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When it comes to selecting the ideal marina – either for a permanent slip for your boat or just for a weekend getaway – there are a lot of places you can choose from. But what makes Beadle Bay Marina & Campground unique is the facility is located in a relatively wooded area with natural surroundings. Located in Sand Point, Mich., Beadle Bay Marina is just moments away from Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron and an eight-minute drive from Caseville, Mich.
Simply put, when you’re here you can stay close to all the action, while still being able to sneak away to relax.
“We like to tell people we’re close enough to Caseville so they can participate in any of the festivals that are going on in town, but we’re also far enough that if you want to get away from the congestion you can do that at our place too,” says co-owner Levi Zagorski. “Caseville has some beautiful beaches and some great festivals throughout the summer, so our patrons tend to take advantage of those things in town.”
For the outdoor enthusiast, the canal system and Wild Fowl Bay provide a protected waterway that puts the marina right in the middle of a lot of great bass fishing as well as wildlife.
“We have a lot of deer, we have fox dens on the property, we have wild turkeys and we have bald eagle nests, so we have a lot of wildlife here,” adds Levi. The family owned and operated marina began in 1976 when founders George and Jeanette Beadle built the structures and cut some of the waterways you see today. Since 2005 the Zagorski family has operated Beadle Bay Marina and in 2015 Levi and his wife Kristen purchased the marina to continue the family legacy.
“My father did a lot of work for the original developers, which is why we have the ‘Beadle’ namesake, explains Levi. “After Mr. Beadle passed away, Mrs. Beadle continued to operate the marina until 2005 when she decided to retire from the day-to-day and lease the property to my parents.”
Unfortunately Levi’s father Steve Zagorski passed away unexpectedly a year later and his mother Judy ran the marina for only two more seasons until she unexpectedly passed away in the spring of 2008.
“At that point my wife and I along with my brother and his wife took over the lease and operated the marina until the 2014 season,” recalls Levi. “At that time Mrs. Beadle was looking to sell the property, not just lease it out, so my wife and I decided to take full responsibility and buy the marina property and the business from Mrs. Beadle and we’ve been operating since January of 2015 as full owners.”
Naturally there were some tough times and ups and downs running the marina after the passing of Levi’s parents, but as a family they had discussed the potential of buying the property even before his father had passed, so although he didn’t think it would occur the way it did, he figured it would have happened eventually.
“It’s something we talked about,” says Levi. “I grew up here. My brother grew up here. We’d been a part of that group for years as I worked here in high school. It was always something that had been close to our family. There were some difficulties there but we’re glad we made that decision and it’s become a part of our lives and our kids’ lives.”
Beadle Bay currently offers 48 boat slips and 50 campsites, which is considerably less than years ago when they had 120 slips. The demand for slips has declined in the area over the years since some of the bigger boats are now trailerable.
“Years ago you would have to dock a 26-footer, but a lot of guys are towing those with their diesel pickups these days but, we can accommodate up to 64-footers.
Now in their fifth year as the new owners, Levi and Kristen are quick to answer when asked what their favorite part about owning the marina is.
“The people,” says Kristen without any hesitation. “It’s actually a mix between the people and just the opportunity to be outdoors and enjoy the natural setting that we have here. We’ve met some really interesting characters and our seasonal patrons have been fantastic.”
Adds Levi, “You know some of regulars had been here for 30 years so we’re just lucky to get to know them. I don’t know how it happens, but we seem to draw some of the best people here. It’s a cool community and we are glad to be able to be part of it.”
A fantastic and unique place to come and relax keeps patrons coming back each summer with new regulars or weekend patrons being welcomed in. By word of mouth, more and more are discovering this hidden gem known as Beadle Bay Marina & Campground.
For More Information
Beadle Bay Marina & Campground
4375 Lone Eagle Trail
Sand Point, MI 48755
989-856-4911
beadlebaymarina@gmail.com
www.beadlebay.net
