Author: Jeff

I’m tied up at Crowley’s for the next few weeks. Tentative departure date to head down the Illinois Waterway is Nov 12. Between now and then I’m helping out as a rigger through the fall rush, then taking a trip home for a few days.

I’ll take some pics. They put a few hundred sailboats inside for the winter, and they all need their rigs unstepped. Many arrive fully rigged and we take the sails off, etc. Masts are stored in our rigging shop. It’s quite an operation.

I’m still not quite sure where I’m headed from here. The basic plan is to travel for a month or so, then leave the boat for a month or so, then resume cruising. I’ve been thinking of going to Little Rock, or possibly Louisiana. I’d like to go down the Mississippi. But the Tennessee River is a good alternative as well. No rush to finalize.

I always enjoy seeing a bunch of boats up close. The Morris 36 still catches my eye. Here are pics of a couple.

I got into Chicago Wednesday evening, and have been anchored here since.

The trip down was lovely.  As planned I spent two nights in Escanaba, and had a long walk around town on my lay day.

Saturday had NW winds, and I went down the coast to Menomonee where I stopped for late lunch, then further south to anchor here.  I thought I could get into the river, but it was too shallow.

The next day I cruised across to Sturgeon Bay, and went ashore for a couple of hours to visit the museum and grab lunch.  From there I went out the canal and south to Algoma, where i stayed on the wall and had a nice dinner out.

Monday I cruised down to Sheboygan and stayed on a wall in the river.  Another solo looper was staying at the yacht club for a few weeks, and I almost booked a slip there.

The weather had been nice – following breezes and mostly sunny – and we had two more days before a nasty system came through with strong east winds. I was tempted to keep going. The deciding factor came Tuesday morning when a non-urgent specialist appointment in Toronto for Nov 6 was bumped back a couple of months. I had planned to travel from Chicago for that. Without that constraint I’m now free to head downriver earlier.

So I left Sheboygan Tuesday, spent the night anchored inside the breakwater south of South Shore Yacht Club in Milwaukee, and came down here Wednesday. Lovely travel on the lake.

I’m anchored in the municipal harbour. The weather is finally breaking, with south winds expected to go west then NW over the next day or so and bring cooler temperatures. My plan is to head south to Marinette on Saturday. Looks like there is lots to do ashore here tomorrow.

All is good aboard. Dinner out last night was great, blackened whitefish and veggies. The autopilot is working well, and it’s great to have one again. It makes travel like this fun and easy.

I’m anchored here, close to a restaurant where I’ll visit via dinghy a little later. I like it around here.

Yesterday I had a pleasant cruise around to Fayette, a neat ghost town that’s now a state park. Beautiful natural harbor was host to an iron smelter in the 19th century.

It blew pretty hard from the south last night, so I stayed there and cruised down here today.

It’s still warm – I’ve been living in a pair of shorts for several days – but that’s going to change. Expected north winds and cooler temps in a few days. My plan is to stay here tonight, then head over to Escanaba and the Little Bay de Noc tomorrow.

I’ve been anchored inside the breakwater since arriving yesterday afternoon, and have been ashore several times. I like it here.

The weather continues to be freakishly nice. It’s going to cool off this weekend, but for now I’m enjoying it. I had dinner yesterday at an old Big Boy resaurant and lunch today at a nice sandwich shop with a dinghy dock, then got some groceries.

Tomorrow I’m off for Garden.

I’m writing this post as Manistique MI is in sight.

Yesterday was a pleasant trip from Drummond over to De Tour for a lunch out, then over to anchor here close to Mackinac Island. The highlight was noodling through the islands to get in to Cedarville. I came in the eastern entrance and out the west.

Today I was underway in the dark at 0700 to do the 70NM straight across the upper section of Lake Michigan. It was dark and rainy until about 30 minutes ago, and is now brilliantly sunny.

I’ll stay here for a couple of days I think. Will watch the weather, but I think a small front is coming through mid week and then north winds, which will be fine.

We’ve entered the US. The cruising permit for Escapade is good for a year. I’m anchored here off Drummond Island.

The weather has been exceptionally nice. Calm, clear, sunny and unusually warm. I’m writing this at 8 pm with all my hatches open, and have been living in shorts.

The forecast for more of the same for the next 5 days. My plan is to explore the Upper Peninsula in that time, working my way along the coast to Escanaba then down into Green Bay. It’s great to have a weather window.

Not much to report. I spent last night at Blind River, and the night before in Gore Bay. There are a few straggling loopers, so I’m not entirely alone in my travels.

Filled up with fuel (510 l) and water and pumped out at Blind River. Previous stop was six weeks and 620 NM earlier.

I’m anchored here in Clapperton Harbour. Nice spot. Weather is lovely, and is forecast to continue into next week.

Today I slept in, had late lunch in Little Current, then continued on to arrive here at dusk. Tomorrow I’ll go over to Gore Bay.

There’s one trawler anchored nearby, and I met a looper from Florida in Little Current. I think those are the only boats I’ve seen underway since leaving. The Anchor Inn was closed today – shoulder season – so I had lunch at a new spot down the street, BEAR. I’ll go back.

I’ve been looking at river levels and thinking more about my goals for the winter. I get a break on insurance if I stay above 30 degrees latitude, and I’m happy to do that. Florida beyond the panhandle holds little appeal for me.

So I’ve added a few southern rivers to my consideration list. First is the Arkansas River, which goes up to around Tulsa OK from its confluence with the Mississippi below Memphis. I’m researching that.

The Mississippi is in severe drought stage. I’d really like to go down the Mississippi, and the Arkansas meets the big river below Memphis.

More views looking fore and aft. The last picture is Picnic Island just west of Little Current. I thought about stopping there, but pressed on here.

Samantha and Sarah dropped me off in Wiarton yesterday.  My car is in Guelpb, and the motorcycle is in Toronto. Next stop, Chicago.

There are east winds forecast for a couple of days. Not great for the trip out of Georgian Bay. I had a window today, so got underway mid-morning. It was pleasant enougb up to Cabot Head, so I kept heading north. I’m now anchored here, sheltered from the east. This is close to where Susan and I spent a night a few weeks ago.

The autopilot works well. I knew it would. As forecast, the wind blew up when we were halfway up the peninsula. Lots of spray and the occasional violent roll, but all good aboard at ten knots.

Lunch in Little Current tomorrow.

I’ve been back in Wiarton the last few days getting Escapade ready to head south. Finally installed the autopilot from Tin Lizzie. That’s been my plan since my old unit failed on my trip north from Chicago 15 months ago, but it took me a year to find all the pieces. Glad I did.

I’m heading for Chicago, but am not in any rush. Target date for arrival is the end of October. That’s five weeks, assuming I leave Monday or Tuesday. Weather looks benign.

My game plan is to spend the next six months on the rivers. There are a few on my list – the Cumberland, Ohio, and Upper Missisippi – that may be off limits due to weather, but I don’t mind winter cruising. So I’ll leave Chicago the second week of November and see where I fetch up. The first decision point after that is at Cairo IL where the big decision is whether to head up the Ohio or down the Mississippi. I’m leaning towards the latter, but have two months to decide.

I’m excited, and looking forward to being underway again.