Munising (Day 3)

Today was a welcome day in port (Munising), at least for me. As a stubborn north wind continued to blow, the sightseeing boats that take up much of the dock space here – and bring in lots of tourist money – remained in port, reminding us that even capitalism bows to weather. We did boat maintenance and galley organization, fought with a stubborn marina Wi-Fi, and cooked real food. It was a hoot to host Sunday brunch for our sailing buddies in our sunny salon. (Such a grand word for the largest compartment of our humble trawler, but that is what it’s called!)

A visit to the “interpretive center” gave useful local context. Both the Ojibwa and Chippewa tribes have roots here. The Native American presence is more recognized here in Michigan’s U.P. than in some places, and I’m glad of that. I was sad to miss the annual Pow-Wow in my half-time “hometown” of L’Anse, and pleased that it drew 6,000 people. They were here first, after all. It feels like a patriotic duty to be aware of their history.

The bike came in handy again for a long solitary ride to Sandy Point and its big beach, and a beautiful marsh boardwalk nearby. I worked my lungs on the way, but in the marsh took full deep breaths for the first time in days, reminding me to intentionally feed my introvert needs on this trip.