Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Our plans to continue on to Harrisville were delayed when we awoke to 14 knot head winds. We decided that we just didn't want to motor for 12 hours or more with that kind of wind on the nose. So we stayed in Presque Isle another day cleaning up the boat and doing research and phone calls for our up coming ports of call. It was a nice break for all of us.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Since our next stop was a more leisurely trip than most we have had we started out later in the morning (0900). The winds were out of the west at 15 knots and we were going south - a lovely combination. With all of our sails set we beam reached all the way to Harrisville, MI. As Bill said, "What a lovely day." We docked at 1700 after 8 hours of fine sailing. It is much nicer when we can get where we need to go and when we need to get there under sail. This will probably be more the exception than the norm but we certainly relished what we had today.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

We are back to putting miles under her keel. We were up and out by 0630 in order to reach Port Sanilac - a trip of close to 90 miles. For the first 6 hours we were able to motor sail with all sails up. This saved on our diesel usage but we did have to run the engine to keep to the speed we needed. The last six hours were motoring only since the wind had now clocked to the south and that was the direction we were heading. Luckily the seas were only about a foot. There was no pounding into them. As we docked
In Port Sanilac a boat we had met in Harrisville came sailing in. Our plans were to go to the Miller Hill Marina in Detroit tomorrow but instead will be going to the Detroit Yacht Club as guests of one of our new acquaintances.

Friday, July 31, 2009

It was another up and on the water by 0600 days so we could make it to Detroit in one shot. We were able to motor sail for about 3 hours in lovely weather but then the wind died on us. The rest of the day was motoring along but it would have been any way since most of it was motoring down the St. Clair River through Lake St. Clair and on down the Detroit River.

We arrived at the Detroit Yacht Club and docked as guests of Dr. Rosen. He and two crew had raced the Huron Mackinaw Race and were returning home when we met them in Port Sanilac. He came in either 7th or 9th in his class and received a special award as the oldest sailor in the race - 80. They took off before us this morning but we caught up with them as we entered Lake St. Clair so we slowed down and followed them in to the DYC.

We had to put Eos with her 14 1/2' beam in to a well that was only 16' wide but Bill did a fine job of jockeying her around in the narrow fairway to get her headed into the well. As the dock master said, "Good job, Captain. I've seen some real mess ups. You did a great." And so our experience with handling her continues to expand.

This evening will be a leisurely supper on board. Seth is cooking. Hurray, I get a break and then we will go sit on the end of the docks and watch a local sail boat race. How is that for some fine living?

Tomorrow we are off down the rest of the Detroit River and out into Lake Erie. Our next planned stop in Leamington, Ontario.