At Home, 6-17-11

The trip from Milwaukee to Winthrop Harbor was without without much wind.  It was a challenge though.  There was a thick fog in the harbor when I started that lasted until I was about two miles from shore.  I was going slow under power, using my radar, GPS and a visual lookout.  There were several small fishing boats in the Milwaukee inner harbor that I managed to evade.  Outside of Kenosha there was a fast moving power boat that was on a T-bone collision course with me.  I think he had his boat on autopilot and was talking to his fishing buddies in the back.  I brought my boat to a stop and waited for him to cross in front of me.  I stopped in plenty of time, but it could have ended the trip with a bang.  I had the right of way, but did not want to be dead right.


THE END
                                  Hard at work at home after a long trip

Milwaukee, 6-16-11

I left Sheboygan this morning and arrived in Milwaukee at about 4:30 PM.  One more day!!  I could not fix the autopilot last night, but I rigged up a rope to keep the clutch engaged.  The short term fix worked great. 

                            The boat at Milwaukee South Shore Yacht Club

Sheboygan, WI, 6-15-11

I left Charlevoix on Tuesday and made it to Portage Lake, MI, where I anchored for the night.  I left early, 0530, the next morning, Wednesday to cross the Lake and I am now in the Marina in Sheboygan, WI.  My autopilot was acting up on me today about 15 miles from Sheboygan, so it was a challenge when the time came to get the sails furled with 18 knots of wind and 5 foot seas.  I think I got it fixed, but I won't know for sure until tomorrow.  My next stop should be Milwaukee.


                          Michigan Shoreline from Charlevoix to Portage Lake

                                         Point Betsie Lighthouse

                                            More Michigan shoreline

                       Sunrise as I left Michigan and headed across the lake.

On Lake Michigan, 6-14-11

We arrive on Bois Blanc Island Marina at about 6:00 PM.  That is the Island Mike lives on, so we stopped at his house and had a wonderful home cooked meal.  We left the next morning and arrived at Charlevoix at about 6:00 PM.  Mike is leaving the boat in Charlevoix to attend to previous commitments.  I am single handling the rest of the way.  I am on the home stretch.  Tonight I should be in Frankfort, MI.


                                The marker at Poe Reef In Lake Huron

                                     The boat at Bois Blanc Marina

                          Mike and Ann celebrating Mike's safe return

                                          The Mackinac Bridge

                                        The Mackinac Bridge again

On Lake Huron, 6-12-11

Friday we left Port Huron and and arrived at Port Austin on Lake Huron.  Saturday, 6-11 we left Port Austin and arrived at Presque Isle.  Sunday we left Presque Isle and are heading for Bois Blanc Island.

                                    A bridge opening for us in Port Huron

                           Another bridge opening for us in Port Huron

                                           Our resting place in Port Huron

                                       Mike at the helm on Lake Huron

                                             A home with a view from the deck

                                         The view from the deck again

                                    Poe Reef Lighthouse near Bois Blanc

On Lake Huron, 6-10-11

We left Dunkirk, NY on Monday, 6-6-11.  I found the Yanmar repair shop and had new bearings put in my sea water pump.  I got the pump back at 5:30 PM.  Ya Hoo.  It no longer leaks.  We left Erie, PA on Tuesday at 0530 and arrived in Cleveland at 8:00 PM.  We had a nice visit and great dinner with my brother and his girl friend.  The next day we left Cleveland and anchored on the West side of Lake Erie next to the Monroe Power Plant.  The next day we made it to Port Huron at 10:30 PM.  On Friday 6-10-11 we headed out on to Lake Huron.  The current at the mouth of the St. Claire River at Lake Huron was 3.5 knots.  The lowest our boat speed over ground was 2.6 knots at that location.  We hope to get to Port Austin, MI by about midnight tonight.  We are behind schedule due to the late opening of the Erie Canal Locks, so we have some long travel days.

                                           Sunset at anchor on Lake Erie

Our wall tie up in Port Huron

On Lake Erie, 6-6-11

We left lock 24 at Baldwinsville on Tuesday, 5-31-11 and headed back toward lock 23, then out the Oswego Canal.  Locks 24 through 26 were going to stay closed until the weekend or later.  The Erie Canal did open locks 24 through 26 on Sunday, 6-5-11.  We arrived at Oswego on 5-31-11 and prepared to have the mast stepped.  Wednesday, 6-1-11 we had the mast stepped and spent the rest of the day putting on the sails, running the lines, and installing everything that was removed.  Thursday I rented a car and took Erin to the Rochester Airport, so she could be home for her sister's baby shower.  Friday, 6-3-11 we arrived at Oak Orchard where I changed my Racor fuel filter.  It needed changed.  Saturday we arrived at the Welland Canal at 5:00 PM and started through the canal at about 7:30 PM.  I had to hire one crew member (Don) for the locks, since they require 3 people on board when going to Lake Erie.  The lock management system arranged it for me.  We made it through the canal and arrived at Port Colborne at 5:30 AM on Sunday, 6-5-11.  We stopped at the City Pier and slept until about 1130.  We arrive at Dunkirk, NY on Sunday, 6-5-11.  Monday we are heading to Erie, PA where I hope to have my water pump rebuilt, since it is dripping.  The bearings need replaced.  There is a shop there that said they have the parts and can do the job.  There is no wind today, so we are motoring.  We have to stop the engine and empty the little catch basin under the motor every 2 hour of running time.

                                Erin at the top of the mast in Oswego

                                      Erin installing the VHF antenna

                                     Inside one of the locks at night

                                          Inside one of the locks

                    A ship we had to wait for to get into the first lock

                                  The ship on it's way to Lake Ontario.  We got the green light to go into the lock.

Mike and Don holding the boat while we wait for a lock to open

                                The boat waiting for a lock to open

                                Dunkirk, NY Chadwick Bay at night