Day #377 – Drummond Island, MI

Several of you who have been faithfully following this blog have commented on the fact that I have not been in swimming on this trip.  Being on the water for over a year, it is amazing the I  haven’t gone for a swim.  I am proud of the fact that I have avoided having to put on a bathing suit as well.  Now I can no longer claim that I have not been swimming.  I have, however, still not put on a bathing suit.  Can you see where this story is going?!?!?  Last night after a lovely dinner on the aft deck of Salvage Crew I was walking back to our slip, next door.  I was talking to a lady fishing across the dock and stepped onto the swim platform.  It is appropriately named as that is where I went swimming from.  As I stepped on, still conversing, I caught my foot in the line attached to the swim platform.  In I went and the water was a balmy 66 degrees.  I’m glad to report that I was not hurt, didn’t lose my glasses and came up still holding my wine glass.  I ran into the lady this afternoon who I was talking to at the time of the launch and she said she gave me a full “10”.  She said she heard, “of sh–” and then a splash.  Need I say more?!?!?

We woke to a beautiful sunny, warm day in Michigan.  Days like this are too few and far between, but we like to think they saved them for our arrival back into our home state.  This weather is expected to hold for at least the next six days.

This morning we spent a few hours cleaning and organizing the boat.  It has been a bit neglected since we have been on the move so much lately.  Also, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Karen, John and Ted tomorrow after we move to Mackinac Island.

So, we arranged for the rental vehicle here at the marina and off we went for the usual stops.  A great lunch spot that some locals had recommended

the hardware store and, of course, the grocery store.

It felt good to be able to find some of the brands that we are used to buying in the US and the prices are certainly lower than Canada, even on Drummond Island.

After errands we drove around the island and did a little exploring and found Drummond Island Resort and Conference Center.  It was originally built and developed by Domino’s Pizza magnate Tom Monaghan.  Then, in 1991 a group of mainly local people bought the whole place, 2,000 acres, for pennies on the dollar of what it cost to develop. It boasts of The Rock, designed by Harry Bowers, and is known as one of Michigan’s most beautiful and unusual golf courses.

Monaghan’s longtime fascination with Frank Lloyd Wright is evident. He originally envisioned Domino’s Lodge as a retreat for his corporate families, where they could bond, relax, and at the same time think about pizza and the Detroit Tigers baseball team, which he owned at the time. Monaghan designed (often on napkins) three of the cottages built there. One was for himself and his chief executives, one for former U-M football coach Bo Schembechler, then the Tigers’ general manager, and one for Sparky Anderson, then the Tigers’ manager. The Bayside Restaurant is open to the public from June through September and weekends in winter. There are also several separate cottages for rent.

It is quite a place and we were glad to have seen it.  Off to Mackinac Island tomorrow.