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After a quiet night with no wind and a star filled sky, we awoke to a cold morning. It was another beautiful  sunnyday, but we lingered to let the temperature climb. We retrieved our line from the tree, weighed anchor and were out on the lake at 0900 for the short trip to the mouth of the Michipicoten River. I called Brad Buck of Buck’s Marina  by cell phone and he confirmed he would meet us at the mouth of the river and lead us up the narrow channel to a spot near his marina where we could anchor. That’s what happened and by 1100 we were anchored in 3 feet of water 100 yards from the marina.  I am very happy he was there to guide us as the entrance to the river is very different than when were hear in 2005.  There was much less current with which  to deal , but the channel was much narrower at about 30 feet. Going up the river I had 1 foot under the boat one time and then only 5 inches in another  spot.

After taking Brad and his young son Travis to lunch at the Kinniwabi Pines restaurant, we came back to the boat , transferred 17.5 gallons of diesel  from jerry cans into my main tank and refilled the jerry cans at the marina’s fuel dock. We now can motor all the way to Rossport if we have to. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing the only objectionable task of cruising doing  our laundry. 

We plan to stay here tomorrow as the forecast is for 20-25 knots of wind from the southwest veering to the west and 6-7 foot seas.  Brad has said he will drive us into Wawa when he goes there on business and we can catch a cab home. The number one priority on my list is cell phone service to talk to Marcy and then to find a barber. After 5 weeks, I am getting shabby.

Yesterday afternoon after our fish buying and other excursions it actually got sunny and warmed up for a few hours until the sun set. The clear skies brought us a cold night so by 2100 Kevin and I went below to watch a DVD of Master and Commander. One of my favorite movies. It was the coldest night of the trip but we were comfortable with the lanterns lit below.

We were up at 0730, cooked bacon and eggs while the day warmed up and then we went trolling for Lake Trout. No luck! By 1100 we were out on a calm lake and headed north with a light breeze on the nose; where else. We arrived at Brule at 1400, went into the NW corner of the inner harbor and anchored beside a Canadian boat Aeron. We took a line ashore to minimize our movement in this tiny nook. Our neighbors returned in their kayaks and we learned they are from Georgian Bay and are headed north as well. We tried our hand at fishing again and saw lots of fish but they had no interest in what we were offering. Tonight it is tuna fish casserole for dinner. Tomorrow we are going to try to go up the Michipicoten River and anchor near the marina. When I talked to Brad Buck last weekend, he said he would come down and guide us into and up the river to a good anchorage near his marina. We will sit out the blow on the lake there.

I hope to get these last few logs posted tomorrow.

We were up at 0730, had breakfast and put the dinghy down to go ashore by 0900. We took our burnable and nonburnable trash with us to dispose of at the trail head for the Ojibwe pictographs. It was another cold, grey, overcast day but we had no rain during the night or morning. The hike to the pictographs warmed us up but we were disappointed to find the rocks below the pictographs wet and slippery. We could not see them as well as when we viewed them from the dinghy in 2005. From the pictographs we hiked back toward Sinclair Cove and took the trail to the heights above the cove. In 2005 Bob Sanderson and I found lots of blueberries there, but this year there was not a single ripe one and not many at all. So it was back to the boat empty handed and off to Gargantua at 1115. Initially there was no wind on the lake yet a 2-3 foot NW swell . Soon the reason for the swell became apparent as the wind piped up to 15 -18 knots from the NW. I filled the aft water tank from the lake using the wash down pump during the trip. Although the boat does well pounding into big swells , I do not find it as comfortable. Thank goodness for the short trip of only 17 NM. We arrived in Gargantua at 1400. No pleasure craft were there but the fishing tugs F.B. Clay and Coranet were rafted up to the same makeshift dock we found Coranet at in 2005. Kevin and I took the dinghy over and found the same skipper who sold me Lake Trout in 2005. I split the six pounds of fresh Lake Trout we purchased in two. We will have half for dinner tonight and the other have went into the freezer for later in the trip.

We also hiked around the Harbour to visit the various ruins, the camp sites for the hiking trail and we visited the wreck of the tug Columbus which caught fire and sank here in 1910. Much of it is still intact and quite visible in the crystal clear water.

While this trip up the lake is only 3 days old , it is still quite a contrast to the warm, sunny weather we had in 2005. I hope some of that is coming, but the forecast for the next several days is not good. Tomorrow we are off to well protected Brule Harbour where we will hunker down if the storm they are predicting for Thursday materializes.

It rained all last night, but we were fortunate to have it let up momentarily when we left the dock at 0915. It was a cold, rainy day with NW winds about 12-15 knots and we had to power to get around Corbeil Point, Coppermine Rock and Hibbard Rock before we could turn N and head for Sinclair Cove. We got some breaks in the clouds then as well as a slight wind shift to the W and we rolled out the jib for the last three hours to Sinclair. The cove is a very small anchorage so when we rounded the point and found no one there we were very pleased. It was 1530 when we arrived and to late to put the dinghy down as we planned an early dinner. Besides we were happy to close the cockpit up and try to warm up. Dinner was spinach and white beans over pasta. We went below and lit the hanging lantern as well as the Alladin. The cabin was soon quite comfortable. A slight NW swell was still entering the anchorage and we would have been comfortable had it been accompanied by a NW breeze. Instead a SW breeze was making the boat ride at 90 degrees to the swell and rock a bit. I only slept after the wind finally went to the NW around 2 AM. We plan to go ashore tomorrow morning for some sightseeing before we start the short trip To Gargantua Harbor.

We left the dock just before 0800 after having called the American Soo Lockmaster and being told to come right over as the MacArthur Lock was ready for us. We pulled right in with another small Canadian sailboat behind us and by 0830 we were 20 feet higher and off down the shipping channel to Whitefish Bay. It was a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the high 50′s, but as we passed Gros Cap Reef Light and turned N for Batchwana Bay the day turned sunny. An hour later the wind which had been on the nose moved into the NNW, and we raised the main for some drive and to stabilize the boat. An hour later the wind backed to the NW and we rolled out the jib and actually sailed the last two hours into the North arm of Batchwana Bay where we tied up to the dilapidated Government dock. This L shaped dock is about 70 feet long on each arm and we are tied up on the outer N facing arm in 13-14 feet of water. When we were here in 2005 this arm was a good 30 feet longer. I guess the ice has continued to tear some away each winter. The dock is solidly constructed but there are planks missing and you need fenders or in our case a fender board to avoid damage to the side of your boat.

Kevin and I walked about a mile exploring the surroundings, fished a little and then consumed a dinner of blue cheese meatloaf, wild rice pilaf and broccoli. During the day we had lots of visitors who came down to say hi and also to fish off the dock. The most memorable one was a woman who was calling to the loons and she did a great imitation call. After dinner, a light rain started to fall, and the air got quite cold so we went below, lit the Alladin lamp which puts off quite a bit of heat and enjoyed the warmth before going to bed . Tomorrow we expect to be off to Sinclair Cove.

After dinner last night we were treated to the delayed fireworks from the Canadian side of the Soo, and they were quite impressive. Those of you who know me well know that I am a pyromaniac so the fact that I will also be able to enjoy fireworks from the U.S. side again on the fourth is a real plus.

Kevin and I left George Kemp and crossed the river to the Canadian side and the Roberta Bondar Marina at about 1330 0n June 3.. We delayed our departure in order to fix the shower/faucet in the forward head and to pick up some fishing tackle for Kevin. I will not bore you with the details of the head fix but it did involve renting a 1 inch hole saw and a drill that could handle it . After two hours everything was back to together and working. The weather when we crossed the river was windy and cold and that persisted throughout the day until the skies finally cleared about 1900. Before that we enjoyed the tugboat parade on the river. The parade is a big event here and everone dresses their tugboat for the parade. Most of tugs came back to the marina for a party, but they did not disturb our sleep as we were tired and slept well after the dinner I made with the fish we caught in Bear Drop.

It is now the Fourth, the skies are sunny,  the winds are moderate and the forecast for tomorrow is favorable for our departure  to Lake Superior. The only wrinkle is the Canadian Lock is closed for repairs so we must use the larger American Lock to go up the 20 feet into Lake superior. I have called them to inform them of our intentions and the word is ” come whenever you want”.

This morning Kevin and I went to the pancake breakfast held by the tugboaters and then we were taxied by the marina staff to a Grocery store where we bought our final provisions for the trip north  up the eastern shore of Lake Superior. We will not be roughing it.  At noon the tug boat races started on the river and we had a great view from the marina. Now it is time to sit back relax, have a cocktail and dinner and await the fireworks.

I forgot to mention earlier that Bonnie and Ron Dahl are here on their boat DAHLFIN II. Bonnie is the author of THE SUPERIOR WAY which is the definitive book on cruising in Lake Superior waters. She has agreed to autograph  my copy of her book, and she also has given some important update information on some of the ports we will see later in the trip

I am not sure when I will be able to email another update. It might be a week or even more. But I will keep up the log and email the entries when I can. Until then be safe. We will be.

We departed DeTour at 0915 after one last futile attempt to find the starboard lens. The wind had settled down to 10 knots overnight and it looked like our trip up the St. Mary’s River would not be as bad as I thought. The one problem was fog patches drifting across the water in front of  us, but they gradually disappated and visibility was never a problem.  Although the weather was cold and the sky overcast we were comfortable with all the panels of my cockpit enclosure in place.  There usually are two issues to deal with going up the St. Mary’s river: freighter traffic and current. Today there was NO freighter traffic which was a disappointment unless you have the misfortune to be in the same spot where they pass each other. The current was 0.3-0.5 knots going up Nebish Island and then gradually increasing to 2 knots near the Soo. By the way if you want info on where we are or in this case where Nebish Island is, go to Google Earth and that will help orient you.

We arrived at the marina at 1530 which meant we were able to average almost 6 knots up the river. Awaiting me in the marina office was a FedEx Express package from Verizon  with my new Blackberry. Better yet it was free as out great telecom guys had figured out I was eligible for a free upgrade. Thanks Randy and Randall. I am now back in the call and email business.

I am typing this on Thursday, so I can tell you the three of us went to dinner at the Freighter Restaurant where we watched two freighters and a cruise ship lock through the Soo locks while we enjoyed our Whitefish. Don and Kerry treated me to dinner and thanked me for the trip, and I thanked Don for all his help and Kerry for all her lunches, pupus and dinners. They have been great companions, and we have  successfully survived living together in the close confines of a boat for three weeks.

 Fireworks to celebrate Canada were scheduled for later last night but the persistent light rain showers forced a cancellation. Hopefully they will try again tonight. Kevin Scheiferstein is scheduled to arrive around 2 PM today to relieve Don and Kerry of their duties as crew. Kevin and I will use his car to refill a propane  tank and do some grocery shopping  and then the Albanese’s will head home.

I do not plan to post a seperate log entry for today. Instead I will update you tomorrow from the Canadian side of the Soo at Roberta Bondar Marina. That will be a trip of less than 1/2 mile.

Late yesterday the temperature fell and the winds started to blow from the NW with scattered rain showers and those conditions were still in place when we got up this morning. It was an easy decision to revise our plans to go to Detour Village instead of anchoring at Harbor Island.  We departed Drummond at 0900, and I led Windchaser out to the main shipping channel where they headed south to Lake Huron and then west to Mackinac Island while we headed west for our brief trip across DeTour Passage to Detour Village. We pulled into the fuel dock at the marina and took on 17.6 gal. of diesel in my main tank and 10 gal. into two jerry cans.  As we were entering our assigned slip a local boater, trying to be helpful,  took my starboard  bow line, but instead of taking it down to a cleat on the dock, he jerked it upward snapping the lens off my starboard navigation light. This is the third time the lens has been lost. Once in Mentor when another helpful hand pulled the bow into a dock post  and again in 2005 in Sault Ste. Marie when a dock boy at the fuel dock pulled the bow into a post. The marina has a long pole with a rake at the end for retrieving items on the bottom, but our lengthy efforts to retrieve the lens were to no avail. The cloudy skies and rippled water surface from the wind did not help.  So we gave up, put our bikes down for the first time this trip and went to town.  Don and I visited the sporting goods shop to add some fishing lures  to our tackle box, and I bought a fishing net for use in Lake Superior as well as to give us another shot at retrieving the lens. We discovered the one well renowned local restaurant has closed. I guess another victim of the recession. After a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up a few items, we pedaled back to the boat to await a break in the clouds for better visibility in our hunt for the lens. In the early evening we had a brief period of sunshine, but no luck in lens fishing. I guess I will have to have Will bring me a new one at Isle Royale. We plan to leave tomorrow morning  for Sault Ste. Marie after one last try for the lens. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE GETTING AUTOMATIC UPDATES ON MY POSTS VIA EMAIL, YOU SHOULD OCCASIONALLY  CHECK THE BLOG  ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE PICTURES WE ARE POSTING.  YESTERDAY WE UPLOADED 25 NEW PICTURES WHICH WILL SHOULD HAVE POSTED FOR YOUR VIEWING BY TOMORROW. ENJOY!

At about 2200 when I came back from the Meldrum Bay Inn after using their wireless connection to post the last three updates, it started to rain and it continued all night. The rain stopped  briefly about o800 and we took advantage of the respite to get underway at o815.  It was a day of mixed blessings. On the positive side we had our best sail of the trip. The SSW winds of 9-14knots were on our beam, and since they were coming off the land except  for when we passed the Mississagi Strait and False DeTour Passage, we had light seas. Most of the time we were making 7.4 or more knots and enjoying the smooth ride! On the negative side it started raining again at 0900 and continued until 1300. Most of the time it was pouring and we had buckets of rain spilling off the sails which are now very clean.  The rain cleared in time to give us good visibility to see the bouys as we made our way down the twisting channel to Drummond Island Yacht Haven. US Customs and Border Protection was waiting on the dock  for us when we arrived but our NEXUS cards and Customs Decal made it an easy entry. We ate a great dinner starring Kerry’s Chicken Wellington. At the moment we are playing cards on Windchaser while it rains again outside. This is our last night together as Windchaser heads off to Mackinaw Island and then home while we head to Harbor Island and then DeTour Village before heading up the St. Mary’s River to Sault Ste. Marie. We will miss Lew and Gretchen immensely.

When we left Bear Drop at 1100 there were large confused seas and a WSW wind on our nose and we had to slog it out for the first hour as we made our way across the open waters of North Channel to Meldrum Bay on the south Shore.  Happily the  wind and seas dropped and the cloudy skies gave way to sun so the last three hours turned out to be very pleasant. We arrived at Meldrum Bay at 1515 and the place has changed quite a bit since Marcy, Will, Andrew and I visited it on our first trip to the North Channel in 1984. There is a new breakwater protecting the harbor from N winds and more docks. But they still do not have potable water at the docks. The Meldrum Bay Inn is open once again and has very good food which we can attest to since we ate there tonight. My fears about the cell phone proved correct as despite two days drying it out, it will not turn on. Oh well, one more problem to solve. Tomorrow we are off to Drummond.