Cheryl's Notes:

We have had two perfect days in a row. We wake up to a flat calm morning, pull anchor and head out into the lake. The wind slowly builds up all morning until we are sailing along with 15-20 knot winds. The wind keeps us cool on the lake, and we are able to get some sun time while anchored out. Tonight we are anchored in Harbor Beach. It is a good thing that we planned to anchor, because the channel leading to the marina holds only 4.5 feet. Leprechaun would have gotten a bottom scrub. We rode the dinghy to the marina and tied up, thinking that we would take the 15 minute walk to town that the guide book mentioned. The nice young man working at the marina told us that it was too far and too hot. He gave us a ride in the marina van to the grocery store, waited while we shopped for our few items, and then gave us a ride back. All this and we aren't even staying in the marina. We are, however, having flashbacks to the movie "The Birds". The seawall here is covered with loud seagulls.

Our plans for my birthday tomorrow have been changed. We called ahead to make a reservation at Port Austin, only to find that the marina is being renovated and they cannot accommodate any boats over 30 feet. We are now going to put in a much longer day and try to get to East Tawas. John asked what I wanted for my birthday and I told him a slip for the night and a long hot shower. The rest is just icing on the cake. Oh, did I mention I would still like to have cake and ice cream?

John's Notes:

Twenty nine miles on the same tack. The weather was just perfect today. Winds 14-22kts apparent straight out of the west. Doesn't get much better than that. It was blowing over 20 when we anchored in the marina basin.

We have only gone 195 miles in the last week. Have to consider that one day we only went about 3 miles.

Had the kid at the marina not given us a ride to the store we would still be walking. Like Cheryl said, the guide book said that town was a 15 minute walk from the marina. Maybe they were talking about the city limit sign because the grocery was at least 3 plus miles. As it turns out, the grocery is actually a gas station convenience store that has expanded. We drove by the actual grocery that went out of business. Shades of some of the towns that we say four years ago. I feel bad for these quaint little towns that have suffered as a result of the economy. At least I think it's the economy. Maybe they are just dying out. I'm hoping that Bayfield is the same when we get back.