Anchored in Huron Bay, MI

We are anchored tonight in Huron Bay, Michigan - between the Keweenaw Peninsula and Marquette. Expect to make Marquette by tomorrow night, where we will hook up with some of Ilona's relatives, as well as some new friends from the Trailer Sailors who live there (and will join us later in the North Channel of Lake Huron - they are trailering their boat.)

Absolutely beautiful here. Sunny, high 75. Water 62 -  cold swim. Winds are light; we sailed about half of today, motor-sailed the rest. Crossed the mouth of Keweenaw Bay. It looks half-way like the North Channel, if you look towards shore (the other half - looking out to the lake - looks more like the ocean.)

There is a huge eagle's nest in a big tree right on shore.  We saw the two parents; looking to see the babies who are reportedly living there.  Really calm and pretty sheltered anchorage.  10 feet over sand.

on to Marquette

Our plan:  leave Hancock tomorrow mid-day; motor or sail down the Keweenaw Waterway and tie up at the Lower Entry overnight.  Then on Sunday, head for Marquette MI, a 70-mile crossing.  Timing is great - winds today were up to 30 knots; good time to be off the big lake. Should finally be lighter winds for the next several days.  We might anchor overnight on the way, if we can find a safe harbor that is deep enough.  Likely will cross all the way on Sunday, although we might not arrive until Monday or Tuesday.

Rest day ashore

After arriving in Hancock this morning, we took a slip in the marina, then rented a car and drove to South Range MI.  Pasties for lunch at Roy's. Groceries. Laundry. Pumpout. Diesel. Water. Showers.

Dinner with Bud and Ruth Huuki, relatives of Ilona who live nearby in the U.P. (and their friends).   No problem at all being alone, without any friends or relatives - we keep meeting new or old people in every port!

Home of Ilona Jarvinen, from age 0 to 10 - South Range, MI

on the Keweenaw Waterway

tied up at the Lily Pond, Upper Entry, Keweenaw Waterway

passing the Ranger, the ferry bound for Isle Royale - Keweenaw Waterway

passing under the Houghton-Hancock lift bridge - Keweenaw Waterway

docked at the Houghton Country Marina, Hancock MI - Keweenaw Waterway

Houghton MI, seen from our slip in Hancock

Today's breakage reports:  

1. Refrigerator - seems to gronk when confronted with a full load of warm food. Solution: add perishables first, let them cool with partially-empty fridge, then add beverages and non-perishables later.  

2. Our budget ...

Keweenaw!

Had a terrific day of sailing – from Ontanagon to the Keweenaw Waterway.  Fair winds of 18-22 all day!   Big waves and winds in the morning, sailed with a single reef.  Later the winds dropped (18 knots is dropped?), so we shaked out the reefs and roared downhill at 5-6 (+) knots for several hours. Waves about 4 feet (we estimate.)

Almost 200 miles of sailing in 4 days! We're now tied up in the Portage Canal (the Keweenaw Waterway, the shortcut through the Keweenaw Peninsula.)  Tomorrow we motor into Houghton/Hancock, then check into the marina for a shore day – laundry, showers, restaurants, sightseeing, shopping. 

Last night we met Art, who just launched in Ontanagon and is headed home to Grand Marais (MN). He knows several of our friends - Tyler Howell, and Judy and Peter Barsness. We keep meeting people we know or who know those who we know.

Today's breakage report:  Two sail slugs on the mainsail track.  No problem – we earned this one.

We're in the Yoop!

Day 3 out of Duluth/Superior:  Made it all the way from Stockton Island in the Apostle Islands, Wisconsin – to Ontanagon in the Yew Pee (UP) of Michigan.  

We're making good time: about 140 + miles in 3 days.  The Porcupine Mountains are beautiful from a couple of miles offshore. 

Tomorrow we go to the Keweenaw Waterway – may then take a marina in Houghton/Hancock for a day or two for shore leave, shopping, and relaxation.  

We did get in an hour or two of good sailing today, in spite of the headwinds.  Did you realize how big Lake Superior really is?

Boat Repair

Let's see now: 

1. One day repairing the radar the weekend before we left Superior – it was the Ethernet cable connecting the radar with the chartplotter.  All fixed now. Memo: Get spare Ethernet cable.

2. The refrigerator decided to take a day off just before we left; figure it was probably a low service battery.  Works fine now, if we don't run the radar for several hours without recharging.  Good thing too – cold beer is a necessary staple on Ihana. Memo: Don't run the radar without the engine on (for long times); also get more beer.

3. The toilet decided to plug up yesterday while we were sailing in the Apostle Islands.  Jim & I got it fixed.  Good thing I had a spare Joker valve.  Very messy job, but the head works perfectly now. And I am now an expert on getting our shit together …  Memo: Get another Joker valve rebuilding kit.

4. Today the engine overheated – again – while we were several miles offshore between the Apostles and the Keweenaw Peninsula.  We spent an hour trying to figure out what was wrong. It fixed itself. We think there was something partially blocking the raw water (lake, cooling water) intake, which went away.  Worked fine the rest of the day.  Memo: Try backing up if it happens again.

Well,  they say cruising is a period of continuous boat repair, interspersed with occasional sailing …