Picture of Vixen at the ‘helm’; Note to oneself bring extra cushioned seat next year so that I don’t have to sit on the hard teak seats!

This is the part of the trip we all dread since it’s long, generally hot and Saginaw Bay is very unpredictable. A strong southwesterly and it would be a pretty rough ride for 8 hours. But like the day before we had light southerlies that eventually grew into more moderate winds with following seas. Shaved at least a half hour off the trip - oh but the bugs.

We have soooo many flies/bugs that our boats almost turned black! That’s the disadvantage of light winds – but I’d still rather have that weather with flies then high winds on the nose and large seas (guys remember our 2010 trip?). Kat was able to stay down below for much of the trip; cleaning up, making lunch, etc. Vixen of course insisted on keeping her company.

Nowhere was the low water depth more apparent than coming into Harrisville. The water is pretty thin coming into the harbor (one of our boats hit bottom) and the fuel dock looks like its sitting on stilts. According to the harbormaster, Lake Huron is down 16” over last year.

As soon as all of us docked, out came the hoses and scrub brushes – we wrapped up just in time for cocktails…hmmm there is a pattern here! Had a passable dinner in town – definitely a ‘don’t go back there’ restaurant. Tomorrow we’re off to Presque Ille. Kat and I are having a great time – and all three of us are in boat mode.