Great Lakes Sailing
| Vessel Name: | Charrette |
| Vessel Make/Model: | Beneteau First 38 |
| Hailing Port: | Sister Bay, WI |
| About: | We are an experienced Great Lakes cruising family of 4 (boys 16 and 12) who live aboard during the summer months. In addition to cruising, we also enjoy JAM racing as well as Flying Scot one design racing at the Ephraim Yacht Club where both boys are accomplished racers. |
| Extra: |
19 August 2008 | Sault Ste. Marie, MI
19 August 2008 | Sault Ste. Marie, MI
19 August 2008 | Whitefish Point, MI
19 August 2008 | Grand Marais, MI
14 August 2008 | Murray Bay, Grand Island (Munising)
14 August 2008 | Marquette, MI
14 August 2008 | Marquette, MI
09 August 2008 | Lower Keewanaw Waterway Indent
09 August 2008 | Lower Keewanaw Waterway Indent
06 August 2008 | Lilly Pond Kewaunaw Waterway Upper Entry
06 August 2008 | Black River, MI
06 August 2008 | Black River, MI
06 August 2008 | La Pointe Harbor
06 August 2008 | La Pointe Harbor Via Bayfield
01 August 2008 | Raspberry Island Sand Spit
01 August 2008 | Rocky Island
01 August 2008 | Rocky Island Via Devils Island
01 August 2008 | Stockton Island
01 August 2008 | Village of La Point, Madeline Island, WI
01 August 2008 | Bayfield WI
Recent Blog Posts
Summer 2008 Lake Superior Cruise
14 July 2008 | Batchawana Bay
John
Batchawana Bay
6/28/2008
After a night (and early morning) of showers and thunderstorms, we decided to head out into the fog and drizzle, lock through and head out to the open waters of Lake Superior. Locking through the Canadian lock was very straightforward and the lock attendants were friendly and helpful. Upon exiting the locks, we encountered a couple of up bound freighters, but by now, we were becoming fairly experienced with what to do. Since the freighters tend to run just right of channel center, we've found that running the far right edge of the channels just inside the buoys seems to work rather nicely. It also gives one the opportunity to completely move off to the side if the water level and the situation warrant it.
Within a couple of miles from the locks, I decided to go under sail to take advantage of the 7kt southeast wind. The visibility was only a couple of miles, but we could see the channel markers well and the AIS was giving us ample warning of large traffic. Unfortunately, the wind came "on the nose" about 2 miles from Gros Cap Light and soon we were motoring. From then on, every course change that we made, the wind seemed to shift and we ended up powering all the way to Batchawana Bay.
At various times, the fog would lift allowing us to see various landmarks like the windmills atop the Gros Cap. At other times, we could see very little. I've experienced fog before on the lower great lakes, but these conditions were more similar to those that I've experienced sailing near San Francisco Bay.
We overnighted in the bay on the north side of Batchawana Island near our new friends in Gunkholer. We invited them over for tea after dinner and visited while we watched spectacular fog banks, rainbows and cloud formations. Prior to that, the kids actually went swimming as the water was a "warm" 68 degrees in the bay.
On a technical note, I was able to receive reasonably good cell phone feed from this area.
6/28/2008
After a night (and early morning) of showers and thunderstorms, we decided to head out into the fog and drizzle, lock through and head out to the open waters of Lake Superior. Locking through the Canadian lock was very straightforward and the lock attendants were friendly and helpful. Upon exiting the locks, we encountered a couple of up bound freighters, but by now, we were becoming fairly experienced with what to do. Since the freighters tend to run just right of channel center, we've found that running the far right edge of the channels just inside the buoys seems to work rather nicely. It also gives one the opportunity to completely move off to the side if the water level and the situation warrant it.
Within a couple of miles from the locks, I decided to go under sail to take advantage of the 7kt southeast wind. The visibility was only a couple of miles, but we could see the channel markers well and the AIS was giving us ample warning of large traffic. Unfortunately, the wind came "on the nose" about 2 miles from Gros Cap Light and soon we were motoring. From then on, every course change that we made, the wind seemed to shift and we ended up powering all the way to Batchawana Bay.
At various times, the fog would lift allowing us to see various landmarks like the windmills atop the Gros Cap. At other times, we could see very little. I've experienced fog before on the lower great lakes, but these conditions were more similar to those that I've experienced sailing near San Francisco Bay.
We overnighted in the bay on the north side of Batchawana Island near our new friends in Gunkholer. We invited them over for tea after dinner and visited while we watched spectacular fog banks, rainbows and cloud formations. Prior to that, the kids actually went swimming as the water was a "warm" 68 degrees in the bay.
On a technical note, I was able to receive reasonably good cell phone feed from this area.
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