Congratulations Jessica Watson on completing you solo circumnavigation. And to Abby Sunderland, thank god you're ok, and hurry home.

After a long winter here in Northern Michigan, summer is finally near. Migratory birds are back singing their songs, temperature is no longer dipping down to freezing. The warmer temps are a welcome sign. Maybe I'll put the daysailor in today! PS - Like the new Tiki Bar....

2 days before Christmas and a wonderful cold blue day Here in Michigan's Upper Penninsula. The bay is froze over completely now and the occassional snowmobile streaks across the bay going to or from one of the 4 ice fishing shanties now on the bay. Pike spearing season is on and soon there'll be 30+ shanties out there and cars and trucks will be driving out as well. A back injury prevented me and my family from traveling to South Florida for Christmas this year. But with everything going on over the Holidays, it's just as well we stayed put. My back is feeling better now so we'll plan on Spring Break down there..besides, the days will be longer and the temps warmer. I can only dream of sailing now, but I have lots of magazines, so that's ok.

Gray overcast skies with drizzle and light east winds prevail this day before Thanksgiving. Both the Laser and the Daysailor are "put up" for the long winter ahead. As I lay here on my sofa (due to a recent back injury) looking out at the water, it won't be long before it turns to ice. The landscape out there will be transformed into winter for the next 4 months. Winters are harder on me as I've grown older. Since I left my aviation career 7 years ago to pursue my wife and I's dream of moving back home, We've had to work a lot harder to make a go of it. We own and operate Northern Properties, a vacation home management business and Island Log Homes, a log home construction company, both located here on the Island.
When we first came home in late '02, we had a 25' Sea Ray sundancer and had many vacations in the North Channel. As the kids got older, we upgraded to a 29' Cruisers and enjoyed lots of quality boating with that vessel as well. However, as business and responsibilities grew, our time off became shorter until we ended up selling our 29' boat last summer in favor of a 20' Sea Ray. Now our boating time is reduced to and hour or 2 a couple times a week pulling tubers, etc.. Now the only saving grace is that we were able to purchase with the help of my relatives, a nice home in South Florida for those well deserved vacations in the winter months.