My husband Scott and I were excited to attend Dry Harbour Marine’s inaugural Formula Rendezvous, "Endless Summer," on Lake Charlevoix, MI, in August. We arrived on a beautiful summer afternoon in a Formula 45 Yacht, having come up the east coast of Lake Michigan from New Buffalo. We stretched our trip over 3 nights, stopping first in Holland, then Pentwater and finally Frankfort. Every port was more beautiful than the last but nothing prepared us for the breathtaking beauty of the Charlevoix area.

The little town of Charlevoix was idyllic with its lighthouse, historic buildings, waterfront properties and even an old-fashioned "sidewalk sale" in our midst! The lake sparkled in the sun and was very picturesque with its white beaches dotted with colorful cabanas, the billowing striped sails and a multitude of boats of every vintage.

Between the quaint town and the surrounding waters, we really felt like we had landed in a piece of summer paradise. I am counting on the memories of the blue skies and jewel-toned waters, along with the warm sun and the perpetual "sea breeze," to carry me through any sunless days once winter hits Indiana.

Formula's "Endless Summer" Rendezvous was based out of the fabulous Charlevoix City Marina, personally hosted by Dry Harbour Marina owners Scott Boss and Barney Way, their marina crew and their delightful families. Having just completed a multi-million dollar renovation, the marina architecture, docks and amenities were spectacular! A beautiful park complete with an open-air performance pavilion bordered the marina and was the venue for the opening night cocktail party. Scott and Cindy Boss, along with their bluegrass band, Horton Creek, entertained us in the pavilion during the party. The lavish hors d'oeuvre buffet included several local delicacies—mounds of fresh Michigan berries and the locally made whitefish pate, for a real taste of Charlevoix goodness.

After the music ended, we all loaded up on our Formulas and headed out onto Lake Michigan to enjoy an awesome sunset. As a bonus, we spied a full moon rising in the east—wow, how often have you been able to experience both a sunset and a rising moon all at the same time!

We awoke Saturday morning to a dockside breakfast with steaming coffee and locally baked, fruit-filled scones. The action-packed day’s agenda included boat rides in the Poker Run Formula 382 FAS3TECH®, a trip up Lake Michigan to the luxurious Bay Harbour Yacht Club for lunch, a GPS-based poker run (each boat had to find a GPS location on Lake Charlevoix and from that location were pointed to their next location— and so on) and a raft-up in Oyster Bay. Against the gorgeous backdrops of Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix, and with so many personable and interesting Formula owners to talk with, the day was fun-filled and relaxing all at the same time.

Once back at the docks, Dry Harbour Marine awarded prizes for the best poker hand along with some other Formula goodies such as Formula Gear and remote-controlled boats. Then we were off to a scrumptious buffet at a local waterfront restaurant. We wound down the night and the rendezvous, listening to music in the cockpit of our 45 Yacht and enjoying the moonlight on the water.

One of the interesting things Scott and I always note on our trips are the names Formula owners give their boats. A fun family had christened their Formula 350 Sun Sport "Blessed to be Boatin'"—and we can't agree more. We were truly blessed to be a part of this rendezvous.

Thanks, Dry Harbour Marine!

See you all next year!