Days 29 - 32 Les Cheneaux

Monday
We are in a little corner of heaven called Les Cheneaux (French for "The Channels") just east of the Straits of Mackinac. Here at anchor in Government Bay, we're surrounded by pine-covered islands that protect us from the wind, waves and civilization.
Dinner was delayed our first night due to the generator alternately working and quitting. It took 2 hours to boil pasta for spaghetti! By the time we ate, we were so hungry it tasted like the best spaghetti ever. We enjoyed it al fresco while we listened to the soft rows of waves lick the hull and watched shades of orange and purple stretch across the sky as the sun settled down over the horizon.

Tuesday
Bob stepped down to the engine room Tuesday morning to see about the !##^@&! generator and found water in the bilge - - - lots of water! Apparently, the bilge pump is also sleeping on the job! We took the dinghy into Cedarville, about a mile away, to get parts for the bilge pump and, of course, the requisite ice cream.
On our return trip to Osprey another dinghy came by spraying water and leaving a wake for us to bounce over. Surprise! It was our friends, Rob & Judy, who came up on their boat, GetAWay. They had found Osprey at anchor without her dinghy and deduced where we had gone.

Wednesday
Rob & Judy took us in their dinghy to breakfast in Cedarville Wednesday morning. We stopped in the log cabin style Les Cheneaux Museum filled with artifacts and history of the Native Americans and early settlers of the area, as expected. But we were pleasantly surprised by the dazzling exhibition of quilts artistically embellished with a variety of media including embroidery, applique, beads, yard, and paint.

Best Birthday Ever!
Wednesday night, Bob awoke me around 1:30 a.m. "Come on deck. You have to see these stars!"
So many stars! And the Milky Way! My favorite constellation, Saggitarius, visible only this time of year, gleamed in the southern sky. Over the island to the west, someone was shooting fireworks. It was a celestial celebration!

Thursday
The sun shone and warmed the air long enough for Judy and I to kayak around Government Bay.
It didn't last! When we took off in the dinghy toward Hessel for a fish dinner, the sunshine turned liquid and drizzled down on us. The splash from the waves completed the soaking. Naturally, we took a wrong turn and arrived almost an hour later, cold and wet, physically miserable but laughing at the whole, crazy experience. We hung our jackets over chairs to dry, and ordered hot cocoa. The whitefish was delectible and worth the trip. Thankfully, the waves and rain calmed for the return trip.

More fun ensued upon our return to the harbor. Judy had baked a cake and Bob cut it up, reassembled the parts and decorated it to look like a chocolate boat - maybe even a trawler with it's single, big emergency candle that looked something like a mast. It was garnished with sugar castles and crowns, Sugar letters spelled out, "Happy Birthday, Princess." Margaret and Jim, whom we had met in Presque Isle and who arrived in Government Bay aboard their sailboat, Pandion, joined us, with a colorful, blinking "party light." It was a great party!

Even Riley helped to make the day spectacular. I was aboard GetAWay, and heard Bob yell my name from Osprey. When I looked he had his arms raised in jubilation, a plastic bag in each. "Riley pooped on deck!" We'd been waiting and Riley had been holding since Monday when we first anchored. I thought he'd either explode or get sick, and I had begun to worry. People on the nearby boats knew of our concern and yelled and clapped when they heard Bob shout.

Days 26 & 27 — Back to DeTour Village

The far side of the St. Marys River was hidden by fog when we awoke, so we took a slow, easy Saturday morning before heading south again to De Tour Village. This time we traveled with the current, so the trip was shorter (about 5 hours), even though we encountered several groups of sport fishing boats that we navigated around and slowed for so they wouldn’t be endangered by our wake. We used the West Neebish Channel which is a downbound freighter channel. We were glad that we didn’t actually have to squeeze through it with a freighter, because it was quite narrow.

We passed a freighter bow and pilothouse that had been made into a cottage. Just yesterday, Bob was speculating about making an old freighter into a house with a huge, enclosed swimming pool in the cargo area. Nothing says home like a musty, rusty ship!

Our next destination is Les Cheneaux Islands, northeast of Mackinac Island, where we'll be anchoring for a few days. Since today is cool, cloudy, and rainy, we'll just wait at the marina another day. Do we dare hope for warmth and sun tomorrow so we can kayak and play among the islands in the sun?

We are noticing more trawlers than we've ever seen before. Yesterday there were 7 at this marina at one time.

Day 25 - The Locks

Today has been the best day yet. We took Osprey through the Sault Locks. It began when Bob radioed the lockmaster and announced that we'd like to pass up. Bob held our little trawler steady in the St. Mary's River for about 20 minutes while we waited. The big, dark gates ahead of us opened and 2 boats came out. The green light told us we could proceed into the cavernous MacArthur Lock. The lock attendant passed a line over a bollard on shore and dropped the other end to me. Bob took a line at the stern. Slowly the lock filled and we took in the lines as Osprey was lifted up, up, up.
When we rose above the wall, we could see all the tourists in the stands and along the visitors' area watching the process. It was like being on stage. Bob said, "We should have worn a tux and evening gown." The gates ahead of us opened, the attendant wished us well and took the lines, and we sailed out, under the International Bridge to Canada and into Whitefish Bay in Lake Superior. Along the shore we could see freighters that had passed the marina previously loading coal to take back south.
Then we turned around and repeated the locking process - this time the water drained from the lock and we were lowered. It's much different watching boats lock and being inside that huge lock!

This comment made us laugh. It was made by tourist at the locks: "I wondered how they got that big freighter straight in the lock, but I see there's a man pulling it in!" She was referring to the dock attendant handling the lines on shore. I guess she thought that a single human could pull a 25,000 ton freighter carrying 25,000 tons of cargo!

In the evening, as we sat on the bridge of Osprey with wine and cheese, we watched the freighter, Atlantic Huron, pull up to the wall to wait for the locks. Then another freighter, the Quebecois, pulled up at the wall on the other side. We knew there was a freighter in the lock and were anxious to see how 3 freighters could fit in the passage to the lock. It just didn't seem possible. After about an hour, the Edwin Gott, a thousand footer, pulled out of the lock. What a sight - 3 freighters, side-by-side. The Atlantic Huron started pulling into the Poe Lock. Then Ojibway pull out of the MacArthur Lock, and the Quebecois was on her way. It was a freighter traffic jam!

Tomorrow we'll be heading back south to DeTour. We'll probably leave late, because they are predicting fog.

Days 22 - 24 - Sault Ste. Marie

We finally, temporarily at least, have Internet service. I had to purchase it from the marina, as Verizon wants to route us through the nearby Canadian towers and charge exorbitant fees to do so. I filled in the next 3 entries for the days I missed, so read on . . .

We had the joy of watching another brilliant orange sun spill over the eastern horizon as we left De Tour Harbor this morning. Now it’s only 10:40 a.m. and the temperature is 70° already here in Lake Nicolet in the St. Marys River. We’re “swimming with the freighters” as the shipping channel is narrow, and the water outside the channel is shallow. We haven’t seen much evidence of civilization — some small, private fishing boats and there are cottages scattered sparsely along the shore, but for the most part the way is quiet and serene, and we are awed by the beauty of the sparkling water and the multitude of heavily-treed islands that come into view at every bend in the river.

Later . . .
We docked at George Kemp Marina. It's close to the town of Sault Ste. Marie and next to the 600+ foot Valley Camp Freighter which is now a museum.

Why bother carting our bicycles down from the boat, when the marina has bikes available for boaters’ - free!? After our ride, we generously named the marina bikes, “Bum Busters,” and we’ll be using our bikes from now on. We rode over to the Sault Locks and watched 2 freighters lock through. We carefully watched a tour boat and a sail boat lock through to get an idea what we’ll experience when we traverse to Lake Superior. We also took the elevator to the top of the History Tower which offers views of the city, the locks, and the St. Marys River from about 262 feet above the ground.

Wednesday . . .
Laundry and boat scrubbing day! The fish flies have unfortunately caught up to us and mucked up the deck. Thankfully, there aren't too many.
After Bob's signature blueberry pancakes we rode out bikes to the bank, post office, and the tourist shops. I bought a hoodie because I didn't pack enough warm clothing. Silly me, I thought it was going to be summer.
Rain this afternoon. At least it's not snow! We'll order a pizza in and watch a DVD.

Day 22—De Tour Village

Fog greeted us this morning, so we took our time making coffee, walking Riley, and doing our other morning chores before getting underway. It lifted quickly, and Osprey glided smoothly across the glassy-smooth Straits of Mackinac to De Tour Village Harbor at the mouth of the St. Marys River.
On our walk along the breakwater Riley hustled eagerly as though he thought something exciting must be at the end. I think he was disappointed to find only seagulls and their “exhaust” Bob and I took a short bike ride into the Village to visit the small museum and to buy a potato for our dinner of fish chowder made from the remains of the fresh-caught trout we purchased Friday.

Days 19 - 21 Hammond Bay

Day19—Hammond Bay Harbor

Last evening we had a most enjoyable visit from one of Bob’s former coworkers, Pat, and his wife, Karen, who live near the harbor. This morning, Pat phoned to tell us he was bringing his car over for our use. What a treat! The little red PT Cruiser took us to the movies in Cheboygan! In a small, old time theater, we saw Public Enemy with Johnny Depp and ate popcorn with real butter on it!

Days 20 & 21 - The NOAA weather report continues to threaten high winds and waves and we continue to “rock and roll” at our slip in the harbor. Bob says, “It’s as windy as a political convention.”

We spotted a bald eagle flying overhead. He stood on the breakwater for awhile admiring the little trawler Osprey.

We still have use of the car, so we rode into Roger’s City. We looked in the harbor for Jim and Margaret’s sailboat., but they must have moved on.

The Presque Isle county Historical Museum—Bradley House was worth touring. It’s a sprawling, 2-story clapboard house filled with beautiful artifacts of bygone eras, and information about the history of the area and the Polish and German people who settled there. We had noticed, as we drove around the residential streets, that many of the houses looked similar. In the museum we learned that these homes were originally purchased as kits from Sears. For $3,000 the houses were delivered with everything needed for construction, including plank floors, millwork, shellac ,and 3 coats of paint. Not included were plaster, cement, or brick.

When the commercial fishing boat came in in the morning, we walked over and asked what he’d caught and he told us, “Whitefish and trout.” He sold us a trout large enough for 4 meals for only $5.

Chef du jour , Bob, baked it in foil with onions, butter, and seasoning. It was the best fish I’ve ever eaten.

Sunday after dinner, we drove the car back to Pat and Karen’s and enjoyed an evening at their lovely home on Black Mallard Lake.

Days 17 & 18 - Presque Isle & Hammond Bay

Wednesday we took a bicycle ride to the "New" Presque Isle Lighthouse. It was built in 1870, which doesn't seem so new, but the "Old" lighthouse was there first. For $2.50 you can climb the 162 circular, wrought iron grille stairs and crawl through the hatch to the lookout at the top. It's well worth the climb for the breathtaking 360-degree view of Presque Isle and Lake Huron. Climbing back down for an acrophobic like me was a wall clinging, move one foot at a time, don't look down past the step, slow process. I had to sit down and let the shakes out at the end, but I'm glad I did it! There is also a museum that once served as the home of the lightkeeper and his family. The guide was a friendly, former educator who was happy to describe the process of restoring the home after its second life as a Coast Guard station.

In the evening, we walked with sailors, Jim and Margaret, to the Old Lighthouse to be entertained by five Native American women who sang traditional songs and played various percussion instruments including drums and a shaker made from deer toes and antlers. These ladies have to be given credit for performing outside their comfort zone. One of them told us "I haven't ever sung in front of a crowd this big. I hope I remember the words!" We were surprised also to see 80 or 90 people there. Presque Isle is not exactly a booming metropolis. The nearest city is 20 miles away! The crowd seemed to especially enjoy the song about the lovesick blues, which weren't lyrics any of us would have associated with Native American folk music.

Today, Thursday, found us motoring among gentle one-foot waves over 150 feet of water in northern Lake Huron for almost five hours to the tiny marina at Hammond Bay. The harbormaster and assistant greeted us enthusiastically as they helped us dock. Bruce offered us coffee and told us he was glad to have someone to talk to. He said Hammond Bay "...isn't a destination harbor;" they don't have a lot of visitors. I'm glad we didn't miss it. There is lots of room to roam. Bruce pointed to a large area where he said we could let Riley run free. I didn't because this little golden would have started running and not stopped until he found someone to pet him and offer him a treat. However, we did meander through the meadow, and Riley stopped to smell the smells while I stopped to admire the daisies and clover and other flowering plants. Roaming further, we came to the pine forest, dotted with bright pink wild roses and ferns that Mother Nature arranged more beautifully than any florist. We saw a heron take flight before we returned to Osprey for lunch.

The weather report for tomorrow includes the phrase," high near 63." High? That's not high at all! What ever happened to summer? It's supposed to be windy and rainy with moderately high waves for the next day or two, so we'll probably stay right in this cozy little harbor. Maybe we'll see a bear or fox or one of the eagles that nest here.

I was afraid when we embarked on this journey that we'd feel closed in in our little trawler, but instead, we feel a part of the vast and beautiful world around us.

Days 16 & 17 - Presque Isle

Six and one half hours - a great cruise from Harrisville to Presque Isle on Tuesday. We had 1 to 2 foot waves most of the way, a few 3's near the end. And the sun was shining; what a treat! Presque Isle State Harbor is beautiful with the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse visible from the marina, and water so clear that you can see every rock and fish on the bottom 10 feet down. When the sun hits the water just right, it looks like the boats are floating on air. You can see their undersides!
Near sunset we took a walk out on the breakwater. You can also veer off into the wetlands to see some rare, protected species of plants, smell the pines, and walk to the haunted lighthouse.
Occasionally, we heard visitors ringing the bell there . . . or maybe it was the ghosts!

I learned that there are lamprey eels in the Great Lakes. They were kept out by Niagara Falls in the distant past, but the Welland Canal allowed them to swim in. They prey on the salmon and lake perch (my favorite dinner fish!).

Today, the wind is whistling in the nearby sailboats' rigging. Several boats that were anchored have taken slips in the marina to get out of the rough weather. All the boaters gather on the dock when a boat comes in to help fight the wind and get the boat safely into a slip. We are glad we stayed in today!

Day 15 - Still in Harrisville

We're beginning to feel like permanent residents of Harrisville, we've been here so long! At least we're not alone in the marina. There are others(sailors who also have slow boats) waiting for a calm day to take the trek to Presque Isle. The sun is out and it's warmer today. Bob cleaned the teak deck and restored its golden shine.
We followed a bike trail that led to a retired train station. It would make a lovely sandstone cottage with lots of room for entertaining. We designed the whole interior. We just aren't sure how long it would take for the passing trains to drive us crazy. Me anyway, Bob would probably love it!

Days 10, 11, 12 - Harrisville

The cell phone rang as I was making coffee. It was Bob. “You’ve got to see this!” he chuckled. “A flock of about 20 Canadian geese has separated a female swan from her mate and is keeping the male swan from coming to her rescue despite several attempts on his part. When he attempts to approach, several of the geese assume aggressive postures and hiss chasing the male swan away.” I ran up the pier to where Bob sat on a park bench and we watched. The geese had surrounded the swan and marched her back and forth on the shore like a gaggle of divorce attorneys keeping her away from her estranged mate. As they marched away male fluffed up his feathers and arched his wings to look beautiful—Was it to motivate her to escape or to attract a new mate? I guess we’ll never know.

Port Austin is one of the few places where you can sit on the bridge with a glass of wine, cheese and crackers and watch a spectacular, fiery orange sunset; then arise in the morning and watch the sun pop up like a yellow beach ball over the opposite horizon as you're casting off the lines to get underway.

I have learned that a broiling pan is very versatile. It can be used to broil juicy barbecue ribs, of course, but it is also handy for baking cakes and cookies, using as a tray to carry lunch to the helmsman, and it makes a great laptop desk .

Thursday morning, we had a sunny and smooth sail across Saginaw Bay. For awhile we owned the world—no visible shore or boats in any direction.

We came to the pretty little town of Harrisville where—alas—I found an optometrist to fix the glasses I somehow managed to mangle while watching the fireworks in Lexington. Unfortunately, the glasses were beyond repair. (Note to all: Take 2 pair!) We consoled ourselves with huge ice cream cones served by the friendliest of ten-year-old boys at a shop in town.

Days 8 & 9 - Port Austin

We left Harbor Beach early Monday morning and headed north. After a couple of hours the waves started to get a little rolly, so we opted not to cross Saginaw Bay. We pulled in at Port Austin and had a late breakfast aboard. Spent a lazy day watching the clouds hang heavily in the sky. A 52 foot trawler pulled in. The captain told us he'd done the Great Loop twice! We let him know we are in week 2 of our Great Loop adventure.

Wednesday greeted us with more heavy clouds. We are beginning to think sunshine is a myth! I was wandering around town from store to store seeking quarters for the washer and dryer and met a man from Georgia. He can't understand how Michiganders can enjoy water sports in this cold. He said, "In Georgia you wake up and it's already hot!" I let him know that this is not typical July weather here!

Riley and I started a walk along the breakwater, but when a wave crashed over the wall and wetted me up to my forehead, I told Riley we had to walk on land.

Later I'm going to town to buy warm clothes. Maybe a parka!

Day 7 - Harbor Beach

Gee, those seagulls on the breakwater were delighted to see us arrive in Harbor Beach! They announced our arrival in their loudest squawks! We were also welcomed by dozen or so hawks that performed a fly over just after we docked.
We took the shuttle to town, did laundry, and I walked - and walked - to the small market to pick up a few groceries.
We had a nice chat with some sailing friends whom we seem to run into once or twice every boating season at one marina or the other.
The grand finale of the day came in 2 acts. First was a rainbow and then the clouds parted like a curtain on the stage to reveal a glowing full moon.

Day 5 Lexington Again

We awoke at 5 am - ready to face Lake Huron and venture to a new port. The marine weather forecast predicted building wind velocity with 4 - 7 foot waves. Forget that! We stayed in Lexington. The marina is full, but they had some cancellations, so we were able to keep our slip. I don't think the weather conditions ever approached the forecast, but we aren't sorry we stayed. There's a festival going on here for the 4th of July with music, fireworks, lots of boaters and even more dogs. Life is good. We're right on the main pier, so Riley, our golden retriever, is having the time of his life getting petted and fawned over by all the passers by.

There are some members of US Power Squadrons here, so we got a vessel safety exam and now have our 2009 sticker.

Our phones aren't getting a signal, so sorry to all those who tried to reach us here.

Day 3 - Bicycle Overboard

Off we went even though the clouds hung heavy and dark all day. They threatened to rain, but not storm . . .
After seven hours of calm water and cool weather we called it a day and pulled in at River Street Marina in Port Huron. Yep, seven hours is a long time to get to Port Huron. We told you we have a slow boat! The 3 1/2 mile an hour current in the St. Clair River didn't help either.
As we pulled into the Black River we noticed that Bob's bicycle had abandoned ship! It had been lashed to the rail on the bridge. There was no rough water or loud noise or any reason we can fathom why the bike was lost. Maybe it just needed excitement and jumped overboard. It's certainly at the bottom of the shipping channel now!
The adventure continues! We took the bus, enjoyed the tour of the city and bought a new bike at the local Kmart.
Didn't feel like cooking after that. We had the hamburger special at the Zebra Bar. Free internet!