General Tips
This area was carved by glaciers — staying in deep water is generally easy. When you're in less than 50 feet, pay close attention. On sunny days, water color is your friend: dark blue means deep, light blue/green means shallow.
Slip Reservations
Reserve state marina slips up to 6 months in advance at midnrreservations.com. Call when ready to leave and ask about transient availability.
Mooring Balls
Never pick up a mooring ball without explicit permission. Most are privately owned and may only be rated for a small dinghy. GLSC maintains a few balls in Omena Bay — ask the office.
Anchoring
The ideal anchorage has a gradual sandy bottom at 10–20 feet. Always check overnight wind forecasts — if winds exceed 15 knots from any direction, move.
Leaving the Bay
Always check the open lake forecast. A 20-knot SW wind produces 2–3 foot waves inside Grand Traverse Bay and 5–6 foot waves outside. Call us anytime if you're debating conditions.
Grand Traverse Bay
The red buoys inside the basin mark a shallow area. Leave these red buoys to port when departing. The Red 8 buoy at the southern end of West Bay marks a large sandbar — stay outside it at all times. When returning, remember "Red Right Returning" — do not cut inside Red 8.
Nature preserve with hiking, beaches, and camping. Approach only from the east, southeast, or south. Do not go between the Green 7 buoy and the island.
Bowers Marina is private. Restaurants, micro-brew, and wine tasting nearby.
Full-service marina, great restaurants, historic movie theater, boutique shopping. Wine Festival and Blues Fest annual events.
Very scenic, quiet anchorage with a great beach and nearby hiking. No shore-side amenities.
Welcoming marina — great beach. Use the range marker for approach and line yourself up from the north-northwest before entering the dredged channel. Approaching at 90 degrees will result in running aground.
Full-service marina with haul-out facility. Red Right Returning — red buoys run east-west, do not go north of them.
Great restaurant and wine tasting on the waterfront — dinghy in only. Sandy bottom, drops off fast. South exposure.
Manitou Islands & Leelanau Coastline
Beautiful coastline but very little protection and few anchorage options. Always have a Plan B before committing to this zone. Check the open lake forecast before leaving Grand Traverse Bay.
A harbor of refuge — they'll accommodate you in bad weather even if it means rafting up. Storybook town with Carlson's Fisheries, wine festivals, and a waterfall. The marina entrance opens to the south — entering in a strong SW wind means the boat will surf in.
Only natural harbor in the Manitou Islands. Deep water — may require two anchors. Hiking, National Park ferry, and shipwreck snorkeling.
Anchoring is not permitted. Reaching these islands consumes most of a sailing day and there's very little overnight protection. Some nice beaches on the west sides for day visits when conditions allow.
Charlevoix & Little Traverse Bay
Opens on the hour and half hour, 6 AM to midnight. Current flows inland. Watch for the Beaver Island ferry. Do not tie up in the channel. Inbound traffic enters first. Charlevoix Marina monitors VHF Channel 9.
14 miles from Charlevoix to Boyne City with 8–9 marinas and anchorages. Your best option to get off Lake Michigan if weather is rough. Stops include Boyne City, East Jordan, Oyster Bay, Horton Bay, and The Landing.
Excellent town with restaurants, parks, shops, galleries, and the historic Bay View district of Victorian homes. Great waterfront park and river hike from the marina.
A perfect natural harbor and storybook town. Public and private marina options. Great beach. The only good overnight anchorage in Little Traverse Bay.
Beaver Island & the Straits
Limited bail-out options if weather deteriorates. Ensure you have plenty of time and a solid weather window. Review the Island Clause — service calls to remote islands take time.
Check the extended weather forecast before departing — you can get stuck on the island if conditions don't cooperate. Best staging points are Northport, Charlevoix, Petoskey, or Harbor Springs. "America's Emerald Isle" — rich history, quiet beaches, and nature preserves.
Excellent overnight anchorage. Hiking trails and a Native American burial ground. Shallow entrance — use caution.
Winds funnel and strengthen significantly in the straits. A strong SW wind coming up Lake Michigan will shift to a strong west wind in the straits. Great for a downwind run toward Mackinac Island — but expect on-the-nose winds heading west.
Reservations open 6 months in advance — book early. Fender up well — ferries throw a significant wake all day. No fuel at the state marina, pump-out available. Anchoring not advised due to constant ferry wakes.
Good alternative if Mackinac is full. Do not anchor out due to ferry traffic.