Everything You Wanted to Know....

Everything you wanted to know about Mackinaw City and you really could care less.

First a quick update on our predicament so that you can quit reading whenever you get bored.  We are still high and dry and going stir crazy.  Last Tuesday we found out that the props could not be repaired (still do not know why) and Detroit could not locate any replacements.  Having exhausted all other sources, they had to wait for their suppliers in Florida to return to the shops after the storm down there.  Wednesday we agreed on replacements and now it will take at least a week to get them up here.  It looks like we may be here until next Thursday or Friday.

Mackinaw City is at the northern tip of the southern peninsula of Michigan.  The Mackinaw Bridge crosses the Straits of Mackinaw to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where Sault St. Marie is located.  The Bridge separates Lake Michigan from Lake Huron.  It, supposedly, is the longest suspension bridge in the world.  It is equally impressive that it was completed in just over 2 years.  I am willing to bet my props that the new bridge for Windsor - Detroit will not get completed in 2 years, or 3 or 4. 
Many of you may never get to MC but there are a few of you out there that may so I will provide details about our experiences.  The best carmel corn is Alice's Kandy & Korn.  Best carmel corn with chocolate is the Fort Gifts and Souvenirs.  The Fort gift shop also has the most reasonable prices on everything.  I got a nice crested golf shirt (Fruit of the Loom) for $5 and Linda got flip flops for $4.  There is tons of fudge both here and on the Island, in fact, I read that in peak season 11,000 lbs are sold per day (yes, per DAY).  Marshall's on Central Street (the main drag) has the best selection and the neatest combinations.  Murdick's is a good place too. 

We have been taking advantage of a fishery, Bell's Fishery, next to the marina here.  My first attempt at cedar plank salmon was superb even if I do say so myself.  Linda says so too.  They also have smoked fish which we have every 2nd or 3rd morning for breakfast.  Fresh pumpernickel bread, cream cheese and vidalia onions.  Len & Carol, the salmon and lake trout are awesome. 

Linda keeps coming back to the blonde bombshell as her favorite drink.  We carried a ton of pineapple juice from the IGA, had no problem getting the coconut rum but there is no banana liqueur in the city.  We checked every place that sells spirits including the 2 on the highway about 1.5 miles from the marina.  So we approached our new friend, whom I call Sacketts because she originates from Sackett's Harbor, New York where we have boated to a few times, at the Depot (restaurant & bar) and she purchased a bottle from Cheyboygan and had it for us the very next day.  We have spent too much time at her bar.  I even went to bed (or passed out) at 9:15 the other night.  For those who do not know me, since I have retired, I usually stay up past midnight, most nights even later.  Oh well, Linda will be happy now even if we do ever get back on the water.

I previously mentioned Darrows as a great family restaurant with excellent food.  Closer to the marina is the Keyhole Bar & Grill.  It is a very active place every evening and we now know why.  The food is very good.  The peel and eat shrimp is excellent, almost as good as the fresh shrimp that we enjoyed on the docks in Port Douglas, Australia with you, Rick and Lynne.  We are now ordering that by the pound when we go there to eat.  We also found an excellent pizza place, Nonna Lisa.  The pizzas come from a wood fired oven and you basically order what ever toppings you prefer.  My prosuitto (?sp), Italian bacon and portabello mushrooms is the best.  The bakery next to the Dixie Saloon has excellent breads, pastries and cookies.  The oatmeal raisin cookies are our favorites.  Ice cream can be had anywhere, there are basically only 2 suppliers and both are good.

One can certainly enjoy eating, especially fudge, and drinking here but there is not much else to do.  Taxi's seem ridiculously expensive.  I am trying to work with a ferry shuttle driver to take us to the golf course.  Will see if that slows our eating and drinking a bit.

Cheers for now.
Tom & Linda