ron was stationed on. 

This afternoon David and Joyleen, loopers from Texas on a 32ft sailboat, came aboard to chat.   If the winds subside tomorrow we will all be pulling out of the marina and heading toward the Mackinac Straits and west into Lake Michigan. 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 5TH

WEATHER FORECAST:  Gale Force Winds 25-30 kts with 4-6 ft seas

 That kind of says it all!  We stayed in port another day and were simply lazy.  We watched the Olympics, read our books, walked around downtown, then went to a movie.  Wow, first movie theater we have been to in six months!