Monday was our scheduled day at Torch Lake. Joe had rented a pontoon boat in advance of our trip, so waking up to rain and thunderstorms was a bummer. But we headed up towards the lake because the weather looked like it would clear by lunch. On the way there we stopped by Bubbie’s Bagels in Traverse City for breakfast. Pam came across this place on an Instagram reel and knew we needed to stop. Their sourdough bagels are a 4 day process to make! We love our NY bagels, but these came in real close!
Torch Lake is Michigan’s longest and second largest lake by surface area. It is known for its crystal clear and Caribbean blue water. It also has a well know sandbar that is the perfect spot for parking boats and swimming. We started our day at Torch River Shack to pick up our rental boat. We spent the first part of our day cruising through the system of connected lakes and rivers. Once the clouds cleared it was a beautiful day on the water. Our travels took us from Torch River -> Torch Lake -> Clam River -> Clam Lake -> Grass River -> Bellaire Lake. We were trying to find a place to park and grab lunch off the boat, but the public parking area off Bellaire Lake was very shallow so we headed back down to Torch Lake for more beautiful views and to hit the sandbar. The water was cold! 3/5 of our crew braved the cold and headed in but some of us stayed onboard and just dipped in our toes.
Despite the later start from the weather, it cleared up to be an amazing day. We are all sun kissed, wind burnt and exhausted.
