Honey Queen Adventures

We pulled out of the Big Basin Marina, adequate, but not a place we plan to revisit, a little after 7 am this morning, with the Dresden Lock just 5 miles downstream.

With a small delay, we were able to get in and out and continue on our merry way. The scenery was prettier, at least for awhile, than the industrial environment we’ve seen the last few days. Kind of like Pt. Wentworth, Ga., we deem it as a necessary evil. Not pretty, but essential to the economy for us all.

We enjoyed the flat waters, a mix of sunshine, and the changing colors of the leaves. For the most part, it was a better than expected vista, as we had been warned that this was not the pretty part of the Great Loop. We have hoped for the best and expected the worst, continuing on the South and Westward route. Today’s journey covered the Illinois and DesPlaines Rivers. Thus far, it’s been all downstream, so our gas (diesel) mileage and speed has been excellent. With the more speed, we get to spend more time waiting at locks. I have to remind myself occasionally, I could be sitting at my desk, estimating a sprinkler job, and wondering how I’m going to make payroll this week. This is good, and I’m not complaining.

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We arrived at the Marseilles Lock just before noon. I made the routine call to the dock, advising of our presence, and seeking an estimated time for locking through. The lock master advised me the barge traffic was heavy but he was relatively certain he could get us through…today. “Come on up close to the lock and stay near to the last red buoy. We’ll see what we can do,” I was told. Taking a deep breath, and remembering what my fellow Loopers had already experienced, I pulled up near that last red buoy and dropped the anchor. A short 3 hours later, the lock master called and said we could come on through.

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The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, with the exception of the occasional tow/barge traffic. These guys can be intimidating, but we have become accustomed to seeing them, so we don’t get quite as nervous as we did, whether meeting them or passing them.

After locking through Marseilles, we had one more lock to possibly get through before day’s end: the Starved Rock Lock. Having met another boat, who had waited 5 hours at the lock where we waited 3, we agreed to push together and try to get through before dark. We arrived just before 5 pm and saw the same barge we had waited on previously. The captain on the other pleasure craft radioed the lock, asking what was the estimated time for our passage. “Probably ’bout 3 hours ‘fore we can get you through,” was the response. As I started my U-turn in the river, I was soon being followed by our new buddy boat, the Casa Marina II. We doubled back to a marina about a mile upstream (Starved Rock Marina) and tied up stern to stern at the fuel dock, because the marina entrance was too shallow for our boats.

So we are tucked in for the night just upstream of Starved Rock. We called the lock master tonight, and he assured us he could get us through at 7 am tomorrow morning. That assurance is based purely on the absence of barges, at that time. We look forward this section being behind us. This little skinny thin-skinned boy is ready to find some warm weather. I didn’t work 45 years, retire, and spend half my net worth on a boat, just so I could be cold. Come on Florida!

We landed in Chicago at 2:30 pm. My cousin, Ronnie, had been in contact with me after a visit with my folks and told me he would be in Chicago the day we arrived. We met in the airport and had a great visit with Christy and Ronnie’s son Marcus. Getting to be with family members that are separated by many miles is certainly precious. And I suppose, as we get older, it will only become more so. Thanks Ronnie for putting forth the effort to connect again.

We got to the boat around dark after a 1 hour Uber ride. Sunday morning, October 20th, we listened to our home church service, tried to pull things together for the next leg of our adventure, and then our friends, the DeYoungs came to visit us. They transported us to lunch, the grocery store, and then back to the boat. John and Karen helped us drop the mast on the boat (next leg has some low bridges). As I said earlier, they’re pretty good folks. Their efforts were much appreciated and they made our transition to boat life much more simple.

Monday morning, the 21st of October, we pulled out about 8:00 am. Most all our boating friends are now gone ahead of us, but we have heard time and again about the barge traffic and about the extensive delays at the locks. All our friends were telling the truth. With approximately 100 locks now under our belt, we felt plenty experienced in negotiating them, but we had not encountered the barge traffic and their impact on locking through. Barge traffic here rules the waterways, and though we are treated kindly and with respect, we pleasure boaters are really a nuisance to the tows moving the world on water.

We got through the Lockport Lock with very little delay or drama. I was thinking that being behind all the pleasure boater traffic might be to our benefit, since most are done. We weaved our way through barges, waiting when they tell us to wait, passing them on the “1 whistle” (port to port) as they instruct. Though stressful, I must admit it is quite gratifying learning a new way to drive and communicate in a world totally foreign to me. Lord, keep me from being or doing stupid. We passed under the 5 draw bridges and things were going well. Next lock, Brandon Road. We called the lock master and asked for the next opening. “A while,” we were told. “How long?”, we asked, but got no concrete answer. Barges were waiting to go up and to go down. After 30 minutes, we doubled back to the Joliet Wall, a free wall to mooring transients, determined to wait and check in with the lockmaster occasionally. If necessary, we could stay the night here. The “while” went 1 hour, 2, and eventually 3 hours. Around 7:00 and an now dark, we got the word he could get us through. At the same time we learned the lock will be closed for the next 2 days, after today, so it would be Thursday before we could move, unless we go now. I made the decision (and Amanda reluctantly agreed) to go now and get through this thing. With 2 other boats (I would never have done it alone), we headed downstream. With another barge going down also, they put the 3 pleasure craft (aka PC’s) on the opposite wall. We got through the lock with little drama and drove downstream into the darkness. Tomorrow’s forecast calls for a GALE WARNING, meaning winds gusting to 40 mph. We called a dive of a marina that was just a few miles down the river and pulled in about 9:30 pm. After trying numerous slips that were not deep as our draft, we managed to get into one, hook up power, and call it a night.

We were warned that these 2-3 weeks would not be much fun, and so far that forecast has been accurate. We are taking in the industrial scenery, fascinated by all mills, plants, etc. that use the river for their primary transportation in and out for their raw materials.

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Tuesday, October 22, we laid low. We determined to sit tight because of gale force winds in the forecast. Though not as ominous to negotiate in the river, compared to the big bodies of water like Lake Michigan or Chesapeake Bay, we were happy to sit tight. Wednesday, we hurry up and wait on 3 more locks. We will see where we really end up.

September 12th, we left Michigan City, Indiana and did a crossing of Lake Michigan to Hammond, Indiana. This day presented the opportunity to be dependent on our instruments. Fog was as thick as I have experienced. Our visibility was less than 1/4 mile. When we bought the Honey Queen, radar and AIS (Automatic Identification System) were included in the electronics package on board and they proved to give a level of comfort and safety much needed, under these conditions. Prior to this day, I have enjoyed having them on board, as they have given me time to see far beyond what my eyes can see, provide plenty of time to comfortably plan, communicate, and reasonably address any situation that may develop.

This day, we were cruising due West (heading of 270 degrees) to Hammond. At the same time, coming from Chicago, the Alden Williams tow (tugboat) was heading Southeast at approximately 130 degrees. In short, our timing ensured a near miss, if not a collision. With AIS and VHF radio, we were able to monitor each other’s course, verbally communicate, and alter our courses to ensure we would not meet in the middle of the Lake.

The 22-mile journey across, got us to the Hammond Marina. By far, this is the biggest marina I have ever seen. Conservatively, 1000 slips are in this place. Situated on the Western shore of Lake Michigan, south of Chicago, many folks live aboard here from April through October. Being directly on the Lake, the marina is subject to lots of wind. The slips moved constantly, making the whole marina sound like a horror movie when the guy with the chain saw slowly pushes the door open. The marina is also located next to a casino. Like many regions of the country, this casino is not allowed to be land-based. This casino is built on top of the water, essentially “floating” in place. What a joke to build such a massive structure to avoid the letter of the law. The parking deck is on land, so after leaving your vehicle, you walk to the attached casino to give away your money.

I have always heard they have good, cheap food. Dale and Sandy got 2 for 1 coupons for the buffet (they did not gamble to get them) and we enjoyed our last meal together. For approximately $10 each, we ate like kings (and queens) and then walked out, smelling like cigarettes.

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We said goodbye for the 2nd time to friends, Dale and Sandy Collins, on the boat On Missions. Their lives and down to earth Christian world view have been salt and light to many, including us, fellow believers. Dale’s servant spirit, who always lends a hand, and seldom needs one, has been a testimony to many in their travels. Sandy, whose sense of humor and hilarious outlook on life have added much color to our trip. Having said goodbye once after Amanda’s broken foot ordeal, we hope this 2nd goodbye will be like the first, and find us back together again in the not to distant future. They have become special friends to many, and we are fortunate to have had our paths intersect, allowing us to be a part of their lives on this adventure.

Early morning, September 14th, we dropped the lines and made the crossing to Dusable Marina, in the heart of downtown Chicago. Our good friends, the Steins, from Rochester, NY., flew to Chicago last night to meet us and show us the town where they were educated, met, and lived in the early days of their marriage. They were at the marina before we got our lines tied, and we were off to see the city. We enjoyed breakfast, the Architectural boat cruise, lunch consisting of genuine Chicago style pizza, a few miles of walking (and scooting), a park, a stainless steel coffee bean (I guess that’s what the shiny thing is), and an Italian dinner. It was a long day, packed with activity. Amanda was trooper, making the scooter work everywhere she could and hobbling the rest of the time.

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After the boat tour and lunch, our day looked like this:

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We rested Sunday, the 15th, watched Moody Church on TV, and had every intention of leaving early Monday morning, destination Dolton, Illinois, aka the river system of Illinois. Monday morning came and the fog was so thick we could hardly see the end of the pier where we were docked.

No big deal we thought, the fog was forecasted to lift by 10:00 am. Our destination was less than 10 miles, so we could leave later. Later ended up being 2:30, so we agreed to go for it. First bridge, 20 minute wait. Fourth bridge, 1 hour wait. First and only lock, 45 minute wait. At 9:30 pm (yes, it was my first night driving training), we came to a very small marina, obviously closed down for the night. All the slips were too small for our boat, so I pulled in to the fuel dock, tied the boat, and we crashed. We were only 30 minutes from the marina in Dolton, where I had reservations, but we were too spent to go another mile. Early the next morning, we left a note on the marina office door, telling them we had used their facility for the evening and headed on down the river. We checked into the marina and got settled in, tying up loose ends on the boat, changing the oil in the generator, and a handful of other duties. This will home for the Honey Queen until we get back from our visit to Savannah and Sweetwater.

We met John and Karen DeYoung who keep their boat at Marine Services during the boating months. A retired heavy equipment operator, John and I hit it off. We enjoyed getting to know them both. They were willing to keep an eye on the boat and open it up occasionally to let it air out. I love meeting folks from different parts of the country, who have worked hard all their lives, and are salt of the earth folks. Though our time together was short, the friendship will be long. We are grateful for their watch-care.

Saturday morning, September 19th, we caught an Uber to O’Hare Airport and flew home for a month. Our plan is to return on October 19th, following the Emmaus weekend, where I will serve on the music team, and our 10th Annual Barn Dance. We look forward to getting home, hugging grandkids (and the kids), seeing mom and dad, serving with brothers, and “do-ci-do”-ing with great friends.

Frankfort—Manistee—Ludington—Grand Haven—St. Joseph/Benton Harbor–Michigan City

I’ve combined the days in these cities/marinas because the pattern for travel has been pretty similar, day to day, without major life-changing events or scenery. Our travel has taken us down the Eastern side of Lake Michigan, south-southwest, following the coastline. Depending on the winds, we stayed as close to the shoreline as safety would allow, usually 3-4 miles offshore. We have learned that traveling Lake Michigan is much like what we learned on the Chesapeake Bay. The lake dictates your travel. Our job is to understand when the lake says we can travel. Simply put, Lake Michigan will kick your behind. Winds have been mostly from the South-Southwest. Since the lake runs pretty much North-South, it gets pretty wicked when Southbound.

One particular day, we started with winds in our face. Over a 4 hour period, we saw the winds change 180 degrees. Before we arrived at the marina, we were getting pushed, rolling the boat left/right because of the big swells on our stern. Our boats looked like drunk sailors (of which we are neither) trying to hold a straight line to our destination. The image on our wind app was amazing, especially during the period where it looked like we were in the eye of a hurricane. Granted, the winds were nothing like hurricane, and we were certainly never in danger, but the phenomena of the wind pattern over that short period of time reminded me that being close to shore, regardless of the forecast, is a wise decision. I was reminded the “Looper experts” suggest that being off the Great Lakes by Labor Day is a wise, conservative sailing plan. We have found that good travel days are fewer and farther between as the season evolves. We have found that weather days have actually forced us to enjoy the experience. We find time to play tourist and enjoy the charm of the towns we frequently skip through. We have time to get chores done on the boat, maintenance items completed, and actually sit down on the boat, visit with the marina locals, and chill. Meeting the people is what the experience is really about. We have developed a monologue , based on the questions we are always asked:

1. Where are you from?
2. Where are you going?
3. When did you leave?
4. Where was your favorite spot?
5. How long will that take?

Admittedly, it is a pretty cool experience. And for the most part, we have relished this experience. This silly blog thing I do will be cherished when we reflect back someday. We still have no regrets for diving right in to the experience at this stage of life. As is often said, we don’t know what tomorrow holds, but we do know Who holds tomorrow. We will enjoy this until we don’t enjoy this. That will be the day we sell the boat and go back home or to the farm or to wherever He leads.

These pictures and comments reflect a summary of the days since our last entry:

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Ludington had a festival going on in town, so the place was buzzing with activity. The marina was nearly full, so lots of boaters were able to walk (and one skoot) around the town enjoying everything from Boy Scouts selling popcorn to camping trailers and boats for sale to live music. It was a fun, brisk, relaxing day.

Grand Haven and St. Joseph’s/Benton Harbor were our next 2 stops. Grand Haven, though nice, was a quick one, as we tried to take advantage of the good weather window, knowing that we would soon be hunkered down for a couple days while Lake Michigan flexed its muscles.

We arrived at St. Joseph/Benton Harbor on Monday, the 9th of September. West Basin Marina is surrounded by landmass (thus a basin) which meant wicked winds on the Lake were impervious to our location. A super clean marina with nice bathhouses and free laundry, we stayed tucked in for 2 nights. We took in an afternoon movie (Overcomer–awesome, must see), did a little grocery shopping, replaced the antenna that I accidentally removed going under a low bridge, and ate out at the famous pizza place. Our Uber driver, Ted (one of 2 in the town), became our friend. He would pick us up, drop us off, and give us tours of the town, going and coming to our destinations. Retired locally, he enjoyed having the outlet of driving and meeting people and we enjoyed the local hospitality.

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Wednesday morning, September 11, we puttered down to Michigan City. I learned that Michigan City is not in Michigan. That’s weird. It’s like saying New York City, New Jersey, or Alabama City, Georgia.

As unattractive as the town is, it was a special day because Bob and Cindy Boucek, old friends who used to live in Savannah and now living in Elkhart, IN., came to visit us on the boat. They joined us for dinner at a very average restaurant, as we celebrated my birthday, along with Dale and Sandy Collins, our buddy boaters. The Grease n, I mean, the Fish n Chips were very forgettable, but the reunion with old friends made a great memory.

Charlevoix to Frankfort

This was our longest day since we left Savannah in April. Predictions are the winds will get stronger as the day develops. Looking at 64 nautical (about 74 statute), the duration was predicted to be 10 hours. Taking all of that, and then some, we bounced more than half the time; rough at the beginning, calming for a few hours, and then finally bouncing our way into Frankfort about 4:45. Though we’ve seen worse conditions, this was less than enjoyable, especially because of the length of the ride. Glad to have this one under our belt.

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The ladies went shopping in Frankfort. I ran a few miles, taking advantage of a nice paved trail/park area around the inlet near the marina. We cooked fish we bought in Charlevoix, planned our route for tomorrow’s 6 am exit, and went to bed.

St. Ignace to Charlevoix

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Fifty five degrees this morning, and this is becoming the norm. When it’s barely September, and the 50’s are common, I know it’s time for this goose to fly South.

We left St. Ignace around 8 am. Eight hours and 52 nautical miles later, arrived in Charlevoix.

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Not sure what the population of this town is, but it feels bigger than it really is. Many very nice shops, a movie theater, a well stocked grocery, and a marina that gets 5 stars, in our book, make up this little town. Charlevoix became our home for Sunday until Thursday morning, because the winds made Lake Michigan only suitable for the brave and the stupid. We decided there were much worse places to be stuck.

So we shopped, went to the movies, bought groceries, shopped again, ate out, and then went shopping, all while in Charlevoix. The marina cuts their rates in half, beginning Labor Day. I guess they figure anybody still crazy enough to hang around after that deserves a break. And as we watch the good weather days get fewer and farther between, it is easy to understand why people bail. Our goal is to get below Chicago before we go back home for a month, beginning around September 20th.

We had a nice visit with the former owners of our boat. They live about an hour away and had requested that we contact them when we got to their area. It was fun to catch up with them. The boat acquisition was such a nice experience and Larry and Deb, we felt, became friends through the process. I especially enjoyed exchanging stories with Larry about the boat and experiences, now that I am officially an old salt, instead of a wannebe boat owner. Larry has logged way more hours than I probably ever will, so it was good to still pick up some pointers on places to stay and places to be extra careful.

DeTour Village–Lake Huron–St. Ignace

Hoping for fair winds and following seas, we left DeTour Village Marina at 6:30 and headed to St. Ignace. Our smoothest day on the water for quite a while, this 38 plus mile leg seemed to go more quickly.

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Forecasts call for a day or 2 of somewhat calm seas, and then several days of stronger than normal winds.  We’ve been told that Lake Michigan can get pretty angry when the winds get up. Our plan is to enjoy marinas as much as necessary in the coming days because anchoring out options are very limited, not to mention the unpredictability of weather preempts the idea.  Marinas along the East coast of Lake Michigan are generally every 20 miles or so, and well protected.  This gives boaters an opportunity to tuck in for the unexpected weather pattern changes that make a beautiful boating day turn sour very quickly.

After getting settled into the St. Ignace Marina, we caught a ferry over to Mackinac Island. Sandy, in our buddy boat, has had Mackinac on her bucket list for a long time.  Being Labor Day weekend, we soon discovered Mackinac was on many people’s bucket list.  Beautiful weather and a long weekend was enough motivation for families to make this their destination for the last weekend of the summer.

We enjoyed a carriage ride tour of the island with our guide, Paul, from Transylvania (Romania)! Many attempts at humor and a couple times successful, we learned that Mackinac has many lilac trees, 72 varieties.  Also, there is 1 doctor on the island, and 4 veterinarians. Paul said it’s better to a horse than a person on Mackinac (and the crowd roared with laughter). The governor of Michigan has her summer home here and is known to be friendly to all the common folks as they tour.  We did not see her, nor get invited in for tea. 

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After finishing the carriage tour and carriage museum, we were dropped at the Grand Hotel. Three hundred plus rooms, the 600’ long porch was quite spectacular.  A fancy party on the 2^nd level kept us commoners on the ground level, admiring the high class cocktail and evening dresses, wondering what the life of the rich and famous is all about. 

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The long day was starting to take its toll on my peg-legged partner, so we caught a carriage taxi from the hotel back to the launch point for the water ferry.

After disembarking, we stopped at the Driftwood Grille, had dinner, and caught a shuttle back to the boat.  I watched Auburn come from behind to squeak out a win over the Oregon Ducks, and 30 seconds later, I was out like everybody else. We packed as much into this day as possible.

Drummond Island to DeTour Village

Having planned a 50-plus mile day, we again rose early for a 6 am departure.  The winds, we knew, were picking up as the day wore on, so the early rise increased our odds of missing the worst.  We drove around Drummond Island from the anchorage, passed by DeTour Village Marina (DeTour Channel) and stuck our nose into Lake Huron, saying goodbye to the North Channel.  At the risk of redundancy, the North Channel is clearly the most beautiful landscape of our journey.  Whether you do the The Great Loop or not, the North Channel is a worthy destination, not just a passage.  We have met so many folks from the North (Canada and USA) who spend their summers here. The open sea, the winding pathways, the many little townships and villages, and the coves that provide safe harbor from the winds truly have opened our eyes to another part of the country that is to be enjoyed and treasured.

Back to the story….we stuck our nose into Lake Huron, headed West toward St. Ignace, Michigan.  With winds from the Southwest already at 10-15 mph, we were rocking pretty good (badly is proper grammar).  The forecast called for the winds to increase.  Two miles westbound and we made a U-turn and found our way to DeTour Village Marina.  Over the next 4-5 hours, we saw the marina pick up another half dozen boats.  Each was sticking their nose into Huron, U-turning, and coming back to avoid the elements. With the wind forecast only getting uglier, we determined to stay 2 nights and enjoy the R & R. 

Our push had been to get to St. Ignace, where the medical center had received orders from Amanda’s orthopedic doctor for a foot X-ray .  He had allowed us to go back to the boat and resume our journey on the pretense that he see the healing process in 7-10 days.  With that time now at its end, I was concerned about getting the X-ray, being stuck for 2 more days.  DeTour Village is..well, a village.  No car rental places or taxis or Ubers in the area.  With St. Ignace 50 miles away, I knew Dale’s bicycle, with Amanda on my back was not a practical solution.  So, Amanda goes to work, doing what she does best.  Laying on her southern drawl a little thicker (just imagine Scarlet O’hara talking) , she starts asking local boaters in the marina, “Excuse me, suh (sir). Is there a place around here we might could rent a car?  I’ve a broken foot and must get an X-ray by tamarra.”  On attempt number 2, Bill Merrill, sailboater, had tossed us the keys to his Marquis, saying, “I don’t need it today.  I’m glad for you to borrow it.”  A few hours later, we were back, with X-rays and a scouting report of St. Ignace behind us.  Now if we can get a favorable report from the orthopedic guy, the concern for surgery will be off the table.

I’ve probably mentioned this before, but we have found that most of these Loopers like to have a good time.  Docktails, as opposed to cocktails, are a very big part of the lives of this group.  Somewhere around 5 pm, most days, there are boaters getting together.  Each brings his own libation and a little something to munch on and share.  As predicted, someone dropped by the boat and said, “Docktails at 5 under the pavilion!”  A little later, I noticed Bill (car loan Bill) walking to his boat with a banjo case in hand.  I asked him what kind of music he played.  He said a little of everything, but he liked Bluegrass.  I asked him to bring it to docktails and I would bring my guitar.  Shortly after, I mentioned to Hal (he and Daneen are on the Living in Awe trawler) that we were having live “entertainment” tonight.  He said, “I will bring my mandolin.” 

Instantly, we had a 3-piece bluegrass band….of instruments, anyway.  Hal had some songbooks, including gospel and bluegrass.  So, we ended up having a jam session while everybody else, ate, drank, and sang along when they could figure out what song we were playing.  We made a memory with new friends and had a great time playing together.  Looking forward to reconnecting with Hal (mandolin) as we are traveling the same journey.

As we were wrapping up the concert, a storm blew in. Pretty good rain and wind came and went just as fast. But it left behind a double rainbow that we were able to see both ends.

August 30

Laundry and minor boat piddling projects consumed the better part of Friday.  Dale and I rode bikes for a bit and then we all (about 16 folks) gathered at the Main Sail restaurant for dinner. With a total of only 20 people in the restaurant, the waitress announced to us that with this many people, not all of us will be served at the same time.  We just need to understand that. I wonder why the place wasn’t just packed with people.  Most of the Loopers just told her that as long as they had plenty of alcohol, getting the food at the same time was not critical. With average service and just below average food, we left full.  We scooted Amanda back to the boat, Dale and I fined tuned our routing for Saturday, and we crashed for the night.

Meldrum Bay to Drummond Island Anchorage

Shooting for a 6 am exit, we pulled out at first light, about 6:15 and headed to Drummond Island. 

Drummond is the first location back in the USA.  The water was pretty rough because winds were above what sea wimps like to see.  But we have seen worse and made it to our anchorage without any significant event.  We were able to check back into the USA by phone, saving us a stop at the marina on the way to our parking spot for the night. 

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On Missions and Honey Queen dropped anchors and Dale took a snooze for a while. A couple hours later, Amanda asked me if I thought Dale’s boat had moved since anchoring.  Sitting with my back turned to their boat, I turned and realized their boat had dragged the anchor for probably a half mile.  Fortunately, the wind had favored the best direction to be blown and he had not met anything or anyone while dragging.  He realized his situation as I was about to call him.  He moved his boat to our side and tripled his scope (amount of chain/rode let out) to ensure he would be secure the rest of the night.  With my mischievous mindset, I started to ease our boat forward about 100 yards and re-anchor, just to play with Dale’s mind, but I resisted.  He had had enough excitement for the day.  But it has been fun razzing him. I know my turn is coming. The winds died down for the night, so we slept pretty well without any real stressers.

August 26

South Benjamin Island to Meldrum Bay

We left South Benjamin Island this morning around 8 am.  With 40 miles ahead of us, we knew we were in for a breezy day. The weather forecast calls for rain and lots of wind in the 20’s plus.  We set our goal for Meldrum Bay Marina.  By the time we arrived, winds were exceeding 30 knots.  Fortunately, the seas weren’t as dicey as we have seen, being only 1-2 feet.  Days like this, we really enjoy the stabilizers on our boat that are quite effective “flattening” out rough water.  Arriving at the dock was a handful, fighting the wind and backing into a slip. 

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There was plenty of room in the marina since the weekend was over, and the season is drawing to a close for this part of the country.  Soon, this whole area will be one solid block of ice, they tell us.  This Southern boy will gladly miss all that. We settled in, met Jim and Cindy from Cheboygan, Wisconsin, who are spending a few weeks exploring some of the North Channel waters we have just enjoyed.  Jim was a refreshing reminder of how steep the learning curve is on the boat. Dale and I were telling them stories and places to go, as if we have been doing this for years. For example, today was their first time to go “stern in” into a marina.  That seems so routine now, but just 4 months ago, stern in was like asking me to step into a viper pit. How I empathize with their anxiety.  Soon they will be looking forward to things that today they dread. It’s amazing, after now logging a few hundred hours, how the boat seems to anticipate what I am trying to do, when just a few weeks ago, I would literally lay awake at night, mentally practicing maneuvers, hoping I wouldn’t crash my boat or someone else’s. I still pray a lot before docking. 

We decided to pay for 2 nights at the marina and see what happens in the forecast for Wednesday.  Tuesday will be ugly.  Though the girls are more vocal about being off the water when the forecast is dismal, we guys are glad to have a day off from the stress of plotting the trip, dodging the rocks, and keeping plenty of water under the keel.  Tuesday will allow me to get the blog updated with all the pictures I’ve been taking.  In closing today’s thoughts, we reached our Northernmost point today.  Though most of the day was Westbound, we did start the descent Southerly.  The North Channel will soon be in our rear view mirror, along with the country of Canada. In some ways, it felt like we would always be headed away from home, but today’s milestone is a reminder that heading toward home sounds like a pretty good idea.  We continue to love every minute (maybe not EVERY minute) of the adventure, and look forward to many more sites and new friendships.

August 27

Tuesday morning: blog and laundry.  The day started pretty windy, as was most of last night. We slept fine, but the boat moved almost constantly, with 4 lines tied to the finger dock. I did much of the routine maintenance in the engine room while Amanda sewed, making netting to fit over the hatches.  The nets will allow us to have the hatches open and keep the mosquitoes out.  But at the rate the temperatures keep dropping around here, the nets may not see action before next Spring. The marina was nice, and we were grateful to have a place to tuck in, but when there’s a $5.00 charge for a shower, I give the place 1 star. The general store was pretty lacking and the laundry overpriced, so it was not our greatest experience. 

Tuesday evening we had dinner at the Meldrum Inn.  With our new friends and our old friends, we gathered around the table and shared an evening of good food and getting acquainted. 

The restaurant and inn owners (she, the hostess and waitress, and he, the chef) treated us with kindness and hospitality. Of Iranian descent, she shared a “potion” for Amanda to use on her foot.  She gave us turmeric to mix with ground chick peas and egg yolk.  She also prescribed that Amanda drink plenty of bone broth. I’m glad my bones are not broken. She took our picture so we could all remember this experience.

Tomorrow, the weather looks promising, so we are West bound to Drummond Island.