posted 03-09-2006 01:52 PM ET (US)        

1. Is this area primarily a boating/fishing destination, or is it watersports-friendly, i.e., swimming, skiing, jet-skiing?

2. What are the average or expected water temperatures during August?

3. Are there sandbars or public beaches where a couple of boats can tie up and hang around for swimming and sunning?

4. Are there a lot of no-wake zones, or is the area primarily unrestricted with regard to speed?

5. I have been to the Inland Waterway (Burt Lake/Indian River, etc.) several times, and now I'm thinking about a little change of scenery. What are some of the differences or similarities between the Les Cheneaux Islands experience and the Inland Waterway experience?

posted 03-10-2006 12:38 AM ET (US)            

http://continuouswave.com/sail-logs/up1998/

The water temperatures will probably be in the 70 to 75 degree range. Great swimming for the kids; a little brisk for old farts.

Some areas of the waterway are NO WAKE.

Sand beaches...hmm. They may be a bit hard to find.

posted 03-10-2006 05:23 AM ET (US)            

We had a very nice time up there last summer, stayed in Hessel. Boated through the area, and also made two day trips over to Mackinac Island / Round Island.

I'm at the office today, call 810-985-2400 in Port Huron for further.

posted 03-10-2006 12:14 PM ET (US)            

The best (public) sand beach you will find for the kids will be in Government Bay back where Government Island and LaSalle Island come together. There are usually a few yachts anchored in this harbor in the summer time. Government Island is part of the Hiawatha National (state?) Forest and you can camp, etc. There are rustic facilities (privies). Government Island is a lot of fun to explore for the kids too. Some gravel beaches, and if you follow the "stream" between Government Island and LaSalle Island, you will find a very nice Lake Huron beach...almost guaranteed to be very few people back there.

Fishing sucks and has been that way since the early 1990's when the State re-negotiated tribal fishing grounds with the Indians. The introduction of Gill Nets offshore of the islands has severely limited what used to be a very plentiful perch and rock bass fishery...I remember catching 50-60 perch at a time when I was growing up up there.

There are plenty of great bays and calm areas for water sports. Cedarville Bay, while sometimes busy with boat traffic, is fairly shallow and has the warmest water. Snuggle up along LaSalle Island to better avoid weeds. Shepherd's Bay is also a good spot for skiing, with warmest water.

Other nearby beaches - around Pt. Brulee there is a sandy public (county?) beach. Also, East past Beavertail point there is a nice stretch of sandy beach, but both are exposed stretches and fairly COLD water.

Other good spot on a calm day is to go out the Yacht Entrance around Penny Island and Government Island and explore the beach on LaSalle Island near that little lake. This is usually completely deserted and though I think it is technically private property (be respectful!) - it is a great place to anchor slightly offshore and wade in..combination pebble and sand beach...great for skipping stones, etc.

If you're navigating the waters in Lake Huron (outside the islands) use your charts to watch for shoals. Some of those shoals off of Marquette Island and LaSalle Island extend quite far out into the lake....don't cut these short.

If Camping, consider the outer campsite on the inside edge of Government Island near the Yacht Entrance. Another good site for camping is to anchor the boat in Government Bay and camp along that lake Huron Beach I mentioned.

If you can get in towards Penny Island, there is a nice little campsite there as well...great views of the Mackinac Bridge all lit up at night.

August is the best month...expect 70 degree water in the bays, and about 62-65 degree in the outer harbors (Scammons Harbor, Hessel Bay out near Long Island, etc).

Take historical note of the Revolutionary War outposts on Long Island and on the Marquette Island point nearest Hessel (cube point?)... These were used to send smoke warnings of approaching ships to outposts on Mackinac Island to warn the fort.

Consider also a run from the Islands out to Mackinac Island - an easy 18 mile offshore jaunt...For dinner/drinks...makes a nice run back in twilight with the bridge all lit up behind you on the way home.

Be sure to check out the house on Dollar Island (in the Snows Channel)..and the homes on Club Point (Marquette Island). There's a little golf course that has public docking as well...not a great course, but the novelty of having your clubs in the boat is kind of fun.

posted 03-10-2006 05:08 PM ET (US)            

I had the following material down at the office:

We stayed at Hessel Bay Sunset Cabins (www.hesselsunsetcabins.com). Docking across the street (we stayed not at the Sunset Cabins, but rather 1/4 mile east at another group of cabins, just east of Mertaughs's Marina. The cabin was called "Loreli 5". Right across the street was a nice dock, and walking distance of two places to eat, and the launch ramp. For early August, two people and boat dockage, it ran $545 for four days.

Nice getaway.

Another place we wandered by is:

www.hillspointresort.com

About the same price, farther away from eating.

posted 03-10-2006 05:16 PM ET (US)            

There are also lots of rentals in the "snows channel" which is probably the "busiest" area.

A lot of the rental places up there are booked a year in advance, though there are more available than there were in the past due to the property values going up and I think people are renting out private cottages in efforts to contain costs of owning.

DFM's recs are all good. I'd also suggest Barefoot's on Hill Island (again, further from dining). The ones on the Snows Channel are all centrally located, though any restaurant other than Snows Bar and Grill is going to be an equal hike either direction to either Cedarville or Hessel.

I recommend you go to Cedarville for staples/supplies...they actually have a real "supermarket" which will help contain costs (Hessel's grocery is a nice little place, but spendy...so is "Cedar Pantry" in Cedarville...but both of those locations have better operating hours.

Cedarville also has the hardware stores for the area. Mertaugh's (Hessel) is the Whaler Dealer, and is one of the oldest Whaler Dealers in the country (also one of the oldest Chris-Craft dealers in the country). I think it's the second weekend in August for the Antique Boat Show in hessel. Good luck finding lodging in town that weekend, but what a great time to be in the area. You may have to stay in St. Ignace if your trip falls on that weekend. Those dates are booked solid up there.

posted 03-13-2006 05:24 AM ET (US)            

During the GatheringOfWhalers up there last fall, we stayed at:

http://www.waterwaylodging.com/landings/

Great spot for working the Waterway either north or south. Launch Ramp, excellent docking with pilings on all four corners, 100 feet away from our cabin. Slightly tricky to drive to...just follow the directions closely (I'm not telling more....just slightly lost). Close to town by car. Good parking for trailer. Downside is having to drive to eat if you don't want to cook.

Another spot we looked at right in Indian River is:

http://www.pinescottages.com/

_Very_ nice. Easy walk into town. Two downsides: no launch ramp on property (close though) and seawall mooring along the Indian River with current.

posted 03-13-2006 09:14 AM ET (US)            

Thanks for the information. I've stayed at the Landings before, in one of their "aparments". It was very "rustic" to say the least, but it was nice having the boat in the water just a few feet from my room.

I've also stayed at the Best Western on the Cheboygan River, where you can tie your boat to seawall. The Best Western was much nicer than the Landings, and only cost a little bit more. The problem with the Best Western is that entire Cheboygan River is a no wake zone, so every trip begins and ends with a forty-five minute no wake cruise.

This year were going to try the Crooked River Lodge. It's a little more centrally located, but it does not offer any boat docking. They have suggested using the Crooked River Marina, which is apparently close by. I will report my findings.

posted 03-13-2006 10:18 AM ET (US)            

I will say that the water is definitely cooler in the Les Cheneaux, which helps keep the jet-ski quotient down (though there are some darn hardy jet-ski riders up there!).

There is plenty of tubing and skiing going on on warm days.

The fishing is better in the inland waterway, principally because the state of Michigan re-negotiated fishing rights with the indian populations in the lower peninsula (areas like the inland waterway) for locations in the U.P....like the Les Cheneaux.

The biggest difference in the two areas is the proximity to sizeable towns (two one-horse towns in the Les Cheneaux and several decent-size (i.e. large enough to support chain restaurants) surrounding the Inland Waterway - principally due to location along the I-75 corridor.

All that said - I'm not trying to steer you away from the Inland Waterway (which I think is MUCH more about just boating...due to the length traveled). The fewer people to discover Les Cheneaux, the better!

:)

Cheers and happy boating.

Dave

posted 03-13-2006 11:13 AM ET (US)            

The group I'm planning the trip with are expecting more of a social event then a boating event. Although they enjoy riding in boats, it's more about rafting-up at a sandbar or near a beach, drinking some beer, swimming, people watching, and relaxing in the sun. Based on your description of the Les Cheneaux Islands, it seems pretty clear that there is more of this type of activity to be found in the Inland Waterway.

When it comes to pure "boating", i.e., riding around in the boat all day and sightseeing, that's something my wife and I are more likely to do on our own, without the group. From everything I've read, the Les Cheneaux Islands are a beautiful boating destination. I'd definitely like to spend a weekend there. I just think that the group will have a better time in the Inland Waterway.

posted 05-04-2006 09:18 PM ET (US)            

The next best is actually on Penny Island (which looks more like a peninsula) out in Lake Huron a little ways - from there it's a short nighttime paddle out to the lighted green buoy to see the Mackinac Bridge lit up at night.

Another favorite of mine, that is very seldom used due to location - on the backside of the island (lake Huron side) near the channel between LaSalle and Government Island, there is a sandy beach nearby...and a nice campsite about 1/4 of the way out from that beach (on the shore) toward Penny Island. Those last two are very rustic with no privy nearby.

Prepare to be cold if 70 degrees is cold for you...expect low 40's at night and be grateful for mid 50's.

A good side trip is Beaver Tail Point, about 10 miles further East from Cedarville on M-134. Nice little paddle.

posted 05-23-2006 07:54 PM ET (US)            

After a danish-free 2005, the Hessel Bakery is again open. It appears to be long term. I filled up there this morning.

Additional gluttony at Snow's Bar is also a possibility in 2006. I had heard local reports that it was back in business under new ownership, stopped by last night, the sign in the window stated June 3rd is opening day.

posted 06-03-2006 09:49 AM ET (US)            

2. What are the average or expected water temperatures during August? 72-75 f

3. Are there sandbars or public beaches where a couple of boats can tie up and hang around for swimming and sunning?
Government Bay off of Government Island is the #1 hangout. You'll see everything from 13ft Boston Whalers to MegaYachts just prior to the Annual Antique Boat Show in August.

4. Are there a lot of no-wake zones, or is the area primarily unrestricted with regard to speed? As mentioned in above posts, 55mph limit other than in the few no wake zones. WOT on the way to Mac Island if you want.

posted 06-05-2006 05:57 PM ET (US)            

So...did this Southern California guy (alejo) get up there? (And did he freeze?! It was cold that weekend!).

Perhaps we should have a Whaler Rendezvous that goes through there in August during the antique boat show. LHG's 21' Outrage certainly qualifies as an antique, and is in similar condition to many of the woodies up there (immaculate).

It's unlikely there would be room to stay there at a marina overnight, but based in nearby St. Ignace or even Drummond Island could make for a nice day in the Islands with an evening run back "home."