EAGLE PHOTO BY JAMES DAKE/GRASS RIVERI
f the sky is the deep, cloudless blue of a northern Michigan September day,
the water a trademark aqua more often associated with the Caribbean, then
somewhere in the middle of stunning Torch Lake is where you’ll likely find
Paul Fabiano.
He’s the guy in the neon shirt emblazoned with the name “Pizza Boy.” The name
started as a joke, but he wants to be easy to spot as he delivers a double cheese with
pepperoni — maybe some ice, soda and sundries, too — to the sandbar that has
become a swimming hole, a boat dock and a social center all in one.
Fabiano didn’t want to make boaters lift anchor and lose a prime spot on Torch’s
sandbar just because they got hungry. Order a pizza and he’ll deliver that and other
convenience items from Fabiano’s on the River directly to your boat. Or simply stroll
in the knee-deep water to Dave’s Grill Burger Barge where you can have burgers fresh off
the pontoon grill.
This casual vibe permeates the Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed — a 55-mile-long waterway
consisting of 14 lakes and connecting rivers that stretches from Elk Rapids along the Grand Traverse
Bay to the village of Ellsworth to the northeast. While Torch is the Chain’s sexy cover model with
its Caribbean resemblance, prize muskies and mega-mansions lining the shore, there’s much more to
explore. Venture through the Chain to find nesting loons, bald eagles and river otters in the protected
rivers and wilder lakes; small towns with old-fashioned general stores and new-fashioned cuisine;
orchards with overflowing farm stands; and a growing number of microbreweries, distilleries and
wineries with a regional flair all their own.
Small boats can navigate the majority of the Chain — which is only broken up by the dam north
of Lake Bellaire — while larger boats can easily run their engines between the lower lakes (Elk Lake,
Torch Lake and Lake Bellaire), which are favorites for sailing and watersports.The rivers and lakes
that make up the upper Chain (including Six Mile, Hanley, Benway, Intermediate, Wilson, Beals
and Ellsworth lakes) are some favored venues for paddleboarding, kayaking and fishing. You won’t
be disappointed, no matter what part of the Chain you travel.PHOTO BY MARGE BEAVERAerial view of Elk Rapids port (bottom
right), Elk Lake (main), Lake Skegemog
(top) and Torch Lake (top left).LAKELANDBOATING.COM | SEPTEMBER 2016 43POC_LowerChain_SEP16.indd 43 7/27/16 11:42 AM