Log 76
Waiting at Harborside
4:55 AM
Saturday, August 05, 2000
Harborside Marina
Wilmington, IL.
Day 97
When we’re cruising, I normally set my alarm for 5 AM, that way I am up an hour or two before everyone. It’s my favorite time of the day, and I get time for myself. Many of the mornings I am up before the alarm, but I set it just in case. Today the alarm went off and I realized that it was still set on Eastern Time, so I woke up at 4, instead of 5. So I get some extra time this morning.
Speaking of this morning, it looks like it will be a dandy. It’s still dark out, but as I look to the east the sky is just starting to get a little brighter, and it's crystal clear out. The weather channel says that it could rain, but it probably won’t be until later tonight. Otherwise it will be mid 80’s and sunny. It seems like a great day to wind up this trip.
It’s great to be back at Harborside. Everyone here is so friendly, and they can’t do enough for you. I’ve bought 2 boats here, and I’m sure that helps, but you can’t fake this stuff. They are always ready to help if they can.
Yesterday…
The day was bright and beautiful. It started out about 60 degrees, and then warmed up to about 80. It was a great day to get some things done on the boat, and just relax before our final day, as we head to Starved Rock.
In the morning Terry and I washed the boat from top to bottom. It’s the cleanest this boat has been in some time. In fact the last time we really cleaned the boat was when it was in Syracuse. We washed it on a regular basis, but never really cleaned it.
The Detroit guy showed up at about 11 to work on the boat. I thought that the problem was the starter, and it turned out to be just that. He had a problem getting the bolts off the top of the starter, because of where they were located, but in about 3 hours he had the old one off, and a new one installed. The good news is when he was done, the starboard engine fired up without a problem, and we were back in business again. Detroit again did a good job of responding, and it was all covered under warranty.
After the mechanic left we borrowed a boat from Ron, one of the owners of Harborside, and went for a couple hour boat ride up the Kankakee River. The river is not navigable for very long, but it’s a pretty river in this area, with lily pads, and a couple of neat places to anchor. (Where we are is where the Des Plains River meets the Kankakee River to form the Illinois River)
After our boat ride, we came back to the boat to relax and make some dinner plans. Ron at the marina suggested a place called Cookies, in a nearby small town, so after a shower, we borrowed his van and headed to Cookies.
Cookies is the kind of place my Dad and Mom would always look for when they were traveling, and many small towns in the Midwest have one of these. It is nothing special, but has a bar attached where all of the locals go, and a dinning room that serves pretty good food, and at reasonable prices. We had steak, ribs, chops, and frog legs, and all of them were very good. I don’t think it will be the last time we go to Cookies.
Today…
The trip from Harborside to Starved Rock is only about 40 miles, but you also have two locks to go through, so you never know how long it can take.
When I first got up this morning there was a barge going by the marina, heading north, (The Winchester) so I called him and asked him how much traffic there was down at the lock. (It’s only about 1-½ miles down river from here) He told me that there were 3 barges waiting to get through, and that’s not a good thing for us. Depending on what type of barges they are (if they have red flags, meaning they are carrying some type of combustible material, we can’t go in with them) we could be waiting for up to a few hours to get through. You never know how long the wait will be, and the best thing to do is just go down there and wait, and be ready when they are.
I certainly have mixed emotions today. It’s a great feeling to know we will have come 5000 miles, and it will be a lot less stressful to know the boat is safe in Starved Rock, but for over 18 months I have been looking forward to each new chapter in this trip as it has unfolded, and I will miss that.
Well the sun is just about to find its way over the tree line across the river to the east, so it will soon be bight and sunny. While I have been writing this log I have been monitoring the locks activity on the VHF radio, and they are very busy. In fact they just reported that they broke a cable as they were pulling out the first half of a double barge, so that could mean it will take even longer to get through. Oh well, it will be what it will be, and I can’t change that, we’ll just be ready when they are.
BK
Saturday, August 05, 2000
Friday, August 04, 2000
Chapter 75: Lundington to Harborside
Log 75
Ludington, MI to Harborside
5:15 AM
Friday, August 04, 2000
Harborside Marina
Wilmington, IL.
Day 96
Well we are less than 40 miles away from completing the Great Circle Trip.
We decided to stop at Harborside (where we originally bought the boat) and take a day to regroup, before heading into Starved Rock Marina on Saturday. Actually, for several years I had planned to leave a marina on September 4th, and head to Florida. We accomplished that. 18 months ago when I was planning this trip my goal was to return on Saturday August 5th. That is exactly what we are going to do.
Let me bring you up to speed on the last couple of days.
Wednesday…
After 2 days in dense fog I was eager to get up in the morning and see what the conditions were. To my joy, I could see stars in the sky, and it looked like the day would be clear. In fact the only problem was the boat was covered with bugs. I guess they had been attracted by the lights from the marina, but whatever the case there were thousands of them, so I washed the boat down before heading out. (Which is one of the reasons I didn’t get to write a daily log)
It was a little cool as we left our slip and headed out to the lake. The sun hadn’t come up yet, but it looked like it would be a great day. A cold front had come through over night, and there were strong storms in the central part of Michigan, but they were south of us, and would be gone by the time we got there. There was only a slight ripple on the lake, and I set the RPM’s at about 1100, (10.5 mph) and the autopilot for a spot off the tip of Little Sable Point which was a point we would need to get around before we could head almost due south. Our plan was to make it to Benton Harbor, and that would leave us only 50 miles to go across the lake on Thursday.
About mid morning the lake started to kick up a bit, and by noon it was rolling pretty good (about 1 to 2 footers) with winds out of the southwest. The good news was our heading put these waves on our starboard bow, and we could get over the top of them without too much trouble. It was a little bumpy, but nothing that was all that uncomfortable. It was too rough though to make lunch, so I decided to stop in Holland to get some fuel, and have a chance to make a sandwich while we did so.
After fuel, and lunch, we headed back out to the lake, and it hadn’t changed much. NOA weather predicted the winds to change from the southwest to the west, and then later from the north. That was good news for us for our trip to Benton Harbor but could be bad news for our trip across the lake. In fact what they predicted did happen, but while the winds were shifting they became almost calm, and the lake went from choppy to almost smooth by the time we got to Benton Harbor.
We were about 10 miles out of the harbor when I asked everyone if they wanted to cross the lake now. The lake was almost dead calm, the weather was perfect, and it was only 63 miles to Hammond Marina. The chart plotter said it would take about 3 hours at the rate we were going, and it was only 4 PM so we could be there easily before dark. I explained the prediction of 15 to 20 mph north winds and said it could be very bumpy if that happened. We talked about it for a while, and then decided to stop in Benton Harbor, and head across in the morning.
We tied up at our slip at Pier 33 Marina about 5, and after getting settled Terry and I went in to the show room to look at the new boats they had on display. We ended up talking to one of the sales guys, and he offered to take us into town and drop us off at a restaurant he recommended, so we headed back to the boat to let the girls know, and we left about 6:30.
Dinner was fine, but nothing special, and we walked about a mile back to the boat rather than get a taxi. The cold front had definitely come through. The winds had changed, and were blowing from the north, and the temprature had dropped several degrees.
I think we all fell asleep thinking about the winds, hopping they would diminish, and wondering how they would effect us the next day. I know I did.
Thursday…
It was windy and cold when I got up. The winds were a little lighter than the night before, but not much. The sky was clear; so there would be no rain, but I had a feeling the lake would not be our friend this morning. I decided we would drive from inside this morning because it would be too cold with the winds and a temperature of 58 degrees. Our plan was to leave early so we could at least take advantage of lighter winds in the early morning.
We untied the lines a little before 6 AM. It was still dark out, but the sky was starting to get a little lighter. We had to wait about 30 minutes for a railroad bridge to open so we didn’t get to the lake until about 6:30.
The minute we hit the lake we all knew we should have crossed the day before. We were no more than out of the breakwater and a wave hit our starboard bow and lifted us in the air, and threw us sideways. I hit the throttles hard and made a hard left to get the boat straight and tried to get us in sync with the waves. I fought it for a while and then finally settled in on about 1750 RPM’s, which is about 18 to 20 mph. This may seem fast is heavy seas, but it took this kind of speed to keep up with the waves.
The next 3 hours seemed like an entire day. The waves were averaging 3 to 5 feet, and at times they were averaging 4 to 6, and occasionally someone threw in a rouge wave that was much greater than that. One time Deb was sitting behind me and we went over a wave, and fell into the trough after it, and we looked out the port side of the boat to see the crest of the wave over the top of the boat. (As I write this I am getting help from Terry to make sure I don’t exaggerate) I never felt we were in any real danger because the boat handled things fine, but I sure wanted to be in a lot of other places besides where we were.
After getting pounded for 3 hours, and over 50 miles we reached the Hammond Marina. We were about to go in when Terry said, “Hey, it’s only 8:30 Chicago time, why don’t we head for Harborside?” We talked about it for a minute or so, and decided to go for it. I felt great about the decision because I was very concerned about getting into the Hammond Harbor. It has a narrow entrance, and with the waves I was trying to figure out I would get this done. Going to Harborside meant heading into the Calumet Harbor, which is large, and has a great breakwater to protect the entrance.
It was great to get inside the Calumet and feel the calm waters. We made our way through the channel, and although this is a very industrial area, and it has bad smells everywhere we were glad to be here.
Everything was going great and we were making good time, but when we got to the Lockport Lock we had a couple of problems. The first thing that happened was they were working on the lock, and we had to wait about an hour or so. We finally got in, and ended up tying up to a barge inside the lock. I shut down the engines to wait for them to drop us down, and when the lock opened and I went to start the engines, the starboard engine wouldn’t start. It seemed like the starter wouldn’t engage. So after trying a couple of things, we limped out of the lock with one engine.
With only one engine, we went the 5 miles or so through Joliet, and into the Brandon Road Lock. It was a little tricky getting into the lock, and tied against the wall, but we made it. While I was in the lock I called Detroit, and set up for them to come to Harborside today, and we left the lock with still only one engine, and made the final 7 miles to Harborside, and got here a little after 5.
Today…as we sit here this morning Terry and I need to clean the boat, and I am waiting for the mechanic to get here to look at the engine. If everything goes well, we’ll be out of here early tomorrow morning, and we should be back in Ottawa by noon.
5000 miles behind us.
BK
Ludington, MI to Harborside
5:15 AM
Friday, August 04, 2000
Harborside Marina
Wilmington, IL.
Day 96
Well we are less than 40 miles away from completing the Great Circle Trip.
We decided to stop at Harborside (where we originally bought the boat) and take a day to regroup, before heading into Starved Rock Marina on Saturday. Actually, for several years I had planned to leave a marina on September 4th, and head to Florida. We accomplished that. 18 months ago when I was planning this trip my goal was to return on Saturday August 5th. That is exactly what we are going to do.
Let me bring you up to speed on the last couple of days.
Wednesday…
After 2 days in dense fog I was eager to get up in the morning and see what the conditions were. To my joy, I could see stars in the sky, and it looked like the day would be clear. In fact the only problem was the boat was covered with bugs. I guess they had been attracted by the lights from the marina, but whatever the case there were thousands of them, so I washed the boat down before heading out. (Which is one of the reasons I didn’t get to write a daily log)
It was a little cool as we left our slip and headed out to the lake. The sun hadn’t come up yet, but it looked like it would be a great day. A cold front had come through over night, and there were strong storms in the central part of Michigan, but they were south of us, and would be gone by the time we got there. There was only a slight ripple on the lake, and I set the RPM’s at about 1100, (10.5 mph) and the autopilot for a spot off the tip of Little Sable Point which was a point we would need to get around before we could head almost due south. Our plan was to make it to Benton Harbor, and that would leave us only 50 miles to go across the lake on Thursday.
About mid morning the lake started to kick up a bit, and by noon it was rolling pretty good (about 1 to 2 footers) with winds out of the southwest. The good news was our heading put these waves on our starboard bow, and we could get over the top of them without too much trouble. It was a little bumpy, but nothing that was all that uncomfortable. It was too rough though to make lunch, so I decided to stop in Holland to get some fuel, and have a chance to make a sandwich while we did so.
After fuel, and lunch, we headed back out to the lake, and it hadn’t changed much. NOA weather predicted the winds to change from the southwest to the west, and then later from the north. That was good news for us for our trip to Benton Harbor but could be bad news for our trip across the lake. In fact what they predicted did happen, but while the winds were shifting they became almost calm, and the lake went from choppy to almost smooth by the time we got to Benton Harbor.
We were about 10 miles out of the harbor when I asked everyone if they wanted to cross the lake now. The lake was almost dead calm, the weather was perfect, and it was only 63 miles to Hammond Marina. The chart plotter said it would take about 3 hours at the rate we were going, and it was only 4 PM so we could be there easily before dark. I explained the prediction of 15 to 20 mph north winds and said it could be very bumpy if that happened. We talked about it for a while, and then decided to stop in Benton Harbor, and head across in the morning.
We tied up at our slip at Pier 33 Marina about 5, and after getting settled Terry and I went in to the show room to look at the new boats they had on display. We ended up talking to one of the sales guys, and he offered to take us into town and drop us off at a restaurant he recommended, so we headed back to the boat to let the girls know, and we left about 6:30.
Dinner was fine, but nothing special, and we walked about a mile back to the boat rather than get a taxi. The cold front had definitely come through. The winds had changed, and were blowing from the north, and the temprature had dropped several degrees.
I think we all fell asleep thinking about the winds, hopping they would diminish, and wondering how they would effect us the next day. I know I did.
Thursday…
It was windy and cold when I got up. The winds were a little lighter than the night before, but not much. The sky was clear; so there would be no rain, but I had a feeling the lake would not be our friend this morning. I decided we would drive from inside this morning because it would be too cold with the winds and a temperature of 58 degrees. Our plan was to leave early so we could at least take advantage of lighter winds in the early morning.
We untied the lines a little before 6 AM. It was still dark out, but the sky was starting to get a little lighter. We had to wait about 30 minutes for a railroad bridge to open so we didn’t get to the lake until about 6:30.
The minute we hit the lake we all knew we should have crossed the day before. We were no more than out of the breakwater and a wave hit our starboard bow and lifted us in the air, and threw us sideways. I hit the throttles hard and made a hard left to get the boat straight and tried to get us in sync with the waves. I fought it for a while and then finally settled in on about 1750 RPM’s, which is about 18 to 20 mph. This may seem fast is heavy seas, but it took this kind of speed to keep up with the waves.
The next 3 hours seemed like an entire day. The waves were averaging 3 to 5 feet, and at times they were averaging 4 to 6, and occasionally someone threw in a rouge wave that was much greater than that. One time Deb was sitting behind me and we went over a wave, and fell into the trough after it, and we looked out the port side of the boat to see the crest of the wave over the top of the boat. (As I write this I am getting help from Terry to make sure I don’t exaggerate) I never felt we were in any real danger because the boat handled things fine, but I sure wanted to be in a lot of other places besides where we were.
After getting pounded for 3 hours, and over 50 miles we reached the Hammond Marina. We were about to go in when Terry said, “Hey, it’s only 8:30 Chicago time, why don’t we head for Harborside?” We talked about it for a minute or so, and decided to go for it. I felt great about the decision because I was very concerned about getting into the Hammond Harbor. It has a narrow entrance, and with the waves I was trying to figure out I would get this done. Going to Harborside meant heading into the Calumet Harbor, which is large, and has a great breakwater to protect the entrance.
It was great to get inside the Calumet and feel the calm waters. We made our way through the channel, and although this is a very industrial area, and it has bad smells everywhere we were glad to be here.
Everything was going great and we were making good time, but when we got to the Lockport Lock we had a couple of problems. The first thing that happened was they were working on the lock, and we had to wait about an hour or so. We finally got in, and ended up tying up to a barge inside the lock. I shut down the engines to wait for them to drop us down, and when the lock opened and I went to start the engines, the starboard engine wouldn’t start. It seemed like the starter wouldn’t engage. So after trying a couple of things, we limped out of the lock with one engine.
With only one engine, we went the 5 miles or so through Joliet, and into the Brandon Road Lock. It was a little tricky getting into the lock, and tied against the wall, but we made it. While I was in the lock I called Detroit, and set up for them to come to Harborside today, and we left the lock with still only one engine, and made the final 7 miles to Harborside, and got here a little after 5.
Today…as we sit here this morning Terry and I need to clean the boat, and I am waiting for the mechanic to get here to look at the engine. If everything goes well, we’ll be out of here early tomorrow morning, and we should be back in Ottawa by noon.
5000 miles behind us.
BK
Wednesday, August 02, 2000
Chapter 74: Lake Michigan Fog
Log 74
Lake Michigan Fog
5:15 AM
Wednesday, August 02, 2000
Ludington Municipal Marina
Ludington, MI.
Day 94
Picture the worst fog you have ever been in, and then double it. That’s what were in all, (yes all) day yesterday. Well that’s pretty dramatic, but it sure seemed like that.
I was up early yesterday to get going because they had predicted fog, and we had a lot of miles we needed to travel. When I got up, the weather seemed fine, it was a little foggy, but nothing we hadn’t seen before. As it got a little lighter you could see the fog start to roll in. We were in a marina on Lake Charlevoix, and we needed to get off of this lake and through another very small lake and then a bridge to Lake Michigan. The bridge lifted only on the hour and half hour, so I wanted to make the 7 AM opening.
We untied our lines at about 6:30 and we were off. It was only about ¾ of a mile from our slip to the opening we needed to get through, but the fog was so thick we had to feel our way to find the channel. (The radar was on, but it was such narrow opening that it was not easy to see on radar) We found the opening, and felt our way through the small lake and to the drawbridge that led us to Lake Michigan.
While we were waiting for the bridge to lift I looked out at the lake, and it looked ok, but you could see the fog starting to set in. I knew if we got out there we would be fine, because the radar, and the chart plotter would get us through. Once on the lake it wasn’t too bad. It was dead calm, and we probably had about 1 mile of visibility. I set the autopilot to about 245 degrees, and that would take us west, around Traverse Bay, and then through the Manitou Passage. (I used to think that the Michigan shoreline was pretty much north and south. I didn’t realize, until we had to go down its entire length, that to get from the top to the bottom you have to go west quite a bit, in order to get around the top)
By the time we had been on the lake an hour or so the fog started to set in. And when it did, it came in hard. I’m sure everyone has been in fog, but this was something. It kept getting thicker, and thicker, until the visibility was so bad we couldn’t see anything but our boat. We saw several boats on radar, but never actually got to see any of them, even though the radar showed them right next to us. We didn’t have a choice on what to do, so we just kept going. We were in no danger, because we could see everything on radar, and the chart plotter kept us on course, but it was very tiring to keep that type of attention.
About noon we decided to stop and get some fuel, and also get some lunch. We picked out Frankfort as a good stop, but it was another thing getting into the harbor. The marker at the entrance was very clear on radar. The chart plotter was very clear where we were, and were the entrance was, you just couldn’t see it. Even when you got so close you could hear the foghorn you couldn’t see it. You could hear the horn right next to the boat, and knew it was there somewhere, but you couldn’t see it.
After fuel and food, we headed back out into the soup. We kept thinking the fog would lift, because you could see the sun high in the sky, but I guess it didn’t have the power to burn off this dense fog. Our plan was to get to Ludington, and we were determined to make it. Which we did, about 4 PM. We had traveled about 130 miles for the day, and considering the conditions, we felt that we had earned out dinner.
We ended up in the Ludington Municipal Marina, which is located right next to downtown. While Deb walked into town to get some supplies, Jeanie started dinner (spaghetti, and it was awesome), and Terry and I cleaned the boat a little. (It needs a total cleaning….bad) The fog was still very thick, and I was wondering what it would be like the next day when we had another 130 miles to go.
We’ll have to wait and see.
BK
Lake Michigan Fog
5:15 AM
Wednesday, August 02, 2000
Ludington Municipal Marina
Ludington, MI.
Day 94
Picture the worst fog you have ever been in, and then double it. That’s what were in all, (yes all) day yesterday. Well that’s pretty dramatic, but it sure seemed like that.
I was up early yesterday to get going because they had predicted fog, and we had a lot of miles we needed to travel. When I got up, the weather seemed fine, it was a little foggy, but nothing we hadn’t seen before. As it got a little lighter you could see the fog start to roll in. We were in a marina on Lake Charlevoix, and we needed to get off of this lake and through another very small lake and then a bridge to Lake Michigan. The bridge lifted only on the hour and half hour, so I wanted to make the 7 AM opening.
We untied our lines at about 6:30 and we were off. It was only about ¾ of a mile from our slip to the opening we needed to get through, but the fog was so thick we had to feel our way to find the channel. (The radar was on, but it was such narrow opening that it was not easy to see on radar) We found the opening, and felt our way through the small lake and to the drawbridge that led us to Lake Michigan.
While we were waiting for the bridge to lift I looked out at the lake, and it looked ok, but you could see the fog starting to set in. I knew if we got out there we would be fine, because the radar, and the chart plotter would get us through. Once on the lake it wasn’t too bad. It was dead calm, and we probably had about 1 mile of visibility. I set the autopilot to about 245 degrees, and that would take us west, around Traverse Bay, and then through the Manitou Passage. (I used to think that the Michigan shoreline was pretty much north and south. I didn’t realize, until we had to go down its entire length, that to get from the top to the bottom you have to go west quite a bit, in order to get around the top)
By the time we had been on the lake an hour or so the fog started to set in. And when it did, it came in hard. I’m sure everyone has been in fog, but this was something. It kept getting thicker, and thicker, until the visibility was so bad we couldn’t see anything but our boat. We saw several boats on radar, but never actually got to see any of them, even though the radar showed them right next to us. We didn’t have a choice on what to do, so we just kept going. We were in no danger, because we could see everything on radar, and the chart plotter kept us on course, but it was very tiring to keep that type of attention.
About noon we decided to stop and get some fuel, and also get some lunch. We picked out Frankfort as a good stop, but it was another thing getting into the harbor. The marker at the entrance was very clear on radar. The chart plotter was very clear where we were, and were the entrance was, you just couldn’t see it. Even when you got so close you could hear the foghorn you couldn’t see it. You could hear the horn right next to the boat, and knew it was there somewhere, but you couldn’t see it.
After fuel and food, we headed back out into the soup. We kept thinking the fog would lift, because you could see the sun high in the sky, but I guess it didn’t have the power to burn off this dense fog. Our plan was to get to Ludington, and we were determined to make it. Which we did, about 4 PM. We had traveled about 130 miles for the day, and considering the conditions, we felt that we had earned out dinner.
We ended up in the Ludington Municipal Marina, which is located right next to downtown. While Deb walked into town to get some supplies, Jeanie started dinner (spaghetti, and it was awesome), and Terry and I cleaned the boat a little. (It needs a total cleaning….bad) The fog was still very thick, and I was wondering what it would be like the next day when we had another 130 miles to go.
We’ll have to wait and see.
BK
Tuesday, August 01, 2000
Chapter 73: The North Channel & Upper Michigan
Log 73
The North Channel and Upper Michigan
5:10 AM
Tuesday, August 01, 2000
Northwest Marine Yacht Club
Charlevoix, MI.
Day 93
I woke up at 4:15 this morning, had a lot on my mind so I decided to just get up, and get to it. Getting up at this time reminds me of when we first left on our trip last September, and getting up at this time was a normal day. I can still remember those mornings, and I’m sure I will for a long time.
I was outside earlier making a couple of phone calls (well actually leaving voice mails) and it looks like it will be a pretty good day, weather wise. I was concerned it might be very foggy this morning, but it looks like it will be ok.
Let’s get up to date on our progress…
We left Killarney about 7 AM on Sunday morning and had a beautiful day as we entered, and then crossed the North Channel. The North Channel is somewhat like the Georgian Bay, except it is not as big, and does not have all of the small islands dotting the northern shore. The route we took had us winding around several of the large islands, and it was neat to navigate these islands, as well see all of the beauty. We weren’t sure how far we would go when we headed out, but it was so pretty and such a beautiful day we just kept going.
We ended up crossing almost the entire North Channel in one day. We picked out a neat cove to stop for the night, and anchor in, but when we got close we decided to go on to the next cove, and get some fuel (89 cents a liter) and stay at a marina. Our final choice was Meldrum Bay, a small bay just off the North Channel itself, and just before a pass that would take us to Lake Huron.
After getting some fuel, and tying up the boat it was time for a dinghy ride, and some exploring the cove we were in.
Side note: Here is a key difference in the way we travel, and the way sail boaters travel. We tie up to the dock. Get the power all set. Make sure the sattalite TV will tune in so we can watch it later. Make a drink, and take a dinghy cruise. Sail boaters head to the back of the cove, drop a hook, let the wind blow them where it will, sit back and read a book. That is why God invented all of these coves.
Anyway…..the four of us ran around the cove for a little bit, but it was pretty boring, so we dropped off the girls, and Terry and I went fishing. As usual, we didn’t catch anything, so in an hour or so we were back at the boat. We did have some bad news though, as we were coming back to the boat we noticed that the position of the boat, in relation to the trees would not allow us to get a satellite signal for the TV. Tough duty, we may have to watch a tape later. Which, after a great dinner of kielbasa that Deb prepared, is exact ally what we did.
Monday…
It rained overnight, and it had not totally left the area when we got up. When we were getting ready to leave it started to mist a little, but we decided to go anyway, and drive from the upper station, rather than from inside. By the time we were out of the cove, it went from misting to raining, and we had to put on our rain gear, and make provisions to keep the charts dry. The further we went, the darker it got, and we found ourselves driving by radar, and charts, because we couldn’t see very far at all.
We needed to get from Meldrum Bay to Lake Huron and then to Lake Michigan. To do this there are three passes that take you from the North Channel to Lake Huron. Two of them are well used by ship traffic, and one is not. We chose the one less traveled, and the one closest to our bay. The good news was it was a little closer; the bad news is you have to travel much more on Lake Huron, and they say it can be a terrible lake. As it turned out the decision was a good one. Lake Huron was definitely different than the North Channel, but not that bad at all.
The further we went on Monday, the worse the weather (or I should say fog) got. We were traveling along on Lake Huron with probably 2 foot seas, but they were almost at our stern, so they were fine, but the fog kept getting thicker and thicker. We were navigating by chart plotter, GPS, and radar, and I so glad we had them because if we didn’t I have no clue what we would have done. If you think about it, without the navigation equipment you would be out in the middle of the lake traveling blind. (By the way there are several people who do this, and this is how they get into trouble)
Speaking of getting into trouble, I’ll give you an example of what can happen. We were cruising along when we noticed a blip on the radar. (About 10 miles away) We both commented it looked like a boat rather than a buoy. (Terry does an excellent job of keeping track of our position so he could tell exactly where we were) The further west we went the bigger the blip got, and we started to really pay attention, because it looked like it could be crossing our path. Well for the next 30 minutes we tracked our progress, and the blips, until it became obvious that we were on a direct collision course if one of us didn’t change our direction. That was an easy decision for us, and so we just slowed down, and as we did, out of the fog appeared this HUGE tanker ship, heading southeast down Lake Huron. We were never in any danger because we were aware of his position at all times, but if we hadn’t been…well you know the rest.
When Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meets are called the Straights of Mackinac. This is where Mackinaw Island is and we had planned to stop there as we went by. Well you may not believe this, but we never saw Mackinaw Island. By the time we got there, the fog was so thick that all we say was the buoy off the tip of the island. This may not seem like such a big deal to read this, but you need to know is that this is a big shipping lane and the channel goes right next to the island, and if we did not have the island of radar, it would have not existed. The other thing we had to contend with was all of the ferry traffic. The ship to shore radio was very busy with all of the ferry traffic reporting there positions, and we were very busy looking at the charts trying to figure out where they said they were at the time they reported their positions.
Well I could go on for a long time about the fog, but let me just say it was the worst I have ever been in. We sort of felt our way along for most of the day, and it really didn’t lift until late in the afternoon, when we made it to Charlevoix. We tied up there about 5 PM after traveling over 130 miles in the rain and fog. It was a very interesting day. It is also a day I will look back on with fond memories.
BK
The North Channel and Upper Michigan
5:10 AM
Tuesday, August 01, 2000
Northwest Marine Yacht Club
Charlevoix, MI.
Day 93
I woke up at 4:15 this morning, had a lot on my mind so I decided to just get up, and get to it. Getting up at this time reminds me of when we first left on our trip last September, and getting up at this time was a normal day. I can still remember those mornings, and I’m sure I will for a long time.
I was outside earlier making a couple of phone calls (well actually leaving voice mails) and it looks like it will be a pretty good day, weather wise. I was concerned it might be very foggy this morning, but it looks like it will be ok.
Let’s get up to date on our progress…
We left Killarney about 7 AM on Sunday morning and had a beautiful day as we entered, and then crossed the North Channel. The North Channel is somewhat like the Georgian Bay, except it is not as big, and does not have all of the small islands dotting the northern shore. The route we took had us winding around several of the large islands, and it was neat to navigate these islands, as well see all of the beauty. We weren’t sure how far we would go when we headed out, but it was so pretty and such a beautiful day we just kept going.
We ended up crossing almost the entire North Channel in one day. We picked out a neat cove to stop for the night, and anchor in, but when we got close we decided to go on to the next cove, and get some fuel (89 cents a liter) and stay at a marina. Our final choice was Meldrum Bay, a small bay just off the North Channel itself, and just before a pass that would take us to Lake Huron.
After getting some fuel, and tying up the boat it was time for a dinghy ride, and some exploring the cove we were in.
Side note: Here is a key difference in the way we travel, and the way sail boaters travel. We tie up to the dock. Get the power all set. Make sure the sattalite TV will tune in so we can watch it later. Make a drink, and take a dinghy cruise. Sail boaters head to the back of the cove, drop a hook, let the wind blow them where it will, sit back and read a book. That is why God invented all of these coves.
Anyway…..the four of us ran around the cove for a little bit, but it was pretty boring, so we dropped off the girls, and Terry and I went fishing. As usual, we didn’t catch anything, so in an hour or so we were back at the boat. We did have some bad news though, as we were coming back to the boat we noticed that the position of the boat, in relation to the trees would not allow us to get a satellite signal for the TV. Tough duty, we may have to watch a tape later. Which, after a great dinner of kielbasa that Deb prepared, is exact ally what we did.
Monday…
It rained overnight, and it had not totally left the area when we got up. When we were getting ready to leave it started to mist a little, but we decided to go anyway, and drive from the upper station, rather than from inside. By the time we were out of the cove, it went from misting to raining, and we had to put on our rain gear, and make provisions to keep the charts dry. The further we went, the darker it got, and we found ourselves driving by radar, and charts, because we couldn’t see very far at all.
We needed to get from Meldrum Bay to Lake Huron and then to Lake Michigan. To do this there are three passes that take you from the North Channel to Lake Huron. Two of them are well used by ship traffic, and one is not. We chose the one less traveled, and the one closest to our bay. The good news was it was a little closer; the bad news is you have to travel much more on Lake Huron, and they say it can be a terrible lake. As it turned out the decision was a good one. Lake Huron was definitely different than the North Channel, but not that bad at all.
The further we went on Monday, the worse the weather (or I should say fog) got. We were traveling along on Lake Huron with probably 2 foot seas, but they were almost at our stern, so they were fine, but the fog kept getting thicker and thicker. We were navigating by chart plotter, GPS, and radar, and I so glad we had them because if we didn’t I have no clue what we would have done. If you think about it, without the navigation equipment you would be out in the middle of the lake traveling blind. (By the way there are several people who do this, and this is how they get into trouble)
Speaking of getting into trouble, I’ll give you an example of what can happen. We were cruising along when we noticed a blip on the radar. (About 10 miles away) We both commented it looked like a boat rather than a buoy. (Terry does an excellent job of keeping track of our position so he could tell exactly where we were) The further west we went the bigger the blip got, and we started to really pay attention, because it looked like it could be crossing our path. Well for the next 30 minutes we tracked our progress, and the blips, until it became obvious that we were on a direct collision course if one of us didn’t change our direction. That was an easy decision for us, and so we just slowed down, and as we did, out of the fog appeared this HUGE tanker ship, heading southeast down Lake Huron. We were never in any danger because we were aware of his position at all times, but if we hadn’t been…well you know the rest.
When Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meets are called the Straights of Mackinac. This is where Mackinaw Island is and we had planned to stop there as we went by. Well you may not believe this, but we never saw Mackinaw Island. By the time we got there, the fog was so thick that all we say was the buoy off the tip of the island. This may not seem like such a big deal to read this, but you need to know is that this is a big shipping lane and the channel goes right next to the island, and if we did not have the island of radar, it would have not existed. The other thing we had to contend with was all of the ferry traffic. The ship to shore radio was very busy with all of the ferry traffic reporting there positions, and we were very busy looking at the charts trying to figure out where they said they were at the time they reported their positions.
Well I could go on for a long time about the fog, but let me just say it was the worst I have ever been in. We sort of felt our way along for most of the day, and it really didn’t lift until late in the afternoon, when we made it to Charlevoix. We tied up there about 5 PM after traveling over 130 miles in the rain and fog. It was a very interesting day. It is also a day I will look back on with fond memories.
BK
Sunday, July 30, 2000
Chapter 72: Crossing the Georgian Bay
Log 72
Crossing the Georgian Bay
6:00 AM
Sunday, July 30, 2000
Killarney Mountain Lodge
Killarney, Ontario
Day 91
I’m watching the weather channel this morning, and I can’t believe our luck with the weather on this trip. I just seems like wherever we are at, it’s nice. I’m not sure if this will last the final week, but if not we will have still had awesome weather. (Today is day 91, and I’ll be we have not had bad weather for over 5 days the entire trip)
Today the weather is forecast to be mostly sunny, and about 80. Perfect.
Speaking of perfect, that would sum up the day yesterday. We woke up to a partly cloudy morning, with a light breeze from the east. Terry and I walked over to a small café they had at the marina, and had a large breakfast. It was good to do that, since that was the first time on the entire trip I have taken the time.
We untied our lines at about 8, because we had a lock to go through, and they didn’t open until 8:30, and we wanted to be their first customer, which we were. In fact they even opened a little early, and by 8:40 we were out of the lock, and heading into the Georgian Bay.
Getting into the main part of the bay was a little bit of a navigating chore. The channel wound around rocks in narrow channels, and then around both small and big islands, before we could set out course for the far west side of the Bay, and Killarney. Once clear of the obstacles, we set a course of 322 degrees toward the beacon light at the east entrance to Killarney. (About 100 miles from Port Severn)
The trip across was uneventful, and almost boring. The girls slept part of the way because their Dramamine was kicking in. Terry and I worked on the charts, and basically navigated our way across. I also ran the boat pretty hard coming across. First to get there faster, and also to give it a good workout after having to go slow, and idle all of those hours in the Erie Canal, and the Trent-Severn. (Man it just sounds great to be able to say we have done all of this)
At about 2:30 we entered the mouth of the Killarney Cut, a narrow channel that leads to Killarney Bay, and will get you to the North Channel. We stopped to get fuel (76 cents Canadian for a liter) and then tied up at our slip by 3:30. After a quick clean up we put the dinghy in the water, and explored the channel, and the Killarney Bay. This is really a neat area. The water is crystal clear, and the banks of the water are solid, large red rocks. It makes for some awesome beauty, which I have only seen on a post card, or The Discovery Channel.
For dinner we decided to walk down the channel (Think of this as a channel with boats on both sides, and town on both sides. There are water taxis running around, and in general it has the setting and the feeling of a party area..Which last night it was) for some dinner at a place we checked out while we were on our dinghy ride. The walk, the dinner, and the whole dam thing turned out to be great. It was an absolutely perfect night. Clear and about 75 degrees. (I’m sure they don’t have but a handful of these days here each year) After dinner we took the slow walk back to the boat, and Terry and I looked at the charts for a little bit, while Jeannie checked out what was on the TV, and Deb (I promise this is true) went fishing. (Don’t ask me why…. Maybe she is going through a mid life change)
Bottom line of yesterday…PERFECT!
I’ll keep you posted.
BK
Two other things happened yesterday. My chart plotter quit, and we had to use my small handheld to guide us in. (Which it did with no problem)
And Deb dropped her new digital camera in the sink, (Which happened to have water in at the time) and we still don’t know if it will work or not.
Still a (near) perfect day.
Crossing the Georgian Bay
6:00 AM
Sunday, July 30, 2000
Killarney Mountain Lodge
Killarney, Ontario
Day 91
I’m watching the weather channel this morning, and I can’t believe our luck with the weather on this trip. I just seems like wherever we are at, it’s nice. I’m not sure if this will last the final week, but if not we will have still had awesome weather. (Today is day 91, and I’ll be we have not had bad weather for over 5 days the entire trip)
Today the weather is forecast to be mostly sunny, and about 80. Perfect.
Speaking of perfect, that would sum up the day yesterday. We woke up to a partly cloudy morning, with a light breeze from the east. Terry and I walked over to a small café they had at the marina, and had a large breakfast. It was good to do that, since that was the first time on the entire trip I have taken the time.
We untied our lines at about 8, because we had a lock to go through, and they didn’t open until 8:30, and we wanted to be their first customer, which we were. In fact they even opened a little early, and by 8:40 we were out of the lock, and heading into the Georgian Bay.
Getting into the main part of the bay was a little bit of a navigating chore. The channel wound around rocks in narrow channels, and then around both small and big islands, before we could set out course for the far west side of the Bay, and Killarney. Once clear of the obstacles, we set a course of 322 degrees toward the beacon light at the east entrance to Killarney. (About 100 miles from Port Severn)
The trip across was uneventful, and almost boring. The girls slept part of the way because their Dramamine was kicking in. Terry and I worked on the charts, and basically navigated our way across. I also ran the boat pretty hard coming across. First to get there faster, and also to give it a good workout after having to go slow, and idle all of those hours in the Erie Canal, and the Trent-Severn. (Man it just sounds great to be able to say we have done all of this)
At about 2:30 we entered the mouth of the Killarney Cut, a narrow channel that leads to Killarney Bay, and will get you to the North Channel. We stopped to get fuel (76 cents Canadian for a liter) and then tied up at our slip by 3:30. After a quick clean up we put the dinghy in the water, and explored the channel, and the Killarney Bay. This is really a neat area. The water is crystal clear, and the banks of the water are solid, large red rocks. It makes for some awesome beauty, which I have only seen on a post card, or The Discovery Channel.
For dinner we decided to walk down the channel (Think of this as a channel with boats on both sides, and town on both sides. There are water taxis running around, and in general it has the setting and the feeling of a party area..Which last night it was) for some dinner at a place we checked out while we were on our dinghy ride. The walk, the dinner, and the whole dam thing turned out to be great. It was an absolutely perfect night. Clear and about 75 degrees. (I’m sure they don’t have but a handful of these days here each year) After dinner we took the slow walk back to the boat, and Terry and I looked at the charts for a little bit, while Jeannie checked out what was on the TV, and Deb (I promise this is true) went fishing. (Don’t ask me why…. Maybe she is going through a mid life change)
Bottom line of yesterday…PERFECT!
I’ll keep you posted.
BK
Two other things happened yesterday. My chart plotter quit, and we had to use my small handheld to guide us in. (Which it did with no problem)
And Deb dropped her new digital camera in the sink, (Which happened to have water in at the time) and we still don’t know if it will work or not.
Still a (near) perfect day.
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