Eric & Gayle Locke

Aboard Knight'n Gayle a 361 Beneteau

From Harrison Twp. Michigan to Lake Superior and back

The Journey Begins

WEEK ONE

16 June 2007 - Saturday: We arrived at the boat late afternoon and quickly moved to the fuel dock down the Clinton River to top off the diesel tank. Then back to our dock and proceeded to unload a van full of stuff. We carried everything to the boat and somehow Gayle was able to stash it somewhere. It was after 8 pm when we took a break and went out for something to eat. It is now dark and the fish flies are abundant, covering the grass and filling the air above the docks. Tis the season. The plan is to leave at the break of dawn on Sunday and run the long slog up the St. Clair River. The weather should be good but the wind will probably be light and of little use to a sailboat. Knight'n Gayle's waterline is probably lower than it has ever been but is still visible above the water.

17 June 2007 - Sunday: Left our dock on the Clinton River at 5:45 am. There was very low humidity, grass and boat were completely dry. The trek across Anchor Bay was overcast but otherwise pleasant with little wind from the North. Passing Russell Island, we say Ralf and Lisa at their boat dock. We waved and Ralph called us on the VHF radio and wished us luck on our trip. We saw only a couple freighters on the ride to Port Huron. As the day progressed the wind picked up a little still out of the North (yes we were mostly going North). As we got closer to Lake Huron the air temperature started dropping from the mid 70 to 68 as we entered the lake. We motor sailed to Lexington as the breeze piped up to 10 knots boosting u to 6.9 knots. The state dock at Lexington was mostly deserted as we tied up at 3:30 pm. To Gayle's delight there was a craft and art fair going on in the adjacent public park. Yes, she bought a couple things. It has been a long day and a good nights sleep is really needed. We are expecting a cool night.

The Blue Water Bridge

18 June 2007 - Monday: We did not set the alarm clock and slept in to 6:30.

The sun was already high and the temp was 74. The fog of yesterday had dissipated but a light haze hung from the pale blue horizon. We said goodbye to our dock about 8:00 and motored around the sandbar and out into the lake. Wind from the South looked inviting for the cruising spinnaker. After getting a tangle out of the chute sock we were making 5.3 knots heading NE on Lake Huron.

As the day wore on the winds went up and down until after lunch when they picked up. We zoomed along at up to 7 knots. About an hour and a half out from Harbor Beach the spinnaker started acting up with the rolling following seas. Chute down and main and jib up. About a mile and a half out of the harbor we heard thunder and did a radar scan. We found several thunderstorm cells around us but were attacked by none. All we got was a sprinkle. We arrived at the fuel dock for diesel around 3:30. We had made pretty good time with the sailing. The harbor had free internet access but we had to go to the harbor master office to connect. The courtesy van drove us into town (about a mile). We had dinner at Al's diner in town and had a hot walk back to the marina. Here is hoping we can make it to Port Austin tomorrow.

19 June 2007 - Tuesday: The morning was grey and somewhat yucky. Up to the office to access the internet showed a line of rain storms headed towards us. It had rained about 4:30 in the morning. Now the rain was moving in on us again. The rain came down for about an hour and a half. Things started clearing up and I checked the internet again. The boat radar also showed no further activity in the thumb area. We headed out for Port Austin at 10 am setting the jib once out of the port. The wind piped up out of the southwest and I reefed the jib while we tooled along at 5 to 6 knots. Winds were growling a bit at 15 to 20 knots and we moved along quite well until we rounded the thumb. We started getting gusts to 23 and the boat motion with the waves was becoming uncomfortable. Rolled the jib and brought out the iron jib for the last 6 miles to Port Austin. The waves were building with the long fetch of Saginaw Bay, 3 and 4 footers bounced the boat up and down. Things calmed down as we entered the harbor and saw the sailing vessel Makira, our friends, Ernst and Margaret, from Lake Erie. There was a happy reunion as we had not seen them since last summer.

Gayle made reservations for dinner at the Farm House restaurant and we were picked up at 6:15. The place was 5 miles out of town and the food was good. When we got back to the boat, Gayle crashed, it had been a tiring day for her. Tomorrow it is off to East Tawas with Makira.

20 June 2007 - Wednesday: The wind was still howl'n when we go up this morning. It was coming directly from Tawas. The decision was to stay put. The wind continued strong till after noon. The sun was out and it was pleasant in town. Gayle and Margaret took advantage of the stores in town and came back with various packages. Later in the afternoon the wind abated but the bay was still rolling. Gayle went back to town to check out a few more stores while I put the dinghy in the water. Gayle returned and we took a ride outside the harbor entrance to see how it really was. It was still quite rough.

On the way out there were several teens jumping into the water from the end of the breakwater at the harbor entrance. We waved on the way out and a couple waved back. We just stuck our heads outside and headed back for the harbor. We waved at the youths again and headed back to our boat. Gayle and I walked down to the harbor office to register for the second night and saw a State Police car pull up to the office. The officer quickly got out and headed out on the breakwater. The harbormaster said that someone had gone off the end of the breakwater and they could not find him. It turned out to be one of the youths that had dived in and was then lost. A fishing boat was looking around the harbor entrance. I jumped into my dinghy and headed out to help look. We searched for over a half hour. We were told it was a boy about 15 had disappeared between the breakwater walls. Neither boat found anything. When the Coastguard and Sherrif dive teams showed up I went back in. About an hour later the boy was found and they indicated that he had broken his neck. He was part of a group of Hispanic boys that were jumping off the breakwater. A very sad event to cloud out nice stay at Port Austin.

The wind have died down to practically nothing and all is still. We hope we will have favorable winds to sail to Harrisville tomorrow or possible East Tawas. We will decide in the morning when our own senses will confirm or contradict the weather service predictions. Radar shows a line of storms heading toward us from the top of the mitt and should hit us sometime tonight. (all we got was some rain that got things wet)

21 June 2007 - Thursday: We decided to leave Port Austin for Harrisville and shipped our dock lines at 7:45. The sky was sunny and the winds were out of the NW at 14 to 15 knots. The prediction was for the wind to shift to W so we set the jib and headed across Saginaw Bay on an NNE course. As the morning ware on the winds increased and the waves increased and we were headed out into Lake Huron. The winds appeared to veer to the WNW so we continued out hoping to change our course more to the North. Not! The winds flipped back to NW and increased. About half way to Harrisville I decided that motoring back toward Harrisville and shore was the better thing to do. We headed directly into the wind and 4 to 6 ft waves. The winds started gusting upwards of 25 knots and it was a miserable hobbyhorse ride all the way into the harbor. We tied up at the gas dock for diesel (so far have used 14 gallons) and a pumpout about 4:45 after a long day in blustery Lake Huron. We all had supper together in town and enjoyed a good meal and good conversation. We will look at the weather in the morning and try to make a rational decision about staying another day or heading for Presque Isle Harbor. Harrisville has wireless internet for $6 an hour so no email today.

23 June 2007 - Friday: Winds up to 15 knots out of the North, decided to stay put. Gayle is doing laundry and I am cleaning the boat, mostly on the inside. Sunny day but a little on the chilly side with the wind. Tomorrow looks like a more favorable travel day with predicted winds SW at 5 to 15 knots.

It was sunny all day and pleasant in town but a little cool in the marina. Gayle went shopping in town and I later met her at the IGA and bought a few groceries. Supper was on the boat, BBQ chicken/ pasta/ fresh corn on the cob. It was the first time this year for our use of the boat BBQ. Leftovers will provide lunch tomorrow. We took a walk into town after supper to run off a few calories in the waning evening sun. Good sleeping should be had with temperatures in the low 50's. Movie tonight will be Ghost Rider DVD.

24 June 2007 - Saturday: Up at 5:30, another sailboat across from us started their engine. I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't We had breakfast, turned in our shower keys, and headed our about 7:20 behind Makara. The sun was trying to peak through the clouds on a calm day. A motoring we shall go. We are hoping for some wind, sea breeze, this afternoon. It is quite cool out here without the sun and the little breeze that teases our stern.

As the day went on the wind started picking up to the 10 knot range giving us the opportunity to pick up a little speed by motor sailing. We were able to hit upwards of 7 knots making great time toward Presque Isle. As we came to Middle Island the wind increased to 15 knots. We turned off the engine and had a great sail, wing-on-wing, all the way to the harbor. We arrived at 3 pm, registered and checked things out. The harbor is nice with free internet. We immediately washed all the buggggggggs out of the cockpit. The floor was covered with smeared gnats that joined us for our sail. The sun is shining bright and the temps have warmed up a few degrees. Dinner will be at the harbor restaurant.

A member of the Presque Isle yacht Club dropped by and offered helpful information about facilities and the area. Very friendly and willing to provide additional help if requested. 

Our Boats sitting at the Presque Isle dock (Knight'n Gayle is on the right)

Sunset at Presque Isle Harbor

WEEK THREE

2 July 2007 - Sunday: The alarm went off at 5:15 getting us up for our 6 am departure. We called the lockmaster and were told that they could take us right away. We had 4 boat - Knight'n Gayle, Wings, Blue Horison, and E-Z Baby. We requested two lines for each boat as recommended in our Lake Superior Guide. We were all motoring into the McArthur lock at 6:10. We were thrown our lines from the top of the lock wall. The doors closed behind us and the water started to rise. They were doing a slow fill to minimize the turbulence. We fended off the lock wall as we were lifted the 21 feet to the level of Lake Superior. This was a lot easier than our experience with the 40 ft locks in the Welland Canal going to Lake Ontario from Lake Erie. It did not take long to bring us to the top and the exit gates opened. We were on our way to Lake Superior. We still had a few miles to actually get into the BIG lake. The breeze picked up between 5 and 10 knots so we put up some sail and motorsailed across Whitefish Bay. As we approached Whitefish Point the wind died and the sails came down. The Edmond Fitzgerald lies not too far from the Point. We are having a much easier time than they had in the super gale that sank her. The sun is out but some clouds are peppering the sky on the horizon. It is cool in the cockpit but hiding under the dodger gets us out of the cool wind.

We rounded Whitefish Point at 11:30 and are now headed for Grand Marais about 40 miles west. The temp is in the low 60's so we are dressed in several layers topped with foul weather jackets and gloves. The wind continues to be on the order of 5 to 10 knots requiring us to continue motoring.

We motored into Grand Marais harbor and found the wall dock empty so all four boats could tie up for the evening. The dockmaster had to be called to come down and register us. He was an elderly gentleman who did his job efficiently but slowly. I also topped off my diesel with 8.5 gallons. We all went up to the Superior Brewery and Restaurant for whitefish. The service was slow but the fish was good. I have the heater running as I write this as the temperature is expected to dip to the low 50's or even get into the 40's.

3 July 2007 - Monday: The heater did it's job keeping the cabin cozy although I do not think the temperature got as low as predicted. I was up at 5 am with a wind that kicked up and moved the boat against the dock and popped the bumper out from the piling. So I got out and reset the bumper and went back to bed. We greeted the sun at 6:50. I made a good breakfast of eggs over easy, fried smoked ham, toast, and coffee and tea. A great way to start the day. After discussions with the other boats Wings, Blue Horizon and us decided to head for Munishing. E-Z Baby decided to head across to the Kewanaw and make Marquette. We left around 8:30. Once out of the harbor the winds seemed favorable to sailing. With sails up we were making 6 to 7 knots. As the morning went on the winds got gusty so I reefed for a more comfortable ride. Once we rounded Au Sable Point the winds were more on the nose - start the engine and furl the jib. We had passed the Sable dunes shoreline, miles of sand dunes rising up from the shore. We are doing 6 knots with the winds 20 degrees of the port bow.

The wind started getting gusty and cranking up to 15 to 20 knots and moving forward of the boat. We decided motorsailing with only a reefed main would be more comfortable. This was great because we were able to get in closer to shore as we approached the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (see www.picturedrocks.com ). We even slowed down several times to take in the fantastic vistas of the lake warn sandstone cliffs. A sunny day would have been much better but what we saw was great. I took a lot of picture. First we saw a waterfall cascading down the cliff at Chapel rock. There were numerous caves and a couple arches, all in various colors as seeping water deposited minerals up and down and along the cliffs. Several tour boats came and went as we meandered close along the shore. We also encountered several kayaks moving along the shore and others pulled up on the sand beach. We reached Munising about 2:30 and tied up at the wall in the Bayshore Marina located at the foot of the town. After registering, we walked into town where Gayle went her way - antique stores, etc., while I went to the IGA market and then wandered around a bit finally stopping at Radio Shack. There is an internet coffee house up the street that I will try to send an update to our friends.

The internet connection appeared to be incompatible with my laptop. I think it may be because my home wireless has the same name as the internet access here. I will try again in Marquette. Dinner was at the Dog Patch Restaurant, Li'l Abner and company. The food was good but after happy hour on Blue Horizon my appetite was limited. So I now have lunch for tomorrow.

July 3 & 4 2007

5 July 2007 - Thursday: It was a quiet and relatively warm night. Gayle slept in to 9:45. The sun was out with some clouds in the sky. I had been up since 8, had breakfast and tried being quiet while Gayle got the extra winks. We registered for a second night here at the wall. The fireworks will take place about a quarter mile from us so we should have great seats. Gayle is off shopping and I am cleaning the boat inside and out. The flys are pesky and occasionally bite. The park is coming alive with yet another band, people coming in to get a place for watching the fireworks, and food booths opening up serving lunch and later dinner.

Happy hour was again on E-Z Baby. I think I counted 17 in the cockpit. The stern was way down and the bow was pulling the dock lines taught. After the goodies, Gayle and I went to the food tents, Gayle got something spicy (Italian sausage burger and waffle fries) while I got some cashew chicken with rice. The crowd has thickened as the time for the boat parade is approaching. Should be a fun evening. There are more clouds than sun but nothing that would compromise the fireworks.

The parade of boats was not long and they circled the small town harbor twice so we could all get a good look at them. Some of the crowd were lighting small pyrotechnic devices on the pier. I mentioned to them the cost of replacing my jib and suggested that their family budget might be better served by moving to another spot. A jentleman came by and started talking. He asked if we had ever been to Bae Finn. We had and he said that his family owns the small island with the cabin. I said that I heard that it belonged to the Evenrude family. He then introduced himself as Tom Evenrude. Cool! He lives now in the UP but still visit's the family island.

The fireworks wer excellent with many varieties that I had not seen before. The crowd ood and awwd. A couple of rocket bursts landed on the dock on the closer side of the bay near some sailboats. I was glad I was quite a bit further from the launch pad. After the fireworks, the vast crowd left the park. The trash became very apparent as hole opened up in the dense field of bodies. After the crowd thinned Gayle and I went below and crashed.

6 July 2007 - Friday: 5:15 and the alarm woke Gayle, not me. However, Gayle was kind enough to roll me out of bed. We had breakfast and prepared the boat to cast off for Houghton. There was no fog and the seas are mostly glassy as we put-put our way further west across the Superior waters.

We were among the first to leave the marina followed by several others till we were a fleet of 9 boats. Unfortunately, Seagull had an engine problem. It was described as water leaking from the lift muffler. It was bad enough to have significant concern. One of the power boats in the group offered a tow which was accepted. There was not much the rest of us could do except listen as the flotilla progressed toward the Keweenaw Waterway providing a shortcut for boats heading east and west. The sun is high in the sky and hot when directly in the path of its rays. Gayle spent some time in a chair up on the bow sunning.

As we approached the entrance to the Keweenaw Waterway (Portage River) The wind kicked up into the mid to high teens but again right on the nose. We made the turn at the outer light on the breakwater and headed inland through wooded areas with some huge homes and little cottages dotting the shore line. Portage Lake was a wide open area with nothing to slow down the wind. Where was this wind when it could have helped us on the lake? We made it in to the marina behind E-Z Baby and Blue Horizon around 5:30 and headed immediately to the fuel dock for diesel and a pumpout. Our fuel tank to 16.5 gallons and only holds 20. We only had two or three hours of motoring left. I am feeling better about the extra 5 gallons of diesel I have stowed in the sail locker. Maybe I should look for another 5 gallon can. We finally tied up to our slip. The docks are quite high and getting up from the boat is quite a LARGE step, especially for Gayle. About an hour behind us were the rest of the flotilla with Seagull being towed. We were all there to help them dock their boat.

There is not much in the immediate vicinity of the marina. We decided to eat at the Ramada Inn just down the street toward the lift bridge that connects Houghton and Hancock. After supper everyone was beat and crashed aboard their respective vessels.

7 July 2007 - Saturday: I was up before 8 am and kept quiet as Gayle was still sleeping. A refreshing shower helped to start the day. When Gayle became animated, I made an omelet (pepper, onion, diced ham, cheese) and toast. I offered ferry service in the dinghy to the other side of the waterway but only Gayle and Tina signed up. We had lunch in town, pastes for Gayle and I. Tina and bill wanted to get a couple diesel 5 gal. jerry cans so I scoured the town and finally found some at a Citgo gas station at the east end of town. I got one for myself so I will have a total of 10 gal. of spare fuel. That is a 50% reserve. I brought all the stuff back to the boat while the women went back to town. I expect they will call when they are ready to return.

I thought we had lost the women. I finally called them around 5 and found that they were in The Library Bar and Restaurant drinking schooners of beer. They were enjoying their own happy hour and insisted that Bill and I join then for beer and supper. Off we went across the waterway. We found them and had a good meal. Back at the boat the evening had cooled a bit and it was quite pleasant sitting on the dock chatting with other boaters. The plan was to leave at 8 the next morning for Ontonagon.

WEEK FOUR

8 July 2007 - Sunday: The alarm went off at 4:45 am. No that was thunder and lightning. I got up anyway and closed all the portals. The lightning was almost blinding before the rain started. Then the lightning streaks and loud claps of thunder rocked the boat. The rain was heavy and the wind d

Blew it into our companion was but only a little. Then the hail started pounding the cabin top. The hail was not very large but made quite a noise on the fiberglass. At least it washed things down. We pulled away from the dock around 8:30, Wings, Blue Horizon, and us. We called the bridge and they lifted it right away. We moved under the bridge and headed toward the western end of the Keewenaw Peninsula. The sun was trying to peak through with a mild air temperature. As we moved out into Lake Superior the light wind bumped up to 15 knots, mostly on the nose. The lake was still pretty flat from the morning calm but was building as we moved toward Ontonagon. Eventually we were moving through 3 and 4 footers which dramatically slowed our progress. We toughed it out and made it into the Ontonagon River around 4:45.  

The swing bridge mentioned in the port-o-call books appeared to be missing altogether. On the chart it looked like we just motored over it. (The bridge was taken out last January as a new bridge was built further up the river.) Getting into the marina was marginal. Both Wings and us moved some mud and we thumped something after we entered the harbor. We made it into the dock OK. Did I mention the flies, the ankle biters. They had joined us for much of the trip. Even now they are buzzing around my head.

Gayle wanted to go to a store for a couple things so we put the dinghy in the motored across the river to town. A walk to town would be about 2 miles. There were no docks to tie up to. We found some pilings in a shallow cut, tied off and stepped ashore. This was a small island with a bridge to the main part of town. The only cars on main street appeared to be parked in front of bars. There were a couple restaurants open also so Gayle and I had the special, a pot roast dinner. We got back in the dinghy and were back at the boat quickly. Happy hour was going on the Lady J, a 58 ft. powerboat. The top deck cabin was like the living room of a small apartment. Later we were back at Knight'n Gayle. Gayle went to shower after we stowed the dinghy and outboard. I expect an early bedtime. No internet here.

9 July 2007 - Monday: We woke up to the alarm and slowly migrated out of bed. Wings was up and looking for the source of some water that appeared in the bilge. After a serious look around it was decided that this was mystery water and would bare watching to see if it continued to occur. We headed out of the marina at 7:45. Wings got stuck and had to back up and take a running start. We followed and took advantage of their mud removal. All the other sailboats were out before us as we headed west into Lake Superior. With a forecast of heavy weather for Tuesday we will make a decision on where to stay as we get closer to the Apostle Islands. There are several choices depending on how close the bad weather is. Ports are Washburn, Bayfield, Madeline Island, or anchoring at one of the other Islands. The sky is partly cloudy with 13 knots of wind ON THE NOSE. The lake was glassy when we left but small waves with a few whitecaps are starting to appear. It could get a little bumpy as the day progresses.

As the day wore on the wind turned light and at times the big lake was glassy, Wings and us decided to head for Washburn Marina, Wisconsin, where there is a lot of protection from the high winds expected on Tuesday afternoon and night. Forecast is for possible thundershowers and winds 30 to 40 gusting to 50. Not something I want to be anchored in. We made it in around 5:30 central time. Till notified otherwise, times will now be central time. We ate at the Steak Pit then back to our boats for a restful night. We will be here at least two nights because of the expected foul weather.

10 July 2007 - Tuesday: We woke up too early now being on central time. Fried eggs and toast for breakfast then up to register at the marina as they were closed when we arrived. As we left the office it was raining but shortly dissipated as the sun popped out.

I checked the dust filter for the refrigerator heat exchanger and found it clogged with dust. Another maintenance chore successfully completed. The wind just started howling and I am reading 22 knots on my instruments. The bay outside the marina is covered with whitecaps. We could have one hell of a sail but prudence says we will stay put.

I am now reading 28 knots of wind and we are heeling 5 to 10 degrees to Starboard. Waves are crashing into the seawall and leaping high into the air. The wind is blowing me off the dock but Wings is getting pushed into their dock. We tied their stern to our stern to take some of the strain off their bumpers. Tina said she was getting seasick in their boat. We are bouncing around pretty good with the wind on our port beam.

Just got back from the IGA (grocery store). I played pack mule with a knapsack stuffed on my back, two grocery bags in my left hand, and a case of Leinenliugel's beer (the pride of Chippewa Falls) a local brew I think. It started to rain as I walked back to the marina but stopped abruptly as I stepped onto the boat -fate? The wind is still howl'n and the boat is still bouncing. Gayle said if the wind does not subside tonight, she and Tina will get a room at the motel. Gayle and Tina are prowling the town streets in search of that elusive bargain and other stuff.

The winds are continuing with my instruments reading 50 knots. A small sailboat had part of it's roller furled jig come loose. It took 3 of us to wind it back up. There is a large Hataras down the dock that was losing it's bimini, snaps popping off and pins for the supports missing. It took 5 of us to get the canvas off and stowed. I am going up to the coffee shop to see if I can send an update to our email list.

WEEK FIVE

15 July 2007 - Sunday: We were up and the sky was partly cloudy. It seemed to be warming up. There were 14 boats in the bay. After a great breakfast we loaded the dinghy on the davits and headed for Bayfield. Winds were out of the NW 10 to 13 knots. A great run down to Bayfield - NOT. About 20 minutes into the sail the wind died to a glassy sea. So we motored with more and more sunshine to warm us. We pulled into Bayfield around 11 AM and secured a dock at the Apostle Island Marina. It was T-shirt weather as we walked into town for lunch. This is a tourist town with numerous shops to occupy Gayle for the whole afternoon and then some. I took a stroll around town and found an old iron bridge that had been reconditioned for pedestrian traffic. I did it the hard was by taking a train along the stream in the gorge. When the trail ran out I climbed a steep embankment to get to the top and the bridge itself. I crossed the bridge and meandered down the streets back to the center of town.

No laundry available here. The nearest is 2 miles out of town toward Red Cliff. We will have to catch up on laundry later. There is a small IGA grocery store on the main street. We do need some provisions for our continuing journey.

There did not seem to be any internet café. However, while talking to the lady at the ferry information booth, she said that even though the library was closed, the wireless was left running and could be accessed outside. So I returned with the laptop and did my email thing. Later Gayle and I went to the grocery. As soon as we returned to the boat, Gayle thought of all the things she forgot to put on the list. We went to dinner at Greunke's First Street Inn. Gayle had deep fried Lake Superior whitefish livers, their specialty. She thought they were quite good. As we strolled around town afterward, we stopped for ice-cream and meandered back to the boat. I saw an animal swimming in the marina, muskrat, otter, beaver or whatever. I could not identify it as it disappeared in the distance. My best guess would be an otter.

16 July 2007 - Monday: We got up at leisure and had breakfast on board. Gayle needed stamps so off to the post off we went. We got the stamps and headed for the IGA to procure those items that missed the list yesterday. We passed a bakery and ordered some sinful treats, pecan cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls with caramel frosting, and a couple scones. We know we are BAD but we are on vacation.

After everything was stowed on board we headed for the ferry dock to Madeline Island. $10 round trip each seemed reasonable. The ferry boat hauls vehicles and has a passenger deck, part open and part enclosed. There are 3 ferries serving the island running every half hour. It was cool but tolerable without a cloud in the sky. We disembarked at the Lapointe town dock. This is a large island with many residences but the town front street is the main place for tourists. Gayle found most of the shops and got a few things. We walked to the far end where the marina and Indian monument are located. The marina is quite nice with a good ships store. It is very clean with many boats docked there.

We wandered back to the main part of town and had lunch on a deck overlooking the harbor. It was still cool but we were warmed by the sun. Then we walked to the other end of town and found more shops. By late afternoon we were ready to head back to the mainland and caught the next ferry.

We took the laptop up to the library and went through the emails, checked our finances, and looked at the weather. The next few days look great with only a minor "possible showers and thunderstorms" on Wednesday evening. We then walked up to the National Lakeshore Headquarters just up the hill a few blocks. It is an old brownstone building again up a hill. We bought a couple thing as we toured the facility and watched a very good video on the Apostle Islands.

Heading downhill, we stopped at Maggies for supper. There was about a 15 minute wait which wasn't to bad. The food was good. Back to the boat for good night sleep and an early start for heading back to the islands.

17 July 2007 - Tuesday: We were up at 7:30, had breakfast and prepared the boat to head for the fuel dock. We had a pump out and got gas for the dinghy. We paid our bill ($$$) and headed out into the bay.

We are heading to Stockton Island and will checkout Quarry Bay for lunch and a visit to the quarry.

We anchored in Quarry Bay at 10:45 after motoring a mostly glassy sea. The air is quite still and the water is clear as we can see the anchor in 16 ft. This will be our stop for the afternoon before moving to Julian Bay just a short distance from here.

Gayle and I went to shore and followed a path that might have lead to a beaver dam - not. The path lead into the forest and up a slope where a large tree had fallen across the path. Gayle decided not to climb over the tree so we headed back where she did some beach coming for rocks and stuff. We went back to the boat for lunch, grilled hotdogs. Gayle put on her bathing suit for another trip to shore. I was headed on the 3 mile round trip hike to the brownstone quarry and Gayle would wander the beach. Before leaving for the quarry I found the short path to the small beaver dam, a path behind the outhouse. I told Gayle where it was and headed out for the long hike.

The path to the quarry lead along the cliffs along the shore and up and down the terrain. There were a couple photo opportunities. It was quite a walk through the evergreens. The quarry was quite overgrown but the flat man made cliffs were very evident in two places. A plaque proclaimed that 1.4 million cubic feet of brownstone were excavated and shipped to large cities. I also found evidence of a dock at the bottom of a wash along the rocky shore. There were metal frames, cables and massive corner brackets. Part of the island history that few ever get to see.

Gayle was waiting for me at the dinghy when I returned. She was gabbing with the mother of three kids that had arrived on a small sailboat. We left Quarry Bay and headed around the Presque Isle Point to Julian Bay. We were the only boat there with flat seas.

After anchoring we found the wreck in the still water and took a couple photos. Then, we took the dinghy out to the cliffs and caves along the NE shore, about a mile. We motored closely along the cliffs and the sea formed undercuts and caves which were a better view than at past times due to the low water. There were two large rock formations standing off from shore sort of like the flower pots in Georgian Bay but much larger. We were able to beach the dinghy and explore the small beaches behind each of them. More photo ops. We headed back to the boat for spaghetti supper.

After our supper we took the dinghy to shore and explored the marsh behind the sand dunes. Say a blue heron and a sand bill crane that honked at us as it to the far end of the marsh area. We also found carnivorous pitcher plants that had bloomed. There were a significant number of them in the drying marsh. As the sun set the mosquitoes decided it was their suppertime and attacked us with much vigor. We hurried back to the dinghy and zoomed back to the yacht.

18 July 2007 - Wednesday: Again Lake Superior is showing her gentler side with flat seas and the harbor temperature near 80. Sticky buns and a banana for breakfast before pulling the anchor and heading for Devil's Island. There is a slight breeze, less than 5 knots, that has cooled the air above the water to the 68 degree level. Still pleasant with the sun bathing the cockpit. Later today the prediction is for showers and possible thunderstorm. We will see if we cab make a stop at Devil's Island and see the caves, reputed to be the best in the Apostle Islands. Then we will seek a safe anchorage for the night.

We had a fantastic tour around Devil's Island. We took lots of pictures but the pictures cannot do the sea caves justice. You have to be there to appreciate the fantastic formations as we dinghied in and out and through the caves. We got off at the "flats" and walked up to the lighthouse and had the short tour as we thought our time was limited because of weather considerations.

After a dinghy circumnavigation of the island we arrived back at our boat, stowed the dinghy on the davits, pulled up both anchors. Did I tell you we put out a second anchor to make sure the boat would be there when we returned about 3:30?

The weather for tomorrow is supposed to get quite windy, 20 to 25 knots, so we decided to head across NW toward Silver Bay, about 3 ½ hour trip. The seas are still mostly flat with little wind. No motor sailing unless the wind picks up. It is still bright sunshine but the horizon is hazy although we can see the shore we are heading for.

Silver Bay Marina is a relatively new marina and is not shown on our charts. The Superior Way book shows the harbor and indicates that there is plenty of depth for sailboats. We entered the harbor about 7 pm and found an empty dock, #36, but there were no marina personnel around a couple gentlemen from a large powerboat, Viking, helped us dock in 13 knot cross wind. It was comical for a bit but we finally were secure. The office says it is opened till 6 but no one answered when we hailed then at 5.

Supper is on board tonight. The gentlemen from the Viking, 50+ ft., were kind enough to provide us with the bathroom codes. All is well.

19 July 2007 - Thursday: It was a quiet night except for the fog horn from the industrial bay. We had a couple windy spells but no rain or thunderstorms. The day is mostly sunny with a few puffy clouds in the area. Gayle is doing the laundry and I did the floors and rugs. The place is looking OK. Bill and Tina left Superior, WI this afternoon and should arrive here in the late evening. Temperature is in the mid 70's so all is good.

Gayle wanted to bike to the town of Beaver Bay which is about a mile and a half from the marina. I got out the bikes and we set off. It seemed all up hill until we reached a long down grade. Gayle looked at the long downhill run and decided that she would never make it up again. So we backtracked to a flea market we had just passed and spent some time browsing through all the junk. Yes, Gayle did buy something.

A number of GLCC boats came in today. Several of which we had been traveling with on our way up along the south shore of Lake Superior. There was a happy hour at the little grill area at the head of our dock and everyone enjoyed the get together.

Gayle and I had made a reservation at the Northern Lights Restaurant and would be picked up by them at 6:30. Another couple, Dave and Donna decided to join us. We had a pleasant meal. As we left the restaurant Bill and Tina showed up with the Lady J crew. All was well again as the evening started cooling. The temp is now 50 and should be well into the 40's tonight. I think the electric heater will be running in our cabin tonight.

20 July 2007 - Friday: Mostly sunny with light winds out of the??? We will be heading for Grand Marais, MN which is about 53 nautical miles up the coast. The forecast is for a warming trend over the next several days. I topped off the water tanks. We are not sure what awaits us in Grand Marais as there is no formal marina. We will be traveling with Wings as soon as they are ready to travel.

Off and running at 9:45, mostly sunny with a temp of 68. Winds light out of the NE, on the nose. As we motored The temp. dropped to 64 and stayed there all day.. We motored along the shore where the palisades, sheer rock cliffs dropped from above our boats to the water and beyond. At one point we came across the Nanitou River which emptied out of a rock gorge 30 to 40 ft above the lake. I looked like the water was rushing down a curved children's slide. As we motored up the coast the engine did not sound right. I took a look and found that the adjustment bracket for the alternator had broken near the engine mounting bolts, metal fatigue. I fiddled with it and managed to keep it working with tension on the drive belt. We ambled into Grand Marias around 5:30 and were able to get a mooring ball, #6, from the Grand Marais Recreation Department. The moorings are first class with double mooring lines with floats to mark them. After securing the boat we went to the campground in the dinghy to register.

Later we had dinner with Wings and Meretricious at the Angry Trout Restaurant. The food was very good but a little on the expensive side. Back on board Knight'n Gayle I started working to modify the broken bracket to make it work for a while longer. I had success but noticed that there was a wire that was no longer going anywhere. It was late so I called it quits as we prepared for a very cool night.

21 July 2007 - Saturday: We awoke to a cabin temperature of 53. I boiled water for Gayle's tea and made a pot of coffee in the percolator. The I made pancakes. All of these things required the burning of propane which also heated the cabin up to 68, a tolerable temperature. I took Gayle and Tina to shore as they wanted to do their tourist shopping. I went back to the boat and pulled the whole alternator off its mounting and found where the wire had broken. I pulled out my tools and electrical stuff and fixed the thing by adding a piece of wire and a new ring terminal. I put it all back together and headed for town. I met Bill in town and we wandered around trying to find a place that might make me a new bracket for the alternator. We finally found Thompson's Performance shop. A guy drove the mile into town and met me where I explained what I needed and gave him a tracing of the part with key dimensions for the mounting holes and the width of the slide hole. He said it would take about an hour. He later called me and met me in town again with the finished part. $80 was not bad for a custom made part in the wilderness.

We congregated at Wings for munchies. I took Bill to shore where we met friends of his mothers and took them back to Wings to have beer and wine. Blue Horizon motored by and Tina coerced them to come aboard and join us. Later we went to the Gunflint tavern for supper. There was a band playing bluegrass and rockabilly. We dropped Tina and Bill at their boat and headed back to ours. Looks like another cuddle night with my head between two pillows.

WEEK SIX

22 July 2007 - Sunday: It was another cuddle night as the temperatures dropped into the low 50's. We were up at 6:15 and pulled anchor and headed to Isle Royale at 7 am. Again Lake Superior lulled us into a sense of security as the light winds vanished to nothing and the sea is flat. We are traveling with several other sailboats on our way to Washington Harbor at the SW end of the island. The sky is hazy with some clouds. The sun is not as warming as we would like. Gayle is putting on more layers of clothing. We are rolling a bit but the sea is totally glassy with only long waves, like an ocean swell. We are on an inland ocean after all. This makes the cabin very uncomfortable for Gayle.

The Flies the Flies, they are everywhere and they drive Gayle bananas. She has mounted a war against then and our cabin is littered with carcasses. She is doing well in the battle but I fear she is losing the war. The numbers on the enemy side is just too great. Isle Royale is on Eastern Time so we arrived about 4 pm EDST. As we entered the harbor the wind, of course, kicked up. Where was it when we could have used it to save fuel?

We registered for 4 days (3 nights) to see what we can see. Moose and wolves are the big animals to watch out for especially a moose cow and a calf.

We took showers at the ranger station. Then Gayle and I took a walk around a 1 mile nature trail. We saw lots of different kinds of plants, ferns, various kinds of berries. No moose and no wolfs. Back at the boat we headed out to anchor for the night. Time to make supper and watch the shallows for moose, then it's good night.

Sunset with our boat at the Windigo dock on Isle Royale

23 July 2007 - Monday: Got up, made breakfast, pulled anchor, and got a pump out. Wing had said they wanted a pump out also. When we left the dock and went by Wings Bill said they had a broken motor mount. We tried to see if there was anything we could do to help. Bill said NO. We started moving out of the harbor and our alternator warning lamp started blinking. Strange! After playing around and looking at the alternator I could find nothing that looked wrong. I checked the regulator and the numeric readout was saying the request was for 14.3 volts but only reading 13.4 at the battery. It was like the alternator was not putting out the power that was requested. I shut off the engine but no longer heard the engine compartment blower. The blower was not working. I had replaced it a couple years ago for the same problem. I thought that maybe the alternator was overheating and the regulator was cutting back the power. I also noticed that the mount on the autopilot drive was loose. What else???

We turned around and headed back to the anchorage. There I took the blower out. This is done by standing on my head while held in the hatch by my belt buckle. Since I had done this before I knew what I was getting into. The blower motor and the housing assembly had a lot of carbon meaning the brushes were warn out.

The ranger station has a radio telephone and I ordered a blower from West Marine as Bill ordered a motor mount from Westerbeke. The parts are to be shipped to Houghton, MI to the Isle Royale Visitor Center. From there they are supposed to be shipped to Isle Royale by seaplane. West Marine could not ship today so the earliest the blower could be in Houghton is Wednesday. And guess what, the plane will be in for it 100 mile check and will not be able to fly out till Friday, weather permitting. Looks like we will have an extended stay here.

We saw a moose this afternoon and another one this evening. They were out in the shallows of the harbor feeding. Cool! We also saw a squirrel chasing a bird down the road. The bird was running back and forth but finally flew into some bushes. I have never seen that before.

We attended three park presentations today. The first one was on the building of docks and shoreline structures. Then we had a mini seminar on moose dealing with their uniqueness on Isle Royale and what can be learned from their bones. The third was a slide presentation on exotic invasive plants and animals and their potential impact on the local habitats.

Happy hour was on Blue Horizon as they were tied up to the main dock. It was a very quiet evening with BBQ chicken on board for supper. A full day. Tomorrow will also be busy.

24 July 2007 - Tuesday: Another day in the wild wilderness. I worked on the alternator. I checked all connections. Everything looks properly connected. I will do more tomorrow.

We went to a lecture talk at the pavilion at 12:30. The subject was the moose tick. We learned more than we probably needed. The tick is the major predator of moose on the island. I thought it was the wolves. The ticks can number in the hundreds of thousands on a single moose, weakening it through the winter and making it easier prey.

We then went hiking with Tina and Bill to a lockout along the Feldman Lake train. The hike was pretty good and the others enjoyed eating ripe thimbleberries. Unfortunately, I let them talk me into eating one. My upper lip swelled and felt like I had had a shot of Novocain. The view from the lookout was a valley with a lake surrounded by the Isle Royale forest. We also saw butterflies and a squirrel. There were lots of various kinds of berry plants along the way and a number of wild flowers (weeds???).

We saw a couple more moose grazing in the shallows behind our boat. This time we were able to observe a male with a small rack. We are quite a ways from the shore so even with binoculars were could just make out that it was a male. This evening we took showers ($3 for 5 minutes). After the shower, while waiting for Gayle, I strolled down to the main dock and saw a couple otters swimming around. One came right up to the dock several time and gave me the once over. When Gayle and Tina showed up the otters both went under the dock and were making quite a ruckus. We do not know what they were doing but it sounded like a lover's spat. The day had been very quiet with some heavy haze and some fog coming up the harbor from the lake. Temperature on the land was in the 90's but more comfortable on the boat.

25 July 2007 - Wednesday: 10 am in the morning there was a nature hike with Ranger Sean about the various island vegetation. He discussed a variety of plants and trees and the history of the island including early clear cutting of parts like Washington Harbor. With the moose population, which is at a low currently, much of the vegetation is browsed by them such as balsam that all looked stunted. There was also a moose exclosure that we walked through that showed how the forest would look without the moose population.

Ranger Valerie gave a presentation on the different rocks and formations of the island at 12:30. This was very interesting how the original formations was forged by huge volcanic action from Isle Royale to the Keweenaw Peninsula.

We went back to the boat for lunch and to vegetate. I also did a little more investigation on my alternator problem. I disconnected one of the sensors and found that the charge voltage increased a half volt. I will have to see how this fares as we begin out travels again after replacing the blower motor.

We had been invited to a BBQ at the Ranger residence up the hill from the store. Everything seems to be up hill. Sean was grilling chicken and pork loin. Bill and Tina has brought a taco casserole and we brought a large dish of flavored rice. We had ferried Tina's bagpipes from their boat while they kayaked to shore. The rangers had a real party going on with Roger being kind of a character. We all ate well and even may have had a drink.

Roger also had a chicken cooking along with corn over a slow burning wood fire. Roger's chicken was not ready yet so we took a brake and went down to the Ranger building for a talk.

Dave Barnum's family has a place on Barnum Island. He is a 5^th generation. He presented his family history, mostly of the founder, George Barnum, of the island and his history from his civil war service through his enterprising years and his purchase of the island. There is an association make up of the families that have had family a history on Isle Royale. They are still working out their relationship with the National Park Service to maintain their legacy and their sense of belonging to this unique place.

We trudged back up the hill and made quick work or Roger's chicken. Tina piped the sundown and received boisterous applause. It was dark when we headed back through the woods down the steep trail. We made it back to the boats for a good night's sleep.

BBQ with the Rangers

26 July 2007 - Thursday: The day started off with breakfast then a dinghy ride to the pavilion next to the main dock where Intern Tim provided a history walk through the immediate area of the harbor showing us what the place looked like back in the mining days and the days that followed. We saw old foundations, Rows of trees that had been planted along a path to the harbor, part of a rail system used to haul supplies, and artifacts from the shore north of the gas dock that were evidence of the materials used many years ago.

The we had lunch at the local restaurant, the store makes sandwiches. It was actually pretty good and included a bag of chip and a pickle. We sat on the porch eating, talking, and watching a moose forage in the shallows on the other side of the harbor.

Then Gayle and I took a walk down to the area of the campsites. We wandered around but saw no one using the sites. All of a sudden the skies clouded over and a squall line wind blasted through the woods. Then we heard thunder in the distance. It was time to get back to the boat. As we headed back to the dinghy dock the sky cleared up a bit so we took our time.

We ran into Bill and Tina and found out that their motor mount was reported at Houghton. Now all we need is the plane and good weather to get the parts to us.

After supper on the boat, Gayle and I moved Knight'n Gayle to the main dock for the night as the weather was still unsettles. Then Laura gave a presentation of the history of area resorts. This ended in a discussion of the goals of the Park Service vs. the people who had a family legacy on the island There was an interesting sunset followed by a shower and bed.

27 July 2007 - Friday: The sun is shining with only a slight haze. After a quick breakfast, banana pancakes, Gayle and I took off in the dinghy to visit the wreck America. The wreck is a couple miles back up the harbor near the entrance of the harbor. The America's bow lies in about 2 ft of water but quickly drops off toward the middle of the channel. We could only see the bow, a deck port, and a large winch. The rest is left to the scuba divers. On the way back we stopped at the dock on Beaver Island but it was too tall for Gayle to get off the dinghy.

Gayle decided to go foraging for the Thimbleberry fruit up the trail we had been on a couple days ago. As she was heading up the trail the seaplane landed with our parts. Now I have to perform acrobatics to install the blower. It was after lunch and Gayle had not returned from her walk. At 2 I decided to go look for her. Guess where I found her- gabbing with another woman at the end of the dock.

We prepared for cocktail hour. We had invited the rangers and also planned to take them out on a sail. Only 3 were able to show up, Tim, Roger, and Mark the fiddler. We had libations and goodies then took them out on Wings for a light air sail. We did manage to get up to 5 knots for a short time. It was a very pleasant evening and our guests really enjoyed the outing. Back at the dock Mark fiddled then Tina played the bagpipes as the mosquitoes came out in force. We had quite a few sneak into the cabin. We closed our bedroom door and killed all we could.

28 July 2007 - Saturday: Up early to a cabin temperature of 58. Several mosquitoes were still in the main cabin as we got ready for another glorious day on Lake Superior. We had breakfast then I dumped the gray water in the men's restroom. At last we are able to leave Washington Harbor and head for Thunder Bay in Canada, about 40 miles. We left the dock at 8:25 and headed out into the lake. Wine??? NOT! Another motor day with glass seas and haze all around us. It is fairly warm, low 70's, and will warm up more during the day.

NOTE: We heard that a dive boat ran up an a reef yesterday afternoon but the rangers weren't called to take them off till 4 in the morning. Strange! We were told that four people were brought to Windigo. Gotta watch out for those rocks.

Off to port we can see Pie Island with the south portion that looks like an Arizona mesa. The terrain here has high cliffs plunging to the low shore or water's edge. We have a while before we will make our turn into Thunder Bay. Gayle is lying in the cockpit with her eyes shut, maybe sleeping. We are motoring along around 6.5 knots with not much to do except keep a lookout.

The scenery was spectacular as we entered Thunder Bay harbor. Lots of palisades, cliffs, and an island that looked like a reclining Indian. The story is that the gods turned the Indian into a rock island when they learned that he had told the white man where to find the silver. That was the worlds richest silver mine.

We made for the main entrance of the breakwater, there are 4 entrances, and pulled into the Prince Arthurs Landing Marina about 3 pm eastern time. I am confused as our phones updated to central time while this part of Ontario is on eastern time. Here we fueled up while waiting for the Canadian Customs agents to visit us and let us into their country. Everything went well and we were allowed to stay. We moved over to our docks in this very nice marina area.

Gayle and I took the bikes and headed along the shore to a park area where a band was playing. Rock, not my kind of music but there was a stand with kettle corn. We decided to return after roaming the town. Gayle found a store, Red Earth Imports, that was still open. We then rode around a little more and ended up at a bar and grill for supper. Gayle also had desert, apple cobbler, and to quote Gayle "to die for". We got the kettle corn and then Gayle found another souvenir shop on our way to the dock. Back at the boat I booted up the laptop and was able to access the free wi-fi and get my mail. I will send our update to everyone.

Reclining Indian

29 July 2007 - Sunday: We were up relatively early and had fried eggs and English muffins for breakfast. Tina was trying to get a rental car but after several phone calls was not able to find one available. So Gayle and I took off on our bikes and had lunch at the old railroad station just off the marina. Then we went to get some things from the Red Earth store she was at yesterday. Then back to the boat to drop off that stuff and head out again in search of a grocery store. We were told that there was a SafeWay just a short distance away. Well, after a couple kilometers, all uphill, and asking several people we were not able to find it. We did find a small fruit market and store way up the hill and got most of our shopping list. Of course, on the way back we ran smack dab into the SafeWay and Gayle was able to pick up the rest of the list. At least from the stores back to the boat was all downhill.

From up on the hill we could see whitecaps out on the bay. This is expected as we are tucked away in the quiet marina.

WEEK SEVEN

30 July 2007 - Monday: The night was quite warm for this area. There was a little rain that pattered on the hull sometime during the night, or was it a dream? Tina is still trying to rent a car. Gayle wanted to go to a Finish restaurant for Finish pancakes. The sky was cloudy and the internet radar shows some more rain headed our way. I cleaned the air filter for the refrigeration unit. It is amazing how much dust accumulates in a boat.

Tina finally got a rental car. They have to do some running around and then we will head for the fort.

Bill and Tina did managed to rent a car and spent the morning running around getting things they needed and also took Joe and Karen, P/V Put'n Call, to get a couple batteries for their boats.

Then we all got together and headed for Fort William Historical Park. It was a very interesting place and a lot like the fort at Mackinaw City. They had employees dressed in period costumes and they provided guide services and explained various things about the days of the fort and the fur trading business.

As we entered the fort grounds we came upon an Indian village with tepees and Indian women doing their crafts. We were offered bread and guided around the area where many of the artifacts were explained by a lovely young squaw that actually had an Indian heritage.

Of particular interest were the canoe maker, the barrel maker, and the doctor (nicknamed Dr. Torture). The nickname was bestowed as the doctor explained several of the procedures that he would perform in the frontier. They also had a garden and livestock farm. The highlight was the fur packing house were very many furs that were traded were hung for display. Also shown were the methods to pack these into 90 lb pack for transportation in the canoes. We also took advantage of the local transportation, a cart pulled by two draft horses. There was also a mock betrothal of the head man at the fort to a young Indian. This was quite involved and ended in a dual between a Scottish gentleman and one of the farmers. There is a lot more to the story but will not be repeated here.

We had a snack at the visitor center at the fort. Then headed for Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. The falls were quite spectacular as they cascaded over the layered rock cliffs. We took many pictures. This far inland was very hot, in the 90's with only a slight breeze. It was cooler at the marina.

By the time we ended the running around we did not get to supper till after 9 pm. This made for a very late evening. We will be up early to shower, pack the bikes and be ready to get a pump out at 9 when the gas dock opens.

31 July 2007 - Tuesday: Up at 7:30 with cereal for breakfast. Then up to the marina building for a hot shower. This will be the last opportunity for several days. The sun is up and bright and we expect to have another very warm day.

About 10 we moved to the fuel dock and had the holding tank pumped as we expect to be anchored for the next couple days. Tina and Bill still had a few things to do as well as get their tank pumped out.

Gayle and I headed out of the harbor and decided to put the sails up while we waited for Wings to catch up. At first the winds were light but slowly built and moved in a favorable direction so we were able to sail toward the head of the Sleeping Giant. We had both sails up and at times were up to 6 knots. As we neared the peninsula we tacked as the wind slowly died. We finally had to motor out around Hare Island. Then the winds picked up quite a bit, 15 knots and we were on a beam reach with a swell coming off the great lake. I only put up a reefed jib and we were doing over 5 knots. Kool! Then the winds hit 22 knots as we veered off the wind heading for Cape Thunder. The ride became boisterous and Gayle was a little unnerved. We were riding some 4 and 5 footers as we headed for the west Tee Harbor. We finally rounded into the peace and quiet of the harbor and found 3 mooring balls waiting for us.

We picked up the mooring ball on the north side of the bay. The beach had some people on it as this is an accessible area of a Provincial Park. Gayle and I lowered the dinghy as Wings came in and picked up the next mooring. We headed to shore and took a walk toward the foot of the giant and veered off to access the rugged rock strewn shore. I took a few pictures. We headed back and ran into Bill and Tina. They continued up the path and we headed toward the beach. We made a right hand turn and walked along the campground path which lead up to the cliffs overlooking Lake Superior. Took more pictures. Then the mountain goat in me took me up to an overlook that allowed me to take pictures of our boats below. This all made for a lot of exercise for the day.

We had a get together with Wings on our vessel after supper to discuss our trip. The weather has possible rain and thunderstorms for tomorrow so we will have to evaluate whether we move on or stay. Decision will be made tomorrow. We saw a doe and her fawn come down to the water's edge to drink. They were gone too quickly to get a picture.

1 August 2007 - Wednesday: August already. The summer just isn't long enough. We had a late morning and did not get breakfast going till 9 am. Later we headed to shore and met with Bill and Tina. The decision was to remain for another night. Bill and Tina were going to take a long walk up the mountain. Gayle and I took a much shorter walk along the path that led to the trailhead from which the frequent people we met along the way were from. We found a path that led to the water and found the remains of a log cabin that still had the 55 gal drum stove sitting in the middle. Most of the structure was gone except a couple small sections of the wall.

Back at the boat we had soup and kettle corn for lunch. Gayle was pooped and is now laying down. The skies have darkened over the cliffs and thunder has been heard. It currently looks like most of the storm clouds are north of us but the winds have cooled and are quite erratic. I will let you know how we fare. I think Bill and Tina may get wet.

The really dark clouds with the thunder passed north of us. Another set of dark clouds passed south of us. We only got a sprinkle. However, Bill said that they heard the thunder when they were up on the cliffs and Tina made a bee line back down the trail. She was motivated by the thunder. They arrived back at their kayaks without getting wet except for the sweat of a speedy return.

We had invited the other two sailboats to an evening campfire on the beach around 8 pm. Only one boat, Unicorn, came as Tina and Gayle provided yummies along with a few goodies from the third boat. We had a pleasant evening discussing many things. Unicorn was from Thunder Bay and were very knowledgeable of the area and places to go. While we were snuggled around the campfire, a canoe came in, a father and 11 year old son. We offered our fire to warm up their military rations. After their meal they planned to hike up the cliffs in the dark. In the past they have made this trek in February. They must be from very hearty stock! We broke up after dusk around 10 and headed back to our boats.

2 August 2007 - Thursday: A blinding sun greeted me as I rolled out of bed. The sky is crystal clear with only a small bit of wind. This promises to be a great day.

We left Tee Harbor about 11 with Wings still on their mooring. They were doing a few things. We motored beyond the rocks then set the jib. We were heading only about 3 miles to Silver Islet (the town on the mainland) doing about 3.5 knots. We were able to tie up to the town dock but the surge was right on the nose causing a hobby horse rock on the boat. We had lunch at the tea room at the back of the store. Coffee, broccoli soup (kind of watery) with a roll followed up by a pretty good cinnamon roll. We got a couple of rolls to take with us.

We decided to take a walk to Lion's Head formation in the provincial park, a couple kilometers up the road from the store and dock. The wind continued to blow causing increased swell through the cut alongside the dock. We found the path off the road and headed toward the sound of crashing waves. The trail was wide but littered with rocks and stones. When we reached the bay another trail led up the cliff toward an overlook of the Lion's Head. Gayle had some problems with some of the steep rock climbs but finally made it. It was worth the climb. The formation is a geological formation like a thin wall sticking out into the bay with a large hole near the surface of the water. Some years ago part of the leading edge fell off (part of the lion's head).

The walk back to the dock was pleasant and warm until we got near the water. The wind off Lake Superior was quite cool. Bill and Tina decided to be on their way so we said our good-by's and helped them leave the dock. They will be going on to complete the circle of Lake Superior and we will be cutting across the lake to start our journey back home. We wished them fair weather and favorable winds. After all this time together they will be sorely missed.

Gayle and I took a walk along the NE bay along a narrow street that is one-way from 9 am to 5 pm. I'll be darned, Gayle found a gift shop open on the hill opposite the rocky shoreline. That cost me. Later we moved further down the road looking for the trail to the old cemetery. We couldn't find it but we did find the stream and the bridge crossing it. We met a young girl who was kind enough to show us were the cemetery was, behind a private home. The remains are fast being overcome by weather and the encroaching vegetation. We found two rock carved headstones that were readable, one for a baby girl that died at the age of 10 days. There were also several wooden grave markers and only one was partially legible. Some of the picket fences were completely broken down but most were in partial decay. The town of Silver Islet had placed an inscribed plaque on a large rock commemorating the cemetery and the people buried there.

Back at the town dock, the boat was still bouncing but the wind had warmed and had turned enough to be pushing us off the dock. The wind has abated somewhat but it will take some time for the lake to settle down. We ate supper on board as the sun dropped behind the cliffs.

3 August 2007 - Friday: We were up early, 6:30, and got things going. We got the motor off the dinghy and stowed on the rail. The hoisted the dinghy and prepared it for travel. We left Silver Islet at 7:30 heading across the open water to Rock Harbor on Isle Royale. The wind was mostly behind us around 6 to 8 knots. So the iron jib moved us toward our destination. The lake was rumbling with 2 to 4 ft waves hitting us on the starboard quarter making for a rolly ride. Knight'n Gayle loped along around 6 knots. As we rounded the northern tip of Isle Royale the wind started kicking up to 10 to 15 knots. We put out the jib and sailed to the large entrance of Rock Harbor and headed for the Ranger station at Rock Harbor Lodge.

Kakabeka Falls outside Thunder Bay, Ontario

We pulled into a dock next to Put'n Call about 11:15. They are part of the original GLCC group we were with coming across the south shore and also saw them again in Thunder Bay. The place here was a bustle of activity compared to Windigo. The Big boats brought many people from Copper Harbor and Houghton on the Keweenaw Peninsula. We went to the ranger station but they were too busy with arriving crowds and told us we could clear customs later. We checked in at the marina, $2 per foot. This does not include showers. We went back to the station and ran into Sean the Ranger from Windigo. He took care of us, checking us in to the US and registering us for the two days, tonight and tomorrow morning.

We made hotdogs for lunch and woofed them down in order to make the 1 pm ranger talk/walk around the harbor. This was a talk about the different animals on the island and some history about the forming of the park.

Gayle did her usual shopping, she had two stores to go through. We decided to have supper at the snack bar next to the lodge restaurant. The restaurant supper was a flat $30 per person. I thought this a little high. To kill part of the afternoon Gayle decided to go berry foraging. She found a clump of ripe raspberries. Then we took a little walk up a trail for a ways then returned to the boat. I helped Put'n Call with a battery problem while Gayle did some more shopping.

We had supper at the snack bar but the numbers did not add up. The waitress explained there was a 27% tax, 6% Michigan and 21% Federal. I had never heard of this. And $2 per foot for the boat. Sounds like a tourist trap to me.

The evening program at 8 pm had two musicians, one flute and one guitar, artists in residence give a concert. It was pretty good as they did pieces from Bach along with original music they had authored.

Back at the boat I filled the rear water tank and swatted mosquitoes. Then a fox came out of the brush and meandered around the picnic tables like this was his regular daily routing. He looked kind of scroungy but seemed to get by. As dusk settled in so did the mosquitoes thus chasing me inside.

Evening campfire in east T-Harbor, east of Thunder Bay

4 August 2007 - Saturday: Put'n Call woke us about 6:30 as they shoved off for Rossport in Canada. So we finally got up ourselves and made ready for our own departure. The water was still with quite a bit of dew on the boat and windshield. We cast off just after 7 and headed out the Smithwick Channel and set course for Copper Harbor, 45 miles away on the Keweenaw Peninsula. The wind is very light with glassy water. Around 8:30 a powerboat passed us to starboard. We can now see the peninsula in the distance with Isle Royale visible on the stern.

The lake went from ripples to glass to ripples until we were 8 miles out from Copper Harbor. I could see a freighter on the radar but could not see it. Then we saw a fog band developing to our south where the freighter was. Gayle said she hoped the fog would not overtake us. The fog god smiled on us and dissipated the dense wall before it reached us. As we got closet to the harbor the winds picked up as they swung to the NE at 10 to 12 knots. We put out the jib and rolled back the engine RPM's. Soon we were doing 6.5 to 7 knots for the last 6 miles to the harbor. We took the sail down as we lined up for the range markers that guided us past the shoals and rock. Finally into the harbor proper we made a right turn and headed toward the end of the bay where the Copper Harbor State Marina is located. There was a dock for us and we tied up in somewhat shallow water.

After getting registered we headed to town about a half mile down the road. Gayle shopped, we had supper at a local restaurant, made a visit to the grocery store, and Gayle stopped for an ice-cream on the walk back to the marina. We are both very tired, kinda like wiped out.

Rock Harbor, isle Royale

5 August 2007 - Sunday: Up and at em at 6:30. The red sun was just below the horizon giving the sky and eerie pink glow. The water was quiet with the light wind out of the south. We shoved off the dock at 7 and motored east toward the entrance of the harbor. Gayle found out that the carton of milk had frozen in the fridge. I will have to set the temp higher. We had some wind for motor sailing as we headed further east to round the Keweenaw point but lost that advantage as we headed south toward Marquette. The lake has rolling waves with a 6 knot headwind. We are rocking and occasionally slapping the hull as a wave lifts us up a little too high. It will be another long day at sea.

It is now 10:30 with no land in sight. Clouds have moved in obscuring the sun we had earlier. We are still bouncing as we continue motoring directly into the 6 knot wind. We have 41 more miles to go.

Eventually under cloudy skies, while motoring into winds up to 18 knots, we passed Presque Isle Marina just north of Marquette. We called in to see if they could take us - not enough water depth. So forward another 3.5 miles we pulled into Cider Pond Marina in Marquette Harbor.

I had to turn around in the tight space next to the dock which was a problem with the wind and the prop wash against me. It turned out OK as I miss the big blue sailboat by 2 inches. We took on diesel and moved to a dock for the night. Dinner in town followed by a shower. Now it is time to relax and get a good night's sleep.

Lion's Head (part of the head fell off) near Silver Islet, Ontario

WEEK EIGHT

Waterfall along the Pictured Rocks National Seashore

6 August 2007 - Monday: We made a slow start to the day and did not pull out of the marina till almost 8 am. The sun was up and bright exactly where we were sailing. Things looked right for the spinnaker. Up she went and we were flying along around 6.7. Then the wind picked up and the autopilot could not handle the quartering sea on the stern. The waves had picked up to 3 to5 ft as we headed mostly east. I steered for a while but soon took the spinnaker down. We put the jib out and were cruising around 6 knots with noticeable rolling. This is uncomfortable for Gayle.

The wind has dropped a little but we are still rolling quite a bit. It is 11 and we are still 16 miles out of Munising. All in all it is a good sail for me.

As we headed further south around Grand Island we lost the wind and motored the rest of the way to the Bayshore Marine in Munising. We tied up to the east side of the dock and registered at the office.

Gayle and I headed for a walk in town and visited some stores and checked the internet café to make sure it was open. I will put this together and send an update this afternoon or evening.

Hillbilly Truck at the Dog Patch Restaurant in Munising

7 August 2007 - Tuesday: We left the Munising harbor at 8:20 and motored out around the east side of grand Island. On the mainland shore was the beginning of the Pictured rocks National Shoreline. However the shore was in the shade abd the atmosphere was quite hazy. As we headed east along the UPO the sun was dead ahead. Aster a while the wind picked up a little out of the south and allowed us to motor sail and save on the diesel. We were able to motor sail all the way to Grand Marais, at times gusty and at time just enough to keep us over 6 knots. At one point we hit 7.8 knots but that overpowered the boat and I headed up and let the sails out. The ride along Pictured Rock was great a well as the Sable dunes. All in all it was quite a nice sail.

We pulled into the Grand Marais harbor at 2:30. It had been a warm day out on the lake and was even warmer here in the harbor - 87F. The clouds had built up but then dissipated. There are quite a few people on the beach and a couple even swimming with the surface water temperature at 77F.

We turned into the harbor entrance around 1 pm and headed for the dock. There was only a small trawler there so we had no trouble coming up to the dock and tieing up. It was HOT, I was reading 87F in the cockpit with little wind. I called the phone number on the dock and requested someone come down to register me. After 45 minutes there was still no one. Gayle and I took a stroll into town and stopped to get ice cream cones. We had also stopped at the pickel barrel house and took the tour. A very interesting little cabin that had been built a number of years ago. The historical society now had refurbished it and were keeping it up.

Pickle Barrel Cabin in Grand Marais, MI

It was HOT. When we arrived back at the dock there was another sailboat behind us out of Cleveland. They had needed fuel and had also called to have someone come down to the dock. Finally, the senior caretaker made it down and took care of all of us. I had started cleaning the boat deck, scrubbing at all the spider dropings and dead bugs that had accumulated. I was having only marginal success. I managed to at least get a lot of the surface dirt off. Did I tell you it was HOT!

Gayle was ready for supper so we went up to the diner that we had seen earlier, open till 9 pm the sign had said. Well, they had closed early for some unknown reason. We ended up at the Superior Brewery, the same place we had eaten a month earlier. As we finished eating the dikes open up and produced a deluge of a thunderstorm. It only lasted for about a half hour but there was quite a downpour. As the rain was letting up we headed to the grocery store - CLOSED because of some water problem. We were not having a great deal of luck with places being open. We stopped at the small store in the gas station and got a few things then back to the boat.

8 August 2007 - Wednesday: We were not up as early as we had planned but all was OK. We had breakfast and I filled the forward water tank. I could hear breakers on the beach on the outside of the harbor. There was wind out there. We left the dock about 8:15 and headed once again into the deep blue of Lake Superior.

Yes, there was wind. I set the head sail and off we went just over 6 knots. A good sailing day with the wind from the north giving us a close reach as we headed east toward Whitefish Point. As the day wore on I also put up the jib as we sped along at up to 7 knots. We were able to sail all the way to Whitefish Point with the wind staying out of the north.

The iron jib pushed south from Whitefish Point the short distance to the State Harbor. The entrance was a little tricky but we had info from the sailboat that was here last night. We kept very close to the breakwater wall. We had a good view of the shallow water that took up most of the entrance. The docks here are mostly for the Indian fishing boats but there were some wells with no boat so we just wandered in and tied up. There are no services here except for the outhouse. There is no one to take any money and no information about paying. Sounded good to me.

Gayle and I walked up to the Whitefish Light House which also had a historical museum with several out buildings, about .8 miles. There were quite a few people there as this is a popular stop. The museum was still open but would close in an hour which would not justify the $10 per head to enter. We walked to the beach and Gayle picked up several tumbled rocks to take home. She now has a bucket half full of rocks. We checked out the gift shop and snack store. Nothing was purchased. Then we walked along a boardwalk into the dunes area. This leads to a platform high on a dune used to count the migratory birds that come through the area.

Back at the boat it was grilled steaks, fried potatoes, and green beans for supper. The end of a pretty good day.

Whitefish Point Harbor, Wells reserved for Indian fishing boats

9 August 2007 - Thursday: I was up before sunrise with the sky turning various shades of red and yellow. There were three Indian fishing boats getting ready to go out to pick up their fish nets. The wind was blowing out of the SE. Guess which direction we needed to head to go to Sault Ste. Marie? That's right! We left at 8 and headed out of the harbor into 14 to 18 knots winds on the nose and bashing into 4 to 5 ft waves. We were only making around 4 knots. Gayle said at least we were not rolling. However we were doing a lot of banging as waves lifted the bow that then crashed back into the water. We hit one wave that washed the whole foredeck and part of the dodger window. The sky is mostly cloudy with occasional sunny spots. We heard a couple of the GLCC boats, Adagio and Summer Wind, that had gone around the north of Lake Superior and were now headed into the Soo as we were. We are now traveling the shipping lane that leads to the Soo Locks. We may meet up with the other GLCC boat in the entrance of the St. Mary's River.

The other boats from GLCC got through the locks before us. We finally got to the locks and were the only boat being lowered. All those tens or hundreds of thousands of gallons used up just for our little sailboat. We pulled into the George Kemp Marina around 3:30, took on diesel and had a pump out, and tied up to well 15 next to Summer Wind.

Gayle is doing laundry up at the dock office and I just hooked up power. Since we are now in GLCC territory, cocktails at 5. We will probably be late as it is almost 5 now.

Gayle had loads in both the washer and dryer so we went to Scampi for the cocktail hour. We also had a phone call from Ernst and Margaret of Makara. They had sought medical assistance for Margaret. She is OK. There was nothing serious.

10 August 2007 - Friday: Got up late, around 8. The day started out sunny with little wind. Our goal today was to clean out the vee berth, wash the bedding, and generally clean things up on the boat. We also need to get to a grocery store this evening. Lunch was in the cockpit under the shade of our bimini. Then Gayle finished the bedding and put it back on the main cabin cushions and pillows. We re-stowed the vee berth with the outside temperature around 88.

We decided a trip to main street was in order. Gayle did her shopping thing while I looked for a barbershop, without success, and the library, successful, for the internet. It was quite warm in town along with a slight breeze. I finally found Gayle in one of the stores, calling her did me no good. We had supper at the VFW, all you can eat fish dinner for $8 a head. It was quite good. After we made a trip to the store for a few essentials like beer and milk. The evening turned cooler with much lower humidity. The sky is clear as we watch the freighters come up and down the river through the locks. We had to make use of the cold beer from the store sitting on the side of the boat.

As the evening settled in, there was accordion music coming from a group of Nordic Tugs. The music was quite good although most of the songs were polkas. It is cooling down and the humidity is way down making for a good night's sleep.

11 August 2007 - Saturday: We were up later than expected and did not leave the dock till 8:30. There was a little headwind and the skies were partly cloudy. We headed down the St. Mary's River flowing with the current. We had seen some freighter traffic while we were getting ready to leave the dock. But there was no traffic as we headed down the river until around noon when a down bound freighter overtook us. That was the only one to pass us all the way to Detour Village. On the way, at marker #49, we saw an eagle in a nest. Several of the permanent channel markers had a platform on which an eagle could nest. We saw a couple more that looked like there were nests but only saw the one eagle. There were a lot of fishing boat to dodge along the way. They would move out of the way of the freighter and then move back right in front of us. As we got within 8 miles of our destination, the wind picked up into the low teens and we were able to motor sail . We pulled into the Detour Village Harbor Marina around 3.

Our first task was get to the grocery and pick up the few things we were not able to get at our last stop. Then we cleaned up and headed to Fogcutters Restaurant for a whitefish supper. The food was good. When we arrived back at the marina, a band was getting ready to play in the marina parking lot. So we got our chairs and listened and danced to the music until the rain started. We packed up and got back to the boat and hunkered down for the evening. More rain and thunderstorms are possible after midnight.

Young Eagle making a nest on Channel Marker #49

WEEK NINE

Sunrise from the cockpit, Detour Village

12 July 2007 - Sunday: Woke up to thunderstorms with rain. So we stayed in bed till almost 9 after the rain stopped. The rest of the morning started with clouds as the wind started building. The forecast was for 20 knots with gust to 30. We decided that staying in Detour Village was a practical thing to do. After lunch we headed to the Red Barn, the Michigan home of Ralph and Pixie, authors of Well-found Passage - about the North Channel, where they were selling their things made of old sailcloth as a benefit for the local library. Gayle bought a couple things and I purchased a Turner's Map of the North Channel. We talked with Ralph and Pixie a little bit and Ralph asked me to send him my photos of the North Channel and gave me his California address.

Gayle with Pixi and Ralph, authors of Well Favored Passage

On our way back the wind picked up and moved to the NW. We stopped for ice cream with the warm temperatures in town. Then we split, I went back to the boat and Gayle went shopping. At the boat I was measuring 20 knots with gusts to 25. The max captured on the instrument was 28.7 knots. I imagine in open water the winds would be faster. It also started to cool off as the afternoon moved toward evening. We had a social gathering on the Harvey J. Kendall, the trawler next to us. Tom and Linda are an affable couple and we got along quite well.

Gayle and I went into town to eat at a small restaurant which was OK. We got there just before closing and they were out of quite a few of the menu selections. We strolled back to the boat with the wind still blowing. It would have been a rough day out on the water.

13 July 2007 - Monday: We had a somewhat late start but got away about 8:30 and headed for Rogers City. The waves were quite rough, left over from yesterday's high winds. We rocked and rolled as the waves hit us on the aft quarter. The wind was rather light but we initially did some motor sailing which helped then the wind dropped and we furled the jib. We motored along on a direct course across Lake Huron to the Roger's City Marina. About an hour out from our destination the wind picked up and we put the jib back up. It was great as I turned off the engine for a short while.

The marina did not have ay trouble finding us a spot. We actually got a slip right next to the service building so we did not have to walk the length of the dock to get on land. After settling in I took out the bikes and we explored the city but did not find too much. Most of what we need is within 3 to 4 blocks. We decided to eat at the lighthouse Restaurant and go the theater to see Harry Potter and the something or other, the newest one out. Monday was bargain night with all tickets being $5. The evening was cool and promised a good night for sleeping

14 July 2007 - Tuesday: We slept in till 9 and had a good breakfast aboard. Then I went out to get a haircut. The local barber shop was pretty busy and I had to wait about 45 minutes. After the lowering of the ears I headed back to the boat for lunch. Gayle was taking a shower so I relaxed while waiting. We had hot dogs then I dusted the carpets and vacuumed and washed the floors as well as the bilges underneath. It is amazing how dirty things can get while on clean water. The library has WI-FI so I will be able to send out an update of the journal. Plans are still going well for having our granddaughter, Kira, and Gayle's daughter, Kim, join us for the last part of our trip from Harrisville back to our dock. We will meet up with them on the 18 ^th.

15 August 2007 - Wednesday: We were up at a decent time but Gayle wants to check out a shop she missed yesterday. We only have 17 miles to go to Presque Isle so we will have a late departure. An interesting sign on a cooler on the back of a fishing boat "Salmon Coffin". The sky is partly sunny with light winds. I hope there is more wind when we get away from the shore.

16 August 2007 - Thursday: We were up at 5:30. It was still dark. The theory was to get out on the lake moving south before the heavy weather set in, NW winds 15 to 20 with gusts up to 35. Well, we left the safety of the harbor at 6:20 and headed out around the point heading mostly SE. The wind seemed pretty good behind us so up with the head sail and off with the engine.

There was a line of black clouds heading our was as the sun tried to rise above the clouds. The black line did not look too ominous, not rolling, so we just continued with the jib. At one point we hit 8 knots and the autopilot was struggling so I reefed the jib and we continued down around the top of the mitten. As we continued the waves built and the wind veered to NNW. As the day continued the waves we 3 to 4 feet with occasional 5 and 6 footers. A couple waves looked like they were going to board the cockpit but Knight'n Gayle lifted her stern just in time to let the wave slip beneath us. The swim platform on the back did get a good washing.

Crossing Thunder Bay has the waves on the starboard quarter rolling the boat as the auto pilot tried to keep a straight path. A couple time I turned the autopilot off and hand steered. The human pilot is much better at anticipation boat motion and correcting is early. We also had a cormorant land on the dodger. I quickly made him realize that he was not welcomed.

Kira feeding the ducks in Harrisville

We arrived at Harrisville about 2 pm ahead of our original schedule. We generally plan a trip at averaging 5 knots but today we probably averaged 6.5. Not a bad day of sailing. We now have 3 knights stay here as we wait for Kim and Kira to show up on Saturday.

I had to wash down our dock. The ducks had made it their local toilet. It was just loaded with little pile of black, green, and white do-do.

The day turned out to be pretty good with skies clearing and lots of sunshine. We went to the Old Place Restaurant for dinner. Back at the boat we were under attack by the cormorants. Seems the local pest birds have taken a liking to landing on sailboat spreaders and making a mess. They are weird birds and I saw a couple land hanging on by their long necks till they found a place to balance. Only one landed on Knight'n Gayle and I promptly scared him away. Several other made an attempt but failed.

17 August 2007 - Friday: We woke up to a sunny sky and calm harbor. As the morning wore on the skies filled with intermittent clouds and the wind picked up gusting into the 20's. I had to wash the dock again as the ducks had used their facility throughout the night. The winds have been really howling out of the NW. It would have been a fun day to head further south.

As the evening approached the air developed an icy chill. Many people were wearing jackets along with their shorts. This is supposed to be the dog days of August but it is more like late September. We are hoping for warmer temperatures tomorrow.

Marina Party in Harrisville, L-R Ken, Kim, Amy, Kira and Gayle

18 August 2007 - Saturday: We were rolling most of the night. Some of the waves were causing a surge in the marina but not too bad. Breakfast was slow in coming and consisted of cinnamon rolls with lots of frosting on top. Now that is my kind of breakfast. Several boat left heading south on their journey as the winds are way down, less than 10 knots. The sun was bright but soon hazy clouds moved in to steal some of the sun's warmth.

Gayle's daughter, Kim, son , Ken and his wife Amy along with our granddaughter, Kira, showed up after lunch. This made a boat full. I took Kira along the shore looking for treasure items like rocks, feathers, and shells. Then we went to the playground at the marina while the others went to town to get coffee and shop. Nothing new there. The Marina was having a "Paradise in Harrisville" BBQ just up the hill. The marina provided all the meats like pork chops, chicken, sausage, hot dogs, hamburgers, and ribs. They also provided a couple kegs of beer. Everyone brought a dish to pass. Ken and Amy decided to stay for that. It was really good.

After dinner they had a DJ playing music while Kira ran around, rolled down the hill, and played in the park.

Ken and Amy left and we went back to the boat to get our stuff for the showers. It has been a busy day and we should sleep well.

WEEK TEN

19 August 2007 - Sunday: Gayle and I were up just after 7 and got the boat ready to travel. Kim and Kira slept in. The sky was partly cloudy and the air on the cool side. As we headed out we could see a lot of clouds on the southern horizon which is where we were going. We were able to motor sail for parts of the trim but the wind was mostly from the south. The waves were building as we crossed Saginaw Bay. We were banging off some of the waves as the boat came down from the peak of a high wave.

We found out that Kira can get seasick. She was sleeping down below. She had said that she was not feeling well. When she woke she let go and we got busy cleaning her up. We now have some medication for her as we continue south tomorrow.

As we approached the thumb the waves diminished and the ride became more pleasant although the clouds had covered the sun completely. I was cold enough for our jackets. We made Port Austin around 2 and got a pump out at the fuel dock. The staff said to take any boat well available. The marina was mostly empty.

Gayle and Kim huddle in the cold gloom of Saginaw Bay

20 August 2007 - Monday: I have had a SENIOR moment and missed a day as Kim pointed out. This is the trip from Port Austin to Harbor Beach. This is the day that caused my crew to mutiny and jump ship.

This is Kim's email comment on the "day from hell": "I think Eric should amend his story a bit.....he neglected to include the real reason the crew abandoned ship......the horrible ride from Port Austin to Harbor Beach on Monday, which included high winds, a black sky, 6-7 foot washing machine waves, a trip that took almost twice as long as it should have...oh yeah, and the puking that resulted. That, topped with the fact that the forecast for the rest of the week was cold with thunderstorms, was enough to call an end to my sailing for the week."

So I do have people checking up on me in my old age. The forecast had been for S to SE winds 10 to 15. Although not favorable, This would make for an uncomfortable ride but not too bad. Saginaw Bay did not look too bad and it appeared the waves were coming in from the east which would be good for our run south. We headed out under grey skies with the promise of at least partial sunshine. It seemed like a long ride to get out beyond the lighthouse that guards the rock shelf that extends quite a ways north out of Port Austin.

Once we rounded the lighthouse things looked fair as I could motor sail. However as we moved around the thumb and headed more south the wind picked up and the waves continued to build causing a mixed sea, east waves and south waves causing a mix of confused waves. We started rocking and rolling as the boat headed into 20 knot winds and 4 to 5 seas on the nose. As we continued the winds grew to 25 pushing more and more water into the bow. Gusts to 31 knots added to the mess as we banged into 6 and 7 footers with an occasional 8 footer. At times the boat looked like it was going to launch into the sky.

I agree that these conditions could be more than uncomfortable. The three girls succumbed to the confused boat motion and Kira definitely did not appreciate the boat shooting off a wave and crashing down into the following trough. A bucket was held at the ready and was eventually used. I felt a bit guilty sitting at the helm reading a book. I thought about getting some lunch but thought the others would have a negative reaction. So we stuck it out and eventually made Harbor Beach in the afternoon.

It took much longer than it should with the wind and waves on the nose. At times we were doing under 4 knots and at one time I thing we hit 2 knots. All in all it made for one miserable day for my crew.

It should be noted that all of these problems are Kim's fault. Just about every time Kim comes on the boat for a trip the weather turns ugly. This has been going on for years. There seems to be a black cloud over Kim's head when it comes to sailing.

The girls went into town and called me later to join them at Al's for supper. I walked up and we had the buffet which was good/ We had a leisurely walk back toward the marina but stopped off at the campground to let Kira play on the playground gym set. The girls had decided that it would be best if Kim and Kira went home and they called John, Kim's hubby, to come and get them. Later, Gayle decided to go with them a she had appointments to keep on Friday. Yes, it was a full mutiny. With the weather so bad and rain and thunderstorms forecast for the next week, Kim and Kira were not having the fun vacation that they had wanted.

21 August 2007 - Tuesday: John picked up the girls around 9 am. I am here alone. I will take the boat home by myself. The wind is still in the 20's this morning so I will stay another night here and head out Tuesday. I had a pleasant, quiet day. I went to Al's with Tim, a Catalina 25 single handler also heading south. Yes, tomorrow is supposed to be pretty good with 1 to 3 ft. seas and a SE wind 5 to 10. This evening the wind has died to about nothing so the lake should be settled come morning.

Entering St. Clair River under the Blue Water Bridge

That is me Piloting the Yacht

22 August 2007 - Wednesday: I was up early for the run from Harbor Beach to Lexington. The winds had picked up during the night but not too bad. I took the shower key up to the marina office building at 7 and found the harbor master. I asked him to help me to the fuel dock for diesel. He said he would be there shortly. We moved the boat and fueled up then headed out about 7:30. The wind and waves were picking up again but no where near as bead as two days ago. I set the main and motor sailed about 2 to 3 miles off the coast. It wasn't a pleasant trip but not very difficult as the boat maintained around 5 knots into the 12 to 18 knot wind. Most of the time I had enough angle for the sail to help push us along. I had called my cousin, Gwenn, and told her that I would be pulling into Lexington and would call her when I was about an hour out.

I heard Tim calling in to Port Sanilac so I called him and let him know that I was heading for Lexington. His boat is the Sweet Elaine. That is what the name sounded like. Tim can correct me if I heard wrong.

I pulled into Lexington just before 3 pm. After getting the boat tied up and registering, I walked up to the front of the harbor to wait for Gwenn. I ran into Joe from my dock on the Clinton River. His boat, a large Carver named Intrepid was sitting there at the dock. His wife, Marion, was in town. Joe said that Gary and Sandy, also at my boat dock, were doming up by car to visit for the evening. What a small world.

My Cousin showed up. I gave her a beer and a grand tour of Knight'n Gayle. She said it was a really beautiful boat. We chatted for a while then walked into town for supper. We picked a bar and grill that I had been to before. We walked in and found my dock friends already sitting there in a booth. Small world.

Gwenn left for home and I headed back to the boat for a quiet evening. I cleaned up a little, watched a DVD and hit the sack around 10. The lightning and thunder woke me at 12:30. There was quite a storm brewing. I put on my moose hide moccasins and went out to put up the bridge between the bimini and the dodger. Then I heard a crack and a splash, I looked in the water and found my flag and pole floating alongside the boat. I fished it out and discovered the base was gone. I have not a clew what caused the pole to brake as the winds were not that bad.

Another of life's mysteries.

23 August 2007 - Thursday: Pulled out of Lexington at 7:20. Ran aground in the sand a couple times before getting out of the channel. The sky was grey and the channel was impossible to see. At least I was going slow. Out in the lake I headed for the Saint Claire River. The sky continued to be quite dark but the wind was very light and the sea glassy. The winds are supposed to pick up and the threat of rain and thunderstorms will continue throughout the day.

I paralleled the shipping channel as a couple freighters went by. It had been raining off and on, just a light rain. It was going to be that kind of day. Visibility was much better than yesterday. And the sun has peaked out briefly through the dark clouds.

Joe and his wife came running down the river I their really big powerboat and called me on the VHF after the overtook my slow sailboat. They said they would be at the dock when I got in to help with the lines. They said Gary would also be there.

Roy and Judy, my escort from Algonac

With my progress down the St. Clair River the sun started peaking through until the sky was mostly sunny. I had called Roy and Judy, of Morning Star II, so they came out to escort me part way from Algonac to Decker's Landing where they live on a canal. Besides their sailboat they have a woodie runabout and paced me for several miles. Roy has recently retired and had a great big smile on his face.

As my escort left I headed into the Anchor Bay canal, weaving between the fishing boats. I was now in my home waters. When I passed the last buoy, I put up both sails and turned off the engine as I headed for the entrance to the Clinton River. What a great sail as we hit 6.7 knots on a comfortable beat. It took several moments of debate before I finally decided to strike the sails and motor up the Clinton River to my awaiting dock. As promised, Joe and Gary were there to help me tie up which meant the final end of the Great Superior Trip.