Thursday – Day 27 – 8/28/08

What a great day we had in Dearborn, MI visiting Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. It was like a forced march but we saw every thing on our list and then some. I’m a “live” steam engine fan and this is the place to see it all. Barb was very patient and I owe her big time for tagging along. What a fantastic place to visit. Everyone should visit Greenfield Village at least once during their life time. We took a cab to get there and at the last moment, we thought it would be fun to experience a little additional adventure and take a bus back to the boat. As we walked out the door of the museum, the bus was coming around the corner so we got on - looked at each other and started to laugh. What better way to learn of the surrounding area and its people. Not sure how we did it but Barb knew the bus number! Talk about dead reckoning --- but it worked! We got off the bus 40 minutes later a block and a half from our boat – and without charts to navigate by!

Tomorrow we head for Catawba Island just east of Port Clinton on Lake Erie. My fishing buddy said he was coming out into the lake from NE Port to meet and great us. Barb and I are looking forward to our visit with our good friends. Weather permitting we will get under way by 1000 hours.

Wednesday – Day 26 – 8/27/08

We accomplished our objective and are mid way through the Detroit River. I starter this part of the trip with a little apprehension of the congestion in the St. Clair River, Lake
St. Clair and the Detroit River. So far both Barb and I have been pleasantly surprised at the beautiful homes, superb landscaping for both residential and the industrial complexes. The water in the river looks clean and blue, not the color of the Illinois River. The steel making section on the US side isn’t very pleasant but considering the 71 miles we traveled to this marina only 5 miles was steel mills. The Canadian side of the river with is well groomed and shows well from the river. We selected an industrial strength marina that we were some what unsure of especially after we were in the slip. That was short lived as the people are friendly and have bent over backwards to make us feel at home. We mentioned that our goal was to visit the Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. The lady in the office excused herself and made a quick phone call when she heard me mention the museum. It is a coincidence – but the lady that owns the boat in the slip next to ours works there and she came to the office before we were finished checking in. We are going to meet her before it opens and she said she would take care of every thing that needed taking care of! I’m looking forward to tomorrow it should be a great day. We had a very good dinner a few blocks away – stopped for some provisions and its time to get some rest for the big day tomorrow. The boat continues to perform well. Weather permitting we will move into Lake Erie on Friday.

BOAT HOUSE!

DETROIT SKYLINE

Tuesday – Day 25 – 8/26/08

-Leaving Port Sanilac

Barb and I got up early with the expectation that we could get out of the harbor early and get out of Lake Huron once and for all! It didn’t happen as planned. There was water still coming over the break wall and the boat was stuck to the dock by the wind. Common sense told us to chill out and wait for the right moment to leave. Around 1100 the waves subsided to 1 to 3 feet and we decided to get underway. By the time we pulled the power lines, water lines and dock lines it was 1130. We threaded our way past the gas dock and made it into the lake with out incident. We wanted to get into the river system and out of Lake Huron so we kicked up the speed and passed under the Blue Water Bridge that connects Canada and the US at Port Huron at 1355. We are staying at another Michigan marina that is on the Black River. As always, every thing about this marina is perfect. They even have a golf cart service if you want to frequent a local restaurant. Tomorrow we will try to cruise about 70 miles down the St. Clair River across Lake St. Clair and into the Detroit River. Our plan is to spend an extra day in Detroit so we can go to Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. If that works out we should be entering Lake Erie on Friday to meet our very good friends Rose and Jerry Hutzel that we met in Mexico some years ago. As I write this Barb has her nose in the cruise book trying to figure out exactly where we will end up tomorrow. Every day is now an adventure and we are having a great time living it!

BLUE WATER BRIDGE

Monday – Day 24 – 8/25/08

Harbor this morning

Moor Stuff tied up

Ducks in the harbor

Today Barb and I are safely tucked away in the safe harbor of Port Sanilac, Michigan. Our boat is tied at six places using two cleats on the dock two pilings and two cleats on the walk in front of our boat. I know it’s cool to back into a slip and watch every one walk by but the rule here is bow in for the prop wash doesn’t erode the shore line. It also saves your props from hitting the large rocks on the shore line!

The wind is now howling and there are very large waves with white caps on the lake. The forecast was for small craft warnings with 7 to 9 foot waves! To think the forecast is coming true! As I look out the back of our boat, an occasional large wave breaks over the sea wall and shoots up another twenty feet which sprays the harbor with a fine mist. It’s windy enough that the ducks can’t take off from the water and the clouds are like giant white puffs of cotton with dark colored bottoms suspended from a beautiful blue sky. There is something out there for every one to see and enjoy unless you’re a duck. There’s a continuous howling sound all around us due to the wind blowing through the halyards of the sail boats. Lots of sail boats – lots of rigging equals lots of unique sounds. Even with the northeast wind off the lake the weather on shore is pleasant and cool – a great day to stroll into town and look around. We are taking advantage of our down time and took the time to fix and enjoy a large breakfast, do laundry and getting the boat in ship shape.

Port Sanilac Lighthouse

Sunday – Day 23 – 8/24/08


Sky as we were leaving East Tawas Harbor

There was a weather window that Barb and I took advantage of this morning. We were up extra early and waited for the front to pass over head then made the decision to follow it across the Saginaw Bay. With a small window of opportunity we kicked up our speed put the boat on plane and got across the bay in record time for our boat. The direction of the waves changed direction as we rounded the thumb of Lake Huron so we by passed our intended port and did another 30 miles to Port Sanilac. The trip was a little rough and we need a little quiet time to stop our heads from rocking when standing on solid ground. The extended weather forecast indicated that there is a possibility of small craft warnings later today into tomorrow with waves to 7 feet! We plan to spend two days here and do some maintenance and laundry. This is a beautiful little port and we were told that the town is very pleasant with entertaining things to do. (Stay tuned for our assessment of entertaining.) We are now close enough to the St. Clair River to start planning this weeks schedule so the extra day will be welcome.


Entering Port Sanilac Harbor

Saturday – Day 22 – 8/23/08


Barb and I went to town with our new friends and had a very delightful but quiet dinner. Quiet and Harrisville are one in the same – we changed nothing, Harrisville is still the same quiet town! The dinner was very good - better that I would have expected. Around 1700 I inquired if there was an ice cream stand close by and was told they would close before we could walk there, so much for Harrisville.

We left port at first light and headed for East Tawas, Michigan. The weather was less than perfect and the waves built to a steady 3-4 foot. As we entered port we went straight to the fuel dock and topped of our tanks with $4.09 per gallon gas. That is the cheapest we have paid so far for fuel. The wind was blowing hard with gusts to 30 mph when we were trying to back away from the tall fixed dock when one of the gas dock attendants slipped and fell between our boat and the dock. A passer by grabbed her by one hand and pulled her to safety after she was able to grab the piling with her free hand. She was a good 6 below the dock surface. While all of this was going on I was trying to keep our boat from crushing her and the Good Samaritan that was hanging on for dear life. The good news is she only got her feet wet and most probably a few bruises– the man that did all the work said he was fine and I was able to get the boat out of her way by a few feet at best. That was close to a major tragedy. With lots of help we got into a slip and an hour later a major line of thunder storms hit with a major blow. There’s a jazz festival within walking distance that we’ll go to if it stops raining. We can hear some of the music from the boat. The weather doesn’t look good for tomorrow and we’ll probably stay in safe harbor for one more day. The next leg of the trip will be a long day, so good to great weather is a must. Barb and I have been banged around enough the last three days. All continues to go well.

Tawas Lighthouse

Friday – Day 21 – 8/22/08

Sunrise as we left

We left the harbor about 0645 in first light. Today was very overcast with wind out of the south the direction we were moving. The waves built very fast reaching 4 foot about an hour and a half before we could slip into Harrisville marina. The boat got a good bath as we took it on the noise for four hours! The marina was a straight shot from the lake with a well marked harbor. As with all of the Michigan marinas, there’s plenty of help to get the boat secured in its slip and it’s much appreciated by this captain. Since St. Ignace, there has been a boat named “Sommarhem,” trailing us or we them. Well we finally met Pam and Dave yesterday in port and found out they will be traveling our route for the next week. We’ll probably shadow each other for the next few days or at least until we get to Lake Erie. There is safety in numbers especially on the open waters of Lake Huron. Harrisville is a very small all American town where QUIET is the main stay of activity. Barb and I are about to go into town and change that!

Entering Harrisville Harbor

Thursday – Day 20 – 8/21/08

Leaving Rogers City

We were on the lake by 0720 after wiping off the heavy dew that made everything very cold and wet. There was a good deal of navigation for this leg of the trip. Lake Huron is full of sunken ships that lie just beneath the surface of the water so it’s better to give then lots of room when passing close by. One ship that was shown on the chart as submerged was sticking out about 20 feet above the surface of the water. The Coast Guard didn’t have an explanation other than it’s been that way for more than 50 years! The lake gets rough after 1400. The wind kicks up about the same time making it a challenge to get into a new harbor – Alpena Municipal Marina - and dock. I also stopped at the fuel dock and topped of for our next leg of our journey. Gas was selling for $4.59 per gallon which is better than we had planned for. We continue to stay in Michigan State marinas when possible and have not been disappointed with their facilities. This marina also had complementary bikes to ride into town. Barb and I declined the bikes and took a long walk to have dinner and get some exercise. The wave height forecasted for tomorrow may keep us in town for another day. If we do move south our intended next port will be East Tawas State Dock. There is another port about half the distance in Harrisville if the weather turns on us.

Entering Alpena Muncipal Marina

Tuesday – Day 18 – 8/19/08

Today small craft warnings with waves predicted to be 5 to 7 feet ---- we stayed in port and did laundry and cleaned up the boat. When living in a confined space cleanliness is next to Godliness! Walked into town and had dinner and picked up another bag of fudge. The boats are really rocking in their slips! This is a bit much but there’s no place to hide! We’re hoping to be underway by 0700 tomorrow.

Wednesday – Day 19 – 8/20/08

Leaving Mackinac Island

We woke to a calm harbor with waves outside the harbor about 1 foot high. We were underway a few minutes before 0700 and had a smooth cruise to the port of Rogers City.
The harbor was remolded last year and the harbor is very pleasant. It’s a little tricky to find the channel markers but necessary if you don’t want to tear the bottom off your boat. The town is small and sleepy with very friendly people wherever we went. We were offered a car to use complements of the marina but decided to walk as we need the exercise. We inquired where the local bakery was located and was given walking directions, and told to make a right turn at the stop light. Then the young man added ----- it’s the only light in town! The weather is looking good for tomorrow so I need to check the oil and other fluids in the boat tonight for we can get an early start tomorrow.

Saturday – Day 15 – 8/16/08



North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse







Freighter with boat passing in Grays Reef Passage





We had a great night on the hook. A cool breeze blew all night which made it perfect for sleeping. We were underway by 0730 and turned north toward Grays Reef which is the door way to the Straits of Mackinac. Every time we get into the straits the wind blows and it continued to blow until we were into our slip! We passed under the Mackinac Bridge around noon and called the harbor master on Mackinac Island State Harbor. There was no room at the inn on the Island so we headed straight for St. Ignace Marina. After talking to the right person we found out there is a way to make reservations on Mackinac Island by calling the state and paying a fee! This Barb did as soon as we were tied up in our slip. We will spend the next two days on the island with our bikes and boat. We fueled up with $4.65 gasoline. The fuel attendant said they would drop the price of gas after their next delivery (damn – timing is everything). Tomorrow, Sunday, we move to Mackinac Island and act like tourists! Tuesday morning we will head south toward Detroit via Lake Huron.

Sunday – Day 16 – 8/17/08

Leaving St. Ignace

Arriving at Mackinac Island Harbor

We departed St. Ignace at 1100 and crossed the straits to the island. This is a challenging harbor to get your boat into its slip. The ferries do a great job of churning up the harbor and tossing the boats around, even after the boat is tied up in the slip! Considering the view from our slip it’s worth every bit of the rock and rolling we’re encountering. Barb and I walked to the fort today and spent the afternoon just looking around inside the forts walls. There’s a very nice tea house at the fort that over looks the harbor 150 feet below. We sat under a bright yellow umbrella and watched our boat bob around from a half mile away. With the crystal clear blue water it looked more like the Caribbean – not Lake Huron. We went back to a restaurant that we ate in last year when cruising with Chris and Bruce. It wasn’t the same with out them, but there’s next year! Every one on the island eats fudge or ice cream so we upheld the tradition and had both! The boat is bowed in to the slip and pointing directly at the hill that the fort is built on. In fact we’re lined up with the center of the fort which gives us quite a spectacular view. Tomorrow we plan to ride our bikes around the island. On our return, I’ll probably need physical therapy and a nap, or at least a cold beer! Its 2000 hours and they just blew taps from the fort! I thought I was back in the Navy for a second! Tomorrow, I’ll include our schedule for the west side of Lake Huron which should take about a week – weather permitting.

View from Fort Mackinac of Harbor




Monday – Day 17 – 8/18/08

This is our schedule for the next week weather permitting. Tuesday we will leave Mackinac Island and cruise to Roger City, Mich. Wednesday to Alpena, Mich. Thursday to East Tawas, Mich. Friday to Harbor Beach, Mich. Saturday to Port Huron, Mich. Sunday and Monday is somewhat uncertain as we will enter a congested stretch which will take us by Detroit and point us in the direction of Lake Erie. Our first port of call in Lake Erie will be Port Clinton, Ohio.

Barb and I have returned from our 8 mile bike ride. The scenery was delightful – the picnic was great and the hills were hell! My “special” leg did a super job for five miles then decided to go south as we entered the main stretch. If I was a horse some one would have shot me! A couple of pills a bag of ice and all will be well again. We were told that MOST people do the eight mile loop in about a hour ---- I want to meet a MOST person! When I do meet this person I’m going to buy him or her, a large cold drink! Barb was a little concerned with me riding the bike but has changed her outlook on the subject with the fine job I did missing all of the road apples that the horses left in my path. The weather is looking a little iffy for tomorrow so we may stay another day on the island.

Thursday – Day 13 – 8/14/08

Barb’s son and family just left after a nice dinner at one of the local restaurants. There was lots of local color sitting around and I would recommend it if ever your in town. The name of the place is called Dinghy’s . It’s a family type restaurant with a big old bar filled with mostly locals. The kids showed up about 8 pm and left for their motel before 10 pm. It was a quick visit but a great one. It was great seeing them especially under these conditions. The kids were interested to see how we live in a boat and thought it was pretty neat. Tomorrow we are leaving about 0700. Depending on the weather, we could end up in Leeland, Charlevoix or close to Mackinac Island. Mackinac Island is 120 plus miles away --- a good distance to travel in a boat. Tonight we were getting mixed weather reports for the next few days. Once on the lake we’ll make our decision – to continue, and if we stay on the lake, how far we will go! Stay tuned!

Friday – Day 14 – 8/15/08



Arriving in Charlevoix, Michigan

We had an early start from the dock this morning. We were underway by 0650 and into the lake by 0700. We had every wave condition imaginable today. It started out with little to nothing and built to 2 to 3 footers then 4 to 5 footers. We don’t care for that kind of weather but when you’re out there……you deal with it! It was a long eight and a half hour day and we’re now sitting on the hook in Charlevoix. We put the dinghy in and went to town to get supplies and had a quick dinner. The dinghy is back on the boat and we are going to turn in early as we want to get underway by 0700 or sooner. Tomorrow we will make Mackinac. We are not sure where we will stay but the island is our first choice. We won’t know until Barb calls at 0900 to find out what’s available. That’s how it’s done, no reservations, on the island. St. Ignace across the bay on the north side of the Mackinac Bridge has plenty of available space so we have no concerns.

Wednesday – Day 12 – 8/13/08

Arriving at Frankfort, Michigan

Another great day on the lake! The lake was flat with a little haze to light fog until 1100 then, blue skies and beautiful 5 star weather! We left Pentwater at 0800 and arrived in Frankfort at 1500. We stopped at the fuel dock and pumped another 130 gallons. The boat continues to run well at 1600 rpm’s. We have doubled the mileage at the slower pace. We’re truly enjoying the slower pace – it gives us more time on the water and a chance to see the coast. Michigan is truly beautiful from the lake. When the sun is on your back and shinning on the sand dunes, it’s spectacular! This is our first time in Frankfort and this is one beautiful port. The sun will be setting soon and the quiet in the harbor is deafening! Tomorrow we will spend a rest day in port and take a bike ride to see the town. Barbs son Keith and family from Cincinnati, Ohio are taking a long weekend and are staying 10 miles from here so we will meet them for a late dinner then depart at first light Friday. We still haven’t determined where the next port will be – stayed tune. We would like to spend a few nights in the marina on Mackinac Island if possible.

Monday – Day 10 – 8/11/08

What a beautiful cool day. The seas were running 0 to 1 foot with great visibility. Every one moved up the coast and are now in Grand Haven. The weather is going to be perfect for Barb and I to leave our good friends and head north tomorrow. It’s going to feel strange cruising the next 1600 miles with out a friendly smile and helping hand close by. We went out to dinner tonight to celebrate our departure tomorrow and then took in a light and fountain show before returning to our boats. Its late now, and Barb and I will depart at 0700 tomorrow. Not sure how far we will travel but 60 miles or more would be nice. We are looking forward to spending a day or two on Mackinac Island, which is one of our mile stones on this trip.




After going out to dinner in Grand Haven








Tuesday – Day 11 – 8/12/08



Saying "Good Bye" in Grand Haven



The weather is cool and the seas are like glass! We departed on schedule with lots of help from our good friends that we have been with, for the last 10 days. It’s a little strange being out on Lake Michigan without another boat in sight. We saw one other cruiser in our 7 hours on the lake! Our trip to Pentwater today was the first time we slowed the boat to trawler speed which is somewhat less than half our normal cruising speed. Nine MPH is very pleasant and is very good for the gas mileage. If and when the weather turns or for any other reason that we need to pick up the pace we still have that option. We’re tied to the wall where Bruce and Chris were last season when we were here together. We sure do miss them; they are good travelers and great friends. Barb and I had dinner in town and got caught up with some of our chores that go with cruising. Tomorrow we will head for Frankfort, MI. Weather permitting we’ll get an early start and keep moving at the same slow pace. We would like to get to Mackinac Island by this weekend.

Sunday – Day 9 – 8/10/08

We’re still waiting for the weather to break. The sky was blue the sun was shinning but the waves were 4 to 7 feet! We are planning to get out of here mid day tomorrow, as the weather has been predicted to improve about noon? We are planning to stay in Grand Haven tomorrow. Other than a little rain, the next week is looking good for moving up the coast and heading north. Stay tuned --------

Saturday – Day 8 – 8/9/08

We’re still working at being on vacation and were doing a great job of it. Yesterday Barb and I took our bikes out for a long ride and had a great time. We found a farmer’s market and stocked up on fresh fruit. Bob and Glenna took the dinghy for a ride and on their return Frank and Mary did the same. The secret is - all of the toys are being used and enjoyed. Bob and I took the dinghy for a ride to check out the different fuel prices. We will fill up on the way out for $4.54 per gallon which is better than I had anticipated. The ladies continue to shop and the men continue to clean and work on their boats. The sky is blue above us with a cloud bank sitting over the lake. The temperature is dropping and we expect very cool weather tonight. This continues to be a very nice marina motel/ boatel – that none of us expected or anticipated. We shifted the boats around today and every one is now tied to the wall.

Yesterday afternoon, I secured the bikes to a light pole close to the boat, and when I returned from dinner they were chained to a different pole! I said something but everyone said that I had changed them to that pole and I must be mistaken. (Maybe too much partying). This morning when I got up the bikes had moved again and were securely chained to a different pole ------- thanks to Mark! I think he’s messing with my mind.
That’s it for today – will try to get this posted while the wireless network is working. We have a few pictures that we will try to post. Stay tuned ------------------

Friday – Day 7 – 8/8/08

Today we woke to the sound of a noisy duck directly under our port hole in the forward berth – that was a first! We both had a laugh as the darn thing wouldn’t shut up! The boatel had hot coffee and warm cinnamon rolls waiting for the early birds. Today were planning to ride bikes and just “work” at being on vacation. More tomorrow ----

Thursday - Day 6 – 8/7/08


Decision time in South Haven!

We all ended up at Clementine’s last night and had a grand time. The weather was turning sour as we got out of the restaurant --- and there was a good possibility that we would not leave port at 0700. It was not a good night to sleep as the harbor became somewhat turbulent and I was checking or adding lines throughout the night. After a brief early morning meeting we decided to watch for the weather to break and move to Saugatuck, one third the distance to Grand Haven. By 0900 we were under way and moved up the coast through 4 foot rollers with a 20 mph wind coming out of the NW. All in all it wasn’t a bad ride!




We’re rafted off Bada Bing, and Running on Empty is rafted off Comfort Zone on the Kalamazoo River. We are staying at the Ship-N-Shore motel/boatel on the north edge of town. This is a very comfortable resort with all of the amenities one could want. We got out the folding bicycles today and most everyone tried them with success (no broken bones). The bikes will be great fun for Barb and me as we get further into this adventure. We also took a shake down cruise in the dinghy with our new motor. For those of you that knew we were having motor problems – the new motor works like a charm. We’re planning to stay a minimum of two days and may stay through Sunday depending on the weather. The other three boats will stay four nights. The weather reports for the next few days are not very encouraging at this time. Once we get a break in the weather we will move out and make up some lost ground.

Day 4 – 8/5/08

We departed at 0700 and headed directly to South Haven. The weather wasn’t the greatest but safe enough to move on. The seas were running about 1 foot for the first 20 minutes then 1 to 2 feet for the next hour. The waves were starting to build and grew to 3 feet with an occasional 4 or so to keep me focused. It got rough enough that it dumped every thing from our refrigerator except the fresh eggs that were still sitting on the shelf when we arrived in port! We got into the south harbor which is very nice and convenient when walking into town. We went into town to celebrate Bob’s birthday and had a great time. Tomorrow is Mary’s birthday and we’ll have another party.

Day 5 – 8/6/08


Picture of South Haven Harbor

It’s a beautiful day today especially when you’re in a harbor like this! South Haven has the look and feel of a New England coastal port. We have a family in the slip next to us from Chicago with three very polite children. Holly and Ed (Mom and Dad) are cruising around in their 1989 Carver 42 named “Great Escape”. What a great boat! One of the better aspects of boating is the people you meet. The eight of us just finished a birthday brunch for Mary, and its time to walk into town and have some fun. The boat is running fine and ready to move on to Grand Haven, MI tomorrow. At present were planning an early start. Stay tuned ------

Greetings from Barb & Skip

Day 1 – 8/2/08

Everyone was up and ready to go by 0500. Breakfast was served by the Musial’s for every one leaving for the Lake. What a great send off! Comfort Zone is captained by Bob Pyzik with crew members Paul Eckard and Tom Hackett. Running on Empty is captained by Frank Fitzgerald with crew members – first mate Mary and Mike (Frank’s brother). Bada Bing is captained by Mark Gibson and first mate Elizabeth. Last of the flotilla of four boats is, Moor$tuff captained by me “Skip Johnson” and first mate Barb. At 0610 I turned into the river followed by Running on Empty, Comfort Zone and Bada Bing. At 0615 an alarm went off so I shut down the starboard engine and returned to my slip at SRYC. By the time we got into our slip with the help of Margo and Karen - Dave and Ron arrived within minutes and was asking where my tool box was. At 1200 we were underway again with two new impellers and thermostats installed. With the boat running perfectly we started the chase to catch up and almost did due to the other three boats getting stuck at the Brandon Road lock for three and a half hours. As we were waiting for the last lock we could see Comfort Zone and Running on Empty in the cell above us. Two hours later we were tied up on the wall in Joliet back with our good friends. The Pizza that was ordered had just arrived and was still hot! A few cold beers and a little dock side BS and every one turned in for the night.

Day 2 – 8/3/08



Picture is at the wall in Joliet.

What a great day – blue skies no wind and we got an early start. Mark called ahead to the lock and they were ready for us when we arrived. The morning was smooth and uneventful. Barb captained the boat through the 10 miles of hell with little help from me. I think she will be a great boat driver by the time we return next year! About half way down the Cal Sag Cannel Bada Bing developed a major fuel leak that required the boat being towed to Crawleys Boat Yard to have the problem fixed and about 30 gallons of diesel removed from the bilges. The boat was worked on until the wee hours in the ship yard and hopefully we will connect with them tomorrow! On the bright side – the other three boats arrived in Michigan City, Indiana about 1530 and we drove directly to the fuel dock. We looked like the SRYC drill team the way we lined up and filled three adjacent slips. Gas was $4.57 a gallon. After the three boats were secured we walked to the local steak house and had a great dinner and a few drinks with everyone including Glenna who drove to Michigan City to join Bob. Paul, Tom and Mike returned to the club in Glenna’s car. We did miss the Gibson’s at dinner but knew that they had a long night ahead cleaning up the boat.

Day 3 – 8/4/08

Well --- while Bob, Frank and I were having coffee on Frank’s fly bridge watching the storm approach we agreed to stay in port and wait for better weather. As we checked the weather it got considerably worse with all types of warnings! The talk at the table was about Mark’s boat and if it was going to get repaired today and where he was going to catch up with the other three boats. As we watched the line of thunder storms coming at us over the open water Bob said look at that one boat going like hell! Who ever he is ----- I think he’ll beat the storm into port. 15 minutes later and five minutes before the rain kicked our butt Mark & Liz came roaring into port ---- Bada Bing was the boat we were watching! Everyone is safe and planning to party tonight. Weather permitting we will move to South Haven, MI tomorrow.