Day 4: Soo Locks and Mackinac Island

I awoke around 7:45 with the ship in the middle of the Poe Lock. Yes, that's what it's called. The people on the ship got a kick out of the name and local tour guide that entertained us on the bus from Sault Ste. Marie, Canada to St. Ignace also capitalized on the pun in the name of this largest of the locks at the Soo. Although I had seen ships go through the Soo Locks before, it was my first time going thrugh the locks on a vessel. My expectations were high and I thought going through the locks would feel more exhilerating. Instead, it was rather uneventful. I guess that's a good thing, as far as navigation is concerned. Still, I'm glad I had the experience. In St. Ignace, our group took a Catamaran to Mackinac Island. Our group had arranged for lunch at the Grand Hotel. The buffet was filled with treats of all kinds of treats. I wished I was more of a dessert person. At the height of tourist season, I couldn't bear to sit 12 in a pack on the horse drawn buggy for a tour, which was the group option after lunch. We opted for renting bikes instead and had a leisurely pedal around the island, stopping for a sunbath and a splash in the azure blue waters that surround Mackinac Island. We met back up with the group at 5, boarded the bus and were back on the ship by 6:30, to get ready for dinner with the Captain. Never a dull moment .