Now that fall has officially arrived here in the Great Lakes, I thought I'd make a quick post to review our first season aboard s/v Island Bound. 

Incredibly to us, we actually spent significantly more nights aboard IB than we did on Hannabel.  On average, we were living on the boat 5 out 7 nights per week.  And once again, the dock life and community was amazing.  We became close friends with several other boaters on our dock and look forward to continued friendship through the off-season.

After several daysails and another run at the 8+8 rally with IB to get to know her a bit, we first headed south back to Eldean Shipyard in Holland for two nights in late June.  The trip back was a blast with 25+ kt winds, 6'+ waves and a small craft advisory!  Island Bound handled the quartering seas wonderfully and cruised us back to Grand Haven on a fast (6+ kts) broad reach.  My mom and dad picked up the girls in Holland and drove them home via automobile just to be safe.

In July we headed north for a week of cruising.  On the trip north we stayed one night in White Lake, two nights in Pentwater, one night in Ludington, one night in Manistee and two nights in Portage Lake before turning back south.  On the southbound trip we stayed another night in Pentwater and White Lake before tying back up in our home port of Grand Haven.  Click here for a short video clip of a downwind wing & wing run from Pentwater to White Lake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zbFeIlxvLY

In August we headed back (did the same trip in 2008) to one of our favorite anchorages in Port Sheldon with two other boats (powerboats!) for two nights/days of fun and friendship on the hook.  Perfect weather, great friends and good food combined for a very memorable weekend.

September was mostly spent close to Grand Haven enjoying several daysails and time at the dock.  Now as October creeps onward, we'll be pulling Island Bound for the winter and daydreaming of another summer of sailing!