Petoskey to Beaver Island. Beaver to Mackinaw. Questions!

[erobert]

I'm in Petoskey preparing for the jump to Beaver and I had a few questions I thought someone here might be able to answer.

From Petoskey or Charlevoix, am I correct in saying that the shoals in between the island and the mainland are closer to the mainland so staying within 8 miles from the island or less and tacking back and foruth in necessary will keep me clear of those shoals I've seen on the charts and from GoodHeart?

From Beaver to Mackinaw, most people seem to go through the shipping lanes, south of the great shoal that stretches out east of Hog Island until they reach the Southern light house. They then go north through the shipping lane until they see the northern light house, then turn east.

I've heard of smaller boats like mine just ignoring the whole process and going as they please without hitting bottom but seeing lots of big boulders which I'd like to avoid.

My question is why not leave from northern Hog Island, get up early and just head north from there then turn east. My boat draws 4.5 feet so I could navigate my way to the north west side of Hog. Why don't more boats just skip the light houses and shipping lanes all together on the way to Mackinaw?

Thanks for the info in advance.

[dangerfield55]

I have done the trip from Petoskey and Charlevoix many many many times. If you run a straight line from Petoskey to St James harbor you are fine. The only depth concern is that the north side of little traverse bay shoals and you may need to change your heading a little to the south until you are nine miles or so out from Petoskey. From Beaver Island to Makinaw I went south of Hog island, headed north to Waugoshaunce point. I always passed
Outside of the abandoned light house. I have seen bigger boats than mine cut inside. I draw 6 feet, A great place to spend a night is St Helena Island, It has a very nice anchorage.


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[dangerfield55]

If you want to run the shipping lane in bad visibility my advice is to run just outside and parallel to the buoys. The ships stay in the marked channel.


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