Lake Michigan Cruising

[David VanDenburgh]

Ran into our first thunderstorm on Monday. As always, breathtaking. Wind, waves, and lightning were moderate, but the rain was pretty intense. Conditions made for a good photo or two (and the new dodger is like a bonus room; the extra living space is great):




David

[Rachel]

Looking at the photos I can just about smell the "storm on a big freshwater lake" smell :)

Your boat looks nice too.

Rachel

[Triton 185]

Your boat looks nice too.

I agree. What are you sailing?

[Ric in Richmond]

Love the fold down pushpit seat. I want to see the rest of the boat!!

[John, CD28]

David - sweet boat you've got there ;)

I planned a 2 week cruise, and was promptly shut down by weather. This was a scary looking cloud off Cape Ann, delivering a 50kt gust, rain, & hail. That was pretty much the daily story for two weeks.



Cheers,
John
Cape Dory 28 Tantalus

[bcooke]

I planned a 2 week cruise, and was promptly shut down by weather...That was pretty much the daily story for two weeks.

I planned a final coat of finish primer and was prompty shut down by weather... That was pretty much the daily story for two weeks.

The 'wet winch' picture might be frame-able. Lots of good mood imagery in that one.

[David VanDenburgh]

I agree. What are you sailing?

Thanks. She's a '79 Cape Dory 36, designed by Carl Alberg.

I planned a final coat of finish primer and was prompty shut down by weather... That was pretty much the daily story for two weeks.

At least you're maintaining your sense of humor. It will all be worth it in the end.

We arrived in Charlevoix, approx. 270nm from our home port, Friday afternoon after a 22hr. trip from Pentwater through Manitou Passage and over the top of Grand Traverse Bay.


The map here is from another summer cruise, but it shows Charlevoix, Manitou, etc., at the NW end of the Michigan peninsula.

Great sunset Thursday evening. Witnessed quite the fireworks display that night as we slid past a thunderstorm moving west to east over the lake. Passed two tugs towing barges, and a bulk carrier.



Arrived Manitou Passage, between North and South Manitou Islands and the north end of Michigan, around 0530.


Manitou Island just visible to port.

Entered Lake Charlevoix at 1530 and saw a familiar looking design at anchor on Round Lake. Sorry, I had the wrong lens on the camera.



Spent two nights at anchor in 30kt winds before moving down to a municipal marina in a more protected part of the lake - where, it turns out, we ran out of water in our assigned slip. Apparently the soundings are a tad inaccurate.

[David VanDenburgh]

We just returned from our trip. Arriving back home and facing that other part of reality is tough, but I'm having fun going through the photos and video and reliving the trip.

Although this cruise hit several of our usual stops, we added enough new ports to shake things up a bit. Perhaps the most enjoyable stop was St. James Harbor in Beaver Island, located at the northern end of Lake Michigan. The harbor provided secure anchoring in 6-12 feet of crystal clear water with a woodsy and historic shoreline - and not many other boats. We spent a day ashore, which included a visit to the historical society and an encounter with one nasty, abrasive harbormaster, and a couple days on the boat, basking in the island's natural beauty. Beaver Island houses a large Irish population, but before that it was the site of a Mormon settlement established by James Strang, who declared himself King Strang in the mid-1800s. The island has a fairly colorful history (and, judging by the harbormaster, a few colorful souls to this day).




We departed Beaver Island and headed over the northern end of the island, then set a course south for South Manitou and, eventually, Pentwater. We sailed through the night under drifter in just a couple knots of wind. The wind built around midnight to 15 knots, requiring a sail change, before it totally petered out around 0200, leaving us to roll about in the slop. We finally powered the last few hours, arriving in port just after sunrise.



The rest of the trip home was nothing short of perfect: speedy off-the-wind sails, sunny skies, and great company. I'm already looking forward to next summer!

David