Great Loop: Refuge in Leland

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Clouds at sunrise
Leland Michigan

Boaters travel south on Lake Michigan in about 40 mile hops.  That is the average distance between harbors.  You have one additional decision to make, and that is do we travel the western or eastern shore.  We chose to travel the eastern shore.  Consequently, our first hop was from Charlevoix to Leland.  It is built on the site of one of the oldest and largest Ottawa Indian villages on the Leelanau peninsula.  Early settlers began a profitable fishing trade.  This along with forest products sustained the local economy.  

A dam was build on the Carp River to power the first sawmill.  The fishing village eventually became known as "Fishtown".  This historic fishing village has been preserved and the quaint buildings now house shops and eateries.  Commercial charter fishing boats still operate from the area and the Leland Marina is just across the street.  We ate at the Cove Restaurant and had a delicious meal of stuffed whitefish.



Amy Marie splashed her way thru 2-3' seas, wind, and rain on her way to Leland
The low pressure area hung around so we spent a second day in town



Fishtown on the Carp River



Quaint buildings line both sides of the river



The deck of the Cove Restaurant overlooks the river



A building in Fishtown



Mike found a shop which sold "Tug" paraphernalia



This docent for the Fishtown Visitors Center sat outside, played his guitar, and answered questions



Behind the Carp River Dam is a 13 mile long lake



I enjoyed the homes with their own boat houses



This building was unlabeled, 
Never found out what it was....



Another shot of Lake Leelanau


A bit of local color



Looking down river towards Lake Michigan



A vintage Studebaker pickup outside the Cove Restaurant


Local Wildlife



If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck....




A boat cat....




The Bloody Mary's in Leland include  a smoked fish

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Berthing Information


Trip Log



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