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Port #12: What Can We Say About Leland?

By on August 20, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/18/2014

Day #19 (Monday): 55 miles (693 total miles)

Locks: 0 (2 total locks)

Port #12:  Leland, MI

Who would have thought it?!?!?  The weather predictions turned sour once again.  Everything we read about Washington Island, WI recommended going there only in fair weather.  Washington Island would not be a choice anytime this week.  Staying at Beaver Island was not a good option either.  We had to make a decision; risk it or play it safe.  We always take ‘safe’ so staying on the Michigan side of Lake Michigan was our only choice until weather improved.

Todd and I deliberated about which of three ports we should chose.  Our options were Charlevoix, Grand Traverse Bay or Leland.  Going to Leland would get us farther down the coastline and give us the opportunity to move on to Manistee, MI when the weather cleared.  From Manistee we could cross Lake Michigan to Sheboygan.

I’m pretty sure EVERYONE has heard about our experience in Leland September of 2010.  We darn near became residents because of back to back gales.  I was a bit depressed even thinking about seeing that village again, but decisions had to be made.

We had hoped for following seas to Leland and 1 foot or less waves.  Neither materialized.  As soon as we took our heading to Leland after passing the tip of Beaver Island we were taking mostly 2 foot waves on the port forward quarter beam with a few confused waves smacking us squarely on the port beam.  The crew gutted out the bumpy, rocky ride.  Once we were within a few miles of land, the wind shelter settled the waves and allowed the crew to regain some equilibrium.

The only sun we saw until well after we got to Leland.  See that little light patch close to the middle of the picture?  That’s the sun shining on Beaver Island.

Large sand dunes run along most of the Western Michigan coastline.  These are just north of Leland.
The dunes are very tall and very pretty.
This is the rock wall protecting Leland Harbor.  The office is the building with the red roof.  It takes both of us with binoculars to identify the entry into unfamiliar harbors.  We’re familiar with Leland from our last Loop.  However, looking at the picture, without a chart it would be hard to identify the opening to the harbor.
The clue to the opening is in the markers at the end of each rock wall.  The red marker (in the left circle) will need to be on the right side of our boat.  The green marker (in the right circle) will be on the left side of our boat.  The arrow marks the opening which is shown on our chart.
I didn’t have a picture of the chart so this is an overhead photo from Google with the channel markers and route direction.
This is what it looked like as we rounded the corner of the wall.
Coming into Leland Harbor, we had two Looper boats ahead of us:  El Nido and Blue Moon.  We docked next to another Looper, Takes Two.  After everyone was settled, the tradition of exchanging boat cards took place along with talk about where we’d been and where we were going.  There was mention of docktails however that didn’t materialize.  Leland has a lot to offer with Fishtown and other shops as well as a grocery near the harbor.

There’s OB on the left (with the red ball on the bow) and Takes Two on the right (Cheri and Gerald).  Takes two was a huge 49 foot DeFever.  The bow rose a good 10 feet above the waterline.  Walking by it was amazing…great ship to take out in the ocean.
El Nido on the left (Bob with his dog Duncan…taking the loop by himself) and Blue Moon on the right (Sharon and King).
The same harbormaster that was in Leland during our 2010 stay was in the office to check us in.  She mentioned they would not keep us as long this time.  We hoped for good luck!

We did much the same things as we did before; visited Fishtown, went through the shops and bought cheese curds.  Leland has added a wine store, so we checked it out, took in the wine tasting and bought 2 more bottles of wine.  We ate dinner at The Cove in Fishtown and never made it to the Blue Bird.  The dinner was over priced and not as good as we anticipated.

The Leland weather station.
See the water on the rock?  That’s the kind of day we came into in Leland.
Fishtown….the big draw in Leland.

The weather prediction looked good for an early morning departure on Wednesday, giving us only a one day layover in Leland.  The other Looper boats planned departures for the same morning only all were going to different ports or anchorages: Takes Two was off to Ludington, El Nido was going to Frankfort and Blue Moon to an anchorage in Portage Lake near Onekama.

Port #11: No Beavers Noted Here…Just Ducks!

By on August 19, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/17/2014

Day #18 (Sunday): 48 miles (638 total miles)

Locks: 0 (2 total locks)

Port #11:  Beaver Island, MI (anchorage)

OB had another shorter day ahead so we didn’t rush around to get underway.  Leaving St. Ignace was anticlimactic compared to our entry.  The winds were close to calm and the seas were fine.

The skies were cloudy but we had another magnificent sunrise.  Cloudy skies don’t always dictate bad weather…many times it’s wonderfully calm.

We passed under the Mackinac Bridge and headed west around some shoals and fish nets. The Michigan coast line has many islands and shoals.  Unfortunately, most travel cannot be made in a straight line.

The Mackinac Bridge is not only spectacular but historic.  It was the largest suspension bridge built at the time…1957.  There is a magnificent video made during the building of the bridge (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFsy_EHWM-Q) .  My cousin sent it to me and it made seeing and crossing under the bridge even more amazing.
There was some corrosion control work underway at both ends of the bridge.  I’m guessing that is a constant with such a large bridge exposed to some very extreme weather.

Charlie didn’t get the idea of being in a very historic place.

 Once all the shoals were behind us, Todd was able to take us west to Beaver Island.  We anchored in St. James Bay.  The sun broke out and we had a pleasant afternoon.

Terry and Ken from Roundabout came by in their dinghy.  We had a nice visit and compared travel intentions.  Their plans were to go to Petoskey or Traverse Bay, MI next.  Our plans were to go to Washington Island, WI.

Roundabout…Loopers from Connecticut.
The lighthouse at Beaver Island.
I think this was the abandoned boathouse I read about.  There is a huge, decaying wood boat inside.
A panoramic shot of the downtown area on Beaver Island…St. James City.
The Emerald Isle…the ferry serving Beaver Island.
Watching the Captain bring the ferry to the dock was very interesting.  He had separate pilothouse atop the stern of the ferry where he controlled the docking.

After a good dinner of barbecued pork chops, roasted vegetables with some of Laurel’s wonderful green beans and salad, we turned on the TV to check the weather channel.  A storm front was approaching from the west.  Our plans to go to Washington Island were in jeopardy.  Washington Island did not look like a good option in a stormy situation.  They have very little dockage and unprotected.  Two to three days riding windy seas at anchor was not attractive option or even safe.  We spent the rest of the evening deciding a different route.

Sunset at another pristine anchorage.

We went to bed a little depressed that our plans were changing.  As we were trying to go to sleep, we could hear this constant tap, tap, tap moving slowly around the boat.  The mystery noise went on for about an hour when finally one of the culprits gave itself away.  I could hear a quack, quack, quack just outside the hull and realized we had a couple of ducks eating the moss from around our waterline.  Good job, ducks…now we have a clean waterline!

Port #10: Dodging High Speed Ferries…

By on August 19, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/15/2014

Day #16 (Friday): 45 miles (590 total miles)

Locks: 0 (2 total locks)

Port #10:  St. Ignace, MI

The cold air just did not give up.  I wore jeans, Todd refused and stayed in his shorts and Charlie stopped shedding.  The consensus of the crew was that fall was possibly making an early appearance.

Another good view of the Detour Reef Light.  It signifies we’re back on the path of the Great Loop.
Lot’s of pictures of the Big Girls out here, eh?  Well there’s lot’s of Big Girls. Soon these Big Girl pictures will transform into barge and tow pictures in the rivers after Chicago.  They all carry way more than the semi-trucks on the highways.
Our first views of Big Mac (the Mackinac Bridge) were a little before I took this photo.  We spotted it 20 miles out.  To see it, you’ll have to click on the photo and make it bigger.  Remember to click on the white X in the right corner to come back to the blog.
A better view of Big Mac as we were heading into the Detour Marina.

We had following seas to St. Ignace once we left the St. Mary River.  All was well until we tried to figure out the harbor entrance.  The markers were confusing and the high speed ferries running in front of us make entering tough.  Worse yet, the wind was very strong out of the North.

St. Ignace Harbor is protected by huge rock walls and the boulders came well out into the channel.  We wanted to pump out the holding tank and take on some diesel but the conditions would not permit it.  After one failed attempt at the gas dock, we went straight to our assigned dock.  Once there, we found the harbormaster had assigned us to a starboard tie up which we were sure to fail because of the wind.  I was talking to her on the VHF radio and mainly said,”Oops, missed that one, we’re taking the next one for a port tie up and the wind will put us to the dock!”  I’m not used to overriding an assignment…and I think I might have said that to her.

The high speed ferry terminal was just north of the Detour Marina.  Imagine two of these crossing in front of us, each going opposite ways, as we were battling a strong northwest wind coming into a narrow harbor entrance full of big rocks.  It was a little testy for the Captain.  Some of the rock wall protecting the harbor is visible in the right upper corner.
OB at her dock.  The rock wall is visible behind us.  Notice, OB is not sternned in in this picture.  We had to bring her in bow first because the wind was so obstructive to our navigation.
Our first Looper sighting.  Untide was a few slips down from OB.  It’s always nice to start meeting folks doing what you’re doing…experiencing an adventure…and it’s ALWAYS an adventure with new twists and turns.

We stayed in St. Ignace an extra day due to more poor weather conditions.  The layover allowed us to see the town, get some wash done, enjoy a wonderful prime rib dinner at the Galley Restaurant, sit on our bridge sipping some red wine and eating fudge while watching a superb fireworks display.  All in all, St. Ignace was a wonderful stop aside from the horrid wind.

We were impressed with the clarity of the water here.  You could see every stone…as well as the rocks in the harbor that held up the enormous rock wall.


St. Ignace is a cute little town with some great restaurants and shops along the shoreline.  There are also 4 ferry lines that take folks from the UP to Mackinac Island.
Sunset Saturday night before the fireworks display which was an excellent display…especially considering they have it EVERY Saturday night from July 4th until August 31st!

We met two Looper boats while we were in St. Ignace: Monica and Warren on Untide, Terry and Ken on Roundabout.  Untide was taking the Michigan west coast route down Lake Michigan before crossing to Chicago.  Roundabout went to Beaver Island, our destination as well.  From there they planned to run to Ludington on the Michigan west coast, then across Lake Michigan to Milwaukee.  We will most likely see both in the rivers south of Chicago.

Port#9: A Tour of Detour…

By on August 15, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/14/2014

Day #15 (Thursday): 45 miles (545 total miles)

Locks: 0 (2 total locks)

Port #9:  Detour, MI

The crew on OB was getting restless.  They knew it was time to move on.  The weather gods finally decided to give us a morning with less wind but certainly not wind free.  Our concern with the amount of wind we had wasn’t the wind itself but the closeness of the boat next to us.

We were up before the sun prepping OB for the morning run and making ready to leave the Soo to begin heading south.  No one else was up and around on the dock, or so it seemed.  As the sun rose, we wanted to be on our way without taking OB into our neighboring boat.  Just by chance, a neighboring sailor happened down the dock and offered his assistance.  Leaving ended up being a non-event however it eased our minds to know someone was present to thwart a situation.

Marilyn and Don’s condo on the St. Mary River.

Heading back down the St. Mary River, OB passed Marilyn and Don’s condo.  It looked sleepy in the early morning sunlight.  The river was quiet with no freighters in sight until we turned the corner to head south.  A freighter was going our direction in the downbound channel at a slower speed than our 8-9 mph.  Todd didn’t want to be caught in a passing situation in the narrow section of the downbound channel so chose a route in the upbound channel.

Shipping channels are developed for the freighters because of their size.  Some areas are so narrow, freighters traveling in opposing directions could not pass by each other.  Pleasure boats of our size have no problem getting by oncoming freighters and are free to chose either channel.

As we got closer to Munuscong Bay, we were coming out of the upbound channel and beginning to run into uncomfortable building seas in the river.  The freighter we were avoiding by taking the upbound channel also appeared along side.  It was time to put OB up on plane and burn some diesel for comfort and for safety.

The freighter we were trying to avoid ended up right next to us as we emerged from the upbound channel.
The shallow water along shore and the waters coming across shallow Munuscong Bay churned mud and sand up with the winds of the preceding 3 days.
Interesting to see how the freighters look when coming through the horizon with the sun shining on the choppy river.
There she is.
This looked like a scuttled freighter just north of Detour.
A pilothouse converted to a house…smaller than the one on South Bass Island in Lake Erie.

OB ran like a champ.  We came into Detour an hour ahead of the time we would have at the slower speed.  Because the winds had picked up and were much stronger, coming into Detour Harbor was a little dicey.  Once well into the harbor, Todd was able to bring OB into the dock without mishap.

Todd tries to dock OB stern first if at all possible.  Generally, the power tower and water are on the main dock and not the finger dock we have OB parallel to.  Our electric cord and water are in the stern of the boat.  The shorter distance to keep our creature comforts running makes setting up at each dock easier.

Detour Harbor Marina
Ocean Breeze sterned into the dock.
THAT’S a brisk wind!

Detour was a cute little town.  The main street (Ontario), has 4 restaurants, 2 bars, 3 churches, a grocery store, a sports and marine store and a few boutique type shops.  It’s a sleepy little town and the main business is the ferry that runs between the UP and Drummond Island.

Ontario Street…the main street leading to downtown Detour.
Sune’s IGA and a little restaurant across the street.
Downtown Detour with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and a restaurant next door.

Weather or Not, Family is Always a Good Thing!

By on August 14, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/11-13/2014

Day #12-14 (Monday-Wednesday): 42 miles (500 total miles)

Locks: 2  (2 total locks)

Port #8:  Sault Ste Marie, MI

After we returned from our little jaunt into Whitefish Bay and the waters of Lake Superior, we found more boats had come into the marina.  Impending weather manages to rearrange plans for many water dwellers.  Boats are at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Todd and I decided it was time to explore the waterfront in Sault Ste. Marie.  The old downtown is typical of small town Midwest with old architecture filled with hometown restaurants, pubs, gift shops and ice cream stores.

Unique artwork along Portage Street in Sault Sainte Marie, MI (including the fellow riding the bike…which was part of the artwork!)

The Soo has done a good job preserving her history and making visiting an educational experience for young and old alike.  The Army Corps of Engineers has a huge facility and park built around the freighter locks.  Best yet, entry is free.  Todd and I went to the observation area to watch a freighter enter and lock through.  Some years back, we had visited my cousin and taken the Soo Tours through these huge freighter locks.  The Soo Locks didn’t seem to have the turbulence we’ve experienced in the Welland Locks.  It might be because the Soo Locks only lift vessels 21 feet or so depending on water levels in Lake Superior.  The Welland Locks lift much higher upbound.

A picture of the freighter locks at the Soo.  The two locks in the middle of the picture are the longer locks that allow the bigger Laker Freighters through.  The red arrow at the top is where the Canadian Lock is located…the one we went through.

We walked through the museum and learned some interesting tidbits about the Soo Lock and the freighters they serve.  The mega-freighters that are 1000 feet long are able to transit by way of the Poe Lock, the only lock long enough for them.  If one those freighters were stood on end, it would be within 250 feet of the height of the Empire State building.

A beautiful park surrounds the lock area and museum.  We walked through the park hoping to find a gate at the east end closest to the marina.  All we found was the huge cast iron fence that surrounds the lock area and park  for security.  We ended up walking back to the front gates along Portage Street, the main street downtown.

The next day (Tuesday) was rainy and miserable.  We pulled out our raincoats and headed next door to tour the Valley Camp, a 525 foot freighter that used to be an ore boat for the Republic Steel Company.  My cousin’s husband was a marketing manager for Republic and new most all of the ore carriers old and new.

Rain happens…and it was raw and cold, too!  The US Coast Guard station was behind the George Kemp Marina.
A panoramic shot of the Valley Camp…a retired Republic Steel Corp. ore freighter.  This freighter was the backdrop (or front window, depending which way you were facing) of the marina.
Demonstrating the depths and drops from one Great Lake to the next beginning, of course, with Superior.  The big grey area in the middle is the Welland Canal dropping from Erie into Ontario.  They will be the last locks we take when we come home in the spring…and the ARE the mother of all locks.  That will be our fourth and possibly last trip upbound through them.
Looking from the pilothouse across the deck of the Valley Camp.

That little yellow box is a life saving box.  Should a worker fall from the deck between the freighter and a wall, the block is dropped down and used to save him.
See the story below about the fate of this buoy and it’s mate.
Can you imaging the pressure on the Edmund Fitzgerald ?
One of two lifeboats on display in the Valley Camp.  Can you see the concave dips in the floor (more easily seen behind the lifeboat)?  That’s from the years and years of transporting iron ore pellets in the cargo holds.  The weight actually warped the floor between the struts supporting the floor.

This was a nice display about the Edmund Fitzgerald in the Valley Camp.  They also had two theatres with a film describing the day and night leading up to the loss of the Fitzgerald.  Very impressive.

We enjoyed another great evening of food, laughter and reminiscing at my cousin’s condo that evening.  It was a celebration of Don’s birthday.  The weather may have been raw and wet outside, the warmth of family reigned inside.

The famous moving bear in my cousin’s house.  He shows up just about anywhere, anytime. 
Notice a difference in clothing between the first night we were there and the last night?  It got darn cold!

Family fun with Don on his 80th birthday.
Mother Nature continued to dominate our plans with high winds but clear skies Wednesday.  I tied the boat in a little tighter and we decided to walk to the grocery store a mile away.  We try to walk as much as possible to get some exercise on these journeys.  I hadn’t planned to shop for a few days but with the weather keeping us land bound, it made sense to check that chore off the list.  The Soo Super Value was well stocked and had the few things we needed.  We have two folding crates on wheels with collapsible handles we take with us shopping and roll back to the boat with groceries in tow.

We finished up the day meeting Marilyn and Don at Zorba’s for a wonderful Greek meal topped off with baklava.  It was Don’s actual birth day which added to the fun.  I love seeing family when miles keep us apart for years.  It’s difficult to leave, however the Loop awaits us.


Happy Birthday, Don!  You’re amazing….


The Toddmund Fitzgerald…

By on August 13, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/11/2014

Day #12 (Monday): 42 miles (500 total miles)

Locks: 2  (2 total locks)

Port #8:  Sault Ste Marie, MI

OB’s day to touch the waters of Lake Superior had come!  Todd didn’t sleep well thinking about the short trip we’d planned.  The weather forecast made it clear our weather window was coming to a close.

Sunday night, after we returned to the boat from Don and Marilyn’s, our plan was to take OB to Whitefish Point and spend the night.  However, two problems stood in the way: the incoming weather and a problem finding an open dock.  The docks at Whitefish Bay are free and rumor told us the local fishermen usually have them tied up with fishing boats.

When I got up Monday morning, Todd decided he would put OB on plane so we could be at Whitefish Point in 2 hours (instead of the 5 hrs. it would take us at 8-9 mph).  We could walk to the Whitefish Bay Maritime Museum and have OB back at the George Kemp docks by mid to late afternoon ahead of the weather.

After further contemplation and talking to the dockmaster, Todd was concerned we’d arrive at Whitefish Point, the docks would be filled up with fishing boats, we’d have spent a lot of diesel and accomplished nothing other than taking OB farther into Superior’s waters than need be.  So the plan was hatched to take OB through the Soo Locks, travel our normal speed to Whitefish Bay, bask in the glory we’d accomplished having OB in the waters of all five Great Lakes, come back to the marina and watch the weather.

We were advised to go through the Canadian Locks.  It was a non-event with much the same procedure as going through the Erie and Oswego Locks.  I’d forgotten how dirty the cables are in the locks.  On the return trip I used our black lines!

The Canadian Lock doors are open and the green light advises us to come in.
The green light is under the green arrow.  If the light is red, we have to wait…just like a traffic light.

Todd plotted a course up the St. Mary River to Whitefish Bay.  There were many gorgeous homes all along the Canadian shoreline.  We saw a huge windmill farm that ran the full length of the ridge to the north.

Algoma Steel Corp. Depot on the Canadian side just as we left the lock into the St. Mary River.
Huge windmill farm all along the ridge on the north side of the St. Mary River in Canada.  Very hard to see here because of the overcast sky.  They have over 130 windmills in the farm.
Evidence of the Granite Shield.  This part of the US and Canada lay on a huge granite formation called the Granite Shield.
Beautiful houses along the Canadian side of the St. Mary River.  The US side was mostly woodland.
This freighter looked like a ghost coming out of the mist…adding to the anxiety of going into the unknown!
Alas, not a ghost!
A little better picture of the far west end of the windmill farm as we came to the end of the St. Mary River and the beginning of Whitefish Bay.

The day became overcast and the waters turned steely grey. The water in OB’s prop wash had a dark emerald cast.  On a sunny day, Whitefish Bay and Superior are most likely beautiful.

The last marker in the St. Mary River before entering Whitefish Bay.
Our GPS Navionics Charting Program shows us entering Whitefish Bay and meeting the waters of Lake Superior.
Charlie’s impression of entering the waters of the last of five Great Lakes for us.
Of course, there HAD to be a ghost lighthouse after we left the St. Mary River and continued to venture out into Whitefish Bay.
If you didn’t see it in the last picture, here it is!  Yes, we kept moving deeper and deeper into Whitefish Bay.
A commercial fisherman alone in Whitefish Bay.  I told Todd I thought he was brave.
That’s Lake Superior on the horizon.  The waters were very calm and inviting…
…but they were so cold and steel grey looking.  Kind of nerve wracking.
Our prop wash had a slight emerald green cast to it.  I guessed on a sunny, warm day the water color would have been beautiful.

OB had made her goal.  She’s tasted the waters of all five Great Lakes.  From this point on, OB is headed south!


On the way back to the lock, this big girl passed us heading into Lake Superior.
More of the Coast Guard presence we’ve seen along the way.  He’s headed into Lake Superior too.
Coming back to the lock, Todd lined up the Range Lights.  Freighters use them more often than we do to keep on course in tight quarters.
The arrows point to the Range Lights.  They should be lined up such that one looks like it is on top of the other.  We’re pretty close to that.
Our Raymarine GPS Chart looks like this…
…and our Navionics GPS Chart is more detailed.  Our little green boat image toward the top left is entering the channel for the Canadian Lock.  If we didn’t make that left turn, we’d be in one of the four freighter locks dead ahead of us in the center of the chart.
The lock doors are closed but it isn’t easy to see when we’re downbound.  The red light on the left tells us to stay put.
The red light is under the red arrow on the left.
Leaving the lock after our 21 foot descent.  We had a large group of folks watching us lock through.  As we progress down the rivers later in this trip, you’ll see that a 21 foot drop isn’t really very big.

By the way, the reason for the title of this blog came from Todd.  Before we even started out, he was calling OB ‘The Toddmund Fitzgerald’.  It was more unnerving than the experience!

Freighters, Fishermen, Flotsam and Mayflies…

By on August 11, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/10/2014

Day #11 (Sunday): 50 miles (458 total miles)

Port #8:  Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Another great sleeping night led to an exciting day.  After cleaning the mud from the anchor chain and anchor, the Captain set a course for George Kemp Marina in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.  The morning broke clear and beautiful.  Our weather window has been long and given us a full week of travel days.  Forecasts predicted it would come to an end Monday afternoon.

Sunrise over Harbor Island Bay.

Today we were in the St. Mary River which would take us to the Soo and eventually into Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior. It was a day of many small fishing boats cluttering the channel as well as freighters coming from and going to the Soo Locks and Lake Superior.

 
Freighter anchored between Drummond and Detour waiting to load quarry stone.
Southbound freighter coming down the St. Mary River from the Soo Locks.
A northbound freighter passing us.
We moved out of the channel and slowed down to let him by…the law of bigness!
There he is, passing a southbound freighter.
Another southbound freighter…passing what looked like a lighthouse.

This wasn’t listed on the charts…
…so we weren’t sure if it was a lighthouse or a house built to replicate one.
There were at least 30 of these little fishing boats in the channel.  Don’t know if they had a Sunday Special on rentals somewhere or it’s just a popular style fishing boat.  At any rate they were out there with those big freighters!
Suddenly we started having flotsam (this was a piece of a railroad tie)…so we started a watch.  Flotsam this big could mess up a prop and we’ve had that kind of experience before!  Also, that other stuff is mayflies.  Their hatch is about 6 weeks behind ours.
That was another nice sized log.
Along came this tour boat.
Charlie decided to navigate too.
There’s those nasty mayflies!
Todd followed the downbound channel to the Soo.  At some points we could see we were in a ditch much like the Tenn-Tom Waterway…just shorter.  The Army Corps seemed to have some kind of project going in the area on both sides of the channel.

First the islands were all spread out like this…
…then they got closer together…
…and the channel markers got bigger…
…making sure we didn’t run aground on something like this.
The channel would widen and there were all kinds of pretty houses…
on both sides.  My preference is this one!
This is what the area in the above three pictures looked like on our GPS Navigation System.
I couldn’t figure out the contraption this fellow was working on.  It looked like a little draw bridge to nowhere!
We came upon this project by the Army Corps of Engineers.  Both sides of the channel looked like they were being worked on.  However, it wasn’t evident just what they were doing.
The upstream side of the Army Corps barge gave us no clues either.
Then there was this little car ferry running back and forth from one side to the other.
The ‘ditch’ looked like this…very obviously shored up after it was cut out.

This is what that section (the ditch) looked like on our navigation screen.
We arrived at the last turn in the St. Mary River before Sault Ste. Marie.  I called my cousin and told her to keep watch, we were on our way.  My cousin lives on the St. Mary River and just down the street from the marina and the Soo Locks.  As we passed by, the whole family, as well as other condo dwellers from their building were out on the dock and on their decks waving.  We were able to make a loop close in to their dock which was quite a thrill for all of us.

Last turn in the St. Mary River before Sault Ste. Marie, MI.  The Soo is on the left and Sault Ste. Marie, ON, CA is on the right (two Soos…who knew!)

They came to OB so Jennifer and Bill could see how we are traveling.  Afterward we spent a wonderful evening at Don and Marilyn’s condo and had a scrumptious dinner of ribs, chicken, local sweet corn (my absolute favorite!), beet and kale salad, and a wonderful cherry pie Jenn and Bill made from local cherries.  Are you hungry yet?

That’s our family!

Land HO !!!!F…

By on August 10, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/9/2014

Day #10 (Saturday): 58 miles (408 total miles)

Port #7:  Near Drummond Island, MI (Anchorage #2: Harbor Island Bay)

OB’s crew had such a peaceful night it was hard to get out of bed.  Charlie was the last one up!  We still had a good weather pattern over us dictating our movement north.

Most of the day was spent out of sight of land.  Seas were quiet through the morning with 1 foot rollers or less.  The gentle rocking of the boat and the constant hum of the engines made the crew want to nap.  There was no cell phone service most of the time so no internet.  Since I couldn’t put my blog update online, I busied myself with boatwork (the same as housework only in the boat).

Charlie’s spot today…not interested in cleaning the boat!

Finally Drummond Island appeared on the distant horizon.  By then the seas were pancake flat.  We passed Detour Reef Light and I could see the Drummond Island Ferry in the distance.  I had talked to my cousin, Marilyn, in the morning before we lost cell service.  She told me Don (her husband who I refer to as my cousin, as well!), Jennifer (their youngest daughter) and her boyfriend were on Drummond driving around and looking at their old house.  As we approached the ferry dock, I could see cars lined up and people waiting.  Kathryn (their next youngest daughter) messaged me and said they were on the dock waving.  I looked through the binoculars again and there they were.  I was so excited!

The Detour Reef Light…land HO!!!!
Freighter headed southbound from the Soo Locks.
These big guys really ‘push’ the water.  That’s how little boats (even our size) get sucked under and capsize.
Another freighter in front of Detour headed northbound for the Soo Locks.
The quarry and the ferry docks on the far left.  That’s where we spotted Jennifer and Bill waiting in line.  We could see them waving at us!
Huge quarry on Drummond Island, MI.

We will go to Sault Ste Marie tomorrow and visit them for a couple of days.  The last Loop they came to Mackinaw City to see us, tour the boat and go out for a nice dinner.  I always look forward to seeing them.  My family is pretty small with only 5 cousins.  My parents and grandparents have all passed on to the great adventure above.

OB finished her day in another beautiful anchorage.  The bay in Harbor Island has a small entrance and opens up into a nice sized bay with a mud bottom…great for anchoring and a scheduled morning clean up for the anchor and chain.

When we entered the bay, only a sailboat and a small fishing boat were anchored.  By the time we went to bed, we had been joined by another sailboat and 5 other smaller cruisers.  Even with that many boats, we all had at least 100 yards between us.

There were islands as far as the eye could see after we rounded Drummond Island.
This is what the charting program looked like for the picture above.  We’re the little black dot mid-screen on the left.
Charlie on the watch….no, he won’t help with the boat cleaning but he’s upfront and center for the anchoring.
Our island anchorage for the night.  The opening to the bay is….
…right here.
Inside the bay at Harbor Island.
Another amazing sunset…
…and almost full moon rising.
The next morning.

Thank You, Active Captain…

By on August 10, 2014 in Ocean Breeze
Great Loop II Date: 8/8/2014

Day #9 (Friday): 58 miles (351 total miles)

Port #6:  Presque Isle, MI (Anchorage #1: North Bay)

OB’s crew got an extra hour’s sleep.  We cast off at 7:30AM and took a heading to Presque Isle, MI.  The waters began so flat, only OB’s wake disturbed it.  Of course, that never seems to last very long.  Multiple cruisers heading southbound and a few northbound managed to make plenty of wakes disturbing the millpond.

We don’t often see a lake this smooth…
…we could even see the sun’s image in it.
Thunder Bay Light
Only OB’s wake broke the silent waters!

Charlie’s spot today
So calm the Captain maintained the helm and carried on business too.
Wake #1…
…wake #2
…wake #3…
…wake # ???…I lost count.  We could leave a mighty 3 foot wake too but we choose to go slow, enjoy the scenery and save diesel!

The cruise today was the best so far.  We passed Thunder Bay and Presque Isle Bay heading around the Presque Isle Lighthouse for an anchorage in North Bay.  It was a beautiful, pristine spot.  The Siegels, creators and managers of Active Captain, anchored here last year and wrote a wonderful review.  We concur!  The waters were so clear and so still we could see where the anchor, chain and line lay.  When I checked the anchor in the morning, I could see the chain sweep in the sand where we had swung about 45oduring the night.

Presque Isle Bay with the old Ghost Lighthouse on the right.  My August 2010 blog has the history of that light and why it’s called the Ghost Light.
The Presque Isle Light
North Bay to the East.  The light kept watch over us all night long.
Following the shoreline of North Bay around to the South…
…to the West.

The beach at North Bay.
There’s the anchor line.  That little black dot is a 10# mushroom anchor called a Keg.  I run it down the line the help keep the chain and anchor stem inline with the ground.  It helps the anchor bury itself and reset when the boat swings around the anchor in an arch.  The waters and the wind never stop moving.  Even the slightest change causes OB to march around her anchor.

Active Captain is a website full of information for boaters on the water highway.  Jeff Siegel is a long time distance boater and realized the need for a website complete with marina, lock, bridge, destination and hazard information.  He made the site user friendly, available to all boaters (for FREE) and open for updates by boaters as they experience or come upon information that is valuable to fellow boaters.  The Siegels have cruised the East Coast for years.  They decided to experience the Great Loop 2013 through 2014, adding some new information to the website as they went.  Their blog is fun to follow too as it is wrapped around their two beautiful Yellow Labrador Retrievers, Dylan and DeeDee.  You can check both websites out at https://activecaptain.comand http://www.takingpaws.com/.  A huge thank you from Todd and me (as well as literally thousands of other boaters) for the great service Karen and Jeff Siegel provide us.

Charlie was interested in all the folks on the beach.
Charlie and I were checking out the folks onshore…and watching a lost ‘noodle’ float our way.
Charlie trying to remember how to navigate those stairs to the bridge.
Our peaceful sunset.

Ride ‘Em Cowboy (And Girl)…

By on August 8, 2014 in Ocean Breeze

Great Loop II Date: 8/7/2014

Day #8 (Thursday):  95 miles (293 total miles)

Port #5:  Harrisville Municipal Harbor

OB’s crew arose early to get underway for a long day on the water.  Our plans have changed daily.  We want to add new experiences to our adventure.

Although Port Austin and Tawas Harbor (all in Michigan) would have been new ports to us, we have always wanted to let OB touch Lake Superior before our long distant cruising days close.  We also need to travel as far as we can when the weather permits, especially since we are traveling at slower speeds.  So Todd plotted a course to Harrisville, MI repeating the same long travel day we had 4 years ago during Loop #1.

We left Port Sanilac under a beautiful sunrise and 1 foot seas.  By the time we were approaching the Saginaw Bay area, we were taking 3 foot rollers on the nose.  Were it Lake Erie, everything in the boat would be on the floor, including us.  Lake Huron is much deeper so riding them is more like a slow motion bucking bull ride.  Although not a bad ride, it does get a bit tiring.

Many times during this trip (including today) we are not in sight of land.  Even with the bouncing, each member of the crew has to take time at the helm and find things to do.  I often work on our blog, although today we were out of range for both our phones and our MiFi.  Todd moves between the upper and lower stations, drinks coffee and plans course directions.  Charlie finds the best spot to ride out the boat movement and sleeps.

We saw one lone sailor today.  Four power boaters did pass us southbound but I didn’t get their picture.
Looking west…
…looking north…
…looking east…
…looking south…
…Charlie looking at his eyelids.  This was his spot today…the lowest spot in the boat!

I wanted to try my new inverter in the galley with my crockpot.  Before we left port, I assembled beef stew in the crockpot and plugged it in.  I was so happy it all worked well and we had a fine dinner aboard when we arrived in Harrisville.
Here’s the crockpot set up…the red arrow is pointing to the 1000W Inverter.  I keep the crockpot in the sink so it doesn’t migrate to the floor if seas get bumpy.
We relaxed on the bridge before dinner, walked Charlie a few times, watched a little TV after dinner and turned in early.  Today was a 10 hour travel day and we were tired.