August 18th Geneva, Ohio to Erie, Pennsylvania

I woke this morning to a golf cart stopping outside our window. It took me a moment, but after a second I figured that it must be the management checking out freeloading boats. During the night the wind had woken me up a couple of times but after remembering that we were tied to a wall and not on the hook, I went back to sleep. I got up to check our the lake and found a bill taped to a stay. The wind was down but there were nice swells rolling in from the north east. NOAA called for west winds 10 to 20 in the afternoon so we hiked about � mile to pay our bill and headed for Erie, PA which was about 40 miles to the east. There was no wind until noon but we had the mizzen up for stabilization....

The wind built from the west during the day and by the time we approached Erie, Sapphire was surfing down six-footers. Presque Isle Harbor is created by an arm of land that curves north and east into Lake Erie. It creates a completely enclosed bay that is about four miles by one mile. On the north side of the main bay there is another, more sheltered bay that is a state park and allows anchoring.

The only entrance to Presque Isle Harbor is from the east so in winds of 35 knots we went over the top and headed for the more sheltered water in the lea of the harbor. For you sailors, we were doing 7.5 knots on mizzen only at this point and working hard and holding a course perpendicular to the wind. Entering the harbor from the east the wind hit 40 knots. The wind was dumping our bow wake directly on my head while Kathy hung out under the dodger. Our course was due west through the channel and then into the harbor for another mile and a half before turning north for a half mile before entering our more protected anchorage.

Anchoring in 25 knots was a challenge and took two tries to feel safe but finally we were settled. The majority of the day had been pleasant. It was just the last hour that was a little challenging.