New Marina in Mackinaw City

We have left our favorite Frankfort. Left the car at Jacobson’s Marina with John the harbor master; and come 120 miles to Mackinaw City, and we are at the brand new State of Michigan/DNR docks. It is built with EVERY energy saving, environmental protection and “green” device ever conceived. We chose it because we wanted to see what it offered plus we could not get into Mackinac Island because this week is the Port Huron to Mackinaw sailboat race (last week was Chicago to Mackinaw).

Interesting place to say the least. The floating docks are beautiful and the electricity is on and working. Part of the electricity comes from a small wind farm adjacent to the marina, a picture is attached as the first above. The water is in, but not working because the ONE inspector of water connections on docks has gone on vacation, so the water remains shut off. There is gas and diesel….but!!! Low flow pumps take FOREVER to fill a boat and were installed so no DROP of fuel EVER gets into the water. The dock guys are untrained, unsupervised and completely inexperienced. The showers have no water temperature adjustment, one temperature fits all and it is warm-ish. The shower runs for 15 seconds with each push of the button, so there is a lot of button pushing. Low flow toilets of course, and many do not work in the men’s room already (think about it). The laundry has energy/water efficient front loading washers which call for special laundry soap and very little of it, so already half of those do not work. As one sailboater said, “And these guys are going to run health care?????”. Interesting concept here, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

Also attached is a picture of a 1950’s wreck on South Manitou Island. We stopped there again on the way here to test the anchor (still needs a little work) and a picture of the wake off our boat. It is so big, really!!! Swamps the sailboats if we aren’t careful. Anyway, cheers to all.