in the Apostle Islands

Great day today - weather is wonderful.  Sunny, good winds most of the day.  We were trying to continue on to Outer Island (staging ground for the jump to Ontanagon), but had trouble with the Joker Valve on our marine head.  Jim Kimmet (and R^2) managed to fix it, while Ilona sailed (not motored) the boat.  Good thing I had spare parts.  We changed course to Presque Isle Bay on Stockton Island, due to the winds shifting to the north and east.  Terrific couple of hours sailing - full sail, wind 10-15 kts, speed up to 6 knots!  Ilona and Jim are dinghying ashore, while I cleaned up the dishes and am Internetting.  Plan to continue on to Ontanagon tomorrow - should be good winds and sunny weather, waves < 2 feet.
Having a wonderful time - wish you were here.

Superior WI to the Apostle Islands

made it okay on Monday.   We motored most of the way because of the light winds.  The diesel moved us right along at about 7 knots, but sucked A LOT of fuel.  We still have over 1/2 tank left + 10 gallons in the Jerry cans, so figure we can motor all the way to the Keweenaw if we slow down or, better yet, have good winds for sailing.
Because of the Duluth rains and flooding, the lake was RED most of the way, with considerable flotsam - mostly logs - a good part of the way. Especially for the first 2-3 hours out of Superior (!), and another hour approaching Sand Island in the Apostles.  We anchored in Raspberry Bay in the Apostle Islands - BEAUTIFUL!
Note to BROOMS:  DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES try to travel at night west of the Apostle Islands - you will need to see and continuously avoid driftwood.  BIG driftwood!!

Departure

s/v Ihana left Superior Wisconsin early this morning, bound for the Apostle Islands and on to the Keweenaw Peninsula.  WE MAY BE OUT OF WIFI RANGE until we reach Ontanagon or Houghton/Hancock; this will take a minimum of 3 days, probably a few more.  Don't worry if this blog isn't updated.  Weather: wind < 5 knots; high 70 degrees; sunny; no chance of rain - we expect to use the engine all day in calm seas.

Crossing the Red Sea

Today we had a sail around the Duluth Harbor, primarily to check out the boat and crew, and see how well we could handle moderately-strong wind, waves and current out in Lake Superior (we all did fine).
Pictures below: Our slip at Barker's Island Marina, the Superior (Wisconsin) harbor entrance lighthouse, the color of the water out in Lake Superior, and returning under the Duluth Aerial Bridge. 

The water is colored due to the mud sediment from the rain and floods in the Duluth area last week. The brown/red color of the water is real - it's not photoshopped or an empty printer ink cartridge ...

Theme from the Ihana Cruise

             [sing it, tune of the Intro to the Muppet Show ...]


It's time to fill the fuel tanks
It's time to do pump out
It's time to load the dinghy - on the Ihana Cruise today.

It's time to set the waypoints
It's time to get the charts
It's time to plot the crossing - on the Ihana Cruise today. 

It's time to don lifejacket 
It's time to dress up right

It's time to start the engine - on the Ihana Cruise today.

It's time to send the sail plan

It's time to log lat lon

It's time to haul the docklines - on the Ihana Cruise today.

It's time to clear the harbor

It's time to point to wind

It's time to raise the mainsail - on the Ihana Cruise today.

But now It's getting started

Why don't you get things started?

It's time to get things started

On the most sensational

Inspirational

Celebrational

SEA-sational

This   is   what   we   call   The Ihana Cruise! 

Leaving home

Ilona reports: "In many ways so far, the hardest day. Got up at 6-ish. Put on coffee water. To basement to move laundry. WTF - Ben is here! Move it. Now quiet. Two couples come by to say good-bye. Fighting off tears. Jim and Peggy arrive (Jim will help us on the Superior-to-Soo crossing.) Laundry. Put steel wool around pipes to deter mice. It is 9 am. Time to go. But I did not say good bye. Good bye, our home. Hardest. Saying good bye to Ben. Will always love you. Yet here it is raining. AGAIN. And the Gieses here. Problems with refrig?!!! Thank you. JIm!!! Rain! tomorrow test sail. Off Monday?? "


Bob reports: "By far, the hardest part was saying "Buffalo" [Bye-son?] to Ben when he left for home with the car, after driving us up to the boat in Superior and spending the day with us.  Will REALLY miss him. The reality is hitting us!  We no longer have a car with us! We did get the boat almost completely ready; need to fill up the fuel tanks and pump out the holding tank.  The scariest thing was seeing the marina bill for stepping and tuning the mast last week!  Today we will take a trial cruise to make sure everything is shipshape and Bristol fashion.  Wind 10-15 NE today, right on the nose if we left for the Apostle Islands (we won't today)."

Last day at home

We leave tomorrow morning for the drive from home to our boat at Barker's Island Marina on Lake Superior.  Today: House cleaning and preparation.  Also, thanks to Mike and Jenny Sutton for meeting with us today - we really appreciated the information they provided about their sailing in the IntraCoastal Waterway and the Bahamas.