Reunion
At A
Glance:
Mackinac Island
Michigan
Aug 29 - Sep 1, 2005
Limited space may still be available.
Call
(765) 452-1602 |
When
is the Collectors Family Reunion?
August 29 to September 1, 2005. Reunion check-in will begin at 3 PM on
Monday, August 29th. The Reunion will conclude after the Thursday morning
"Breakfast with Bill", at approximately 11 AM (hotel checkout time).
Where is the Collectors Family Reunion?
The Collector Family Reunion will be held at
Mission Point Resort on
Mackinac Island, Michigan.
How do you
pronounce Mackinac?
Although you see the name sometimes
spelled Mackinac and sometimes spelled Mackinaw,
both are pronounced "MACK-in-awe". Mackinaw City is the only use of the
spelling ending in ‘aw’. For all practical purposes, it is the phonetic
spelling of Mackinac.
Who is invited?
All members of the Harbour Lights Collector Society are invited. However,
we will have space limitations, restricting the number of collectors who
can attend.
Is there a waiting
list?
We will have a waiting list for those not among the first able to
register. We will contact the people on this list, in the order they
called in, should any vacancies occur.
Must I
register my children if they are attending?
Yes, if you want your child to be able to participate in any activities,
including the lighthouse cruises, or eat any meals with you, they MUST be
registered. If you are bringing your children and have not registered
them, please contact Reunion Headquarters at
reunion@harbourlights.com
or (765) 452-1602.
Can I add extra nights to my stay at Mission Point if I did not do so at
registration?
There are a limited number of rooms available at a discounted rate for
Sunday night, August 28th and for Thursday night, September 1st. If you
are interested, you need to contact Reunion Headquarters to determine
availability. Other nights would be at the normal hotel pricing.
What
will we be doing during the Collectors Family Reunion?
There will be lighthouse cruises to view the lights of the Eastern and
Western parts of the Straits of Mackinac. There will be many other
activities to enjoy, but we don’t want to give away all of our surprises
yet! There will be lots of time to visit with old friends, make new ones
and to explore the beautiful Mackinac Island.
Where can we fly
into?
Before we get to the airports, one point to consider. These airports are
served primarily by commuter connections. This means fewer seats. This
area of Michigan sees many vacationing folks flying in. On the way home
you will potentially be flying over Labor Day weekend. Don’t wait until
the last minute to make travel arrangements or wait for a “deal” as you
may then have to fly into the big cities (Detroit or Chicago).
These airports are all within 75 miles or so of Mackinaw City. The
airlines serving these cities are primarily commuter airlines. Many of the
flights are on the new regional jets.
-
Pellston Regional Airport, Pellston, MI Airport
Code: PLN
Served by Northwest Airlines. Transportation to Mackinaw City is
available.
-
Alpena County Regional Airport, Alpena, MI
Airport Code: APN
Served by Northwest Airlines
-
Cherry Capital Airport, Traverse City, MI
Airport Code: TVC
Served by Delta, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Eagle.
-
Sault Ste. Marie Airport, Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Airport Code: CIU
Served by Northwest Airlines. Be very careful when looking at flights to
Sault Ste. Marie (Pronounced "Sue Saint Marie",) as there also is an airport on the Canadian side.
There is a Mackinaw Shuttle from CIU. You could also stay on the North
side of the Straits, and catch the Mackinac Island ferry at Saint
Ignace.
-
These airports are further away than those above, but do give you other
options:
Flint is served by ATA, Air Trans,
Northwest, Delta and Continental Airlines (service includes some
direct flights from Florida)
Are there
any options for those of us who will fly in?
We are looking at the potential to arrange special bus tours beginning and
ending at either Chicago or Detroit airports. This would allow you to fly
into the appropriate airport on Friday evening preceding the Reunion then
take a chartered bus north to Mackinaw City.
Of course, there would be stops at numerous
lighthouses on the way. The return trip could be either direct back to the
airport or again go by way of lighthouses on the route. If you would be
interested in these types of add-ons to the Reunion, please contact us at
Reunion Headquarters --
reunion@harbourlights.com or (765) 452-1602 to let us know of your
interest. Once we determine the interest level, we will look at pricing
and let everyone know. Cost would include any transportation, admissions
or donations and motels. Some meals would probably also be included.
Can we drive
to the Reunion?
Most definitely! There are 116 lighthouses in Michigan alone. Depending on
where you are traveling from, there are many beautiful lighthouses all
around the Great Lakes. Most of these lights are not too far from the main
roads, and are easy to visit. Remember, you can get more "lighthouses to
the mile" in Michigan than any other state!
How
will we get to Mackinac Island?
You will be taking one of the scheduled passenger ferries to and from
Mackinac Island. Prior to the Reunion you will receive a voucher to be
redeemed for your ticket at the
Shepler Mackinac Island Ferry ticket
office. You can choose to travel from either Mackinaw City on the South
side of the Straits, or from St. Ignace on the North side.
Where do we park
our car?
You may park your car on or near the dock area. For a fee, you can choose
to use the valet parking service, or a free parking area is also provided.
If you plan to use the free parking, you would unload at the ferry
boarding area and then take your car to the parking area a few blocks
away. Shuttle service is provided from the parking area to the boarding
area.
What do we
do with our luggage?
Prior to the Reunion you will receive a package from Reunion Headquarters.
Among the items in the package will be luggage claim tickets marked for
Mission Point. Please be sure to attach one of these tags to each piece of
luggage, and keep the stub for your receipt. The Shepler staff will take
your bags at the ferry docks. Your bags will be delivered to Mission Point
for you. If you forget your tags, the folks at Sheplers also have them
available.
What kind of weather will we have? What kind of clothes should we bring?
Weather in the Straits area can range from one extreme to another. The
average temperature for August is 66.7°, ranging from average lows of
58.7° to average highs of 74.6°. Rainfall in August averages 2.7”.
Temperatures on the water can be somewhat cooler, so we suggest you plan
to dress in layers. Do bring a light jacket/rain jacket of some type and
don’t forget comfortable walking shoes. Since you will be on the water for
several hours each day you might want to bring a hat and sunscreen.
Dress for all the Reunion activities will be casual. Leave your dress-up
clothes at home. With a little luck, we might even get Bill to leave his
ties at home!
What is included in our registration fee?
Your registration fee includes most of what you will need for your Reunion
participation. The ferry ride; a carriage (taxi) ride to the hotel if you
choose; three nights lodging at Mission Point Resort; all your meals from
Monday dinner thru Thursday breakfast; lighthouse cruise tours; and, all
sorts of special goodies and surprises throughout the Reunion. Of course,
don’t forget your special Reunion exclusive mini lighthouse from Harbour
Lights. If you choose to partake of other opportunities on Mackinac
Island, these will be at your personal expense, as will any alcohol or
souvenirs you choose to purchase at the hotel or elsewhere on Mackinac
Island.
I heard there were no cars on Mackinac Island, so how do we get
around?
By foot, bicycle (available for rent or bring your own) or by horse drawn
carriage.
What
lighthouses will we see?
In Mackinaw City, you can visit Mackinac Point Light where you will also
have wonderful views of the Mackinac Bridge (Big Mac). On the ferry ride
to Mackinac Island you will pass Round Island Light and the Round Island
Passage Light (the modern optic). When we take the Western Straits cruise,
you will also see St. Helena Light, White Shoal, Grays Reef and
Waugoshance. On the Eastern Straits cruise we are scheduled to see Bois
Blanc Light, Poe Reef, Fourteen Foot Shoal and the Cheboygan Crib Light.
Please remember that the lights to be seen on the cruises, and the cruises
themselves, are very dependent on weather conditions.
Are there any other
lighthouses in the area?
Since you ask, there are more lighthouses in Michigan than any other
state– 116 in all. Terry Pepper’s web site
Seeing The Light is a great
resource for information on lighthouses of the Great Lakes. If you want a
book, Travelers Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses by Penrose is an
excellent resource. They also have books for the Eastern and Western Great
Lakes. You can purchase these books, and others, from the Great Lakes
Lighthouse Keepers website at
www.GLLKA.com.
(Purchasing the books from GLLKA will help to support lighthouse
preservation!)
There are many lighthouses within visiting range of Mackinaw City, both on
the Lower Peninsula and on the Upper Peninsula (called the UP). If you
choose to drive to the Reunion, schedule a few days before and after to
lighthouse in Michigan. Many of the lights in Michigan are very easily
accessed.
You may cancel
and receive a full refund until 1/15/05. From 1/15/05 to 5/15/05 there
will be a cancellation fee of $25. After 5/15/05, there will be a $50
cancellation fee if your reserved space(s) can be filled from a waiting
list. Otherwise, you would be responsible for up to the full cost of your
registration.
Effective 2/1/05 there is a change to the cancellation policy for anyone
who registers after this date.. For those canceling their registration
prior to 5/15/05 there will now be a cancellation fee of $150. After
5/15/05, there will be a $150 cancellation fee if your reserved space(s)
can be filled from a waiting list. Otherwise, you would be responsible for
up to the full cost of your registration.
For
more information contact Reunion Coordinator Dave Hannum:
(765) 452-1602
PO Box 5, Kokomo IN 46903
Email
reunion@HarbourLights.com
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