Ferries to Mackinac Island are passenger only except for a freight ferry and one that carries construction equipment when needed. Mackinac Island does not allow any cars or trucks on the island. But more on that later.
We arrived at Shepler's Ferry and were greeted by a cheerful fellow at the gate to the parking area. He greeted us and explained about unloading our luggage, where to buy our tickets if needed (we'd bought ours online) and where to pay for our parking. Parking is complimentary if you are doing a day trip. Overnight parking is $5/day.
As soon as we neared the loading zone next to the passenger area, another fellow cheerfully (do you see a theme here?) motioned us into a parking spot to unload our suitcase. He tagged it and promised it would be put on the ferry and picked up by our hotel on the island, then directed Bob to park in a huge lot that was maybe a quarter full. We had expected that being close to the end of the season and with COVID there would not be as many people as usual.
The sun was still shining and making it a beautiful picture-taking day. We wandered a bit and then spent a few minutes out of the chill in a waiting area with half a dozen others--all wearing masks of course. When the ferry came in, we watched as someone entered the empty passenger area and sprayed something to sanitize it before allowing us to board.
There were maybe a dozen of us so it was easy to distance. I imagine it is a little fuller in the morning when the day trippers start their visit. The ride was smooth and I tried to take a few pictures of the Mackinac Bridge but the angle of the sun and the spray from the ferry didn't make for nice pictures.
Fifteen minutes and we were passing a couple of iconic lighthouses and pulling into the harbor. Once dockside, we were met at our suitcase by a fellow who took it straight to our hotel which was actually just across the street. It was in our room before we were but that could be because I stopped to take a couple of pictures. I wasn't taking a chance on the weather turning before I could capture the quaint views that the town offered.
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