Mackinaw’s Legacy

There has been a lot of activity since we brought Selkie to Mackinaw City more than a month ago.

There have been a lot of celebrations. That is what happens when you have family that hasn’t seen each other a lot since COVID started.

I don’t know how many people came up to one of us and said, “we stopped by the marina to see Selkie today. She’s pretty cool.”

I agree.

In the meantime, we’ve celebrated. Reunions with family from all sides. A 70th birthday. And new memories with our grandsons.

Mackinaw has always been special to me.

My dad’s parents were thoughtful enough to set up a legacy for their family, one that my extended family enjoys to this day.

My parents met there.

My parents honeymooned there.

My grandparents lived there.

I had several summer jobs during college there.

My Sheldon cousins come back every summer. It’s like a spontaneous family reunion.

There’s other history here for me as well.

I was checking on Selkie and saw the ferry boat, Straits of Mackinac II, one of the older Mackinac Island ferries and one I worked back in the late ‘70’s.

That brought a lot of memories, carrying passengers and freight over to the Island for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week.

That summer paid for almost half my college.

I can remember how special it was to be able to experience a summer on the water. I learned a lot.

I took pride in handling a crowd of 500 anxious and seasick passengers during stormy crossings.

I took pride in using a spring line to stop a ferry boat in the same spot every time.

I also learned to follow orders if I wanted to stay working on the ferryboat. That was a hard lesson but served me well later in life.

We spent one night on Mackinac Island to celebrate Katie and Nate’s 5th Anniversary. It was a special time with them.

The month we were in Mackinaw, I spent some great times with my grandsons, all 3 of them. They are the fifth generation to be on our beach.

My sisters and I spent a weekend plus a day or two together along with much of our families. We all really enjoyed our time together as it had been a long time since we were all together.

Now, Selkie is on a three week wrap up trip before heading to winter storage in Cheboygan, Michigan.

We are headed to more familiar territory in the Lake Charlevoix and Grand Traverse Bay area before we return back to Mackinaw.

More later.