What a great day to be at our favorite Lake Michigan island, and Ranger Jim puts us in our favorite dock. No bumping this year as there is plenty of water to get us the inside wall. The marina and town are surprisingly quiet for this time of year. (just wait until next week when the Mac racers come in!).

I walk to McDonogh's grocery for something to grill and we have a lovely dinner and evening on the boat.

Thursday morning we walk to Dalwinnie for Bill's favorite Irish breakfast (I do Eggs Benedict with asparagus). We figure the walk should negate the pecan sticky buns we ate with our coffee. The bakery and breakfasts are the best we've encountered on our trips.

Back at the marina, we thoroughly clean the boat...no sense in doing it earlier as we had to get far enough north to get out of the soot, smog and crude zone of the lower lake. We reward our hard work with a Jameson's at the infamous Shamrock, where they serve more Guinness on St Patrick's Day that anywhere else except Dublin.

And after cleaning ourselves up, we call for the car to take us to Circle M restaurant, the current top choice restaurant of Beaver Island. The building is the former Catholic rectory built in the 1800s, overlooking the cemetery. Family owned and operated, they take good care of the customer with good service and great food... seafood fondu, whitefish and perch dinners topped off with lava cake for dessert. Every time we come to this island we find another reason to return.