Bugged by Harbor Springs

Matt and I cruised from Leland to Harbor Springs, located near Petoskey on the Little Traverse Bay, and checked in at the city marina.

For more than 100 years Harbor Springs has been a summer home community for wealthy city dwellers, with many impressive waterside “cottages.” In the Harbor Point and Wequetonsing neighborhoods are many meticulously maintained Victorian homes. When we arrived in early June, many of these grand homes had not yet been opened for the short summer season.

Decades ago, Harbor Point homeowners would take the “Pointer” water taxi from downtown to the Harbor Point pier. A restored version of that taxi boat now offers historic harbor tours.

The small and attractive Harbor Springs downtown offers galleries, gift shops, real estate firms, and good restaurants. Matt and I dined at Pierson’s, which takes its theme from nearby Nubs Nob and Boyne Highlands ski resorts.

After Rhonda and Shirley joined us, the four of us had an excellent meal at The Paper Station Bistro, a tiny and highly rated downtown restaurant only a short walk from our marina.

Unfortunately, we arrived in Harbor Springs the same day as the annual hatch of midge bugs. R&R became the final resting place for millions of midges. It took MANY hours of cleaning and detailing to get R&R shipshape again.

I have heard the salesperson’s motivational mantra ABC – “Always Be Closing.” The boating equivalent is “Always Be Cleaning!”