An Island Adventure

On a cool, windy, August morning right in the middle of our vacation, we boarded a ferry and set sail for South Manitou Island, Michigan.  It was an adventure we had all been looking forward to for months … an adventure that I had taken with my family about 25 years prior when we vacationed in the same spot.

Unfortunately for us, however, was the fact that because of the wind and a storm that has passed through the day before, Lake Michigan was pretty choppy – choppy enough to produce 8-10 foot swells.  Initially we all thought the ride was great fun!  And then the deck hands started handing out plastic bags and paper towels to those who were struggling with sea sickness.  By the time we got to the island, after a very long hour and a half ride, there were at least a dozen sick passengers.  The boys thought it was great fun and weren’t bothered at all by the churning waters.  Neither was Joel or my Dad.  Unfortunately, though, my mom got pretty sick and Katelyn and I spent an hour with our heads in our laps singing “Jesus Loves Me” over and over again to keep ourselves from thinking about how awful our stomachs felt.  It was not a fun ride and we were very thankful to set foot on solid ground.

Thankfully after some crackers and peanut butter our stomachs all settled and we were able to enjoy a delightful day touring the island and learning about how its residents made their living and survived on the island years ago.

And I’m pleased to report that our ride back to the mainland – although long – was much calmer and without illness!