Thanks for the update on your lifes.  We really appreciate hearing from friends/family – so keep it up!  Things are mostly great here.  We are currently in Cleveland, OH on Lake Erie.  We plan on seeing the Rock & Roll Hallof Fame and the Tall Ship Festival.   We left Put In Bay, OH yesterday.  It is a tourist town on the Bass Islands near Port Clinton.  (N 41’39.34, W 082’49.21)  So we came back to the states about 4-5 days ago and turned the cell phone back on.  No more quaint quiet harbors of Canada until maybe when we get to Lake Ontario.  We will need to get used to the go fast boats with loud noisy exhaust systems and wakes that push us around like a washing machine. 

 

Thoughts of what’s happened from Port Elgin, ON. through Detroit, MI:

 

– Hung out a few days at Goderich, ON commerical harbor where they turn these big freighters right next to us in the inner harbor so they are facing back out to the lake.  They come in to fill up on the Sifto salt mining that happens 1700′ deep and 5 miles out under Lake Huron.  Its quite amazing.

– Heard grueling 1 way thunderbay coast guard traffic about a 40′ trawler that sunk by cape hurd, Tobermory ON area.

– Truly enjoyed the North Channel and quaint towns of ON on Lake Huron.

– Since we live on the boat we certainly hear more maydays, etc.  Man on kayak got helicoptered out of area via burns and going into shock.  So far we have been healthy and no major injuries.  I can truly see why this would be very challenging if you waited till you were 65.

– Turned back one AM as waves were much larger than we had thought –  sailor later that day said they were 10′ waves with NW 20-25kn winds.  Smart move.

– Pierre (our self steering wind vane) got a good work out going 55kn with broad reach via 15-20 kn winds.  4-6′ waves made it abit difficult for it so we had to help it and watch but still better than steering all day.  The wheel auto pilot isn’t strong enough for these winds/waves so use it mostly when motoring.  A few days earlier we were tacking our brains out trying to get 50kn miles — made 65kn.

– Its work to keep this website up.

– Days go by fast even when in port buying groceries, laundry, getting fuel, small projects, etc.  but its still better than working.

– Days go fast during sailing as well since you are logging, confirming course, fixing meals, cleaning, journaling, steering, etc.

– Rode my bike for the first time maybe 6 miles or so to get groceries and see Goderich, ON.  Its a great mode of transportation.  Borrowed a vehicle the next town and it felt like we were going too fast and too many things to keep track of.

–  We are getting lots of informatioin from other sailors when we find them.  But with everything you have to make your own decision since their expectations/needs may be different than ours.

– You have to be creative in obtaining a WiFi internet connection in any port.  But the external WiFi antenna works pretty well from the boat. 

–  I dropped a small piece of our propane grill in the drink at Goderich, ON.  I tried to find it with a fishing net but such luck so arranged with West Marine at Algonac, MI to meet us at the seawall.  The Columbus replica Tall Ship called the Nina was there on its way to the tallship festival at Cleveland, OH.  So maybe we will be there around that time.

– Lake Huron used to have a lot of Perch until DNR introduced Trout which has taken over.

– Northern Lake Huon in ON is known for its sunsets (National Geographic).

– Stayed 1 night at 3 differet yacht clubs as we worked our way down St. Clair river/lake and Detroit River.  It was free with reciprocity from Pikes Creek Keel Club membership.  They were quite fancy.  Each club you go to has different docking set up – it’s a steep learning curve. The Port Huron Yacht club (at the end of Lake Huron) is self run – drinks were $1.25.  We won’t find that at any other club! 

– The FYC was especially nice since we were docked with tree lined breakwall.  I was able to have the best of both worlds with hearing tree leaves/birds and yet sit on my boat as it was slowly bobbing.

– Racers at these yacht clubs were gearing up for the Port Huron to Mackinaw race in a couple days.

– Got stuck in mud/weeds leaving Ford Yacht club (outside Detroit, MI) entrance.  When we arrived we had south winds pushing water into entrance.  Next morning our boat was about a 1’ lower on dock.  So no wonder we got stuck leaving.  We tried using sail but made matters worse.  No fishing boat or would assist so we called Boat US Towing.  Good thing we added unlimited towing – they charged $771 for 1-1/2 hr total time (starts from contact time).