The Adventures of Green Eyes the Nordic Tug--Cruising in the Time of Covid. Chapter Five--The Great Scoop

             PHOTO, taken in Galveston Bay Texas the day we bought Green Eyes on January 31, 2020.

      I received a text from a friend today asking, "When will you start your trip?" 

     "We started in June!" I replied truthfully. But I understand her confusion. You see, we bought this boat specifically to do The Great Loop, a year-long, 6000 mile journey on North America's eastern lakes, rivers, and canals. Because it's a circle, you can begin anywhere on the Loop. In May, we didn't know when, where, or if we would start the Loop. When our county in California relaxed Covid travel restrictions on June 1st, we high-tailed it out of San Jose, California to Grand Traverse Bay Michigan, which was as good a place as any, with pandemic supplies, custom sheets for the boat, and our cat. 

     We launched Green Eyes in Traverse City. It would be a good springboard for the pristine waters of Georgian Bay, and The North Channel in Canada, our planned destination for summer 2020. Only, Covid and Canada saw things differently. The Canadian border is closed indefinitely. So, after pleasantly putzing around Northern Michigan-- from Suttons Bay and Northport, Leland and Pentwater,-- we made our way up the mitt to the villages of Charlevoix, Petoskey, and the especially picturesque Harbor Springs, where the rich and famous keep their yachts. We've loved so many of the towns we've docked in that in three we put down cash money to be put on a waiting list for a summer berth. The lists are twenty years long, and they aren't transferable, so that wasn't very well thought out given actuarial tables and all. Oh well.

     Each port has something unique to offer. Some have gigantic sand dunes, or dedicated bike lanes, or charming main streets. There's always a shop selling local ice cream or fudge or both. It wasn't long before we adopted a tag line to our Great Loop journey when, while I licked my fifth soft serve cone in ten days, Scott said, "I thought we were on The Great Loop. It's more like The Great Scoop." My personal taste leans towards soft serve ice cream. I've had soft serve in literally every stop so far. Always a single serving of vanilla on a cone (I mean, how can you adequately compare if you aren't having the exact same thing at every town?) After more than a dozen taste tests, "Frosties" in Greilickville near Traverse City wins. It's hands down the most perfect-tasting soft serve in a hundred mile radius. The luscious twist stands tall and keeps its shape. It doesn't melt too fast. The teen-age kids who work the walk-up window take my order quickly, then patiently pile the creamy goodness into the cone, as if they are making it for themselves, or for their best ice-cream-loving buddy. The entire cone (old-fashioned cake cone, of course) is filled from the bottom and they don't leave any empty space in the middle. Can you almost taste it? It's so good. 

     But there are other delicacies. It's cherry season so Farmers Markets, roadside farm stalls, and mom and pops offer cherry pies, cherry turnovers, cherry scones, even cherry-chicken salads. There is usually a big Cherry Festival in Traverse City, but the Coronavirus nixed that this year. It nixed the 43rd annual Wooden Boat Festival in Hessel too. The Charlevoix Venetian Festival was cancelled as well. Everything is cancelled. Not that we knew in advance about any of the festivals, but through our usual blithe luck, we unwittingly arrived at each of these ports on the very day the festival was to begin. I say we are lucky because in a normal year, we couldn't dream of getting a slip in a marina during a festival. They are just that popular in Michigan. It's a good news-bad news thing. We didn't get to see the festivals, but we did get to stay in the cool town. That is A-OK by me because I hate being in crowds, even without a pandemic.       

     Because of Covid, we have never had a problem getting a berth, even last minute, even in the most popular harbors, such as Charlevoix, or Harbor Springs. We were even able to stay at Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) Island for as long as we wanted. And we wanted. We rented cruiser bikes and rode around the entire island. We dined at the Grand Hotel and set a spell on the longest porch in America, 660 feet long. We walked, had soft serve, discovered Stauffers Ginger Snap Cookies (this is a bad thing because we eat them all the time now), and watched ferries come and go from the pier. We did everything on the pedestrian-only island except take a buggy ride. The horses looked exhausted, and, after you've taken a carriage ride in Central Park, what's the point of doing it anywhere else?

     With Canada closed, instead of staying strictly on the most common American Loop Route (down Lake Huron to the Erie canal and beyond), we've been exploring side trips such as the St. Mary's River and areas that are "Canada light." The Cheneaux Islands, a group of thirty-six small islands that abut the Canadian border (were we, or were we not, in Canadian waters for a lap of a wave or two?) has been our favorite place to drop the anchor or dock the boat so far. BIG favorite, as in it was hard to leave. It's not only a bird-watching paradise, the water is crystal clear, the small towns are laid back, and the pace is easy and slow. It reminds me of being on the Camino is Spain. Or in the Sixties. And the clouds. Oh my word, the clouds are right out of Heaven. Though we are quite far North, we haven't been lucky to see the Northern Lights yet, but the clouds, and the colors in the rainbows after a thunderstorm, have been truly spectacular.

     Anyway, cruising in the time of Covid has its weird advantages. We were able to get a same day table at the Culinary School in Hessel (fat chance of that in a "normal" year), and get a seat and a gin at the popular Distillery in Cedarville. Because all the attractions are closed, there are no crowds. The only time I am worried about being "out and about" during Covid, is when I use the marina bathrooms. But the young seasonal staff work hard to keep things disease free. The kids in the marina near Traverse City cleaned the bathrooms after every shower.

     Employees in grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants up here in Northern Michigan seem to have taken this new normal in stride. But like Everyone Everywhere, they seem to be getting tired of it all--the extra work with the fewer tips, (because up to half the tables have been removed from restaurants.) The wiping down of shopping carts between customers. The sweaty masks. People in general seem tense. I think it's the uncertainty of it all. No matter where you are in the world, it's a very unsettled, very crappy time right now. But up here at least, Grace is given and received readily because, I guess, we realize we are all having this same weird, bad experience together.

     People have asked about Pika. She is doing fine. Though she still dislikes being underway, the three of us have developed a comfortable routine. She still purrs, and talks softly, and pedals her red bed as if she is kneading ginger snap dough. She likes to look out the windows, especially if there are dogs on a sailboat. We three love our cozy house on the water and feel lucky to be on a boat rather than stuck at home.

     Where are we now?

     We've rounded Michigan's mitt to Cheboygan, Rogers City, and Alpena. Due to thunderstorms, or high winds, sometimes fog, more days than not are "no gos." We sit by the marina pool, or bike to town for a soft serve, or undertake a new project on the boat. (Today's project is finding a better place to store our emergency back-up anchor.) The locals tell us it's an early fall. Brrrr. It feels like it. Many boaters are pulling their boats from the water for the winter. They'll have to wait for Memorial Day 2021 to boat again. 

     Soon, we will have to decide if we want to trailer Green Eyes to warmer climes to cruise a bit longer. We'll also need to decide where to leave her in late November to set us up well for continuing the Loop in the Spring. The possibilities are many. And with the actuarial table and all, we don't want to put off to later what we could and should do now. Do any of you feel the sense of urgency that I do?

     With or without Covid, we are very glad we bought a boat that can be trailer-ed so that we can pick up and go South. Not too far south though, on account of hurricane season and all.

      How are you coping with Covid? 

Stay safe,

      Scott and Tris, Green Eyes, August 26, 2020

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