Day 57 – Monday, July 19, 2010

47° 16.284’ N
091° 16.512’ W

Silver Bay, Minnesota

First of all “HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH” – Barb’s son!

We were up early and under way by 5:45am. As we were leaving the marina we were forced to lay off for an underway bulk carrier could pass under the lift bridge and enter Lake Superior. We let the ship move ahead a few hundred feet then slipped into her wake and followed her into the lake. We knew her destination was the same port that we were going to so we followed her north to Silver Bay. She pulled away from us but we kept her in sight for the whole trip that lasted 5 hours and 20 minutes.

After arriving in Silver Bay, (pic on left) I called Betty Richards the widow of a Minnesota Game Warden and friend that I worked with, forty years ago. She called a couple of her grown and retired kids to tell them I was in town. Turns out that one of them is the Commodore of the Silver Bay Yacht Club and his boat is a stones throw from our boat. This is truly a small world we live in! He came to the marina to welcome us then drove us into town to purchase groceries and other “essential” supplies. After he left his brother (and wife) showed up for another nice visit. It sure was a great day reliving all the adventures we had together.

It’s late and Barb and I need to decide if we are going to cross the lake tomorrow, to the Apostle Islands, or stay another day and continue the reunion!

Pictures above on left and right - northern shore of Lake Superior, center is Split Rock Lighthouse