Pentwater was about as far north as we were able to go during the summer of 2003. Although our plan was to meet friends in Traverse City, MI, for a week of sailing, Ariel's first real cruise proved to be, largely, a shakedown cruise. With a blownout jib our first morning out of St. Joseph - thanks to frayed seams and 20 knot winds - clogged fuel filters in Pentwater, and a freshwater pump on the fritz, we only made it to Ludington, MI - about 180 miles north of St. Joseph. We spent the night at anchor in Ludington, then, with the water pump about to go out, decided that we'd rather be on Pentwater Lake if we were going to have to make some repairs.
The photos above are of Ariel at anchor on Pentwater Lake, where she spent about five days all alone while my dad went to Traverse City to vacation with our friends - they'd rented a house for the week - and I headed back to St. Joseph to get parts and tools to replace the water pump.
Pentwater is a beautiful little lake with a good sandy bottom. There are several restaurants ashore as well as a small market and a chandlery. All-in-all, a great place to be stuck for repairs.
I wish I had more pictures of Pentwater, but sight-seeing was the last thing on our mind while we were there. Perhaps the summer of 2005 will afford a more relaxed visit and time for more photos.