Sailing 2016: Day 3: From Mackinac to Beaver Island

"Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof until long after the events transpire." - The Prophet Joseph Smith

Even though the trip seemed unlikely at first, we eventually decided to voyage to Beaver Island. It required a full day of sailing, but it was well worth the effort.

Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan, and it is home to approximately 600 inhabitants, 200 of which are year-round residents. Beaver Island features two beautiful lighthouses and several fascinating tourist destinations. It even hosts a music festival every year.

After sailing underneath the Mackinac Bridge, past a couple of lighthouses, and through a lot of open water, we arrived at Beaver Island. We fastened the boat to the dock, and pumped out the sewage. I was so excited to explore Beaver Island that I went ahead of the group to discover information about the museums and the history of the Island. Unfortunately, the museums were closed, but we all ventured out to the St. James Harbor Lighthouse and then back to The Retriever. On the way back from the lighthouse, we stopped at St. James Boat Shop where one of the owners kindly entertained our questions about the shop and about the history of the Island. After admiring the woodwork on the boats, buckets, skateboards and other items in the shop, we made our way back to The Retriever for our evening devotional.

If you think that the history of Mormonism is peculiar, just wait until you start to research the history of the Strangites on Beaver Island. After the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his faithful brother Hyrum, a man named James Strang led a faction of nearly 12,000 followers to Beaver Island to establish their own community. Strang proclaimed himself king of the Island, but eventually he was assassinated by a couple of disgruntled disciples, and his kingdom was all but destroyed. Whereas sects led by those such as Strang were mostly extinguished, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued to flourish under the leadership of the prophet Brigham Young.