Close-To-Home Cruising
Threading our way among fishermen trolling for
trout and salmon off the Medusa cement plant site,
we logged data at the Red Bell Buoy and marked off a
26-mile southwesterly and southerly route that would
accord us an ETA of approximately 1300 at a Suttons
Bay anchorage. After passing Fisherman’s Island, we
were thrilled that crystal-clear conditions provided us
a panorama that included the very distant North and
South Manitou Islands, South Fox Island, and Grand
Traverse Lighthouse Point. Even so, with more than
20 miles of clear visibility, we spotted only one sailboat
off the lighthouse.
The three-hour run from Fisherman’s Island to
Suttons Bay is a good time to catch up on reading.
However, once you reach Omena Point, the beautiful
homes and cottages nestled along the northerly shore
of Suttons Bay demand your attention.
The depth of Suttons Bay Marina ranges from 3 to 8
feet, which is acceptable for local boaters but somewhat
discouraging to deeper-draft vessels and of no appeal
to Tequila III, which has always been attracted to the
roomy anchorage just outside the marina. Although the
Photo courtesy of Dick Webster
Robert Knight
Photo courtesy of Dick Webster
Above left: Although we are Florida residents, we enjoy spending our summers on the Great Lakes aboard our Grand Banks.
Top right: Downtown Traverse City is a study in historical preservation and offers cruisers much to see and do, whether they’re
spending a night or a lifetime in this town. Above right: The 77-foot schooner Inland Seas is a common sight on Lake Michigan.
mooring field offers two or three dozen stations for
the locals, plenty of swing room accommodates gypsy
cruisers who set hook in well-protected waters 9—25
feet deep with a firm, sandy bottom. The bay, generally
protected from most winds, is open to the northeast;
consequently, some surge might be evident if sustained
northeasterlies exceed 10 knots.
us to the dinghy dock at the very shallow end of the
marina. Exploration of shops and vendors along St.
Joseph Street in Suttons Bay is worthy of at least an
hour or so. When Harry C. Sutton settled here in 1854
with his crew of woodsmen, he established a camp for
supplying fuel to wood-burning steamboats. Other than
the changes time visits on every community, much
remains the same in Suttons Bay, a community of
