July 13th Finally in the North Channel

We arrived in Meldrum Bay at 2:00 today. Weather is more of the same - although it started out as a beat and turned into a reach - and then one with following seas. Winds were averaging about 18 apparent and temp was 56 (did I mention it was 49 last night) - so what else is new! It did feel warmer though since it was sunny - not a cloud in the sky. To the 'Huron Bash team' Kat wanted to know if it was this cold when we brought the boat up to Presque Isle. I explained to her that we all prayed for the temps to get into the 50's.

The story on the two racing sailboats in trouble yesterday was that one - a Farr 40 was towing the other one (a much larger custom job) into the harbor when the larger boat ran aground next to the breakwall and of course the wind was pushing both of them onto the rocks. The Farr 40 breaks free and in turn tows the other one outside the channel. Obvious to only us on the gas dock is that the boat in tow has a long line that's dragging. Yup you guessed it - no sooner than they get out of the channel than the line gets wrapped around the Farr 40's prop. Back to the breakwall for both of them - totally disabled and even closer to the rocks. Fortunately they were able to cut the line (they had SCUBA gear on board) at the same time the Harbormaster was able to deploy a small powerboat to pull them off. We talked to the captain of the bigger sailboat - apparently everything had gone wrong with the boat including leaking fuel tanks - guess the bilge was filled with diesel, leaking thru-hulls bad alternator, etc. Interesting that neither boat had a sail out. A small jib on the bigger boat and it would have been able to maneuver to the gasdock. Hindsight is always perfect!

OK for those of you dying to know about Vixen's first sail - it was let's say mixed. We intentionally motored sailed so that she wouldn't get scared with the noise of flogging sails. She handled herself pretty well out of the harbor - but the red can a mile out had a bell, that of course scared her. So she proceeds to sit on Kat's lap for the next 4 hours. Just before we hit Mississagi Passage - she get's real comfortable and starts playing with her toys in the cockpit - 10 minutes later when we tuck in behind Cockburn Island, the main luffs with a loud bang and of course that scared the 'pee' out of her and she is down and out barking at the boom as if it were the devil incarnate. Once inside Meldrum bay she calmed down and is back to her usual self of craving attention. Our trip tomorrow is only about 3 hours - we're headed out to Long Point where we will anchor for the night - all of this provided that the wind is from the right direction - then on to two other nights of anchoring at different spots before we hit Gore Bay.

Mechanically the boat continues to run well. I don't want to jinx the repair to the swim locker - but it does look like it's holding - no water in the bilge.