BUGS and FOG EVERYWHERE

 Destination Presque Isle from Harrisville.
The foghorn blasted out a warning from the top deck of Wild Goose II most of the day. We listen to the marine radio broadcasting information on a trout tournament. Captain Ron sends out calls over the radio to advise people of our course and position...that did not stop us from coming close to collision this afternoon. An "abbott" type sailboat popped out of the fog just yards ahead of us  and to starboard. The skipper of that vessel stuck his head out of the cabin just as Ron turned to port and avoided a very serious situation. The boat never showed on our radar screen and since the helmsperson of the sailboat was below deck, it's safe to say he did not see us either.
The close call took our minds off of the many bugs on board who needed a place to land and hitch a ride towards shore. Where do they come from way out here? This morning as I still slept Ron washed the boat of fish flies and now we have there pesky little ones...glad they don't bite.

We are crossing Saginaw Bay today where we ride smoothly over an abundance of marked shipwrecks. It's a rather erie feeling gliding on the waters above wondering about the  stories of their final hours. I looked up a few of the wrecks and read that they are in great shape for divers because the fresh waters are so cold and the wrecks are well preserved. That would not be my kind of diving, as I like pretty fish and shallower waters! Fresh water fish are quite ugly.

Wine Festival...we finally found you

 We slip out of our dock later than most of the other boats and I head back to the cabin to clear my head of medicine...I wake up half way across Saginaw Bay in 200' of  dark steel blue water. The light winds are trying to make ripples on top without much luck. We've traveled 200 miles since last Monday and it is now Saturday the 19th of July..the blog is still a bit mixed up, but I'm too far behind to change it at the moment.

 Arrived in Harrisville to see a huge tent up on the hill. Great news! A wine festival...bad news...it ends in an hour :(
Oh well. We settle for taking the bikes up the hill and around a few corners to the local IGA where we spend a ton of money on cough and cold syrups, anti-bacterial wipes and of course a few groceries. We won't be staying long, so the bikes come right back to the boat to get strapped down.

A beautiful Benteau pulls in next to us and off comes the crew....6 chawawa's are loaded into a buggy that looks like a baby stroller and a short fence is loaded on top for them to use when they get to shore. I hear a cat's meow and then some whistles. Noah's Ark? Turns out the bird on board is making all the noises and imitating a cat. We later find out the bird is also good at the rally cries of The Detroit Red Wings...."he shoots, he scores! ...." evidently the bird was first learning to talk during a better time for the team.

  Morning will bring on the fog.

Port Austin Photo Contest

Port Austin boasts the best sunrise and sunset local on Lake Huron...Ron took advantage while I went down early after chugging NyQuil....so, which do you like the best?

Still In Stride

Great Day Buddy

Can't Wait

Lazy Port Huron

Ron continues to ice down his ankle and I wonder if we might have to visit an urgent care facility sometime soon. He's decided that if he has a fracture, it will heal on it's own....men..uugh!
We take the bikes a short distance to what I thought was a deli, but, tuns out to be a glorified liquor store with a few pricey groceries. We get a few things and head back. Naps are on the agenda for today until brother #3 comes to visit. Sure enough just after 6, we get to visit with John and Sara and the kids. Wow, they are growing like weeds...especially Andrew, who must have gained 12 inches since Christmas! Sara shares some of her previous two summer finds of beach glass and I hope that Sig or I can make something nice for her and Jackie.

A slow start to Thursday changes to a frantic race to get the lines disconnected as the bridge goes up. If we miss it we'll have to wait another half hour...which truly shouldn't matter to two semi-retired persons like us...but, whatever? My brain flashes back to 2010 when we were doing the same thing and got caught off guard...except, that time after I disconnected all the lines and got my camera for a last photo...I saw our bikes in the camera lens still chained to the lampost...it was rather hillarious. We looked like we were doing a chinese firedrill getting back to the dock without tying up and me jumping to shore for the bikes while Ron held the boat in place. I've since slowed down too much to try something like that again.
The bluewater bridge comes into view right away once out of the Black River and another memory comes to me (sorry for all the old stories)

...My first Mackinaw Race (and last)....I was warned about the strong currents under the Bluewater Bridge heading out to the starting line of the race. I was not however prepared to listen to the motor struggling while the waters rushed past the sides of the boat and we were not going anywhere...it felt like we were travelling backwards. It's an experience all sailors should have and the only time I was close to being seasick on Jump.

Lake Huron looks huge at this point and I settled in for a bit of book reading secure that Ron is diligently  at the helm.  I lazily look up and to my horror I see someone texting and driving! Where's law enforcement when you need it :)? Actually, he was checking our heading. Off to Port Sanilac.

The Other North Channel

We putz out the cut passing morning joggers and dog walkers to greet a calm flat Lake St Clair. No waves...imagine that!

As we turn North towards to get to "the back" channel, we can also see behind us lot's of white caps coming from the Detroit River and Grosse Pointe shoreline. Glad we took the extra time to get this far yesterday. With clear skies and the night moon still out, we chug along in 15 foot of water that is so clear we can see bottom! By 9:50 we are safely in the "no wake" zone and looking forward to seeing the cute cottages and North Channel YC on our east shores which can only be reached by boat (I think). We bypass some pretty old establishments on the other shore as well...takes Ron back in time as we see some childhood haunts.
Looking ahead, we are going to join the main channel soon and have just heard a forecast for a storm and waterspouts. Time for foul weather gear! If we are prepared, maybe we will be spared getting caught. Soon enough, we see rain falling in buckets covering the skyline and watch as the system passes north and east of us. Yeah!

The mouth of The Black River never changes this time of year...you go from blue to brown/black water in the blink of an eye.

 2:30 opening of the Military Bridge is made just in time and we proceed through the 7th St bridge to a dock at River St Marina where just last week they had hundreds of race boats and sailors partying and getting ready for the Port Huron to Mackinaw Race. All is quiet now and I think the boats are just recording their finishes. Hope the guys and gals we know did well. I believe Shennanigans J33, Clowns, Time Machine J35, and Consigliori should be in the hunt and if I missed someone....sorry. Send a comment :) I hope they have many layers of warm clothes as we start to feel the coldfront that was predicted. Time for jeans and sweatshirts!

Pulling Up Stakes

Monday morning is full of sunshine and dew as we load the bikes and Ron gets a shower in at The Club before taking off. I hear Beth, who is on a neighboring boat and is talking electronically to a relative whom I cannot distinguish. It makes me think ahead to the place where I am going.... A place where Skype and Verizon will rule my connectivity to family  and friends for the next couple months. We anxiously pull away from the dock and I wonder if Wildgoose II will ever be tied up here again. If we move fast enough, maybe the broker cannot find us :)... right.

A freighter is passing clear in the distance as we see all of the familiar landmarks...the lighthouse, Monroe stacks, Fermi and then the Detroit River Light. We seem to stay parallel to the freighter until the entrance of the Detroit river and he calls for permission to proceed upbound on the downbound Livingston Channel. How cool! We follow. Travelling to Detroit is always prettier than it sounds. It would make a good day trip for those who like to sail around the lighthouse and turtle island on occasion. Maybe pack a lunch and light dinner...would also get a sunset in for the NCYC Crowd on their way home.
The water has already been a pea green, then deep olive, changed to teal, to blue and back to teal. What a rainbow of the cool end of the spectrum.

Goose's destination today is Metro Beach, which is near St Clair Shores. WE find it empty except for some fisherpersons, a few picnic people and some rollerbladers. We take the pick of the docks and settle in for visits from two of Ron's brothers. One is sure to bring us stories about beer, boats and The Bay, while the other about fishing and the grandkids! Both beaming from ear to ear.  Can't wait to visit!

2014 Starting A New Adventure

 Well, We aren't sure how long we'll be out on The Great Lakes and really not sure where we'll end up. One thing is for sure...this trip is a long time in coming. We've completed a lot of challenges and our cancers are history. The past three years have brought with them some life altering changes. Our home that we swore to never sell in LaSalle MI has been sold and we have changed our residency to Port Charlotte Florida on the gulf coast.  My Dad is watching us from heaven,  Ron's health is in order and Kristyn's last name has changed to Kocher.  The biggest decision has been to put "The Goose" up for sale, so, we listed her with a broker just before we left. Our "plan" is to get to the other side of the state and explore some new territory. Our fingers are secretly crossed that we can out-run any potential buyers for a time.

Wildgoose II got her feathers' wet starting the end of June hanging out around the wonderful Lake Erie Islands both in Canada and US. Fifteen boats coming and going during the ten day outing brought variety  every day with the help of great chair persons and port captains. To all of you......"thanks!" And thanks to The Cummings on Middle Bass for the private tour and introducing me to new places in my never ending search for seaglass.
 With a lot of help from Mom and Sis, we watched as people nickel and dimed us to death over small change to buy our belongings that had been stored since the sale of our home.

So, we say "goodbye" to NCYC on Lake Erie and "hello" to The Detroit River, Lake St Clair, The St. Clair River, Lake Huron and finally Lake Michigan. We are sure to meet up with old friends and hope to make some new ones. And just like our trip in 2010, we hope you'll take part.