St Ignace to Manistee

7.26.11  Tuesday

heeled over pretty good... 

We made it out of St. Ignace and on to Beaver Island through Grays Reef.  I'm not a fan of all this navigating and avoiding stuff.  I long for for the peaceful shores of Saugatuck... no rocks or islands to hit for miles and miles.  Boring, give me boring for a while would ya?  We squeaked under the bridge with a few feet to spare, probably 50 or 60 actually.  Gray's Reef does not seem as ominous as it did the first time through.  We still decided to motor sail through it just in case though.  Freighter traffic was light.  A few race sailboats sleeked by us.  Probably returning from the Port Huron to Mackinaw Race.  Spent the night at anchor on Beaver Island.  Surprised at the number of boats in the harbor. 

Beaver Island Sunset... St. James Harbor

7.27.11  Wednesday

Up early and on to Leland.  Skies are looking heavy with rain.  Pretty uneventful day.  Sailed some, motored some.  Napped, read, ate.  Called to Leland Harbor on our approach to find out it was full and they are rafting off boats as they come in.  Another indicator the Port Huron to Mac race crews are returning boats to home ports farther south.  We decided to divert to South Manitou Island instead although a proper shower with lots of steaming water does sound good right now.  

South Manitou Light 

Today is Jim's anniversary.  30 years with Consumers.... I'd let him retire if I thought he would still be able to continue to keep me 'in the manner I've become accustom too', but alas, I think he will have to continue work for a few more years till the fatted cow shows signs toward obesity.  Dinner was a delectable treat for just such an occasion though.  Prime beef rolled into petite tubes and simmered to perfection, al dente pasta bathed in farm fresh eggs and gently browned then lightly seasoned with salt of the sea and pepper of the mill.... OK:  hot dogs and elbow noodles with eggs.  I haven't been to the grocery store for a week...  we did have 'Salsa Lizano' for a kicker though. 

All is quiet.  Nothing like the last time.  No winds.  No juicy steak on the grill.  Just the Beetles singing "Here comes the Sun".    Hopefully, no anchor drag either!  

Early morning fog on South Manitou

Stowaways.... lots and lots of them

7.28.11 Thursday

We made it through the night with no problem.  Anchor held and wind a dead calm.  Gentle swell on the lake made the boat softly bob to lull us to sleep.  The morning brought a soupy mess of fog.  Waited till nearly 9 then decided enough was enough.  Off again.  Good practice using the radar most of the day.  I felt like a radiologist trying to decipher an xray... is that a boat or a wave or a freighter?...  As the day wore on the fog sloooowly dissipated and we were able to see 2-3 miles across the horizon.  

Made the breakfront of Manistee just before  5 pm.  It is a really pretty little town.  There is a new river walk and maria here.  We both enjoyed a long hot shower and stretched our land legs for a bit of a walk.  We had dinner at restaurant that over looked a pavilion where there just happened to be a free concert this evening.  We are pretty tired from the last couple days spent motoring toward home.  Tomorrow, White Lake then the last leg home for Saturday.  

coming into the harbor channel of Manistee 

Jim's needing a hair cut... and just incase there's an air raid we're all set