LAKE HURON - THE FINAL ANALYSIS

Presque Isle was a wonderful place to stop to weather an ugly weather pattern that lasted 4 days.  It got really cold (but, hey, we're not complainin') and it was really windy - we're talkin' gale force winds for 3 1/2 days straight.  It finally calmed down sometime last night after midnight.

A closer look at the weather morning demonstrated that it would be better to leave Presque Isle a little later than earlier, so we did not throw off the lines until just after 0900.  We then headed north once again, this time bound for the town of Cheboygan. 

Why Cheboygan?  Well, because it sounds cool.  Here, say it with me.....Che---boy---gan.  See?  All I know at this point is that it used to be a big lumber town and now the river we are docked on apparently retains some commercial purpose.  There is a paper mill nearby, and ferries come and go from here to Isle de Boit Blanc just across the straits. 

We are only a handfull of miles from Mackinaw.  We thought about going all the way, but it was another 18 miles, and it was getting late and so, we pulled in here.  Actually, this place will be a good place to hang for the night, then we will go to Mackinaw, get fuel and wait out the blow scheduled to arrive on Sunday.  Then, when it looks all clear, we will scoot across the top of Lake Michigan and probably stop just above the Wisconsin line.  Then, we'll scoot down the Wisconsin side.

Today was a very nice run.  The weather forecast made it sound a little more hectic than it turned out to be.  It's always a welcome condition when the National Whatever Service errs and it works to our advantage.

Here are a couple photos from the day's run:

NO, IT'S NOT THE EDMUND FITZGERALD, BUT A VERY CLOSE FACSIMILE THEREOF.

IT'S NAILING DAYS LIKE THESE THAT ENCOURAGES ME TO CONTINUE
STUDYING THE ART OF WEATHER FORECASTING.

WE HAVE NOT SEEN MANY DAYS LIKE THIS ON THE GREAT LAKES AND, CONSIDERING HOW VIOLENT IT HAS BEEN OUT HERE FOR THE PAST 4 DAYS, IT IS A WONDER THAT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME.

ARRIVING AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER TO CHEBOYGAN

More later.

Cheboygan, Michigan.  What?  Did you say, "Cheboygan?"  Yes, I did.  This town has a funny name.  When I say it, it makes me laugh.  And Brenda!  She giggles like a school girl every time she says it.  It kinda sounds like a spring busting loose.  I reminds me of the indian Mel Brooks played in the film Blazing Saddles.  Cheboygan!  Say it and it will make you smile.  I almost died laughing when we went into the harbor master's office in Cheboygan to check in, and Brenda says, "I really like the name of your town, CHEBOYGAN!"   The staff were good humored enough and laughed and shook their heads like, "yeah, we know, we know."  So we checked in and laughed the rest of the afternoon.

Shortly after we arrived, I had a conference call to attend to, and it was getting rather late, so we just relaxed on the boat that evening.  There is not all that much to do in Cheboygan, he he he he, Cheboygan, so killing time with a movie and dinner was fine.

In the morning I woke up early as I was having virtual coffee with a friend.  Every so often, my friend and I have a cup of coffee over the phone.  It's the next best thing to having coffee in person.  Since we are both early risers, it works great.  We talk a lot about business and life in general, and it's amazing how with some friends, there is simply an unspoken understanding and mutual respect.  That it works over the phone is remarkable.  I enjoy the coffee calls.




THE NEW MACKINAC

 This morning, it was not so cold out.  So, I took my phone and my coffee and went for a walk  while having virtual coffee.  It is quite pretty in Cheboygan....say it with me, Che-boy-gan.  Doesn't that make you smile.  No, seriously, it is quite nice here.  The environs are park-like and very serene.  There is a really big USCG Icebreaker docked here.  From what I understand, the Mackinaw Straits freeze hard in the winter time.  There is no boating going on around here during winter, but the freighters still have to get through so, there are ice breakers around so keep the channels open when necessary.  In 1944, Cheboygan became the home port of the former U.S. Coast Guard cutter and icebreaker Mackinaw, serving from 1944-2006. Beginning in 2006, the port continued this role as the home dock of the new Mackinaw, a successor cutter.

This is the ship seen in the photo above at the dock in Cheboygan

This is also the ship at the dock at Cheboygan.  Notice the hull shape.  It's an ice crusher not an ice cutter.

These ships are really big.  Contrary to popular belief, the ice breakers do not cut through the ice with sharp hulls or anything like that.  In fact, they do not really use the pointy end of the boat at all.  Rather, an ice breaker is effective by pushing its bulk up onto the ice and allowing its weight to break through the ice from above.  So, its up and crush, up and crush, up and crush.  While it seems like the ship is cutting through the ice, it really isn't.  Furthermore, the thicker the ice, the bigger the ice breaker needs to be to function as such.  Keeping in mind these are big steel ships, it's not like their hulls are impenetrable.  They have to ride up on and crush the ice properly, less they suffer extreme damage to the hull structure, not to mention the running gear.  Now, this is not to say these boats are built like ours.  Far from it.  They are purpose built.  Nevertheless, they have to follow certain rules or be crushed themselves.  I cannot imagine the sound within the hull as an ice breaker is working.  It must be pretty eerie to hear all that crushing and shearing, and tearing going on......all day and all night while they work.  I've ripped off a few pictures from the USCG website so you can see what I am talking about.

In any event, after coffee, I woke Brenda and we walked into town for breakfast.  Downtown Cheboygan.....ok there I go again.....downtown Cheboygan?  Yes, it's true.   Anyways, downtown Cheboygan is a cool little town.  There are quite a number of restaurants and very nice shops with a really artistic bent to them.  There are antique stores, funky kitchen supply stores, art galleries, and other kinds of stores catering to the tourist in us all.  It is really nice to go into a small town and see something that looks like life is good.  There are no chain restaurants such as Burger King, although there was a small KFC.  I understand there is even a SuperWalMart somewhere not far.  Fortunately, and notwithstanding the presence of such a giant box store, the small town shops are doing quite well.  I guess this town is really a happening place if you are a fisherman or outdoorsman. 

We had breakfast in a place that was established in the 1920's by a couple of Greek brothers who came here and started a business and saved money so they could bring the rest of their family here from Greece.  To this day, descendants of the original brothers still own and operate the restaurant.  I love these kind of great stories.

So, after walking around town for a while, we headed back to the boat, started the engine, and headed on out.  Our destination for the day was Mackinac City.  The trip was only 15 miles, and it went by very quickly. 

The first thing we did when we got there was get fuel.  We are staying in another State harbor.  They do not have diesel at their fuel dock, but you can get diesel at the ferry dock just across the harbor from where we are slipped.  Now, let me tell you, getting fuel at Shepplers was no easy task.  We had to pull up to this really high wall.  There are no cleats and no dock to speak of.  I had to climb from the boat up to the lot on a rather flimsy steel ladder and get a couple lines on a couple poles to secure the boat.  That was nuts.  Then, I discovered that it was easier to get onto the boat by taking a rather long step from the parking lot onto the roof of the salon.  All I can say is an unfortuitous slip would have resulted in a serious injury.  This is a rather stupid arrangement.  They are just about the last diesel opportunity at the intersection of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.  One would think that they would make diesel more easily available for all the cruising boats that pass through here.  Oh well.  The price was good, however, so we filled up.  Moreover, we know the fuel is good because this is where all the ferry boats fuel up so they do not have fuel sitting around in the tank for very long at all.  I cannot really complain about the fuel issue since we only used 100 gallons on Erie, 100 gallons on St. Clair and Huron, and will probably use around 100 on Lake Michigan. 

After we got to our slip, we discovered a very modern community completely set up for the tourist.  It is not very pretty and there is really nothing of interest in the city unless you are interested in shopping, shopping, and more shopping.  Today, however, we will take the ferry over to Mackinaw Island and toodle around there on our own bikes.  The ferry service charges $6 per bike to bring your own.  This is as opposed to the $12 per hour rental fees they gouge you for on the island if you want to rent a bike.  We are looking forward to this day trip and will probably learn some interesting things.

More later.


We took the ferry over to Mackinac Island today.  It was a gorgeous sunny day.  It was a little on the cool side, and the wind was blowing pretty hard but the sunny skies made every thing look really fresh and clean and colorful.  The ferry service is called Sheplers, but I think they could be called "Shlepers" by simply transposing a single letter and then the description would be accurate.  Their boats were fast and comfortable.  They hauled people, bikes, luggage, mail and whatever else had to go to the island from the mainland.  In any event, it's now Sunday evening, and things are getting real quiet around here.

So, this island is a real tourist attraction today.  However, long ago, it was quite a practical place.  There were lots of different Great Lakes indian tribes who visited the island to fish.  As such, there are a number of examples of their artifacts that were discovered including spearheads, fishhooks, and clay pottery shards.  The indians considered the place sacret.  In the late 1600's, French settlers arrived and established a mission.  Later more French settlers arrived and established a fort.  The soldiers established a depot for the trade of furs.  There is an example of a French fort here today which later became a British stronghold.  Later, after the Civil War, the island became a place of recreation and hotels and Inns started springing up.  In the 1890's the island was turned over to the State of Michigan to be managed as a state park with all the appropriate resource management plans to protect the heritage of the island and its splendid natural environment.




Today, ferry boats for at least 3 different companies dump thousands and thousands of tourists onto the island.  The main thoroughfair consists of restaurant after restaurant, fudge shops, t-shirt vendors, souvenir shops, and other junk.  There are no cars on the island.  Instead, there are thousands of bikes as well as horse drawn carriages.  The buildings are quite colorful.  It reminds me of Avalon on Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California.  Avalon is way cooler, in my opinion.  Then again, Avalon is only 25 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, not 15 miles off the coast of a small town in northern Michigan.  Actually, you can't really compare the two except to say that they are both resort islands with all kinds of junk stores to attract the unwary tourist.  You cannot even believe how the prices of things are marked up.  Brenda and I had two hamburgers and a single order of fries, and two small sodas for lunch and left $25.00.  But for the fact that the end of the season is near, the cost of everything would be completely out of control.  The t-shirt stores are making deals.  You can get 2 t-shirts for $10, if you can fit into an extra small.  What do I mean when I say the season is coming to an end? 



This place is at the northern tip of the Michigan Penninsula and is a natural intersection between Lakes Huron and Michigan.  It is at a rather high latitude.  Winter here is serious business.  Accordingly, it is not uncommon for temperatures here to drop to as low as 20 below and for snow to pile up meters high.  The straits freeze hard and there is nothing moving for at least a couple months.  I have no way to imagine this as I have no experience in this regard.  All I know is that I am trying to get the hell out of here and move south to get off these Great Lakes, but the weather is simply not cooperating.  Back to Mackinaw Island.

So, there is a really cool bike ride.  It is an 8 mile circle around the island.  The trail is essentially flat so it is an easy ride.  We came here to do this and had a great time doing it.  I never realized the beauty of the Great Lakes.  A lot of folks like to say, Oh the Great Lakes are like the ocean.  Hog wash!  The Great Lakes are not and never will be like or akin to the ocean in any way.  They are, however, the GREAT Lakes.  Their water is quite pristine and blue and very clear.  The lakes are vast, yes, but that has nothing to do with anything oceanic.  These lakes are astonishing and exemplary in their own way and it does them a serious injustice to compare them to the ocean.  While riding around the perimeter of Mackinac Island I saw beaches that are as beautiful as any I have ever seen anywhere in the world, including the Carribean, the South Pacific and the Med.  The water is blue and turquoise.  It is crystal clear, and, it is relatively warm for this time of year.  It is well known that, for some time, the Great Lakes were an environmental disaster.  It is also well known that they have recovered with a lot of help and a lot of innovation.  I think the Great Lakes region deserves a lot more credit than it gets and a lot more in the way of recognition as America's North Coast. 




So, we spent the day visiting this remarkable island.  I was completely put off by all the touristy junk.  But, I was completely taken aback by the beauty of this place.  We had a fun ride back in the afternoon, though as the wind had increased to a basically ridiculous level.  The ferry boats, however, handled it well.  The skipper slams the hammer down as he is leaving the harbor and then slams the boat into a hard turn to starboard so as to get into the beam seas and turn down so the waves are at the stern port side quarter.  Then he keeps the speed up for the entirety of the short voyage back to the harbor.  On the way back we sat inside as the roof seats were going to be wet and windy.  We had the windows covered with water virtually every minute or so.  I believe these ferry boats have some form of stabilization.  The reason I suspect this that the waves would hit the boat on the side, the boat would hold its course without moving at all, and the water from the wave would go straight up.  The waves were in the 5-7 foot range, directly on the beam and the boat did not roll at all.  Nice!  We were laughing about how we would have had our asses seriously kicked had we been on our own boat making this crossing this afternoon.

Well, were back on the boat.  We hit the grocery store this afternoon and picked up some supplies.  It doesn't look like we will be able to get out of here until Tuesday.  Then, if we are lucky we will burn down to Beaver Island and hole up there for a day or so.  Then, we hope to make it across the top of Lake Michigan to the town of Manistique at which point we will start heading south down the east coast of Wisconsin.

In the interim, tomorrow, we hope to pay a visit to the legenday icebreaker, Mackinac, which is permanently moored here as a nautical museum.  It turns out there have been a number of Mighty Macs thoughout the years.  The USCG has one in service, retires it, and names another the same thing and has it in service for a few years, retires it, etc, etc, etc.   Therefore, as usual........

More later.

It's not even that early in the morning, but it is pouring rain.  It has been raining for several hours now.  I guess it will stop later in the day.  This weather is getting real boring.  We had hoped to be on our way some today, but it looks like we will have to wait until tomorrow.  It's not that we are afraid to run in the rain.  It's just that there will be a clearing wind after this rain stops which promises to turn the water conditions real ugly.

Speaking of weather, I recently noticed something interesting here concerning the barometer.  The barometer is the thing that measures atmospheric pressure.  It's not the instant reading that is really important, but the tendancies that mean something to us on boats.  If you are experiencing a swing in either direction, it is significant.  A pressure swing means there will be wind.  For instance, if the pressure is tending to go high, then there will be some breeze associated with the increase in pressure.  Generally, a building high pressure situation will bring a lot of wind followed by several days of stable weather.  A building low pressure situation, on the other hand, is an indicator of crappy weather a comin'.  Such crappy weather will generally last a few days. 

What I have been noticing here in these "upper" lattitudes is that the low pressure is lower than lows we appreciate back in Southern California.  And, the highs are lower pressure than the highs back in Southern California.  The pressure is all generally lower.  It feels like you are high in the mountains all the time.  Strange.  I am going to have to study up on this one.  I'm sure there is a logical explanation, but knowing my luck, my barometer is broken and I have to go jogging more.  We'll see.

Either way, there are a lot of boats in this marina. There are some big ones and some not so big ones.  There are power boats, and there are sail boats.  However, with the exception of us, they are all preparing to be hauled out of the water for the winter.  Their season is done and they are taking down sails, emptying cabinets, removing furnishings, and cushions, etc.  I guess they have a deal with this marina for the winter program.  The marina has a crew that will haul the boats, "winterize" them and put them in cold storage inside a large building.  I thought to myself, that's pretty neat.  You could come down all winter and work on the boat in the comfort of an indoor environment.  Then he told me they don't heat the building and that it can get to 20 below zero around here.  I said, "ouch." 

All this talk of hauling for the season and winterizing has got me nervous.  I realize it is still only the middle of September and the real closure around here is not really until mid november, but still.  So, here we sit.  It's hard to sit hear waiting for a weather window that seems like it is never going to arrive.  So I have to keep reminding myself of that thing Joshua Slocum used to say.  Before I say it, the matter has to be put in context.

Slocum sailed all alone, around the world in a woden sailboat in the early part of the 20th century, with no electricity (no batteries), an oil lamp for heat, no refrigeration, etc.  When he met with bad weather, it was a lot worse than when we meet it.  For us, we pull into a port and tie up to something.  Even if it is not much more than a steel wall, there is great comfort knowing you can get away from the water if necessary.  We have power, and lots of it.  We have refrigeration for food and drink.  We have an air conditioner named Olga who does her job if we need her.  We have a deck Freezer named Hairy who cannot be knocked over and who keeps ice readily at hand.  In the cold weather we do not need Steutle or Leon, or Henna, as the bugs disappear, and Otto gets a rest.  Our little floor heater, Lassie, works almost full time.  In other words, for us, bad weather means staying on the boat in relative comfort compared to Slocum. 

So, what did Slocum say?  He said, no matter how bad the weather gets, it will always get better.  It's really just a matter of time.  Here is where patience in cruising is really a virtue.  If you think you can outwit mother nature, sell you boat just as fast as you possibly can.  We are not even going to try and outwit mother nature.  So, we sit tight and wait.  We are ready to go.  Fortunately, there is always plenty to do and we are in a place where there is a lot to keep us occupied.  It just sucks having to pay slip fees so you can sit here in bad weather.  Frankly, if I could be in a place where we could anchor out and sit out the bad weather, I would and could do so.  Been there, done that, right? Well, we are not near such a place.  In fact, we are around 40 miles from such a place.  However, we have to travel those 40 miles.  We will try and do it tomorrow.  Then we expect that we will sit for another couple days while the back of this storm system moves away.  Then, we will hopefully have several days of really nice weather.  It sure is nice that we don't have to live like Slocum did.  For him, the idea of waiting for weather was certainly more disconcerting.  Hell, I can watch a storm pass overhead on my Android phone.  Slocum had to simply sit and wonder when it might end.

Once again, more later.

THe USCG Mackinaw is an icebreaker of significant fame.  For 62 years she plied the waters of the Great Lakes making sure it was open for commercial ships to move iron ore and other bulk goods during the winter months when the lakes freeze.  Now, there is a new Mackinaw (the ship we photographed docked in Cheboygan) and this vessel was decommissioned in 2006.  She is rather large and quite heavy.  She has 6 engines which generate electricity to drive three electric motors which in turn turn the gian props.  In other words, she runs on diesel electric power - like a locomotive.  One of her most significant claims to fame is that during her more than 60 years in service, she never got stuck so bad she could not get herself out.  That she ran for so long in such horrendous conditions is a testament to her builders in Toledo, Ohio, and the love she was given by her stalwart Coast Guard crewmen.  So, today, she is a maritime museum.  It was great walking on her decks and imagining what it must have been like to be there in February on Lake Superior when it was -35 degrees out and Whitefish Bay needed to be cleared so a 150,000 ton ore carrier could get her load to Cleveland.  Most folks give little thought to the notion that the Mackinaw made the fight in WWII possible.  In fact, it was the reason she was built.  Given the war effort and its need for steel, the icebreaker Mackinaw made it possible for large amounts of iron ore to make its way from Northern Wisconsin to the steel mills in Cleveland and Detroit all year long.  Just another tidbit of fascinating history we have picked up along the way.



Well, that's it for Lake Huron.  In the morning we headed out of Lake Huron, under the Mighty Mackinaw Bridge, and into Lake Michigan.  Our destination, St. James on Beaver Island.  I'll talk to you later.

LAKE HURON - PART ONE

Lake Huron

Lake Huron is a very different lake from either Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair.  First of all, it is quite a bit bigger.  Next, it is quite a bit deeper.  Also, unlike Erie, it’s shores, at least on the US side, run north and south.  The water is incredibly blue and quite clear.  Also, and most lovely, the minute you spit out the mouth of the St. Clair River, you are in tree country.  It is my understanding that the northern part of the Michigan Penninsula is farm and lumber country, not to mention the land of thousands of inland lakes.  Paul Bunyan territory.  It is very beautiful.  There are so many scenes one could characterize as serene or pastoral.  The Michigan corn is in full bloom and is actually rather good.  Also, the Michigan apples – oh my god! Thus far, this state has proven itself to be a little of everything.  And the people here are so friendly, the South has nothing on them at all in that regard.

After the night we spent at the Port Huron Yacht Club’s dock, we embarked on Lake Huron.  It was a little hectic at first.  We exited the Black River just as a rather large freighter was going by.  In this part of the river, the banks are all supported with metal.  You recall when I described the condition of the waterway in places between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, where it was like driving in a concrete bathtub?  Well, the condition was similar here except that it was a steel bathtub.

 So, when we exited the river, there is this freighter.  She is maneuvering to pass under the Friendship Bridge and make her exit onto Lake Huron.  There is a ship channel there.  So, the Pilot boat is following closely behind so that, as soon as she gets out from under this bridge, the pilot can make a hasty exit and she can be on her way to parts and places unknown to pick up something.  As such, she was accelerating.  When vessels accelerate, they move water in a different way.  Depending on their weight distribution, they either “squat” (the ass end dips deeper and the bow comes up), or they “shove” (the bow dips and the ass end comes up).  This vessel was definitely “shoving” and big plumes of black smoke were pouring out of her stacks.  Now she is pushing a larger wave than usual and we are running almost side by side.  Then we feel it.

The first several waves that passed under the boat were not bad.  Abreojos has no problem in following sea conditions.  She likes to “surf” and tracks rather well.  I did turn off the auto pilot for a while and hand “surfed” the 7-8 foot wake waves.  Ok, no problem.  What made the whole situation somewhat sticky, however, was the rest of the conditions combined with the larger wake. 

Once the wake passed us, we were left in the shadow of the big freighter.  We were essentially riding just behind her portside hip, if you will.  The current against us from Lake Huron feeding into the St. Clair River was so strong that we could barely hold 5 knots of speed.  An ultra light sail boat on the way to the lake was moving up the other side of the river.  I have never heard an outboard motor make so much noise.  Even the ULDB was struggling in the current.  Then, things got weird.

The wake that passed under us had no place to dissipate and not enough open water to stretch out before it hit the metal sides of the river leading to the mouth of the lake.  So, the wake hit the sides with tremendous force, shot high into the air, and of course, started heading back at us with a vigor.  I mean, really!  Just as soon as you think the worst of it is done, then you have the wake from the ship’s stern to contend with (if you have ever read my articles on crossing channels with large commercial ships, then you know the bow wake is not the end of your concerns).  So, the second set of wakes is coming from behind us, as the first set has now ricocheted off the steel walls and is coming back at us from a different angle.  Ok, I say to Brenda, “Hold on to your coffee, it’s about to get real interesting.”  The next thing you know, Abreojos is feeling real light and she is hopping from the top of one wake wave to the other, her ass drops like 8 feet into the trough and softly settles, before getting picked up and lurched forward at which time the bow takes a plunge into the back of the wake wave in front.  I’m trying to hold onto a heading, and control the speed, but it’s not working too well.  So, I just smiled and said, well, as hard as we tried to stay to the left of that pink line, we might get pushed over it and into Canada.  What?  You must be thinking this an awfully strange thing to be contemplating at a time like this.  I suppose it is true, but what are you going to do.  Hold on, is what you are going to do.  There is nothing else you can do…….and wipe the sweat off your brow with your sleeve. 

Well, all good things must come to and end.  The freighter’s wake did not resolve until we got passed the bridge where the waterway opened up some allowing the wake waves more space to move, and the current began to let up as well.  Soon, we were on our way north on Lake Huron, steaming along at a slick sizzling 7.5 knots.  Yes, I have the hammer down, now!

There were seemingly quite a few freighters out this morning, all seemingly heading north, so we stayed just outside the lane.  There were a couple larger ships coming south, as well.  One of these was a really big USCG Buoy Tender.  This had to be the mother of all buoy tenders.  She was huge.  She was heading down to parts unknown, and it was a wonderful sight. 

I recalled looking down for a few minutes and then noticing that the ship had stopped.  We kept going, thinking nothing more of it.  About 20 minutes later, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, the rolling blue light.  Yes, it was a USCG boarding party!  So, like the diligent mariner that I am, I stopped the boat.  They almost rammed the stern, but managed to miss it just in time.  At that point, I knew this was a training mission.  So, they came along side, asked if we had any weapons, and then told us they wanted to come aboard and conduct a “vessel safety inspection”…..with a Boarder Patrol agent?  Well, ok, the kid was young and heavily armed, so I wasn’t going to argue.  Instead, I invited them aboard. 

Three very nice young men climbed off the moving tender and onto our boat.  One of them, as I said was CBP (Customs and Boarder Patrol).  All three of them were invited in and offered coffee.  All declined.  The one guy, his name was "Adam", came in and I walked him through the safety inspection – fire extinguishers, check.  Trash Management Plan, check.  Pollution Discharge Placard, check.  PFD’s, check.  Flares, check.  Check, Check, Check. The other CG dude was busy taking notes and taking information off of our vessel documentation papers.  The CBP dude asked for our drivers licenses and took them outside to call them in.  Remember what I said about the USBP?  Well, in the time it took the USCG to conduct a rather thorough and complete Vessel Safety Examination, the CBP managed to get put on hold by his own people and it took him an additional 10 minutes to clear our CDL’s.  Well, all’s well that ends well.  We got our “No Violation” Boarding Form with the gold star on it for having not only all the requirements, but a bunch of additional stuff as well, and Adam gave me his cell phone number in case we needed anything or got boarded again.  And, just as quickly and easily as they came on, they were gone.  It turns out they were from the big buoy tender.  I guess their commanding officer saw an old slow moving trawler with a bull skull on the bow rail and thought it a good opportunity for his boys to do some training.  So, they stopped, dropped their high speed tender, and we got boarded.  Over all, it was a very pleasant experience for us, as I am sure it was for them too.

THE LIGHTSHIP HURON - IN PERMANENT DRYDOCK AT PORT HURON, MI.

We ran all day and finally made port at a place called Harbor Beach, Michigan, where we found a state marina.  The kid who was working there was a total rock star.  He helped us with our lines, then drove us in the company van to the store so we could get some things.  This was a very nice kid who grew up in this small town and comes in on the weekends from Central Michigan University to work at the marina. 

Harbor Beach is a nice quaint little community with only mom and pop style businesses, stores and restaurants.  There is not much to do here, but it is a hot-bed for outdoor activity such as hiking, fishing, and hunting.  Every third person wears camo, has a gun in their truck, and probably shot something that afternoon.  I noticed a distinct absence of Canadian Geese in these here environs.  Probably a sign.  Even the kids carried gun cases slung over their shoulders.  Hunting is big in these parts. 

Later that evening, we got together with Jim and “Moni” (like Monty without the T), and Pat and Dee.  They drove all the way up from the Pontiac area to have dinner with us.  We ended up going to this sports bar called Solly’s for burgers and beers and watched the Michigan Wolverines pull off a very tight victory against the Irish from Notre Dame.  Now, that is a big regional battle.  We all laughed a lot and had a really good time. 

Morning came and with it a bright sparkling day. Light winds out of the south west and 1-2 foot seas and a 57 nm run ahead of us.  We are actually under weigh now and all’s well.

More later.

The ride from Harbor Beach to Harrisville was characterized by sharp and choppy beam seas almost all the way from the time we started across Saganaw Bay until the time we entered the breakwater at Harrisville.  It was interesting seeing how the wind clocked from the north through the south in just a couple hours.  Such water conditions required that we tack and gibe, tack and gibe almost the entire way to keep from getting tipped onto our ears and slammed back again.  Travelling in a 2-3 foot beam sea here is quite different from doing the same back home.  Here when you have 2-3 foot wind waves, they are also 2-3 seconds apart.  This makes for a very difficult passage with a round bottom and no stabilizers.  So our zig-zag course  may have added a few miles to the trip, but it was a lot more comfortable.  It was a rather hectic day, one I am glad I will not have to do again for at least a little while.

We pulled into Harrisville, Michigan last night at around 1600.  Have you ever heard of Harrisville, Michigan? Neither have we.  Well, it is a very pretty little town.  Not unlike Harbor Beach, there is not much to do here, unless you are an avid outdoorsman, in which case, this is a base point for hunters, fishermen, hikers and cross-country skiers.  The wildlife around here is very cool – lots of geese, ducks, and fish.  I have seen salmon jumping in the harbor.  I saw one caught last night that had to be 25 lbs.  For us, however, this place is just a stop over.  Today, we will head north again and probably stop at Presque Isle Marina where it looks like we will have to stay for a few days as a major low moves over the great lakes region and then out.  It promises gale force winds and really ugly water conditions, fit, as I have said before, for neither man nor beast.  I understand even the freighters will stop running for this one, at least for a couple days. 

We are making quite a bit of progress.  Here is the thing:  we don’t want to move too fast because we don’t want to miss anything, but we don’t want to get stuck here for the winter, but then, again, there really is not that much to see.  I could be all wet on this one, and in reality, there are lots of tiny little treasures totally worth experiencing.  However, for us, we believe we best continue moving.  I have noted that many of the state marinas in Michigan begin closing in mid October.  Several of the cruising guides make a big deal about being off the Great Lakes by Labor Day.  This is a lot of hogwash created by the folks who want you to attend their fall rendezvous down in Alabama in October.  We have had the pleasure of speaking to lots of locals who say that, although you have to pay closer attention to the weather this time of year, some of the best boating of the year is in October and early November, and certainly some of the best fishing of the year.  This has assuaged our concerns somewhat.  Nevertheless, we will make an effort to get off the Lakes as soon as practicable.  It would seem that, during this time of the year, you get a few travel days and then you are shut down for a few.  No problem.  We just want to make sure we are shut down someplace nice where there might even be something to do without risking our lives getting there.

So, we are off for Presque Isle Harbor today.  The National Whatever Service, and all the others declare that the weather should be quite benign today, at least until late this afternoon.  So, I will have us tucked in and tied down before 1400.  Then, we will have a couple days to watch the wind blow.

Later, Y’all.







 Well, now, it is Tuesday.  We're here in Presque Isle and the weather is pretty heavy.  We are definitely done travelling for the next few days. We knew there was a storm approaching and, this morning, it is no longer approaching.  It is definitely here.  We awoke this morning to howling, gusty winds, rain, and grey overcast skies. 



I'm not sure this Sailflow.com analysis really communicates the whole story.




 This is a little better as it shows what the winds are doing over Lake Huron.  But, even the best diagram doesn't convey the sound of the wind or the knowledge that, just on the other side of the protective breakwall, the waves are in the 6-8 foot range.  Normally, 6-8 foot waves in the Santa Barbara Channel are not that big a deal when they are well spaced.  Here, however, the 6-8 footers are about 2 seconds apart right now.  That is ugly any way you want to look at it.  It's also very cold outside. 

Here is the National Whatever Service's description of what's going on out there: 
******
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...
EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...AND ADJACENT NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE
MICHIGAN...LAKE HURON AND LAKE SUPERIOR.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

GALE FORCE WIND GUSTS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS WHITEFISH BAY THROUGH
MIDDAY.

THERE IS A MODERATE TO HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS INTO THE EVENING
HOURS ON THE LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES OF NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

WATERSPOUTS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF NORTHERN
MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

PATCHY FROST IS POSSIBLE ACROSS INLAND LOCATIONS OF NORTHERN LOWER
AND EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

A WIDESPREAD FROST AND FREEZE IS LIKELY ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN
MICHIGAN THURSDAY NIGHT...AWAY FROM THE IMMEDIATE SHORES OF THE
GREAT LAKES.
******

So, we are cooling our heels, catching up on some reading, keeping up with boat projects, and hopefully going for a walk later today.

More later.

Presque Isle is idylic.  It is a very quiet and rustic place situated on the north east coast of the Michigan Penninsula on Lake Huron.  We are surrounded by wonderful forrest.  It smells like Christmas.  The water is crystal clear.  We can see 20 feet under the boat.  There are fish everywhere.  There are few people around except those that work for the harbor, the portage store or the restaurant/bar, all of which are on the premises.

We were interested in finding someplace completely quiet and out of the way to chill for a couple days while this weather front moves on by and Presque Isle does not disappoint.  Unfortunately, sometimes it would be nice to be within 17 miles of a hardware store.  Alas, the second fitting on the bottome of the water system accumulator tank blew out last night.  I managed a temporary fix with some parts and fittings I have, but I will have to get to a real hardware or plumbing supply store to get the fittings I need to fix it properly.  So, it will have to wait a few more days.  In the meantime, we have water.  They system is working.  I just don't like band aid fixes.  The next time I am at the hardware store, I will get the fittings I need x2.

There are miles and miles of trails around here, presumably for the winter season and cross-country skiing.  Yesterday, in the afternoon, we took off down the trail that takes you to the two lighthouses; the Old Presque Isle Light and the New Presque Isle Light.

"Presque Isle" is a French expression which means, almost an island.  There is Lake Huron water on three sides.  In the early 1800’s, Presque Isle, had already been known as a natural harbor on the Michigan peninsula's north eastern shore of Lake Huron.  French trappers used to seek shelter on the southern lee side, and thus gave it the name “Presque Isle” or "almost an island."  In the mid 1800's, the area took on additional significance, as steam-powered vessels began stopping here to get out of the "gut buster northwesterly winds"  and to stock up on wood to feed their boilers.

THE OLD PRESQUE ISLE LIGHT

Michigan State Representative Isaac Crary understood the maritime significance of Presque Isle Harbor and, in February of 1838, went to Congress and asked it to fund the construction of a lighthouse to help guide vessels into Presque Isle Harbor.  Congress was so impressed that it appropriated $5000 for the project not more than 5 months later.  Shortly thereafter, a request for bids went out for the construction of the lighthouse. In the interim, a man was dispatched to Presque Isle to select the site.

A Detroit builder named Jeremiah Moors was awarded the contract.  He had previous experience in lighthouse construction having built the lighthouse at Thunder Bay.  He and his crew arrived at Presque Isle and began construction in late 1839, and over the next year, the tower and keeper’s house took shape.  The lighthouse’s whitewashed, rubble stone tower stands 30 feet in height with a hand-cut stone stairway spiraling around the interior.  The dwelling consists of a small detached single story structure located approximately 30 feet inshore from the tower. Henry L. Woolsey was appointed as the station's first keeper and the station was officially in service on September 23, 1840.

THE NEW PRESQUE ISLE LIGHT

In 1866, a District Inspector reported that the keepers dwelling of the Old Presque Isle Light was in such poor condition that nothing short of a complete rebuild would suffice to make the structure livable.  He requested money for the work.  Congress approved the request.  The work was about to begin and materials had been delivered, when the Lighthouse Board proposed a completely different solution for the lighting of Presque Isle.  In its 1868 annual report, the Board observed that the tower's location and height allowed it to function only as a harbor light.  As such, the Board suggested that a better idea would be to construct a larger lighthouse and place it at the tip of the Presque Isle Penninsula, approximately a mile to the north and, at the same time, construct a pair of range lights to guide vessels into the harbor itself. This way, the light would be more useful. The Board further suggested that with the construction of the new light and ranges, the old station would be rendered obsolete, and could thereafter be extinguished and abandoned. Estimating the cost of construction of such a coast light (as opposed to a mere harbor light) to be $28,000 and $7,500 for the ranges, the Board recommended that the amount be appropriated, and suspended the planned repairs to the old dwelling pending Congressional action.

Congress gave them the money and, in 1869, work on both the Coast Light and Ranges began. The ranges were completed at the opening of the 1870 navigation season.  The new Presque Isle Light was completed in 1871.  The conical brick tower rises 113 feet and is connected to a keeper's dwelling by a covered walkway.  Patrick Garraty Sr., who had served as keeper of the old station since July 15, 1861 moved his wife and four children into the new station, and exhibited its light for the first time on the night of June 1, 1871. In 1939 the Coast Guard took over operation of the light. The Coast Guard automated the light in 1970, eliminating the need for a keeper.

It looks like we'll be here a couple more days.  The cold front has moved on top of us and seems to be settling down, but not for long.  There are still 6 and 8 foot waves outside the protective breakwall, so moving is simply not an option.  However, the future is looking pretty bright with Friday as a probable moving day.  Hopefully we'll get 3-4 good moving days and make some headway.  In the interim, we will simply continue to enjoy the peace and serentiy Presque Isle has to offer.  It's cold here.  But, hey, I'm not complainin'.

More later.

Bye Y'all.

QUICK UPDATE - DETROIT AND THE ST. CLAIR RIVER

K.  Since I last wrote, we had crossed Lake Erie and were tied up at the Wyandotte Yacht Club's courtesy dock south of Detroit, Michigan.   We had a nice time in Wyandotte.  The folks at the Wyandotte Yacht Club (WYC) went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and having a good time.  Each night, and we stayed there 4 due to weather which I will discuss in a moment, we enjoyed their bar, their bartenders, their membership and their good drinks.  We were invited to partake in their Wednesday Night Dinner.  We watched the Detroit Tigers dismantle a couple different teams in their division on one of two big screen TVs.  We had a great time.  We became very familiar with their Vice Commodore and their Fleet Captain, Al and Steve, two guys who, at least in my opinion, work extremely hard to make this club the success it is.  Here is a link to their website.  Check them out. They are certainly one of the premier clubs in the ILYA (that's Inter-Lake Yachting Association).  http://www.wyconline.com/


I mentioned the weather that kept us tied up at WYC for a couple days.  Can you say, "completely miserable?"  I didn't hear you.  Say it with me, C O M P L E T E L Y  M I S E R A B L E.  We left Put-In-Bay a day early and boogied out of Lake Erie as we saw this storm coming, but we didn't know it would last so long.  It rained almost constantly from Saturday evening until Thursday afternoon.  The wind blew at nothing less than 15-30 knots from Saturday evening until Thursday afternoon.  The sky was cloudy and grey.  The water was grey and dark.  Moreover, it was all out of the north east so it was.......WAIT FOR IT......WAIT......WAIT.....yes, it was COLD!  We have been sweltering for so long that we actually forgot what cold was.  Temperatures dropped into the high 50's during the day and the low 50's at night.  North of us, there was even a frost warning.  We actually had to pull out our coats when we went out, not just to stay dry, but to stay warm.  At the same time we were experiencing this northeaster, some of our friends down in the Gulf were getting hammered by a big tropical storm that scowered the region for a couple days.  It is my understanding these two systems were related.  It sure is interesting how, around here, weather systems are so regionally related to one another.  Why, you ask?  No mountains, and no adjacent ocean to help moderate all this stuff.  So, clearly weather in the Great Lakes influences the weather in the Gulf of Mexico and vice versa.

So, we weathered this storm for several days in the Detroit area.  It was ok.  We had a chance to hang out on the boat, chill at WYC, and even visit friends we have not seen in a long time.

Brenda went to college in Denver and met a lot of people.  However, she only really keeps in touch anymore with two:  Dawn in San Francisco, and Jeanne in Detroit.  So, when we got to WYC, we got in touch with Jeanne and she came out and took us to her home.  We had a great afternoon.  We saw her kids whom I have not seen in several years.  It sure is scary how they grow.  "Tom" is getting really tall with shoulders you could surely build a house upon given a little weight training.  "Rudy" is growing up to be quite the athlete.  We went to her soccer game.  She plays defense and other players were hard pressed to get a ball passed her.  She is also into swimming.  Tom plays the trumpet in his high school's band.  This kid is taking advanced Chemistry!  He is very bright dude, and from what I understand, pupular amongst the ladies.  Both kids are doing well and otherwise are really nice to hang out with.

We also got to see my old friend Jim.  I met Jim almost 20 years ago in Southern California, a friend of a friend.  We have always got along great and long ago,spent much time on the beach with our mutual friend Dan.  Jim and his work partner Pat came down to the boat and we had a few beers in the WYC.  We joked about old times and had a terrific afternoon of it.  Jim has his own Hardwood Floor company in the Detroit/Pontiac area and seems to be doing just fine.  In fact, I was rather stunned at his relative opulent (he bought a house) stability as Jim is one of the only people I have ever known who truly deserves the title, Free Spirit.  Jim is one of those people who has probably done just about everything.  From painting houses after a hurricane in Antigua, to commercial fishing in the Florida Keys, to commercial diving in the Santa Barbara Channel, to working on top fuel dragsters in Michigan, Jim has really enjoyed a colorful existence, and throughout it all, he has always maintained his happy go lucky, friendly disposition that is welcoming and endearing to everyone whose life he touches.  I always thought it intriguing that we would be enjoying an afternoon BBQ at Dan's house, and later that afternoon, Jim would up and split for North Carolina in his old green Mazda 626.  Why?  Because he felt like it.  I admire his spirit.

So as not to wear out our welcome at the WYC (as if that were possible - these folks were the best), we managed to get off the dock and started heading somewhere in a northerly direction.  We had to get some fuel, so we headed up to Keans Marina which is at the other end of the Detroit River from WYC.  It was only a 12 mile move, but it was something.  Sometimes, you just have to move so you know you are still moving.  We managed to get off the dock in the wind and rain without killing anyone or damaging anything, and just cruised slowly up the river towards the bottom of Lake Sinclair. 

Keans was a nice stop.  The attendant at the fuel dock was really cool and very helpful.  We fueled up and then went to our slip.  I had arranged for it on the way up over the phone.  Unfortunately, the folks at Keans would be leaving for the afternoon as they had a death in the family so to speak.  The wife of one of the yard guys passed away and all would be attending a memorial.  So, we got there and found only a skeleton crew, but they did a nice job for us.  After fueling, we went to our slip (which, by the way, is referred to as a "well" here in Michigan) and headed out for a late lunch.

What seemed like across the parking lot was a place called Sinbads.  We walked over in that direction only to find a canal between us and our intended destination.  So, we walked back to the office to find out how we get to Sinbads.  We asked if it was too far to walk.  They looked at us like we were crazy.  No, we would not be walking to Sinbads.  Seems like the neighboorhood around there is about as friendly as that outside the green zone in Baghdad.  They called Sinbads and asked if they could send their shuttle over.  Unfortunately, the shuttle needed brakes and the driver had the day off.  So, a nice fellow who happened to be hanging out in the office at Keans, offered to drive us over.  First, however, Keans called Sinbads to confirm that if we got there, they would drive us back.  No problem.  So, off we went.  Lunch was no better than average, but it was an interesting experience.  Once we got "outside the gates" we understood why they didn't think walking in this neighboorhood was a good idea.

One thing Keans had that we have not seen at any other place we stopped along the way was a jaccuzzi.  It was cold, windy and rainy, but so what when the water is 102 degrees?  We grabbed some drinks, some towels, and something warm to wear, and headed to the pool.  By the time we got there, the rain had stopped, the wind had stopped, but it was still cool enough to enjoy a dip in the hot tub.  It was great. 

After that, we headed back to the boat and watched a movie and turned in early, for in the morning, we would be leaving to cross Lake Sinclair and start, again, heading out to accomplish Lake Huron, on our way to Lake Michigan, and ultimately Chicago and the western river systems.

We awoke early and pulled out early on Thursday.  From Keans, it was only a mile to the bottom of Lake St. Clair.  The Lake was a little snotty in the morning, but after we put a couple miles between the south end and the north end, it calmed down and we had an effortless crossing.  The water is really clear on the Great Lakes and, we hear, it only gets better.  I can really only describe the color as like turquoise.  There were slivers of sunlight poking out from time to time, and the wind all but disappeared as we crossed the 23 miles to the bottom of the St. Clair River. 

The St. Clair River was very interesting.  At the bottom of the river (top of Lake St. Clair), there are wonderful residential communities built on what appear to be manmade islands and breakwaters.  As you roll up this river, on the left is America and on the right is Canada.  There is a pink line that runs down the center of the river (on the chart, that is) that represents the official boarder between the countries.  It's interesting to see how, on both sides of the river, there are American flags flying next to Canadian flags.  We asked about this and one fellow told us that this is the friendliest boarder around.  Folks regularly go back and forth, whether its for work or for play.  This is especially true in the yachting community.  The various yacht clubs compete against one another making for essentially weekly international regattas.  What is not good to hear is how easy it is to go to Canada, how friendly their customs and boarder patrol agents are, how efficient their system is for checking in and checking out, and how downright boehemouth, slovenly, stubborn, stupic, ignorant, lazy and downright difficult our American Customs and Boarder Patrol Agency has become.  This is not to say that they are making it difficult for unwanted folks to get into the country.  They aren't.  This boarder has more holes in it than a truckload of Swiss cheese.  It's easier to get into the US from Canada than it is from Mexico.  At least from Mexico, illegals will have to get past the Minutemen who selflessly live out in the desert in tents and trailers guarding an imaginary line and communicating their observations to a Boarder Patrol that seems to car, even if their folks in Washington don't.  Nevertheless, one could sail a sabot from Canada to the US and nobody would even notice.  However, if you are an American citizen with a passport who has gone to Canada for the weekend, you are supposed to check back into the country.  Unfortunately, we have heard an overwhelming number of reports of how American citizens checking back into their own country are treated rudely, experience long delays by Boarder Patrol personnel who are clueless as to their own jobs, and pass folks from one phone number to another only to be told that this is not my department, call here.  THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!  So, the dumb schleps in green like to careen across the water in their intimidating little boats, but when it comes right down to it, they do nothing to protect us.  There are plenty of them to do the job.  It's not like their overworked and undermanned up here.  Unfortunately, it would seem that the requirements to be a Customs and Boarder Patrol agent are pretty relaxed.  I suppose they could also get hired at Burger King.

Well, once you get passed all the wonderful residential areas on the lower part of the St. Clair River, things become very industrial.  There are power plants, chemical plants and oil refineries everywhere along the river, and yet the water still looks very clean.  There are a lot of folks fishing along the banks.
We got passed by freighters and barges of all description.  The vessels that really attracted my attention, however, are the Great Lakes bulk carriers.  These things are HUGE!  They actually make a lot of the ocean going freighters look small in comparison.  When they are empty, they are really high out of the water.  However, when they are loaded, while still tall, you know they are drawing close to 30 feet and are actually churning up mud in their wakes.  These massive ships seem to be equipped with bow thrusters as well and can dock and undock themselves.....apparently, as we have seen nothing that looks like a tugboat used for moving large ships around.  They pick up pilots here and there who obviously have been plying these waters their entire lives.  It's really important to pay attention to where you are and where these big ships are.  If they are coming down river, it doesn't matter what you think, they simply cannot stop.  One such ship coming at us yesterday had its engines in reverse as it was coming down the river.  Even though the current is maybe 2 knots, this is a lot when we are talking about a loaded freighter displacing 350,000 tons.  In other words, stay out of the way.  There is nothing they can do to avoid a collision, so don't become a splotch on their hull.

We stopped for the day at the Port Huron Yacht Club.  They had a little space for us on their outer harbor wall, and the price was right - FREE for the first night.  We only plan to stay one.  Nevertheless....  So we got to visit with Jeanne and the kids again last night and went to dinner at this place that made the BEST BBQ chicken I have ever had in my life.  We also picked up a few supplies at a local convenience store, and walked for a couple miles in Port Huron.  This is a very nice place.  If we had more time, it is a place I would like to stay for a few days.  As much as we love the folks at WYC, this would have been a better place to be holed up for weather as this town is very close by, safe, and there is a lot to do.  It's too bad the folks at PHYC are not nearly as courteous.  Their dock master was a nice guy, but we went in the bar last night after Jeanne and the kids left, and sat there at the bar for 15 minutes.  The bartender, a member, kept walking by us and did not even ask us if we wanted anything.  There were other members at the bar who also completely ignored us.  So, we go up and walked out.  These pricks should wander down to WYC and take a lesson on how to be nice to visiting yachtsmen.  So, we'll take the free dock, spend no money in their bar, and leave.  Bye.

Later this morning, it is our plan to start our crossing of Lake Huron.  The weather is looking good and we should be able to put on 50-60 miles per day for the next few days.  Again, it's unfortunate to have to be in "delivery mode", but we have to keep moving.  We spent way too much time dilly dallying in Florida.  We'll have to figure out a way to get back up here sometime soon when it is "season" and enjoy the Great Lakes.  The cruising is some of the best anywhere.  It's really pretty and, with the exception of the PHYC, the folks are all very nice, here in Michigan.

That's all for now.

Bye Y'all.