Wednesday - September 29, 2010

Lat 037 10 23; Long 089 04 27; Fuel 192 gallons; engine 389.43
We left mile 966 about 8:30. We waited a little bit because of some heavy fog on the river. However once the sun got up it disappeared and it became a beautiful, sunny day. The river was smooth and clear. One of the things that is different between the Ohio and the Mississippi is the colour of the water. The Mississippi is brown and the Ohio is green. There are a lot of staging places for the barges along the Ohio and there are a lot of barges loading up.
The trip down the river involved one lock – lock 52 which it seems to me is a great back up. Barges were sitting waiting for hours to enter the lock and go up or down stream for a 2 foot increase in the water. Of course if the river was at a high level the barges could go right over the dam since it was only 2 feet high. When we approached the lock we were told, a pleasure craft, that we would have a two hour wait, and that we should anchor outside the red buoys. Fortunately the lockmaster was nice and after a half an hour, he called us forward and ran us through the locks without tying up to the side. We just floated in the lock until two feet of water was pushed into the lock. We moved out and continued our journey.
Serendipity decided they wanted to visit Paducah, Kentucky so they left us shortly after the lock. Ouixote and The Old Grouch continued on to Tow Island at the opening of the Cumberland River. Serendipity decided Paducah was not a great place to tie up and then followed us down the river. We anchored at Tow Island, a beautiful quiet anchorage. Sun is now going down and I expect a great sunset over the Ohio. We went for a little walk on the island where Carol from Serendipity and Brenda discussed the various plants on the island. Annie the Serendipity dog roared up and down the beach, into the water and rolled herself in the sand.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Lat 037 14 95; Long 089 31 20; Fuel 193 gallons; Engine 382.03
One of the things you have to watch out for when coming out of the Little River Diversion into the Mississippi River is barges. It would not be pretty if you went out of the Channel smack into a barge or worse yet a barge ran smack into you. Again the AIS was helpful since I could tell if a tow was coming down the river. They must have all decided to go to work at the same time because we had to wait for about 5 barges before we could reenter the river. As a safety precaution we did a securite just before entering and actually got a response from one that was coming just starting up on the downstream. The tow captains are really pretty good and nice people. One of them contacted me after we passed and asked where we were headed and I told him the whole story. He was interested because he was thinking about delivering boats for people that wanted to take them down south. I told him there was a market for that but I wasn’t sure where to find it. Another contacted me to ask if my boat was a Nordic Tug and we had a little bit of a discussion on the Tug.
We cruised down the Mississippi for about 48 miles and we had a decision to make – either pull over at the last possible anchoring site on the Mississippi or go into the Ohio River and cruise for another 30 miles. We decided get off the Mississippi with its current and move on to the Ohio River which flows into the Mississippi. Interesting thing, as we made the turn our speed over ground decreased dramatically because we were now going up current, and we have a lot more control over the boat. A lot of barge traffic on the Ohio also but not as large as those on the Mississippi.
We cruised a couple of more hours and then pulled over at mile 966 on the Ohio and anchored for the night. Nice and quiet. We had a little happy hour over at Serendipity and then we went back to our boats for the evening.

Monday - September 27, 2010

Lat 38 20 64; Long 90 21 66; Fuel 201 gallons, Engine 371.39, Mile 158.5
We set out this morning at 7:45 for Little River Diversion Canal which is at Mile 49 which means we have about a 110 mile run today. Of course we will have the current with and we can run at 10 to 11 kts which makes it a about a 10 hour day. There is another anchorage at mile 118 but that would make it a short day. We decided for the longer run.
The Mississippi at this point winds quite a bit which makes it interesting as you round a curve and see a big barge coming at you. Fortunately, with AIS you can see around corners notify those barges before you see them and find out which side they want you to pass on. I would recommend anyone who is making this trip to obtain AIS as a safety factor. As we were traveling down the river with the other boats, I would notify them as to which boats were coming up, their speed and name. The barges on the Mississippi are much larger than those on the Illinois. They push a lot of water behind them and the prop wash right behind the boat goes about 6 or 7 feet in the air and causes turbulence in the water about a mile behind them. At times we though we were back on Lake Michigan after immediately passing the tow.
We reached Little River Diversion Canal at about 4:30 and it was a beautiful little anchorage right off the river, but no current. Fern told us that it was a great anchorage but not if there was heavy rain as all the rain form the surrounding area funnels through this canal and causes a very quick increase in its depth and current. Fortunately the day was beautiful and we had no rain.
We all rested after such a long day.

Sunday - September 26, 2010

Lat 38 20 64; Long 90 21 66; Fuel 201 gallons, Engine 371.39
We are tied up on a barge that is directly on the the Mississippi. During the night there was a constant banging of locks and sticks on the sides of the boat as they ran past the barge. Nobody really got a good sleep. The Mississippi is running pretty fast this morning with a lot of garbage in the water and the river has risen by about 2 ½ feet overnight. It appears we may be on the high water mark, so we decided to wait another day before moving on. I clocked through my AIS a large tow moving downstream at 11.5 kts. They normally move at about 4.5 kts so you could say the current was running about 6kts. It looked like it was flying down the river.
So we watched football all afternoon over at Q’s End. The girls went into the little town to explore. They came back reporting that the town very interesting and touristy. Lots of little stores and restaurants.
Couple of more boats came in and Fern held her little discussion as to what to expect further on. I decided to attend again and learned a little bit more about the rivers and its anchorages.
It was a good day but I hope to move along tomorrow.The attached is a picture of Hoppies dock

Sazturday - September 25, 2010

We set out at around 8 and immediately went out into the Mississippi river. It was initially a little confusing until we got our bearings. Much wider than the Illinois and the current flows a lot faster. We stopped at Alton which is about 10 miles from Grafton, for a fuel fill and a pump out. For the next couple of hundred miles, there is only one place to get any fuel. It is likely after tonight we will be anchoring out on the rivers.
As we traveled down the river, the water height was noticeably high as evidenced by the trees that were under water. Many more tows on the Mississippi that on the Illinois. The water is filled with lots of floating objects including a great many large deadheads that could do some real damage to the boat. The water is moving south at about 4 to 5 knts if not faster. In fact at one point in time, the boat had a speed over ground of 12 knts and the boat’s engine was just turning at 1000 rpms. In normal water the boat would have gone at about 5.5 knts.
We passed the point in the river where the Mississouri river joins the Mississippi and the water was extremely turbulent and the boat was pushed around by the two currents joining into one. Further on down the river we passed by St Louis and its signature arch. Unfortunately, the waterfront of St. Louis bore no resemblance to that of Chicago. It was highly industrialized.
We stopped at a marina called Hoppies at about 3 in the afternoon. Hoppies is essentially a wharf alongside the river. My initial and second attempt to tie up to the dock was futile as we were instructed to come directly into the current and pull up beside the wharf. The whole approach was to stay about 15 feet from the wharf and let the current 5 to 6 knt current push the boat into the wharf. Not an easy task when there are a bunch of people on the wharf all yelling instructions. The third attempt was successful but now being tied to the wharf the river water is running very fast by the boat.
The owner of Hoppies, fern gave us a talk about places to anchor on the both the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers. It was a good talk and she provided a lot of information. Fern is quite a character. Smoked constantly while she was talking.
Went back to the boat and cooked supper.

Friday - September 24, 2010

After our run down the Illinois River, today was a decompression day at Grafton marina. Tomorrow we start our run down the Mississippi – some 218 miles. Brenda went off to Walmart with the ladies from Windsong, Serendipity, Quixote to get some more provisions. I just worked on the boat, and generally relaxed. Brenda and I went to lunch at the Marina restaurant. After lunch I stayed in order to post my latest blogs since that was the best spot to access WiFi. It was extremely weak on the boat. Brenda went for a walk through the town of Grafton.
At 5 we went down for a swim at the marina pool. The group then went to dinner at Mississippi Two S Step – the local fancy restaurant. As we were walking down the street, one of the houses showed the high water mark for the Illinois river. It occurred in 1993 and it was approximately 30 feet high on the house. These rivers rise and fall all the time depending on rain, snow etc.

Thursday - September 23, 2010

Lat 039 42 46; Long 090 38 64; Hours 356.36; Fuel 143 gal
We raised anchor and left Griggsville at 7:45 am. The intention is to try and make over 60 miles and reach the junction of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers at Grafton Illinois. The channels are well marked and the river is getting wider as we travel towards the Mississippi. The topography is getting more hilly which is a change from yesterday when it was relatively flat terrain. The weather was sunny and hot. There is a current of about 2 kts in the river going with us which means that we are being pushed down the river. I go up to 8 knts and the engine’s rpms at around 1200 and I am only using about 1 to 1.3 gallons per hour which is nice. Winds were quite high today – about 35 knts according to the radio weather. Even saw some white caps on the river, but nothing like on Lake Michigan . The waves were only about ½ foot. If these winds had been on Lake Michigan we would not have even traveled since the waves would have been 7 or 8 feet.
Passed several tow as we go down the river. When you pass the tow it is quite amazing how strong and how far the prop wash goes back from the tow and barges. The boat gets pushed around by the back wash for several hundred feet. You have to have your hands firmly on the wheel to prevent being pushed out of the channel. This happens whether you are approaching or passing a tow. The captains of the tows are very professional and I believe very appreciative when you ask the side they would prefer you to pass on. When passing the tow going the same direction, we always advise the captain when we have cleared their bow since sometimes the tow is two or three hundred or more yards behind the lead barge.
We passed under a couple of train bridges which had about 20 feet of recorded clearance. Since the mast on the boat is 18’ 6”, it was close. If the water was up a bit, we could have had a problem. However I did have to put the aerial for my main VHF radio down since it was about 22 feet. I was glad I had a moveable aerial installed this spring.
I had to make a phone call at 1:00 pm to the CFC. During this time Brenda captained the boat and seems to be getting more comfortable with it.
We arrived at Grafton at around 4:00 went to the swimming pool since it was very hot and just rested before going out to dinner at a BBQ restaurant.

Wednesday - September 22, 2010

Lat 040 18 09; long 090 04 075; Engine 349.19; Fuel 151 gal
Left Tall Timbers marina at around 8:30 am. Since I was the first boat in last night, I was jammed in a corner that made it difficult to get out. Fortunately the marina owner was there to help drag my stern around so that I could turn to get out the narrow channel. This part of the river is relatively flat and has little to recommend to it. There are lots of Asian Carp jumping around in front of and behind the boat. They must be pretty stupid because quite often you hear a thump on the boat hull which means that they have jumped into the hull.
Well, Brenda drove the boat for about an hour today. She is getting used to it starting to understand how the boat reacts.
We decided to anchor out tonight which is the first time since the North Channel. We pulled into about 6 feet of water behind the channel markers and before the bridge at Griggsville – around mile 60.5. The current in the river kept us facing north and with a mud bottom and 50 foot of chain out we had an excellent hold. Three other boats from our traveling convey also anchored here. A couple of the boats were anchored closer to the railway bridge and a few trains ran over the bridge at night which might have made it noisy.
It was pleasant at night and a harvest moon made its appearance which lent a nice light to the anchorage. Around 10:00 pm, a tow came down the river. They run a powerful search light in front of them to ensure they are in the channel. I sat on the bow of our boat and you could see the light long before you could see the tow coming around the bend. It lit up the whole shore. As it came around the bend, the light flashed in our direction and it blinded me as it focused on our location. It was a huge tow and it was an impressive sight as it passed with the search light glowing and all the lights on the barge and tow. Fortunately we were well behind the channel markers, but if the captain lost control of the barges that would not have done much good. These tow captains are really really good. I am constantly amazed how they control such large groups of barges with one tow.

Tuesday - September 21, 2010

Lat 40 41 29; long 089 35 28; Eng 343.18; 157 gal
We left Peoria with Lazy Dolphin about 7:00 am. Our intention was to travel to Tall Timbers and stay there. Lazy Dolphin wanted to travel further and kept on moving along.

This stretch of the river was quite pretty and peaceful. Got to the Peoria Lock and went right in. I understand the rest of the group had to wait some time before being allowed to enter, since commercial traffic always has right of way. In fact as we left the lock there was a huge tow right in front of the lock and we were looking at at wall of steel as we exited.

We arrived at Tall Timbers about 12:30 pm where the marina owner was awaiting us. We were put into a tight corner of the marina. The marina itself was quite nice. The marina owner left go to his other job and left me with the information where the other loopers were to go when they arrived later in the afternoon. Essentially, I was dockmaster. When the other boats arrived, we got them tied up. Went into town but there was little in the way of shops or stores.

Huge thunderstorm that night with lots of lightening. Matter of fact it was a great light show.

Monday - September 20, 2010

Start long041 073 lat 089 21 631; engine hrs 338.57 fuel 162 gallons

Left Henry's this morning at 7:45. Everyone was up early to get started early. The intended run was to Peoria. This was probably one of the most interesting and scenic part of the river so far. Little industry but a lot of parkland along the river.

Our friends on Lazy Dolphin caught up to us since they anchored up the river a short way from Henry's. Again there were lots of Asian Carp jumping, but the interesting thing is that we saw flocks of American White Pelicans presumably migrating south. We looked it up in a bird book and apparently their summer range extends from Texas through the Midwest and as far north as northern Alberta. I think the fact that we saw Pelicans this far north amazed us all. We all think of them as Florida birds. Lots of snow geese getting ready to migrate also.

The route traveled through a reasonably large lake which was really and extension of the Illinois River. Depth never exceeded 20 feet along the whole trip.

We arrived at Peoria and some of the folks went into a local marina which had a depth of around 4 feet - too shallow for The Old Grouch, so we went on to the town docks with Lazy Dolphin and Windsong where we tied up at around 1:00 pm.

Brenda and I went to lunch at a crab restaurant and the food was quite good. Took a walk around town and Peoria is not really much of a city despite it being the second largest city in Illinois. No shopping and it looks like all the stores are in malls. Lots of banks and the headquarters of Caterpiller is here.

We had dinner on Windsong which was prepared by Joan with some contributions from the other two boats.

Sunday - September 19, 2010

Start Lat 041 20 506 Lat 088 50 877; Eng Hours 331.54; Fuel 165 gal
We left Ottawa at around 7:45 am to continue our journey down the Illinois. Shortly after leaving Ottawa we went through the Brandon Road Lock and Dam. Some of the folks left at 7:00 but they had to wait for the lock to open. As a result when we arrived we went right into the lock while they waited an hour. The early bird does not always get the worm.
As it was Sunday, there were a lot of fisherman out all along the Illinois River. There were also a few barges out – some quite large. You always contact the barge captain to ask if he wants you to pass on one whistle or two whistles. One whistle of course means you move to the right and pass starboard to starboard when they are coming at you. If you are overtaking them you still move to the right and pass on the starboard side of the tow. Two whistles means you move to the left and pass on the port side of the tow when the tow is coming at you. If overtaking you still move to the left and pass on the port side of the tow.
As we traveled down the river we saw more and more Asian Carp jumping out of the water as we went by. They are very skittish and the prop sound causes them to jump. People down here are now having contests as to who can kill the greatest number of carp and people are using bows and arrows to shoot them. They are really a nuisance.
Stayed at Henry Marina which is owned by a local entrepreneur, had dinner at the local bar.

Saturday - September j19, 2010

Left Joliet this morning around 7:45 with the intention of going to Ottawa. Several boats had left ahead of us at 7. As we went down the river we found a lock which did not open until 8. Those people who left at 7 were waiting for the lock to open when we arrived. The early bird does not always get the worm.
We passed though the lock and travelled down the Illinois River. Highly industrialized but interesting. No barges presumably because it is Saturday.
One interesting thing happened though. As we were traveling along, I heard a large bang on the hull of the boat. At first I thought I had hit a buoy or a deadhead, but nothing could be seen in the water. I listened to the engine and the props to see if any damage – nothing. After discussing this with the other folks on Sunday, it appears that it might have been an Asian Carp banging into the boat because Q’s End did a 180 degree turn very quickly and might have startled the carp. These fish are known to jump out of the water and into boats because they are very skittish. In fact, one person was knocked out of their boat into the water when the carp jumped into the boat. They are not small fish.
We arrived at Ottawa and there was a party going on. No dock space so our friends in Windsong and Lazy Dolphin allowed us to raft with them for the night. They had all the dock space. Worked out well. Had a happy hour as usual and bacon sandwich for supper and then to bed. It was a long day.

Friday - September 17, 2010

We left Chicago about 9, lamenting that there was still a lot to see and do in the city. I think we agreed that we will come back again. We moved our boat to the first lock of the Chicago river – a lot bigger than the Trent Severn locks. As we will learn each of the locks has a different way of locking through – either holding onto a rope supplied by us, using a bollard or using a rope supplied by the lock master. Anyway we locked through and entered the Chicago river for a trip through downtown Chicago. While we had done it before on a cruise boat , there was something different and more exciting doing it on your own boat – floating through the big buildings along the river. As we left centre of Chicago, the terrain becoame more industrialized and there was a lot of industry and along the way.
One of the tings we had to be careful of was the 57 or so bridges that were along the Chicago river waterway. Many did not have clearance for the mast on our boat, so we had to lower the mast before departing. It was relatively easy sicne all we had to do was undo 40 bolts and then lower the mast to the upper deck. This gave us a maximum height of around 13 feet – nore than enough clearance for the bridges. Many of the bridges will go up, but you have to arrange in advance for the movement. In addition there is a fixed bridge along the way with a clearance of around 17.1 feet Since my mast is at 18.6 feet, we wouldn’t fit unless the mast was lowered.
As I mentioned before the river was increasingly industrialized as we went south of Chicago and barges with tows behind them became more frequent. It should be noted that these tows were not just pushing 1 barge but several in length and sometimes in width. It is very interesting to watch the tow captains controlling these huge transports. Of course they always have the right of way – might is right! The barge captains are usually quite helpful telling you which side they want you to pass on or whether you should pull out of the way. The AIS system that I had installed earlier in the year has shown itself to be very useful, letting me know way in advance of the approach of one of these tows – commercial boats have to have AIS. It describes the tow and its size and a number of other identifying items.
We had to go through the electric barrier along the Chicago Sanitary Canal which last year caused some consternation for Loopers since they had to be towed with engines off through the barrier. The barrier has been set up to prevent Asian Carp from moving upstream to Lake Michigan. Asian Carp are an invasive species brought in to North America by fish farmers in Mississippi to control algae. Since being brought in, however they have moved up river and now are close to the Great Lakes. The fear is that if they get in the Great Lakes, they will alter the environment for other aquatic species. The suggestion has been to close the Chicago Sanitary Canal which of course will affect a lot of commercial traffic and cost a lot of money. Several states have launched lawsuits to close the canal but no decision has been handed down. I personally doubt it will be closed because of the cost in jobs, however a solution will be reached. Passing through the barrier this year was easy. Announce to the Coast Guard you entering and leaving the fish barrier and then go through.
Our first lock was at Lockport, where we learned about bollards. They are basically floating tubes in a tunnel along the lock wall. You tie your boat to the bollards and as the water goes down so does the bollard and your boat. Easy.
The river after Lockport was still industrialized but less so and actually in some places was rather pretty and quiet. We tied to wall at Lockport where met some new Loopers as well as our previous traveling companions from Serendipity and Q’s End – N II Wishin, Sea Estate, Spring Moon (Canadians) and Quizote. We all joined in happy hour and retired to our respective boats.

Thursday - September 16, 2010

This morning I washed down the boat to get rid of the boat spiders and clean it a bit. Chandra came over for lunch. Still the Cruising permit has not arrived but when it does Chandra will scan it and e-mail it to me until I can get home to pick up the original.

We then went for a walk to Filenes Basement. Brenda wanted to do a little shopping.

Tonight went to Buddy Guy's place to hear a little blues. Got there at 6:30 and the show didn't start until 9:30. After a couple of beers and dinner, I dozed off a bit, but did wake up when the band started playing. No it wasn't Buddy Guy but still a pretty good band. Caught a cab back to the marina. The cabbie didn't have change for a 20 which is perhaps understandable at 11 at night. However it took him about 15 minutes to process a credit card. I think there is something wrong with Chicago cabbies. Last night I had to guide the cabbie to the marina and the waterfront even though it was only about 6 blocks away.

Tomorrow we depart Chicago for the river system.

Wednesday - September 15, 2010

Chicago is a great city - lots to do and see. Went to the aquarium today and it is outstanding and followed up by going to the Field Museum. A little tired when we got back but both of us rested before we went out to dinner.

Met up with our niece Chandra at the Purple Pig. Waited for about 3/4 hour to get in but it was worth it. Interesting concept for serving food. You order little plates of different types of food and everyone shares. It was a great meal.

When we left the restaurant, Chandra took us over to look at the Sun-Times building. When they built the building, they incorporated little pieces of historically important structures from throughout the world and each is described on the the block of stone into which is incorporated.

September 14, 2010 - Pictures

Tuesday - September 14, 2010

Tell me where you can stay right downtown Chicago for $100 and night, with a water view, sleep in your own bed. We are about 4 blocks from Michigan Avenue and the Loop. Boating life is great. By the the shiny thing in the picture above is called the bean and it is located in Millenium Park. The reflections come from all directions.

We went to see a contemporary art exhibit this morning. At first I didn't want to go but then I decided to expand my horizons and go. There was an Alexander exhibit - someone I had never heard of before. I was very impressed. His work was extremely interesting. We then went out to visit the early home of Frank Lloyd Wright - the place where he apparently did over 25% of his life work. The tour took us through his home and studio and described his philosophy of architecture. Amazing!

Came back to the boat after being away for close to seven hours. Had pre-dinner drinks where we met new fellow travelers from Two Turtles and then dinner with the folks that we have been traveling on and off with for the last couple of months. Lazy Dolphin leaves tomorrow. I think we are going to leave on Friday.

Monday - September 13, 2010

First thing this morning, Brenda phoned US Customs and Border Patrol in Sault St Marie to ask about our cruising permit. She managed to talk the person in charge of cruising permits and he said it was on his desk right in front of him and he was sending it out today.

We then took a boat ride this morning which took us up the Chicago river to view the buildings with architectural significance in Chicago. For 1 1/2 hours our guide talked non-stop about the history of the buildings and the architects that created them. It was a great trip. Chicago has done an amazing job of preserving its history and an amazing job of preserving its waterfront not only along the lake but along the river. The city is alive with people not only in the day but at night. They have allowed high rise rental apartments and condos to be built in the city and this has refreshed the city. Toronto would do well to emulate Chicago and its waterfront development. Toronto has been talking for years but little has been done.

We then met up by accident with our friends from Q's End and the ladies wanted to go shopping. While we were in Macy's Tom and I went to the bar and waited until they returned. We then went to Filene's Basement where Brenda picked up a jacket and top.

Went out to dinner later on at Giorgetti's(??). Had great pizza with lots of anchovies.

Pictures will have to come later when we get a better wifi connection.

Sunday - September 12, 2010

Brenda phoned Dusable Harbour first thing this morning and made reservations for us for four days. We departed for Chicago around 11. The wind was from the west and it was a rough ride out the channel at Michigan City. Once we got out a little way however it started to calm down and I put the boat on auto pilot all the way to Chicago. Unlike the west coast of Michigan, the south coast of Lake Michigan is filled with industry all the way to Chicago. The ride to Chicago was uneventful until we got close to Chicago and being a weekend all the sail boats were out which made it difficult to navigate into our marina. Sometimes, I wonder about those who have sailboats. I understand that I have to give way to the sail boats, but some of them don't use their brains. They continue on a straight line no matter what and several times I had to gun the boat to get out of their way. The sailboats combined with idiot go fast boat drivers made it a difficult entry into the marina. One guy roared about along side us as I was going about 5 knts, waved to us and then immediately cut across our bow causing wake from all sides. Then just as I was about to enter the marina, another go fast boat ran between me and the marina entrance. I don't think I have ever seen such bad and inconsiderate boaters.

Finally we docked and then went for a walk around Chicago. It looks interesting. Lesley, you would be impressed with the architecture. Went to Millennium Park and had dinner there. We then walked around and got lost as we tried to make our way back to the marina. The condo projects seem to go one into another with no exit points. Eventually we asked someone for directions and got back.

Saturday September 11, 2010

Lat 041 43 51; Long 86 54 47

Fell asleep last night before I could post Saturday's blog. We left South Haven yesterday morning in the rain. However it was an easy ride down to Michigan City since the lake was quiet and waves were less than 1 foot.

Michigan City is a sad little town that looks like it got hit hard by the recession. Saturday and no-one was shopping. Lots of homes for sale, many of then quite fancy and were obviously the homes of the well-to-do many years ago. Of course we found out why no one was shopping! They have a huge outlet mall and it was packed and was about 5 minutes from the marina. It probably killed the downtown.

Had the folks over from Tide's In for pre-dinner drinks. We last saw them in Drummond and they left a day before us. They were held up by the weather also. They said they were going to stay in Michigan City and catch the train in to Chicago. Brenda and I briefly considered it but the better idea seemed to go to Chicago if the weather was good. Weather does look good for tomorrow.

Had dinner at a local restaurant, came back to the boat and fell asleep.

Friday - September 10, 2010

We got up this morning and the seas were 1 foot with an easterly wind. Before we left however, we filled up with diesel fuel, water and had a pump out and we were already to go.

The easterly wind meant it would broadside us as we traveled south. No problem though since the seas were only 1 foot. In fact I moved closer to shore - about 1 km and the fetch was smaller and the waves were smaller. We traveled almost the whole way on auto pilot. The new radio worked well. I have one radio scanning a number of channels and one on 16 - the emergency channel. Should have got a second radio earlier.

By the way, if anyone has a chance to cruise Lake Michigan and gets to Grand Haven stay at North Shore Marina. They have excellent service capability and their slips are far more protected than the municipal marina. Yes they are more expensive, but after hearing the stories form our friends who stayed on the docks, we had it very easy when the winds hit 40 knts.

It was a beautiful cruise down the lake and we settled into South Haven.

South Haven is another quaint city along the south Lake Michigan shore. We took a walk in the city, and bought some locally produced condiments. Went to dinner at a local Italian restaurant and had a great meal.

Tomorrow we head out for Michigan City at the bottom of Lake Michigan. Chicago is getting closer.

Thursday - September 9, 2010

Today was the day we were supposed to arrive in Chicago, but unfortunately the weather prevented that. It has now died down and our friends on Windsong, Lazy Dolphin, Serendipity, and Q's End have departed. We are waiting to get another VHF radio installed today. While waiting we watched some boats being hauled for the winter including Idyll Time. The owner's are putting it up for the winter and then driving down to Tennessee to pick up their 18 foot centre consol, bringing it back up here and then Continuing the Loop. They will be camping along the way. Here they store the boats in huge heated sheds for the winter rather than outside. The marina, takes all the old oil from the boats and rather than dump it, uses it to heat these sheds. By the way they are not really sheds but solid buildings probably the length of three or four football fields. Idyll Time is a 48 Foot Krogan and it will fit in a little corner of the shed.

While we were waiting for the radio installation, Brenda and I took the dinghy across the Channel to Grand Haven for lunch. Brenda then decided to get her hair cut which took two hours. I went for a walk around town and out along the boardwalk to lighthouse during that two hours. When we got back to the Marina, the work was done and I preped the boat for our departure tomorrow. Weather looks good for the next 3 or 4 days so we should make Chicago. Hope our cruising permit is there.

Pictures of the storm

Here are a few pictures of the storm when the wind got up to 40 knts. The surge through the channel was about 8 feet and it increased after these pictures were taken. No way you could get out nor would you want to. It reminded me of the Niagara River below the Falls with the water swirling every which way.

Wednesday - September 8, 2010

Still at North Shore Marina at Grand Haven. Last night the winds did get to about 40 knts. The boat moved a bit but we were quite sheltered. A lot of sand ended up on the boat from the beach which is about a mile away. Washed it off today.

Went to the local market this morning and bought some fresh vegetables. Nice thing about Michigan is each town has a local market on a particular day of the week. I have decided to get a second VHF radio in the boat.

It appears that I cannot get a new mike for several days. So tomorrow a new radio will be installed and I can take the mike on that radio and put it on my primary. I'll have the replacement mike sent on, either to my niece's place in Chicago or to a marina. The second VHF is probably a good idea since we can monitor all channels while having the primary on 16 all the time.

The winds are slowly dying down and we could leave tomorrow except that the new radio will be installed tomorrow afternoon, so it looks like Friday. The weather forecast for Friday indicates 1 foot seas so we should be able to make a good run and possibly make South Haven - about 45 knts from Grand Haven. I think the others are all leaving tomorrow. d

Tuesday - September 7, 2010

The winds started picking up this morning. We are fairly well protected in this marina which is off the main channel. However there is still a lot of chop in the water. Was going to go over to Windsong this morning which is in the public marina along the channel but the surge inside the channel was crazy. Took my microphone into the marina here for repair as it was not transmitting. They said they would look at it or get me a new one by tomorrow.

Jeff from Idyll Time, kindly took us in to he local Westmarine where we picked up a few things. While I was doing that, Brenda went next door to the Home Depot to check out the plants. When we were going over to Westmarine, Jeff also showed us the way to get to the local beach and some trails that ran through the park. One of the things, I am impressed with about Michigan is how much parkland they have preserved all along the coast. I think we may go for a walk on one of the trails tomorrow.

About three, Brenda and I walked over to the beach. The winds are still building up and the whitecaps are really rolling in. The surge at the opening was running about 8 feet. it would be impossible to take most boats out through it to the lake. Of course you would have to be an idiot to even try it.

This evening the winds are continuing to build up and right now would appear to be about 40 knts if not more. certainly some of the gusts have to be over that speed. The boat is rocking even though we are sheltered at the back of the marina. I suspect that our friends over at the public marina are really rocking and rolling since they are exposed directly to the water in the channel. Their slips back onto the channel and the surge rolls right by them. I put another forward spring on the boat tonight. Three lines off the bow, three springs and two lines off the stern (one on each side) should hold. Still she is rocking pretty good as the gusts come in. The winds are supposed to die down a little in the morning - to 30 knts and further as Wednesday goes on. By Thursday the lake is supposed be down to 2 to 4 feet and the winds to 10 to 15 knts. However, I have been watching the lastes tropical storm which is now rolling through Texas, and one of the tracks could put it right over southern lake Michigan.

I have a bunch of pictures I want to post but I think I have to go into the Lounge at the Marina to do it. The distance between the WiFi tranmitter and the boat, does not allow quick uploading of pictures.

Monday - September 6, 2010

It looks like we won't get out of Grand Haven until Thursday at the the earliest. The projected winds are going to gale force tomorrow which means the waves get big also - up to 12 feet. We have the boat tied down in this slip so it won't move to much. However it may give me some time to fix a few things things. The VHF mike died just after a call on our trip here on Sunday. Everything works on it except the transmit. I am going to look at it with our friends from Windsong tomorrow and see if there is a loose wire in the mike. Failure to fix it means a discussion with the folks here at the marina who are apparently Raymarine service reps. Also want to have another discussion with Raymarine about the fishfinder which is not working. Had some discussions on Friday but then they were closed for Labour day weekend.

Brenda cleaned the boat today while it was raining and once she finished that we decided to go to town for lunch. Tied up to Windsong and they decided to join us. After lunch the ladies said they were going to do a little shopping in this little town. Well 2 hours later they returned.

Also found out that our niece has not received our cruising permit which was to be mailed to her by US Customs and Border Patrol. I think we will wait until Chicago before we start following up. After all it has only been two weeks since we left Drummond. Hopefully no problem, but if there were I would think we would have been notified by now. Ah well, all part of the adventure.

Sunday - September 5, 2010

The wind died down overnight and it was calm in our little lake and marina this morning. We checked the NOAA site and it indicated the small craft warning was going to be withdrawn at 4:00 in the afternoon but the waves and wind were dying down. The winds were 15 to 20 knts and the lake was 2 to 4 footers. We all considered our options and decided to make a run south because tomorrow the winds build up again to 40 knts by Monday night. Our friend from Muskegon who was in the next slip drove out to the lake to check on the wave action for and reported the waves at around 3 feet. We left at 10:45, crossed the little lake and out the inlet which was fun. It faced west and the winds were blowing from the west which set up some interesting rollers inside the channel some of which were 6 feet. It is often said that inlets are very dangerous because of the various actions that take place - water going out and wind blowing in. However we fought our way out and once we got into about 50 feet of water, the wave action was around 2 to 4 feet. Problem was it was a west wind and we were going south< which meant we take the sea on our beam. So we headed out on an angle to the waves and it wasn't too bad. Every once in a while, we would turn 45 degrees and ride the waves back towards shore with the waves hitting the back quarter of the boat. Since the ride was not too bad we passed by Muskegon and went on to Grand Haven about 10 miles further on. Saw some more Indian fish traps and had to avoid them.

Entering the channel into Grand Haven was very interesting. As this was Labour day weekend, there was lots of water traffic - most did not know boating rules or show common courtesy. Entering into the channel which again was choppy, a sailboat which I am sure was partly under power but did have its sails up cut directly in front of us. A go-fast boat ran up beside us to pass without slowing down, obviously wanting to get into the channel first throwing up a big wake. Boats with four five lines out were fishing in the channel. It was crazy.

Anyways we got into the marina we had booked, with a little difficulty. Couldn't find the slip and had to turn around, go out again and come in a different way. After a while you do learn to control the boat without hitting something. Finally found the slip and tied up.

The group then all had a great spagetti dinner over at Windsong and we talked about the day. It now looks like we will be here until Wednesday at the earliest. The winds and waves are going up again.

Saturday - September 4, 2010

We sit and wait for the weather to change. High winds and high waves prevent us from getting out on the big lake. Instead we read and watch television. Went for a walk, Brenda wanted to find someplace to get a hair cut. Unfortunately the only place open was fully booked. Went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch with some of our fellow travelers. For $5.99 a person it was quite acceptable. We're starting to talk about leaving tomorrow to go south. The small craft warning is supposed to be withdrawn at 2 and the lake seems to be calming down. Every time I look at the NOAA weather site it changes and I am of two minds as to go if it is marginal. We're not in a hurry so why move. That was my thought as I go to bed. I am reconciled to staying put.

Friday - September 3, 2010

Good luck tomorrow Laura in your races and congratulations to your teams on the three wins in the Masters World Rowing.

We had a great lightning and thunder storm last night. A prelude to what we can expect this weekend. It now looks that the winds which are building up to 45 knts will not die down until Monday or Tuesday at the earliest which means we will be staying here. Waves are now estimated to go to 9 to 15 feet.

Went for a run this morning along a great bicycle path which apparently goes for some 22 miles. The whole path was sided by flowers or ran through a forest. Really, really nice.

The group got together for pizza and beer tonight at Lazy Dolphin. Lots of talk and laughs.

Thursday - September 2, 2010

Well we finally set out this morning with the intention of reaching Muskegon. Got up at 6, but it was still dark so I puttered around a bit and we finally set out at 7:15 am. Sky was cloudy but the winds were light. We traveled south and the lake was quite calm - waves were under 1 foot. Had the autopilot on and it was a smooth ride. We encountered our friends that we had been traveling with and who we passed after we left on Sunday. We went on to Ludington and they stopped earlier. As a result of our decision to stay in port yesterday, they moved past us to Pentwater.

As we rounded Little Sable Point I noticed the wind and seas starting to pick up. It was not predicted by the NOAA. Anyways we continued on and as we continued on the seas continued to build to around in some cases 6-7 feet coming form the south. Interesting ride. All of us decided to cut short our trip to Muskegon and go into White Lake which is about 10 miles from Muskegon. It was the right decision as the lake was getting rough. As we approached the the breakwater from about 3/4 a mile out we had to go east which meant taking the waves broadside. Big Mistake. One wave hit the boat and set ab out 35 degrees over, the boat came back and it was hit by another big wave with the same result. I managed with some difficulty to turn the boat back into the waves and continue on. After that I let the boat quarter into the waves and they pushed us to the breakwater so that we could get to calmer water in White Lake.

All of us finally arrived at the local marina and tied our boats down. Tomorrow and Saturday, the forecast is for winds of gale force winds. So it looks like we are here for a few days. Another small town where we have to wait out the weather.

Wednesday - September 1, 2010

Well we stayed one more day because of inclement weather. Probably could have gone but decided to stay, since the winds were coming from the west for most of the day. Would have taken the seas on the beam for the whole way which would not be fun. Better save than sorry. We are leaving early tomorrow morning - like around 6 and hope to make it to Muskegon by around 1 where we will tie up tightly. Thursday night it is expected that the wind will increase to 30 - 40 knts and the seas will build up to 12 feet. Gale force winds are predicted for Friday and Saturday so we will be locked in again for a couple of days. We want to get as far south as possible when the seas are down for a day.

Tonight a 47 foot vessel came in about 9:30 looking for space. It was being delivered to Duluth which means they have to travel the length of Superior as well as Michigan. Good Luck at this time of year.

The guy in the slip next to me is leaving at 10 tonight to travel south. The seas are only supposed to be 1 foot tonight building 2 to 3 tomorrow.