If it's on a boat, it's either broken, or will be broken!

 Monday, August 25

     Wes here for a systems update! The sheen coming from our exhaust (still 24 hours after shutting down) did turn out to be a Transmission Cooler leak. I have replacements on board, as they are due to change this fall... but one decided to give up early... which means maybe I need to change them every 2 years going forward... Anyhow the trouble is it will leak transmission fluid out when running, but then draws water into the transmission when stopped and cooling off. Thank Jesus I found it on the first or second day... changed out the cooler and the trans fluid, with no damage done. Toscana is equipped with Velvet Drive center drop gears and the "center drop" portion of gears are no longer made.  We are waiting on delivery of a replacement Relay Interface Board for the genset. There has been an intermittent issue since last fall. I finally traced it down to a failing solid state relay. We hope to catch up with these somewhere near Petosky, MI. Thanks Rod for taking delivery!! 

  

Tuesday, August 26: 

We both did our bible study calls, then I had a work call.  The wind was not great, but the direction was better than predicted for tomorrow, so we untied the lines and headed to Mackinac Island.  It was a bumpy ride, but tolerable.  We made it to Mackinac Island around 1300.  Then we did a podcast with Kim from AGLCA.  I finished up work then we headed out to explore the island.  We walked the downtown area and walked around the Grand Hotel.  The grounds are beautiful with spectacular views.  We walked back to the boat, visited with some fellow loopers, then went to the Pink Pony for dinner.  We ate out on their patio.  Then back to the boat to relax a little before bed.

 

Wednesday, August 27:

I took the morning off so we could explore more of the island.  I had a work call in the afternoon and it rained in the afternoon, so morning as the time to explore.  We did a carriage ride tour around the island.  Saw the Grand Hotel again, the stables, the stone Arch, then lastly Fort Mackinac.  It was a very enjoyable tour.  We then went back to the boat, where we both did some work.  We did dinner on the boat then a quiet evening.

 

  Thursday, August 28:

I had a busy day at work, but we walked uptown for lunch.  We looked at a few of the shops, got some fudge (you can't go to Mackinac Island and not get fudge), and grabbed a slice of pizza on our way back to the boat.  Wes sat on the aft deck that afternoon, listening to the baseball game and visiting with folks as they passed by.  When I got done with work, we walked to shore to see if any loopers were around.  We visited with some locals and a looper couple.  Then back to the boat for dinner and a quiet night.

 

 Friday, August 29:

Wes got up shortly after 0600 and I was up shortly after him.  We got everything secured, then dropped the lines and headed out towards Beaver Island.  We are officially starting our loop today!!  There were several other looper boats heading out.  We went under Big Mac again.  Lake Michigan was a little lumpy, but not too bad.  There wasn't any wind, it was leftover waves from the previous day.  We got into Beaver Island around 1230 (just in time as I had a work call at 1300).  Our office closed early for the holiday weekend, so after work, we headed out to explore Beaver Island.  We visited the Old Mormon Print Shop Museum (Beaver Beacon),  and Beaver Island Beaver Museum.  We walked through some shops and had a drink and Beachcomber's.  We then went back to the boat for dinner then relaxed on the boat.  

 

 

Saturday, August 30:

We got up and going around 0800.  It was a short ride to Petoskey.  We arrived around 1215, stopped at the fuel dock for a quick pump out and checked in, then we got settled in our slip.  We then took a walk to downtown.  There were a lot of shops to see.  We went through a few, but there were quite a few people.  We walked through the Little Traverse Historical Museum and learned a little about the history of the town.  We tried a flight of liquor (various vodkas, rums and whiskeys) with various flavors at Gypsy's.  Neither of us drink straight liquor anymore, so it was a bit harsh.  We got a blueberry Red Bull to tame them a bit and they were much better then.  We also stopped at Murdick's Fudge and got some flavored popcorn.  We went back to the boat and visited with some folks then walked back downtown with Dan and Gina, gold loopers, and had an enjoyable dinner at Duffy's Garage & Grille.  Then back to the pier for docktales with a couple other loopers.  It got cold as the sun went down, so we all went to our boats.  We relaxed a bit then went to bed.

 

 

Sunday, August 31:

 We stayed in Petosky.  We hung on the boat most of the day.  Hosted virtual docktales with Wes's bible study group.  We walked over to another dock where another loop boat was and we met Chris and Cheri.  We enjoyed a nice visit with them then back to our boat to relax a little before bed.