Back Home Againnnn in Indiana....

Well here I am sitting in our kitchen in Evansville after a dream-come-true of a retirement vacation! What a way to begin the retired life, right?!
We pulled into Muskegon on Sept. 23 in the early afternoon. We motored all the way that day from Frankfort. There was no wind to speak of,  well not going our way anyway!
Once we got tied up and shore-power hooked up, we bagan the process of packing. We decided to only take the clothes on Friday, knowing we had the weekend to strip the boat of everything else. We loaded the car and headed to Grand Haven to spend the weekend with Kathe and Doug. It was sooo nice to sleep in a bed and take a shower without having to keep pulling a chain or pushing a button to keep  the water running! I get that it's a conservation measure, but holy cow what a pain. The water just gets hot enough and it goes off!
On Saturday we went back to the boat and began off-loading everything else... cushions, charts, food, sails, everything. That took the better part of Saturday. Boy were we tired by the time we got home that day!
On Sunday, we winterized the boat. What a fun time that was!! By the end of the day, Jonah was ready to be placed in her cradle for the winter.
When we got to  Torrensen's on Monday, the had already winterized the engine and had her in the "well" to  be pulled. We didn't hang around for that process but I did take a couple of  pictures and have attached them for you.
Monday afternoon found us heading for Chicago and a visit with Skip's Mom. She always has a honey-do list for him and this visit was no exception. He cleaned gutters and did a few other things for her while we were there. It was so good to see her.
We left Chicago Wednesday afternoon and were finally heading for home. We were excited to be driving South, knowing that our destination would  be our home. The house looked so good when we got there. The dogs were even glad to see us! Well, Millie was excited at first then gave us the cold shoulder for a while. But she soon warmed up.
Well since we've been home, we have been going non-stop! Cooper had a soccer game on Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning; Austin had a football game (he plays tight-end for Boonville) Friday night; we went to a play at UofE on Saturday night with Ed and JoAnne and Sunday all the kids were here for dinner. What a wonderful day it was! We were back in our home church and Sunday school class and the family was all here to visit.
As good as it is to be home, we can not replace the amazing summer we had. The blueness of the Lakes; the red sandstone and pink beach we saw; the pristine-ness of the UP and the Wisconsin coastline. All wonderful gifts from God's creation. The Painted Rocks; Devils Island in the Apostles; wonderful people we met (Neils and Vicki; Jeanne and Micheal; the list is endless); the incredible meals we ate. Every bit of the trip was such a blessing for us.
We are wintering  the boat in  Michigan because we want to make a similar trip next year. There was so  much we didn't see and do.
Thanks to all of you for your prayers, visits and support this summer. And thanks for keeping up with us on our blog. I hope you enjoyed reading our story as we sailed around this summer.
Lon, I pasted the last page back in the book for you! Hope you enjoy it!!
Love and Blessings,
Skip and Margo

Sept 19 - 22

Well now... We've had a great few days!
We left Leland about noon after waiting out the  rain and wind that came through there the night before. Crazy wind! When we left it was still overcast and threatening rain. The  sun did come out and we ended up having a pretty nice sail. We pulled into Frankfort about 7:30.
We were yelled at by the fisher people on the warf as we came in. Seems as though we were invading their space. So  Skip got into a discussion with one of the locals. 
The next day, Tuesday, we left Frankfort and headed to Manistee. We  waited until 10:30 to leave because the fog was pretty bad. Once we got out, the wind was out  of  the South at 10-18 all day. We had waves and swells of 3-5 feet most of the day. As the day progressed however, the wind sat down and the waves decreased. And the sun came  out.
We were in Manistee for two  nights waiting out the wind and other weather. Actually on Wednesday the weather was beautiful. Lots of  sun AND lots  of  wind! The Harbormaster, Frank (assistant) and his wife  Laurie (who also works there) are so nice and very accomodating. Manistee is a great little town. Grocery is within walking distance and the Riverwalk is so pretty.
We left there this morning, Thursday, and headed to Pentwater. So here we are, moored at Snug Harbor for the night. We walked down to  the Brown Bear Bar for dinner and was pleasantly surprised! The food was so good and the service was excellent. The  place was crowded whichis always a good sign.
So  tomorrow we are headed  for Muskegon... the final leg of our trip. It's been an amazing summer.  We've seen some of  God's greatest works and been able  to  view some wonderful historic places. Best of all, we've met some incredible people along the way and had he pleasure of dear friends and family join us for  part of our adventure.
By the way, our tanks that supply gas for our stove and oven ran out several days ago. So not  to  be outsmarted by the CNG tanks, I improvised by using my electric skillet as a "hotplate". I've attached a picture for you to get a sense of what I'm talking about.
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Sept 16 - 18

Hi Everyone!
It's been a few days since my last post so  let me catch you up.
Last Thursday, after looking at the weather for Friday (9/16, Buddy's Birthday!) we felt confident we would  be able to  leave Mackinaw City. So we got up early and  prepared to take off. We had been in Mac City since Monday when the Patberg's left us. The wind got pretty ugly Monday afternoon and stayed that way through Thursday. We finally got a break late Thursday night. Ugly winds are 20 knots, gusting to 30! Not  a good time  to be on the water!
So we took off, passed under the Mackinac Bridge and the engine light came on. The engine had overheated. So we put up  the sails, turned around and headed back to  Mac City. The wind died...  I mean there was no  wind at all. So we called for a tow. We  have BoatUS thankfully and  it was paid  for but what an irritation. It took the tow boat an hour and a half to get to us (came from Cheboygan!) and cost us $700!!
He pulled us  into the Mackinaw City Municipal Marina. Shepler's (a boat yard, repair  shop, etc.) is right  next door and were able  to  come and work  on the engine.  A couple  hours later, we were on our way again.
We were just short of the bridge when the engine light came on again. This time we were able  to sail back  into the marina.  Shepler's came back,  I went to the office to  pay for a night there and after a couple  of  hours,  Skip  felt sure the boat was okay. We  wouldn't know  for sure until we were in the lake. Oh Joy!!
So  Saturday morning we got up  early again and headed out. This time the engine worked just fine and we made it to Charlevoix and stayed there Saturday night. We left there Sunday morning in time to  catch the 8am draw bridge and headed to our next destination.
As always, Skip checked the  weather before we left and thought we would  have a decent sail as  we headed to Frankfort (our next stop). And we did have a good sail hitting 6-7 knots of boat speed. Once we  got into the opening of  Little Traverse Bay the wind picked up to 20 knots and stayed there the rest  of the day. We  were leaning pretty good! Things kept falling off the shelves  in the cabin - clothes, cutting boards, our fan! The  cabin looked like a teenagers bedroom!!! Stuff everywhere!!
We decided to pull into Leland instead of going all the way to  Frankfort. We  were both exhausted from fighting the wheel. 
So  here we are. In Leland and it's raining and the wind is supposed to  be  between 15-20 out of the South! We may or may not leave today!
Hope everyone is well. Kelly, I hope you  had fun visiting Wash. Chris said he drove your car while you were gone!!
Happy birthday to  Buddy  on 9/16 and to Katie on 9/19! You guys are growing up way to fast. Miss you a bunch.
Love  and blessings,
Margo  and Skip

Thursday Sept 15

Well we haven't moved since my last post! We  are still in Mackinaw City. The weather is not cooperating at all! Huge wind for the last 3 days. Ten to 15 knots, gusting to 25 knots with waves as much at 4-7. Not nice at all.
So we've taken a walk everyday; we're both reading like crazy; and we're still married!! ;-)
It appears as though the wind will die this afternoon and we'll be able to take off tomorrow morning. We're getting anxious to get home and see the family.
That's all for now. Back  to my book!!
Love and  blessings,
Margo and Skip

I've attached a couple of pics. This is where we are now. The Coast Guard boat in the background is an ice cutter. We may need that if we stay much longer - it  was in the 30's this morning!

Monday Sept 12

Well we left Mackinac Island this morning, bound for Mackinaw City. Pat and Melba's car is here and they will head home from here. In fact they are probably having lunch someplace as I enter this. We had a great two days on Mackinac Island. Pat and Melba visited the fort and then the four of us went on a carriage ride tour. Very interesting and entertaining.
Skip and I will be in Mac City for a few days it looks like. The weather is supposed to turn ugly tonight and continue into tomorrow. There are small craft warnings already issued for tomorrow so we won't even attempt that.
When we leave we'll be headed south back to Muskegon where we will winter the boat. If all goes as planned we'll be home by the first of Oct.

Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Wed Sept 7 and Thurs Sept 8

We spent the dayWednesday
We spent the morning at the Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. Amazing display of maritime history. We've been sailling over these shipwrecks all summer  and the museum brought it all into perspective. The weather on Superior is very  fickle and can change at a moments notice. The museum brings that home  in a very real way. 
We also toured the lighthouse at Whitefish Point. It's the oldest lighthouse on all the Great Lakes. Very facinating stuff. 
Got back to  the boat and headed back to Sault Ste. Marie. It was a beautiful day for a sail. The wind was perfect and we were able to sail all the way to  the locks! At one point we were clocking 9.3 knots! Perfect day, probably the  best sail of our trip.
We locked through the American locks in the MacArthur lock. There was a crowd of people in the stands watching as we locked down to lower St.Mary's River.
We pulled in to George Kemp Harbor, tied up and headed to the Palace Saloon  for dinner. Great meal after a absolutely great day.

Thursday
We spent the day cleaning the boat, grocery shopping and waundering around the Soo. We did  go to the locks to  watch the process from the other side. Pat and Melba joined us for dinner. They will  be joining us on the boat tomorrow and Ed and JoAnne will be headed for home.. We've had so much fun with the Furniss's. Next year guys!!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Monday Sept 5 & Tuesday Sept 6

Monday
We left De Tour Village this morning for a motor down the St. Mary's River headed to Salt Ste. Marie. It  was cold when we left De Tour at noon. We waited for the wind to die down before we left. That made for a long day as we didn't arrive at the Soo until 8 at nine. We got tied up and walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner. By the time we got home it was almost 10!
What a day!

Tuesday
A great day on the water today... lots of sunshine but no wind at all. Saw lots of freighters and tankers today and not much else!
So we are at Whitefish Point now, took a walk on the beach and are now having poo poos on the deck while wild rice soup cooks away below.
I'm attaching pics of Ed and JoAnne and Skip and I at Whitefish. Gracie, the picture is for you!
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Sunday Sept 4

What an absolutely georgous day to sail! Wind from the West at 12-18 knots with waves between 3-5! Wonderful stuff! We used the spiniker at first because the wind was about 3-5 but it wasn't to long before we brought  the spiniker in and had the main up. We were traveling at about 7.5 and 9 knots.
What a day! And we had that from Mackinaw Island to De Tour Village.
As we were sailing, some of us were reading; someone at the helm; somebody taking a nap. Just a great sail and a lazy day.
We got to De Tour Village and refuled and got a pump-out. It was crazy coming into the dock. The wind had really picked up at that point.
We got tied up and walked into town. Ed and JoAnne have not been hear before. We ended up at the local saloon for an after sail beverage and some snacks.
Came back to the boat and played cards before dinner. Skip won $12! Lucky duck!
Fixed dinner and now we're all just hanging out listening to BB King and Eric Clapton between gusts of wind!
Miss everyone so much. We'll be home soon!
Love  and  Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Saturday Sept 3

Well the day began with a bunch of rain but cleared off in the afternoon. We decided to rent bikes and take a tour of the island. We rode up to Arch Rock for our first jaunt. And guess what happened?! Yep, I took another spill, landing on the same knee that I injured at Beaver Island.
I think I have finally realized that the word "bike" does not belong in my vocabulary! So be it!
So after a bit I came back to the  boat while Skip, JoAnne and Ed continued their ride. Bummer!
After they got back we went to the "putt-putt" course. This is like nothing you've ever seen. No bridges or windmills, but rather real grass! Just like a putting green. We really had a good time doing that.
JoAnne and Ed did a little shopping and I read and I'm not sure what Skip did. :-)
So we fixed dinner - pork chops, fried apples and augrautin potato's. So good.
Tomorrow we head for DeTour so it's up early and on our way. The winds are supposed to build all day and we want to get there before that happens.
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Friday Sept 2

We spent a great day touring Fort Mackinac. Here's your history lesson for today.
From 1000 BC to 1650 AD the first summer visitors to Mackinac Island were the Great Lakes American Indians who paddled here every summer to fish for  trout,  pike, sturgeon, herring and whitefish. These early visitors considered the island to be a sacred place and named it "Michilimackinac".
European settlement in the Straits of Mackinac began in 1671 when Father Jacques Marquette esablished a mission to Huron Indians on Mackinac Island. A year later, ghe mission was moved to  the north side of  the Straits and, around 1708, to the south shore near present day Mackinaw City. Here, the French soldiers constructed Fort Michilimackinac, a strategic depot for the upper Great Lakes fur trade.
Michilimackinac remained a French outpost until 1761 when British soldiers took control after their victory in the Seven Years War.
From 1779-1781, during the American Revolution, the British dismantled Michilimackinac and moved the garrison and fur trade community  to Mackinac  Island. Fearing an American attack, the British wanted a more defensible location for their fort. Mackinac Island, with it's limestone bluffs, proved to be the perfect place for such a fort. The civilian fur trade community established the village around the bay below the fort. The fort and island became United States territory because of the American victory during the Revolution.
So today we took a walking tour of the fort. It houses the oldest hospital in Michigan and one of the first bath houses. We watched as "soldiers" demonstrated firing their 100+ year old rifles and the cannon. Each of the buildings in the fort are original, built by the Army and used by soldiers more than one hundred years ago. We learned that enlisted men earned between $13 and $34  per month while officers earned between $1,400 and $2,500 per year.
We had a wonderful time at the fort and the view from there is simply amazing.
We continued our walking tour after the fort, until the rains came. Later, after it cleared, we took our grill up to the picnic tables and grilled burgers. Yummy!
Not sure what tomorrow will bring as the weather isn't lookin' to good!  Big storm coming!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Thursday Sept 1

We woke to a beautiful sunshiney day! We all showered, and headed out for breakfast at Dalwhinnie's Bakery & Deli here on Beaver Island. It was wonderful! We had something called an Eggle - fluffy scrambled eggs with cheese, diced tomato's and thinly sliced red onion pieces on an everything bagle. Yummee!!
After breakfast we said good-bye to Beaver Island and headed to Mackinaw Island. The wind was on our nose all day making for impossible sailing. Plus the wind kept building all day to as much as 15 knots with waves 3-4 feet. That made for a bumpy ride to Mackinaw and no sailing.
We arrived at Mackinaw Island around 7, got tied up and went to the Village Inn for dinner. Oh my goodness... it was soooo goooooodd! Ed and I both had broiled Cedar Planked Whitefish. Not only was it tasty but it was beautifully presented as well.
Gonna tour the fort tomorrow so we're off to bed.
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Aug 31 Wed

We left Petoskey this morning and had a wonderful sail all day - 6 hours of sailing! It was a little overcast with a bit of rain but a lovely sail in spite of that. Winds were from the Southwest  at about 8-12 knots.
Ed and JoAnne Furniss joined us yesterday and will be with us for about 10 days or so. It's fun to have friends from home come to visit.
We pulled into Beaver Island about 5:45, got tied up and walked to the Harbor Market to pick up a few things I forgot this morning! Hard to believe that after spending all that money I forgot something. But alas I did.
Last night in Petoskey we went to a little bistro called Pallette. Amazing meal and great service.  I hightly recommend it.
We're off to bed for  the night. Big day tomorrow... on our way to Mackinac Island.
Love and Blessings,,
Margo and Skip

Tuesday Aug 30

Well the wedding is over and we'll be headed back to the boat in an hour or so.
The wedding was so lovely and it was wonderful to see family, especially Rick, Nicole and the kids. I'll be attaching pictures at the end.
It's been a very busy few days for us. Probably the most interesting thing was sleeping in a bed! And it was soft... not at all like the V-berth on the boat. It didn't take long at all to sink into the mattress!
JoAnne and Ed Furniss arrived just a bit ago and will be going with us to the boat. What fun! Always good to spend time with friends.

The attached pictures are - our nephew Jake with our grandson Cooper on the jet ski; Great-grandma holding Amelia; the next two are of Rick, Nicole, Skip, Xavier and Cooper in Lake Michigan (water was 54 that day!); the last pic is of the family.

Blogs will continue tomorrow from the boat.
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Tuesday Aug 23

By now everyone knows about the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Northern Virginia today. I got a text from David at 2:49 today telling us about it. They evacuated his office and he said 8,000 people were trying to get out of the parking lot! He got home and found some things had fallen off the walls and some books fell from the bookshelves but otherwise all was okay. I'm so thankful that he is okay, even though he was shaken up alot.
We are still in Petoskey and will leave the boat here when we leave tomorrow for a family wedding this weekend in Muskegon.
We've been noticing that the  boat engine would lose RPM's as we were motoring. You could  actually hear the engine change pitch. Skip called  Chris for some advice and did what Chris suggested but nothing worked. Tomorrow, Wed., we  have a mechanic coming to take a look. Can we all say "money pit"!
Oh well, we're having so much fun!
Just so everyone knows, we may not be posting much for the next week 'cause we'll be in Muskegon. So Jim B. don't worry about us okay!?
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Monday Aug 22

We left Beaver Island about 7:45 am, bound for Petoskey. Almost immediately it bagan to sprinkle and did that off and on most of the trip across the lake. The sky kept changing, but it was omnious looking for awhile - dark and brooding. But we did have wind from the right direction and we were able to sail most of the way to Petoskey. As we were coming into Little Traverse Bay the wind really picked up - about  22 knots. Fortunately we were at a point to take the sails down and motor into Petoskey Harbor. We got tied up and Vince and Diane took Skip back to Mackinaw City to get our car. I stayed behind to get some things done.
But while we were walking to the Andersons car, we noticed that the power boat next to us was named Koinonia. That's the name of our Sunday school class so we were all curious about the name. Later I asked a lady on the boat about the boats name. She told me that they had just purchased the boat and the name was already there. She went on to tell me that she googled the word because she didn't know it's meaning. She said it had spiritual meaning.  ;-)
When Skip got back we went to the Urgent Care Clinic to have my knee looked at (the injury from my biking experience on Beaver Island!). I was pretty sure there was infection in the wound and sure enough there is. So now I'm on antibiotics. It's gonna be an ugly scar for sure!
Later we went to the City Park Grill for dinner. Very nice! And the food was so yummy! City Park Grill is one of the oldest building's in Petoskey and a favorite haunt of Ernest Hemingway when he vacationed here in the summer's.
We checked the weather before we went to bed and decided to stay here another night. The weather (wind) is gonna be fierce tomorrow (Tuesday).
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Saturday Aug 20 and Sunday Aug 21

Saturday
Had such a nice day on the water today even though we didn't get to sail all day. We left Mackinaw City and headed to Beaver Island arriving about 4ish. Got settled in and took a walk into town.  Came back to the boat and fixed dinner and played cards!
The pictures attached show Vince and Diane some relaxing  while we made our way to Beaver. And of course there's the Captain at the helm.

Sunday
Got up a little later than usual today... played cards way to late! But we showered and fixed breakfast and decided to rent bikes and go for a ride.
So  we got our bikes and headed out. It was a beautiful day with big puffy clouds in the blue sky. We had a map so we knew where we were going, at least most of  the time. There are some beautiful scenes; great landscapes; and blue water in every view.  About an hour into the  ride we came to the beach on the other side of the island from where the boat is moored. I was slowing down and applying the brakes and as I put my foot down on the gravel road, the bike tire rolled over a large rock and I lost my balance. Needless to say, I fell! My knee is pretty banged up with part of it just hanging on by a slight attachment to the rest of my knee. Since we were at the beach we took our shoes off and walked out into the water where I washed my knee off.
But wait, the story gets better... We saw that rain was coming so we put our shoes back on and began to peddle back to the boat. We had left the hatches open (which we never do!). And yes it began to rain. Vince rode ahead of us to get to the boat as quickly as possible. Diane, Skip and I followed but not as fast. It bagan to rain harder and hail started to fall! Thankfully it was only pea sized and not  the size of golf balls! We finally had to duck down a lane that was tree covered.
We all looked like drowned rats! Plus the V-berth got wet. So here we are in these wet clothes, a wet bed and sheets and tennis shoes! Gheeezzzz! It's a bike ride we won't soon forget..
Headed to  the Shamrock Pub for dinner later.
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Friday Aug 19

Well I see that I got my days of the week confused 'cause the 18th was Thursday! Go figure! Oh Well.
David left early this morning for his fourteen hour drive back to Annapolis. Sure was good to have him with us for a few days and he had fun too! Vince and Diane joined us this afternoon. It's so good to see friends from home and catch up on what's going on in the Ville!
We took a walk into  town, stopped at the Keyhole for a beer and meandered back to the boat after stopping by the Farmer's Market to pick up some fresh veggies and fruit.
After dinner we played double-bid-euchre! A new way to play euchre for Skip and I. I think by tomorrow when we play again I'll know better what I'm doing!  ;-)
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Friday Aug 18

Woke to a beautiful dy today! Sunshine and blue skies! and lots of wind, just not going our way. It was in our nose all day. Bummer! It's a motoring day today.
So we motored from Drummond Island back to Mackinaw City. We docked at the Straits State Harbor where we were before. It's a great place and only three years old. The folks here are so nice and very accomodating.
We went to the Keyhole Bar for dinner. There are keys everywhere! All shapes and sizes; from cars and houses; hotel/motel keys. Keys, keys and more keys!  We all three had fish... Yummee! Great meal.
David leaves tomorrow (Friday) for his long 14 hour trip back to Annapolis. It was fun having him with us for a few days. This afternoon, Vince and Diane Anderson join us. It will be good to see them.
I've attached a couple of pictures. A great looking lighthouse at the Straits of Mackinac and a picture of David.
Love and blessings,
Margo  and Skip

Wednesday Aug 17

Great sail today! Tem tpo fifteen mph winds, one to Two foot waves! We were keeling over pretty good and almost buried the rail! Ed you have loved it!
So cool! David enjoyed being at the helm!
We sailed for almost four hours. We had a great time.
Pulled into Drummond Island Yacht Haven and we  were so pleased with the marina. Very nice and very nice folks here.
Got tied up and visited with the boat next to us (they are doing the  loop!)  Fixed dinner  - had beef kabobs with veggies  and 'taters.  Yummee!
Listened to fun music and has fun -
Tomorrow we're back to Mac City. David leaves early Friday morning for his drive back to Annapolis MD.
Andersons  come on Friday afternoon!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Tuesday Aug 16, 2011

David joined us late Monday night after several hours on the road from Evansville. So fun to see family - well one member anyway!
Went to the grocery before we left Mackinaw City. We didn't have much wind today but it was a beautiful day and we were able to  get in two hours of sailing before we took the sails in.
We came back to DeTour for the night and tomorrow will probably sail around Drummond Island.
It was a great day!
Love and blessings,
Margo  and Skip

Monday August 15

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day! We left DeTour Harbor and motored for a bit then hoisted our sails (Kevin I always think of you when I hear that!) and off we went. The only problem was that we were going in the wrong direction!
Oh well, we were sailing so that was okay. We tacked every hour or so and then brought the jib in and motored sailed for awhile. Sklp noticed it was getting late (well not really late) and we were going to a marina we had not been to before and we wanted to get there before dark so we lowered the main and motored the rest of the way... about 4 hours!
Now we are cleaning because David will be here in a bit! It will be good to see family! Seems l
Not sure what we'll do tomorrow but David wants to sail so we will do just that.
It was a great day and God has truly blessed our summer!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Sunday Aug 14

Great big beautiful  day today! Even though we did not hoist the sails.
We left the Soo about 10am and made our way to St. Mary's River and a series of red and green bouys. You definitely had to pay attention! It was like driving in Chicago, only the tankers and freighters going both ways was a little more daunting than a semi tractor-trailer.
We got docked in  DeTour, another great Michigan State operated harbor.
We walked into town for a couple miles and ended up at the Mainsail Bar and Grille. So instead of the brats  we were gonna have, we split a chicken sandwich, french fries and onion rings. Yummee!
Came back to the boat and played gin rummy and I won!!  Who knew!!
Tomorrow we are off to Mackinaw City.  And David will be there on  Tuesday!!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Saturday Aug 13

Very overcast  and rainy today but we avoided the big rain. It went South of us thankfully. The current was with us today as we motored to Sault Ste. Marie from WhitefishBay.
We decided to lock "down" through the American Locks today as we had gone to Lake Superior through the Canadian Locks, locking "up". What a difference between the two.
The American Locks at the  Soo are very commercial  in nature. All the freighter/tanker traffic go through the American side. Today alone we saw at least ten big vessels either coming or going on the lake.
The American Locks have four chambers but only two  are uused extensively. Both in the South canal - the Poe and the MacArthur locks. The Poe lock is for vessels of up to 1,000 ft. We locked through the  Poe Canal and we were all alone in the chamber! We were dwarfed by the size of the area.
So we got to the locks but had to wait for a freighter to lock "up" to Lake Superior. In the mean time a tanker came up behind us to go into the MacArthur lock. Boy did we feel small next to those two. 
We locked through in about  20 minutes once we got in the chamber. Coming out the other side into Lake Huron we motored to the marina and settled in.
The freighters and tankers are so massive. I'm attaching some pictures of the big vessels and the locks.
Tomorrow we head for De Tour for the night and then it's off to Mackinaw City where David will meet us for a few days. Can't wait to see him!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Friday, Aug 12

A good day today. We were able to sail - 10-13 mph winds out of the Southwest, with 1-2 ft. waves. It was overcast until late in the afternoon when the sun finally showed up!
As we were sailing and I was at the helm, I thought about Genesis and the creation story. Genesis 1:10 says, "God called the dry land Earth and the waters  that were gathered He called Seas. And God saw that it was good." This lake is so massive; over 31,700 square miles of water, with a depth of 1,279 feet.
Today I looked to the port side (left) of the boat and all I could see was water. Beautiful blue water. During this trip, there have been only a few times that we could not see land. It's very impressive and very humbling. I have a great deal of respect for this lake.
We pulled into Whitefish Point, got settled in and  took a two mile hike to the lighthouse and shipwreck museum. This lighthouse is the oldest on the lake, dating back to 1849. Whitefish Point has the destinction of being known as "the graveyard of the Great Lakes" with more than 500 shipwrecks, the most notable is the Edmund Fitzgerald.
After our walk I made a pot of creamy wild rice soup with mushrooms and chicken. It was good on this cool evening.
It's off to  bed with us. Another full day tomorrow as we head to Sault Ste. Marie and the locks on the  American side.
Love and Blessings Everyone!
Margo and Skip

Pics are of our boat and of the fishing boats in Whitefish Bay Harbor. Some of them look like they haven't seen fish for quite some time!

Wednesday Aug 10 and Thursday Aug 11

Wed, Aug 10
Spent an extra day in Houghton due to the weather. Nasty storm - big wind! We were neither one excited about traveling with 30 mph wind and 7 foot waves!
So  today, Wed, we left for Big Bay. We had a great sail! The wind was perfect so  we made really good time and we were able to have the sails up about 6 hours.
We had the dock all to ourselves when we got to Big Bay. It was very quiet and peaceful.
We need a good nights sleep for an early day tomorrow. We'll be headed to Grand Maris!

Thurs, Aug 11
Long day today - 97 miles and we motored all the way! The lake was flat and there was no  wind at all.
We got docked and headed to the Lake Superior Brewing Co. for dinner. We both had a cheeseburger! Yummmeeee! We've been eating fish mostly, which is not a bad thing, but we both needed some red meat!
Well it's off to  bed. We're headed to Whitefish  Bay tomorrow.
Love and Blessings Everyone!
Margo and Skip

Monday Aug 8 and Tues Aug 9

Monday
A long day today! Motoring from Stockton Island, Wisconsin to Houghton Hancock, Michigan - over 100 miles and 15 1/2 hours. Goodness what a day!
But we made it safely.
About 6 hrs into the trip we noticed what we first thought was a bird flying around the boat. It was a bat! First he tucked into a seam of the dodger. Skip  managed to get him out of the seam and he went into the fold of the sail we thought. So  when we entered the Portage Canal going to Houghton Hancock we hoisted the sail and out he came. Hopefully he went to the wooded area on either side of the canal! It was a bit scary and made me anxious!
I kept telling Skip to to call someone! I don't know who I thought we could/would call! Batbusters I guess.
Never a dull moment with us!!

Tuesday
Spent the day in Houghton - the weather was not good  for us. High winds and big waves. There were white-caps on the water in the canal! Not good at all.
So we had a low key day today. Did some reading; did some walking. Watched the weather live in front of us and on the internet trying to decide what to do tomorrow.
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Aug 7Sunday

We had a great day of sailing today! The wind was out of the North East to begin with, switching to the South at days end.  (Ed, we were clocking about 8 knots of boat speed!)
We ended our day in Quarry Bay on Stockton Island, getting ready to our trip back to Lake Michigan beginning tomorrow.
We weren't on the dock tied up very long when we were joined by 2 power boats and another sailboat. The name of the sailboat was "Airborne" as in the 101st Airborne. Well, I had to find out what that was all about so I began a conversation.
The boat is owned by Herb Suerth who  was one of the original "Band of Brothers" from the 101st! What an interesting gentleman he is. He was there with his wife, daughter and son-in-law and three grandchildren. I'm attaching a picture of Herb with the  kids.
We had dinner and hit the sack early. Skip made me set an alarm 'cause we have to get moving at 0-dark-thirty!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Sunday Aug 7

As I write this, we have just left Bayfield to begin our trip back to Lake Michigan. We have so enjoyed our time in the Apostles. It was more than we could have asked for. The history, the beauty of this untouched region... everything has been amazing.
We're headed to Stockton Island and from there we will head out for the journey to Mackinaw City.
More news from us as it develops!
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Friday Aug 5

Hey Ya'll!
Well we're back in Bayfield after several glorious days sailing around the Apostle Islands. We saw some beautiful, pristine areas of our country this past week. The Apostles are a national treasure for sure. If you ever have the opportunity to visit this area, you should take it.
We got alot done today - grocery, haircuts (at the barber shop! Yes, even me!), fish market, and dinner at Maggies with our friend Niels. We had a wonderful time and now it's on to bed for a good  nights sleep! Hope the guys across the dock from us don't party all night!!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Thursday Aug 4

We'll we've been without any coverage for past three days so I just posted a few days worth of blog postings.
Today, Thurs., we sailed out to Devil's Island. The island was named by the Indians because they thought evil spirits lived there. The island is a series of honeycombed caves at the base/waterline of the island. It's quite lovely really. I'm sure the picture I've attached will not do it justice.
Because we had a small amount of wind, we decided to try our Spinner. See the attached.
We docked at South Twin for the night, walked the beach and bathed in the lake. Only one word for that... refreshing!
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Wednesday Aug 3

Well we woke to  a beautiful morning with some wind. So after a breakfast of oatmeal we headed out. We had not gone to far and the engine alarm went off! We had blown a hose and lost almost all our antifreeze. What a mess.
We had not yet put up our sails so we had to hurry to do that so we had some power. So Skip worked on the engine and I sailed the boat such as it was.
It took Skip about an hour to repair the problem.
Once that was complete, we sailed for awhile and then motored for awhile and so now we are tied up on Otter Island.
My kiddos won't remember this but they have been here. I think Chris was about 3 at the time.
It is a beautiful island, heavily wooded. It's claim to fame is that in 1960 it was host to the National Boy Scout Camporee! There were about \,000 Boy Scouts from all over the country came to  Otter for a week of camping.
We've been invited to a fresh lake trout dinner tonight by our dock mates, Beverly and Gary and their daughter Rhonda.
Sleep well everyone. More to come tomorrow.
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Tuesday August 2

And it rained and rained and rained.... And the wind howelled! And the boat was safe and the boat was dry! (the window patch worked!) But it stopped raining and blowing and by 1:30pm the sun was out and it was a beautiful day.
We set out for a four mile hike through the Tombolo Trail. The beginning of  the trail was a dense forest of Eastern Hemlock, White Cedar and Balsam Fir with low ground cover of fern and a plant that resembled hosta but smaller. Along the way were markers describing what we were looking at. We came to an overlook where to the left was a bog and to the right was a Pine Savannah.
Continuing on we came out of the forest and we were looking at Jordan Bay, a beautiful 1 1/2 mile stretch of beach. Because of the red sandstone in these parts, the sand has a red hue to it.  The sand is fine and not to hard to walk in close to the water. We made it down the beach to a section where there was a separation in the beach by an inlet of water forming a stream.  We also spotted what looked like bear tracks! Yikes! I tried to talk Skip into just walking back the way we came but the man was on a mission! Me... not so much!
So we took our shoes off and waded across the stream and continued hiking. We soon found ourselves back in the forest and then walking across a foot bridge over the bog. There we could see wild cranberries. We picked wild blueberries along the path and ate those as we walked.  Very small and quite tasty!
Almost three hours later we found overselves back at the boat where we donned swimsuits and went for a dip.  This time I took the plunge! And it felt so refreshing! Not at all like the bathwater temperatures of our lakes at home. 
It turrned into a beautiful afternoon and evening.
We showered, took our "bag chairs" to the dock and watched the sun go down. And visited with our dock mates Billy and Ann (and their dog Gracie) and Julia and Troy.
It was a great day and such a blessing.
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Pictures - Julia and Troy; Billy, Ann and Gracie; Skip on the dock; sunset on Stockton

Monday August 1

The day began a little oovercast with a hint of rain (which it never did by the way!). Skip changed the oil in the engine and I went to the grocery and fish market.. We finally took off about 1pm for a few days of island sailing. First on our agenda is Stockton Island. By then the sun was out and there was a bit of a breeze.
Here's some information about the Apostles:
It is generally believed that the islands were named by the French missionaries in the late 1600's in the belief that there were only 12 islands and therefore named for the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. There are actually 22 islands, each with it's own unique name showing the influence of the Chippewa Indian's and French settlers. The islands are now part of the Park Service and were named a National Lakeshore in 1970.
This area of Lake  Superior has more pleasure craft per square mile than any other part of the lake. The largest charter company is located here as well as seven marinas and two yacht clubs accounting for more privately owned boats  than anywhere else on Lake Superior.
Not  all of the islands have docks; in some cases we will anchor out ina bay.
We got to Stockton about 4:30 and tied up. It's a small area with not much depth, but we found a place on the East dock. The Park Service has jurisdiction over the Apostles and have made some nice improvements to the camping areas, hicking trails, and docks that exist.
Stockton has a full time Park Ranger living on the island. Her name is Amie and she is here from Memorial Day to Labor Day and is then replaced by someone else. There is also a maintenance crew here to keep the trails cleared, etc.
This island is the most popular of the Apostles because of the diverse terrain here. There are logoons, bogs, sandy beaches and dense forests.
Last night the Park Ranger had a presentation in which she talked about the Tombolo. I had never heard this word before so was quite interested. A tombolo is a sandbar. Stockton was originally two islands but over many centuries, a tombolo or sandbar joined the two making it one.  Today the Tombolo Trail gives folks a great way to explore this area.
We also learned of the many different types of vegetation here. Some edible such as the wild blueberries and cranberries.
Tomorrow we will hike the Tombolo Trail, a 3.8 mile trek. Tonight we will huncker-down for the storm that's coming!
In the meantime, we are so blessed with all the wonders we see.
Love and Blessings Everyone,
Margo and Skip

The attached picture was taken at the Apostle Island Marina this morning as the sun came up.

Sunday July 31

Glorious day in Bayfield! Sunny blue skies, not much wind, but a beautiful day !
Went to Egg Toss for  breakfast! Yummmeee! Fresh raspberries with heavy cream, eggs benedict with "toss potato's". I only ordered the small portion 'cause I knew I couldn't eat the whole thing! Skip had fresh blueberry pancakes, eggs and apple smoked sausage. Goodness - we won't have to  eat the rest of the  day.
We took a walk after that to wear off  some of those calories. Came back to the boat and worked on a couple of  projects. One window on top leaked when it rained so we took it out, cleaned the  pane and the area it sits in and re-caulked it. Hopefully that will take care of it. We'll find out tomorrow - big storm coming!
Skip put our new flag up. Our old American flag was a bit faded and  tatered. He also worked on the mian sail ribs, changing out the screws..
We walked to  Maggies and borrowed Nancy's car and rode up to  Erickson's Orchard to see Muriel and Jimmy but they weren't there. We did get our apple cider donuts though! And picked up some fresh blueberries and raspberries.
Another wonderful day! We feel so blessed to be able to do  this.
Love and Blessings Everyone,
Margo and Skip

Friday July 29 and Saturday July 30

Well here we are at Black River Harbor! Just a little tricky getting in here but so worth the effort. Black River Harbor, although not many amenities,makes up for that by the incredible scenery. There are several hiking trails, the longest one being five miles. We took a shorter route but was so impressed with the view of Rainbow Falls once we got thre. After we hicked back we went to the beach. Skip managed to get totally wet; I waded in to just above my knees. It was so cold! We're used to bathwater temps on Kentucky Lake.
Now we're relaxing and planning tomorrows trip. Destination - Bayfield! (pics below are from Black River Harbor)

Saturday
Motored all day with the rain much of the time. But the late afternoon and evening have turned out to be beautiful. We are in Bayfield now which was our ultimate goal.
We went to Maggies for a late lunch. It hasn't changed one bit. Still the same fun place it was 15 years ago. Flamingo's everywhere! Glasses, clocks, stuffed flamingo's, ceramic flamingos... they're everywhere.
We had whitefish livers - delish! And I had a Maggies Bloody Mary, the best I've ever had.
More later,
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Tuesday, Wednesday July 26, 27 (revised)

Well we're in Houghton/Hancock Michigan! We arrived. settled in and took a walk.  We are actually on the Hancock side of the canel. So once we got settled we took a walk across the bridge to Houghton. This is a college town, Class C in football and ice hockey. Beautiful town nestled in the Huron Mountians. The mainstreet of Houghton is where the action seems to be. We had dinner at the Ambassodor. The pizza was wonderful. Thin crust (not  as thin as Torino's but good) but the stuff on top was good. We walked back to the boat and were satisfied for the evening.
On Wednesday we went to the grocery. The marina called the city transportation company and a bus soon appeared. We got back  and again walked into Houghton. One thing you quickly learn on the boat is that you walk alot!
So we did what we needed to do and came back to the boat. You don't see alot of overweight folks here as everyone walks, runs, rides bikes or whatever it takes to get where they need to  be.
We're having a grand time on our  great adventure.
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Monday, July 25

Happy Birthday Wendy and David!
We arrived at Big Bay about 2:30 from Marquette. We had a pretty good ride but about an hour before we got here the wind picked up and the waves were getting higher. This bay is big, hence the name, but the town is small. And there is alot of history here.
Back in the day, Brunswick (the bowling pin people) logged this area and made bowling pins here. The town was built to provide housing for the workers. They made the pins out of oak at that time.
Sometime in the mid 40's I think, Henry Ford purchased the factory and used it to produce the wood vaneer panels for the old "Woody" stationwagon's. Some of you won't remember that car, but Skip and I sure do! They also made other wood vaneered accessories for the interior - steering wheels, shift knobs, and the like.
About that same time, Mr. Ford also bought the Thunder Bay Inn and renovated it. It was used as a summer gathering place for the Ford executives. Big Bay also had a Army training camp located here.  It was used as a gunnery school.
About 1951-52, this small village gained noterity due to a murder that took place at the Lumberjack Tavern.
An Army Lt. was told by his wife that she had been raped and beaten by the innkeeper/bartender of this establishment. The Lt. admitted that he did murder the man, plugging him with 7 bullets; he was charged with 1st degree murder; a trial took place and he was acquited by reason of "irrestible impulse". Today we know this as temporary insanity.
After the trial, the defense attorney wrote a book titled "Anatomy of a Murder" and it quickly shot up the best seller list. The book was subcequently made into a movie staring Jimmy Stewart, Lee Rimmick and a cast of others. The movie was filmed in Big Bay with the  Thunder Bay Inn used in the movie. Both Thunder Bay and the Lumberjack have newspaper clippings from the murder and the making of the movie.
While we were at the Lumberjack Tavern, the lady bartender told us that she was a little girl when it happened but she can remember her mother saying what a "floosy" the Lt.'s wife was.
If you haven't seen the movie, I would recommend it. I read that it is used in many law schools as a teaching tool.
So there you have your history lesson for today. I just love meeting mew people abd listening to what they have to say. You sure do learn alot!
Love and Blessings,
Margo and Skip

Sunday, July 24

We spent today in Marquette... a day of recovery for me!
The morning began with a phone call from our dear friend, Jim Coy. He wanted to report to our Sunday school class on how we were doing.
Then we walked for a couple of hours. As we were walking we came upon the Huron Bakery! Skip was in hog heaven. After his donut fix, we walked to the business district, then up the hill to Ridge St. The first thing you notice is three churches  - Methodist, Presbyterian and Episcopal. Two of the churches are quite old and were having their services with the doors open.  I commented on that and Skip reminded me about the lack of air conditioning here.
Ridge Street is a beautiful area of town.The homes are older with beautifully established yards and gardens. Some of the homes were constructed using sandstone from the area. The architecture is just beautiful.
At the end of Ridge Street is the Marquette Maritime Museum. We went through that and learned so much about the history of this region. And it was interesting reading about the Edmund Fitzgerald.
This weekend the "Tall Ships" are in town. You can pay to go on a two hour cruise or, when the boats are docked, you can go through the boats.  They're beautiful. Tall masts with all the riggings. Amazing to think that those were sailing the waters not that long ago.  I've added some pictures for you  of the Tall Ships.
Tonight we had dinner with Jeanne and Micheal, the couple we me at Grand Maris. They took us to the Landmark Inn, a beautiful old Marquette hotel. We had dinner on the top floor overlooking the harbor. What a view! We could see the entire harbor, with the Tall Ships going out and coming back.  Amazing!
Jeanne and Micheal also took us to the grocery store for a few items. What nice folks! We're going to  connect with them on our way back to Lake Michigan.
Now we're back on the boat looking at maps and the weather  for tomorrow's sail.

Friday July 22 and Saturday July 23

Friday
Beautiful, glorious day today. Temperature in the 80's with wind out of the NW as we left Grand Maris (pronounced Mo-ray) this morning. Much calmer than yesterday's pounding we took!
So we sailed for awhile, we motor-sailed for awhile and then we just  motored... alot! The wind did not sustain itself at all.
But the day was lovely and the scenery breathtaking. Between Grand Maris and Murry Bay where we anchored, there are the Sable Sand Dunes and the Pictured Rocks. I've attached picutures  but they don't do justice to what we saw.
The dunes were used in the dogging days. Logs went down "Devils  Slide" into the water and were then transported to the mill at Grand Maris.
Further along the coastline we came upon the Pictured Rocks. Cliffs, caves and arches of  soft sandstone are carved out of the rock due to the action of the lake and the weather.  Different mineral deposits have colored the stone in reds, greens, blues and white.  The Pictured Rock National Lakeshore is a protected area and is the first National Lakeshore. They truly are a gift from God!
When got to Murray Bay (located by Munising, MI), we thought we saw sailboat "Freedom", belonging to our new friends Micheal and Jeanne. We met them in Grand Maris the day before and had dinner with them and others at the Lake Superior Brewing Co. We got closesr and it was them. They rowed over for a visit. It was a very enjoyable evening.

Saturday
Only one word can describe today - YUCK!
Most of the 53 miles we sailed today found your's truly with myt head hanging over the side of the boat! Not pleasant at all.
Between 12-18 knots of wind and waves were 4-5 and rolling. The boat was pitching forward and left to right. Ugh!
We were going to  Big Bay but pulled into Marquette. We'll be here tomorrow  as well. My tummty needs to recover.
You know I  don't feel well when I don't even have a glass of wine!! Oh My Goodness! I'm just glad we came in when we did.

Love and Blessings to Everyone,
Margo and Skip  

Thursday, July 21

OMG! What a day we had! We left Whitefish Bay about 7AM and the water was pretty flat - no wind at all. Before we knew it the wind was 18-22 knots and blowing right in our face! Pounding all day long. It felt sometimes like the boat would just break in two. This all started in the area known for shipwrecks - more than 500, the most notable being the "Edmund Fitzgerald"!  I'm sure you've heard Gordon Lightfoot's song about the Fitz.
The was were 5-6 feet and we weren't making much headway with the wind in our face. It took 9 hours to go 53 miles. The waves moved like the old lava lamps used to. Anyway my tummy was not happy at all!  I only went below on an as-needed basis and I stretched that out until the bitter end!
We finally arrived in Grand Maris, MI. There we ran into Niels and Vicki Jensen who we met earlier at the Soo.  We also met Paul (the sailor who had the issues on Thurs with his boat at Little Bay) and Micheal and Jeanne. The seven of us walked up to the local brewery and had dinner together.
We saw the most beautiful sunset today. The sky had the wispy clouds and the sun reflected off them. The colors were so amazing - pink and orange painted on a beautiful blue background. God was pretty busy with His paintbrush for sure!
Hope all is well with all of you. We miss you all lots and pray for you daily.
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip

Pictures are Niels and Vicki with their dog Tucker and the other one is Paul, Skip, Niels and Vicki enjoying after dinner beverages!

Wednesday, July 20

An exciting day today! First we locked trough the Canadian side of the Soo. What an adventure that was. We came in from St. Mary's River and locked up to Lake Superior. We secured the boat and waited for the lock to fill. Before we knew it we were talking to the lock folks nd pedsterians who stopped to watch. So cool!
We continued on and finally reached the Big Lake of Superior. The wind picked up and we were  able to sail for about 3 hours. It's the first time we've had wind in several days. We were sailing along when a Coast Guard boat past us; about 20 minutes later another Coast Guard boat past us.  Then a Coast Guard helicopter  flew by.  An hour or so later we realized they were doing rescue practice.  We soon saw the helicopter  hovering over the smaller boat.  It's so good to know they practice rescuing.  Hopefully we won't need them.
A while later we heard a may-day call to the Coast Guard. A power boat was in trouble. About the same time we heard another call from a  sailboat that had run aground going into a harbor called Little Lake Harbor. Most of these harbors are the responsibility of the Army Corps of Engineers. They are responsible for dredging these harbors - some on a regular rotation; some as needed. But Lake Superior, because of the current and weather, silt builds up  making it difficult to maintain and for sailboats to get around.
Later there was another issue with a boat on Lake Michigan that had overturned around Traverse City.  The radio was busy today! And the Coast Guuard wven busier.
We came into Whitefish Point Bay and tied up to the dock. There are no facilities here but the view is beautiful. The wind was picking up at that point. Around 9pm that winds were at 20 knots. I was glad we were in a safe place. Two other sailboats joined us. This particular harbor is a "harbor of refuge"; a place to duck into in bad weather.
I for one was glad we were here for the night.
Love and blessings,
Margo and Skip
PS pictures from the locks were posted earlier. Check them out!

Through the Locks!

Check out the pictures below taken about half hour ago as we locked through the Soo Locks on the Canadian side. Soooo much fun!