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"Marathon- the Heart of the Florida Keys"

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Mackinaw City Michigan
- the convergence of Lakes Huron and Michigan in the Great Lakes
Second week of September, including September 11th, 2001 - the week the world changed

We were graciously hosted by Bill and Jan Morrison's while we stayed in Mackinaw City. This is the front of their house which overlooks Lake Michigan and the Mackinac Island bridge. Bill is Past District Commander of D9 in the USPS which includes Michigan. We sort of overstayed our visit while we were there, but they took great care of us. It's Grandpa and Grandma Bill & Jan now for Jessica. Jan fed us every night with a great dinner. They loaned us their car to drive all over Michigan (Lisa HAD to find crickets as food for the onboard tree frogs). We didn't plan to stay for an entire week, but I needed a part for the water pump for the engine so ordered the new part and waited at the Marina. Bill helped with contacts at the marina there. We received the part the day the terrorist attacks occurred on NY and DC. We watched on Satellite TV as most of you did. We got the pump installed and were off the dock by 3:30pm over to the fuel dock and topped off. It was $1.75/gallon. Just as the attendant brought back our charge slip to sign, he said we were just in time. He'd just received a call to TRIPLE the fuel prices - based on the terrorist attacks and anticipated lack of foreign fuel!! $5.25 per gallon! This will kill us on the trip back home. I hope we can find reasonably priced fuel supplies. Left the fuel dock at 4pm and proceeded to the center span of the Mackinaw bridge. I called Jan and Bill on the cell phone to let them know we'd be passing by their house on the straits shortly. Then we spotted the coast guard coming straight at us from under the bridge. I told Jan and hung up the call. She and Bill were able to watch through binoculars from their house. The coast guard came roaring up directly to our bow - would not even come alongside - blocking us. A crewman armed with a shotgun at the ready stood by on the bow. I tried to maneuver to come alongside them to talk, but they kept blocking me. I had to leave the boat adrift and walk out on the bow to talk to them. They would not let us pass under the Mackinac bridge - only commercial traffic - and only 100% US Citizens and registry. We were forced to turn around and head back to Mackinaw City marina. It made no difference to them that the boat is federally documented (part of the US Navy) and I have a USCG 100 ton captains license (have to have police & FBI background checks and fingerprinted). Bill Morrison called me on the VHF enroute. I told him we'd be over again tonight for dinner - get the beans and brats ready! Jessica was happy to go back to their place. I checked the GPS and digital charts as we got back to the dock. THE GPS IS 2 3/4 MILES OFF TODAY!!

We finally got past the bridge the next day - with much trepidation and advance calls to the USCG. Their boat still approached, but did not block us. We got through the bridge and the weather was TERRIBLE - with high waves and heavy seas coming over the bow. I'd have ordinarily turned back - but we had such a hard time politically getting under Mackinac Bridge to begin with that there was NO WAY I was turning back. We toughed it out but turned in to St James Bay on Beaver Island in lake Michigan for refuge from the weather. We stayed there for several days waiting it out.

Our newly adopted Michigan family stands below in the backyard (beach) of Bill & Jan's House, with Macinac Island Bridge in the background.

CLICK HERE for the next photos in series of the Great Circle Trip . . .