Monday July 30, 2007

Thanks to all for the overwhelming responses. I’ll try with time to integrate the answers. If I forget, ask again! As the responses fade, the log will fade. So goes it…

Tonight finds us in Presque Isle. A large harbor, rare on the Great Lakes. This harbor is very much like Presque Isle PA but a bit smaller. Presque Isle is French and means, “all most an Island”. Look at a map, you’ll get the idea.

We departed today around 8:30AM after hiking up to the coffee shop in town.. We opted for the long conservative route out of Thunder Bay rather then dodging rocks and small Islands. I was awake at 5AM ready to go. Calm seas, clear skies, light to no winds, loons diving, jumping fish, clear water, a few large ships, a number of sail boats heading south after the Port Huron to Mackinaw race. Relax, take it all in with a few deep breaths, read magazines, look out over the endless water to the East. Talk about what is this or that on the distant shore.

Our route is planed the night before and loaded in the GPS, travel is relaxed unless the winds and seas are up. Yes, they do come up. Average speed around 5.5 knots, average day 35 NM, very very long day 55 NM . Fuel consumed today, 2.75 gallons and that is with no sailing! Do we get bored, no, love it! It could be a lifestyle rather then a vacation for me.

A few net stakes today, other then that, routine. Michigan has more light houses then any other state. Presque Isle has two, an old one built in 1840 and a new one built in 1870. The new one is the tallest in the Great Lakes, 109 feet. We arrived around 3, fueled up, looked for town (there is none!), and picked up bikes at the store near by. We rode out, explored, and climbed to the top of the light houses…Spiral staircases are not a new invention.

Dinner at a restaurant in view from the dock. And they have wireless. Mark tells me they are sunfish and trout swimming under us as we sit on top of this aquarium. …That huge orange moon is coming up in the East and it will greet me tomorrow at sunrise in the west. .No jacket required, it is warm and casual. My kind of place. Goodnight Dear Friends.