Bumboat North 2006 - Captain's Log

Wednesday, August 23 - Last Day, Home Port Bound

0700 Depart Lakeview marina

Last night we had dinner at the local restaurant at Lakeview. The Captain was exhausted after staying up all night on the sail down Huron and went to bed at 2100. Gregg, the first mate, retired shortly thereafter. After sleeping most of the day.... the crew stayed up and played a little poker.

We shoved off at sunrise. The forecast for today was light and variable winds...... most likely a full day of motoring.

0830 Grassy Island, 12.5 NM

The crew was up for departure from Lakeview and then quickly slipped below or on deck for more sleep.

Grassy Island is memorable to the Captain.... for he ran aground here in 1985 aboard his Bristol 22. There are two types of sailors; those who have run aground and those who lie....

0945 Detroit Light, 25.5 NM

The river current has allowed us to make good time downbound. Lake Erie is flat and the wind is light.

1400 Kellys Island Long Point, 57 NM

Since we are motoring in flat water, the captain has time to pack and clean the boat. It will be nice to dock the boat ship shape. The crew is put on notice not to soil anything..... the galley and bar is closed.

1630 VYC, 75.5 NM

It got rather warm aboard the last few hours and we got attacked by flies.....But.....the Bumboat is back in the home port!

An excellent voyage!

Sunrise over Peach Island and Lake St. Claire

Early morning on Detroit River

Party boys still struggling two morning later

Detroit River Light

Leg 6 Crew

Tuesday, August 22 Off shore on Lake Huron

1230 10 NM East of Point Aux Barques

The wind is still out of the west and holding at 15 to 20 knots. The Bumboat continues to ride on a beam reach. GREAT SAIL!

The crew is, at best, just aware that we are sailing..... let alone having a possible Top 10 sail.

The crew has just noticed the meteor shower taking place for the past few hours and are now trying to see who can see the most meteors. The Captain believes most of the streaks they are seeing have nothing to do with celestial bodies.

0130 10 miles off of the Michigan shore NE of Harbor Beach

All of the crew is still pretty fired up. A while ago the Captain had to remind them not to leave their seats unless they were going below. Ben and Alan are being watched closely due to their erratic behavior.

0200 East of Harbor Beach

The wind is fantastic. We still are screaming along on a beam reach, full sail, 9 to 10 knots. This couldn't of been scripted better.

The crew has flamed out. It is as if a switch was turned off. They are now laying about the boat in various stages of slumber.

It is quiet again. Gregg and I can hear the wind and waves as they interact with the vessel. Gregg is going below to catch some sleep. I will try later to catch a few winks.

0500 10 NM Northeast of Port Sanilac

Since midnight we have seen a steady stream of lakers going upbound and downbound Lake Huron. We are inside the Upbound Laker course...but, they don't appear to be sticking too close to the charted courses tonight. Right now I have six lakers within 10 miles of the Bumboat, all being tracked by our radar.

0550 4 NM Northeast of Port Sanilac, 80.5 NM

All of the lakers have behaved predictably except for one rogue heading right at us. It is about 5 miles ahead and closing. Gregg and I decide to fall off the wind and try to get some distance between us and the laker. The laker passes between us and shore within a half mile of the Bumboat. It was strange that the laker was so near shore.

The crew is still passed out.

1015 Blue Water Bridge, 111 NM

Most of the crew is up as we approach the Blue Water bridge. We have just started the engine a little while ago. Our sail last night was a Top 10 sail; beam reach most of the night, 7 to 10 knot boat speed, 2 to 4 foot seas, crystal clear sky, meteor shower..... perhaps the only downside was some of the racket the crew made....

1745 Lakeview Marina in Windsor, Ontario, 161.5 NM

We had an uneventful motor down the St. Claire River and across Lake St. Claire. We stopped briefly in Lake St. Claire to clear some grass out of the engine cooling intake.

Since the Captain didn't sleep last night.... and the crew was looking a bit whacked..... we decided to spend the night at Lakeview Marina in Windsor.

Lake Huron Sunrise

Party boys at 0930

Ben was whacked

Fort Gratiot Light, Just west of Blue Water Bridge

Monday, August 21

0900 Leave Presume Isle marina

Another bright sunny day with a forecasted west wind to take us down to Harrisville.

1010 2 NM West of False Presque Isle, 6.8 NM

The winds are out of the SSW at 10 to 15 knots which are OK for now. Hopefully, they will shift to the west as forecasted.

1500 Southeast of Thunder Bay

We've been hard on the wind all day. The wind is now shifting slightly to the SW. We are a good 10 miles offshore so its time to motor into the wind and get to Harrisville. Crew 6 will be there by 1700.

1715 Harrisville Harbor, 51 NM

The Leg 6 crew is waiting at the fuel dock ready for our arrival.

The captain is feeling pretty good and the weather forecast is sounding very nice. Winds are forecasted out of the west at 10 to 15 tonight.... looks like it could be a nice night sail down Huron.

As the Leg 5 crew begins disembarking, the captain informs the Leg 6 crew that we won't be staying the night in Harrisville.....but, pushing on. The crew looks a bit bewildered and accepts the proposition.

1800 Leave Harrisville Harbor - LEG 6 BEGINS

While the Leg 6 crew stows their gear, the Bumboat takes on 23 gallons (204 engine hours) of diesel to top off the tanks. After only 45 minutes in port, the crews have been changed, boat fueled, and provisioned with food and drink..... almost as fast as a NASCAR pit change.

1830 A few miles SE of Harrisville

The wind has now shifted to the WSW and seems steady at 10 to 12 knots. Gregg and I tune the sails to get us moving at a nice 7 knot clip. The Leg 6 crew is yakking and full of energy. Thirty minutes into Leg 6, the crew has finished their first round of beer.

2030 Off shore on Lake Huron east of NE of Oscoda

Crew 6 is in the midst of a serious onboard party. They are now working on their second case of beverages. The music is spirited and the crew continues to yak endlessly. Right now they are totally oblivious to their surroundings. I don't even think they know they are on a sailboat 20 miles offshore.... it could just as well be a bar, recreation room, picnic table in a park.....

The sun is setting and the wind is holding out of the WSW.

2230 Somewhere Northeast of Saginaw Bay

The party continues. Any tranquil sounds of wind and waves are totally overwhelmed by the crew's need to shout to one another.

Ben discovers that it is dark outside..... really dark.... and the sky is on fire with stars...... lots of stars.....

The wind has become a steady 15+ knots. The Bumboat is screaming along on a beam reach at 8 to 9 knots. The waves are building to 3 to 5 footers since we have the fetch of Saginaw Bay to our west.

Leg 6 Crew in party mode

Toot!

Gamblin' Crew

Fair winds and skies

Leg 5 Crew

Leg 5/6 Crew Change

Sunday, August 20

0800 Depart Mackinaw City

Getting an early start with a large crew is difficult. However, 8 AM wasn't too bad. The morning sunshine was brilliant for our sail into Lake Michigan. The wind was a fluky 10 knots.

0900 Under Mackinwac Bridge

The camera shutters were clicking... who knows how many shots were taken by the crew. I managed to get a few while Chris kept the helm steady.

0930 3 NM Southwest of Lime Kiln Point off of Bois Blanc Island, 7.6 NM

The wind is still blowing well and we're sailing along fine. The crew is settling into their own routines; sleeping, reading, drinking....

1155 Poe Reef Light, 21.42 NM

Another photo opportunity. Leg 5 will be the winner for most lighthouses past and photographed.

1330 1 NM off Nine Mile Point, 28.72 NM

The wind is beginning to diminish and swing aft. Since today is a long ride and we want to get to Presque Isle before it gets too late, we fire up the iron genny and motor the last 15 miles to the harbor. The crew has caught up on their sleep, Matt has read an entire book, and Michael has investigated every menu item on the chart plotter.

1840 Presque Isle, 66.75 NM

This is the third time the Bumboat has been to Presque Isle. It is a very beautiful secluded harbor. It has only a restaurant, bar, and general store.

After dinner at the restaurant, we moved to the bar for a few stories and drinks. Toot has been itching to drink something stiffer than beer.... so, Michael had the waitress prepare one of his favorites; apple tequila. Seven triple shots of apple tequila hoisted for a toast.... "Hail to the captain, hail to the crew, hail to Toot's upcoming wedding"..... Toot! Toot! It appears toot got the straight tequila without the mixer......

Approaching Mackinac Bridge

Hello Lake Michigan

Crew in cruise boat mode

A gamblin' cruise, Toot cleaned up

Fill the Bumboat tanks Michael, not the lake

Saturday, August 19 - LEG 5 Begins

0940 Casting off from DeTour Village

The gray morning and last night in DeTour Village resulted in a late start. Last night we had a marginal dinner at the Mainsail restaurant and then proceeded to the Village Inn for a few beers and pool. The Inn was full of locals and one mean ass barmaid whom didn't appreciate our company. After poor service and music discrimination (she turned down the volume on our juke box songs) we moved on to a more hospitable drinking establishment. Toot held her own at the drinking establishments.

1015 DeTour Light, 3 NM

No wind.... an unusual event this cruise up North.... The weather forecast was 100% chance of rain and thunderstorms. Matt, Michael, and Kevin were trained on driving us under diesel power.... and all did well. The entire crew was amused by the onboard radar tracking the weather ahead.

1310 6 NM East of Mackinac Island, 26.5 NM

The chart plotter was painted magenta by the radar scanner..... The weather we have been watching has arrived. It is now raining hard and visibility is low.

1400 Mackinac Island Harbor

The rain has been intense for the last half hour. As we approached Mackinac Island, the radar and chart plotter was our only view of the Island a quarter mile away. The radar did a fine job identifying the six ferries around us. We entered the harbor, allowing us to be placed on the dock wait list. However, we would not be notified if a dock was available until 1700.... prompting us to move on to Mackinaw City.

1515 Mackinaw City Marina, 40.1 NM

Our wet ride today ended in Mackinaw City. We pulled into some very high fixed docks, making crew disembarking challenging. We promptly boarded the Shepler ferry and headed to Mackinac Island for the remainder of the day and evening. The island was a bit cool and damp... but, we made the best of it.

DeTour Reef Light

Freshly trained helmsmen

Rain starts and the fickle crew abandons the Captain for lunch

Rainy Mackinac Island Harbor

Round Island Light, Across from Mackinac Island Harbor

Friday, August 18

0900 Leaving Meldrum Bay

After breakfast at the Inn, we motor out to the North Channel. Today we are headed for DeTour Village. Detour Village is on the eastern end of the Michigan Upper Peninsula. This will be a nice place for a crew change.... minimizing their driving time. Reaching us on the western portion of Manitoulin island would of taken them 15 hours.... DeTour almost halves the driving time.

1200 Off Reynolds Point, Drummond Island, 26.8 NM

The winds were light today and we have some distance to travel.... so the diesel is the preferred method of propulsion. The crew is chipper enjoying the sun and sea. We just crossed the international boundary line and are back in the United States.

1400 Yacht Haven, Drummond Island, 186 engine hours (total since commissioning)

DeTour Village doesn't have a customs agent, so we proceed to Drummond Island. We fuel (36.6 gallons of diesel), pump out, clear customs, and walk to the nearest ice cream stand.

1615 DeTour Village, 43.2 NM

We arrive in Detour. The next crew will be here in just an hour. At the crew change.... Crew 4 lingers.... having one.... then two.... beers..... waiting in anticipation of being retained onto Leg 5. The Leg 5 crew begin to be annoyed by the Leg 4 crew's desire to hang out.... wanting to get on with their voyage.

Reluctantly, Leg 4 crew depart. They clearly are the winners of the most beverages consumed.... and the most waking hours aboard the Bumboat.... They will be missed..... but... only for a minute or two....

Drying out again

Welcoming Leg 5 crew

Crew changeover

OK....we're going

Tom didn't see this shot

Thursday, August 17

1015 Raising anchor in Beardrop Harbor

A tough morning for the crew. Tom, Dan, Dave, Dave, and Jim appear to be struggling with normal functions. Justin and Moondog are moving about better. Dan appears to have a stiff neck from crashing last night by the port wheel...

We're not underway more than 30 minutes when the crew has their first bloody mary.

We were going to anchor out another evening at Turnball Island about 8 miles west. However, yesterday's antics have resulted in a need to return to mainland. The crew has depleted the Bumboat of most liquid beverages.... they have consumed all of the ice.... the holding tanks are full.... and we have no more room to store garbage.... So it's off to Meldrum Bay.

1515 Entering the north side of Meldrum Bay

We've had another good sail. Winds were 10 to 15 knots from the northwest most of the day.... making for a pleasant beam reach to Meldrum Bay. Justin sailed most of the way. The remainder of the crew read and continued to consume warm beverages.

1600 Docked at Meldrum Bay, 26.8 NM

Most of the crew jumped ship to run.... then Dave and Dave kayaked a considerable distance to the other side of the bay.

1930 Meldrum Bay Inn

We had a very nice dinner at the Inn. This is the fourth time I have been here and I continue to like this quaint Inn.... the food and service are five star....

2230 Drinks aboard the Bumboat

After dinner, Dan and Dave visited some locals (Meldrum Bay and North Bay) whom they met earlier. Since we now had ice.... they invited them to the boat for a drink or two.... as time marched on it seemed like most of the rest of Meldrum Bay (population 41) stopped by for a nightcap on the Bumboat. A few of the Inn's guest invited us over to a bonfire at the Inn...... where we met the rest of the town. Dave took over two more bags of jello shots... which pleased the locals....

Water toys following us to Meldrum Bay

Dave and Dave test Kayak weight limit

New Canadian friends

Wednesday, August 16 - LEG 4 Begins

0830 Gore Bay

The crew is up and about... we had a nice dinner last night at Gordon's Lodge.... which we had virtually to ourselves.... The crew had breakfast in town and then proceeded to the grocery store to provision the boat. They purchased plenty of beverages and the same lasagna dinner Leg 3 purchased.

1120 Leaving Gore Bay

The weather is sunny with a forecasted high of 25c. We have a 12 knot wind out of the northeast enabling us to have a nice sail on the beam. Our destination would be Beardrop harbor followed by a night in Turnball Island. The weather looked good for two nights on the hook.

1220 Five miles NNW of Janet Head light, 6.3 NM

Nice wind and virtually no seas. The crew has broken open the beer and are kicking back..... reading.... munching... and quenching their thirst.

1500 Beardrop Harbor, 20.3 NM

We had a great sail all the way to Beardrop Harbor and have just lowered the anchor... Beardrop Harbor is on the north shore of the North Channel a long way from anywhere. The entire crew was awake for the entire passage to Beardrop..... this could be a new record for crew staying awake.

1530 Beardrop Harbor

The crew is now launching all the water toys; two kayaks and the dingy. They only stop for a refreshing beverage. Everyone's off exploring the harbor and hiking on shore.

1800 Cocktails on the bow of the Bumboat

The crew is tired of paddling and has decided to conduct a happy hour. They are now well into their second case of Canadian products.

2030 Cocktails in the cockpit of the Bumboat

The crew has moved the party aft. They have made an attempt to invite other boats to our vessel.....but, no one elects to join the boisterous Bumboat crew. A kayak is launched providing a photo op for the Captain and crew. Tom claims everyone is infringing on his image ideas. The third case of Canadian products have been consumed and the last bags of ice have been deployed to the cockpit cooler to cool the fourth case.

2200 Dinner in the salon

At 2100 the crew decided that dinner was in order. They quickly realized their lasagna dinner would not be done until midnight.... resulting in a backup plan.... the Captain cooking dinner..... pasta and sausage..... and beef stew with biscuits..... all thanks to meals in a box..

The crew ate every scrap of food and then we broke out pies for desert.

2330 On deck gazing into the sky

Another crystal clear night. The moon doesn't rise until well after midnight.... allowing the stars and meteor showers to shine. One by one the crew retires..... some to their bunks.... but, most sleep all night in the cockpit.....

Bumboat provisioning in Gore Bay

Underway to Beardrop Harbor

Moondog gets a tour of Beardrop Harbor

Beardrop Harbor

Respect

No Respect

Serenity

Happy crew

Tuesday, August 15

0900 Raising anchor at Hotham Island

The sky is clear, but the wind is up. The forecast for North Channel is NW wind at 25 knots diminishing to 15 knots. We have a crew change tonight in Gore Bay.... so it's time to rock and roll.

1000 East of Eagle Island, 3 NM

We are in the lee of Eagle Island. The wind is blowing a solid 25 out of the west. The Bumboat is moving along at 7.5 knots with a reefed main and reefed headsail. Lots of whitecaps.... but, waves are only 2 to 4 feet. The crew is jovial looking forward to a nice sail.

1100 East of Innes Island clearing the south tip, 9 NM

Between the islands to our west we have sailed through open fetches with seas 4 to 6 feet. The crew is getting a kick out of the boat action. As I look out into the North Channel, I warn the crew that the seat belt signs may be required.

1115 Entering the open waters of the North Channel

The wind is now blowing hard out of the northwest..... resulting in, you guessed it, another close hauled sail. The wind is averaging 25 to 30 knots apparent. Waves are building and the Bumboat is riding well.

1130 Well into the open waters of the North Channel

No turning back now. The ride is spirited. I have had to tell the crew to sit down and stay down. There voluntary and involuntary movement is distracting and potentially dangerous to them. The crew is now asking the captain for constant reports on estimated wave height. I'm glad I reefed the sails significantly. I'm not sure this crew could help me much if conditions degrade.

1200 Halfway across the North Channel

Whoaaaa.... instead of falling... the winds are building.... the apparent wind is a solid 30+ knots and the seas are 2 to 3 meters (sounds smaller than 6 to 10 feet). The crew is quiet.... holding on.... and staring dead ahead in awe of the waves ahead of us.... The Bumboat is running great.... and this sail is a blast...... but, with this kind of wind.... any error is magnified significantly.... which concerns me...

1230 Entering Gore Bay

I'm working pretty hard at the helm to claw upwind so we clear Gorrel Point east of Gore Bay. The winds have increased to 35 knots and I'm not sure the crew would appreciate tacking back into the channel to clear the point..... I believe the crew senses my concern.... increasing their concern. Still no crew conversation... just stares toward the bow. It's pretty damn windy.

1300 Docked at Gore Bay, 19 NM

The spirited sail to Gore Bay is a success. We didn't get the protection from the west peninsula, as I expected.... resulting in a rough ride all the way to the harbor. The crew jumped ship as soon as the boat was secure....probably looking for a stable foot hold. In reflection, the crew handled the situation very well.... But... note to self.... I can't underestimate the need to have a seasoned crew member on each leg.

1600 Dock 1, Gore Bay

The Leg 4 crew has arrived on schedule. Bryan's constant calling to the Leg 4 crew did not result in any improvement in arrival time. The Leg 3 crew departed as fast as the Leg 1 crew..... oh boy... fresh crew ready to party....

As the waves built, so did silence

A 9 footer off the starboard bow!

Janet Head did not provide the protection expected

Crew change

A departing Leg 3 crew

This crew had special needs

Leg 4 crew boarding

At the dock of bay (Gore)

Monday, August 14

0550 At Anchor in West Bay of Hotham Harbor

The Bumboat had a quiet night at anchor. The crew and captain slept fine. We have some weather arriving this morning.

0800 Still at anchor

The rain has just begun and the winds are gusting out of the SW at 20 knots. Our plan today was to sail to Gore Bay. For crew comfort, we will wait out the rain and wait for the front to pass.

1100 At anchor, swinging into the west southwest wind

Still a bit of rain. The skies haven't cleared as fast as forecasted (Environmental Canada weather forecasts are poor). We've contacted Gore Bay and they don't have a dock of the size required for the Bumboat (due to weather, boats are staying in Gore Bay). Since the boat is holding well, we will stay the night here again.

1500 At anchor swinging into the west wind

The skies have begun to clear and the wind is strong in the anchorage. The crew has resorted to reading, eating, and various water sport activities. Bryan is reading about a new programming language. Most boats in the anchorage are adding scope or a second anchor. We added a bit of anchor chain.

1900 At anchor swinging into a west northwest wind

It's still blowing hard... consistently 25 knots in the anchorage. The crew fixed a nice lasagna dinner and then retired to the cockpit for a few card games. The boat upwind of us just dragged anchor putting us into a defensive mode. The dragging boat recovered and reset their anchor without fouling ours.

2045 At anchor in light winds

The wind has dropped to 10 knots.... but, this is just a sundown affect. The captain discusses the possibility of anchor watch tonight. The crew is willing to stand watch, if required.

2300 At anchor in building NW winds

After viewing an incredible starry sky and watching the Perisius meteor shower, the crew retired. The Captain is going to sleep on deck to keep a close watch on the anchor.

0300 On deck Tuesday morning

The wind was forecast to diminish to 15 knots overnight. Instead, it increased to 25 to 30 knots through morning. I saw gusts in the anchorage to 33 knots. The Bumboat sailed about its anchor... but held well.

0500 On Deck

Brad is awake and relieves the captain on anchor watch. Staying up all night is starting to get old.

Brad cannonballs unsuspecting kayakers

Re securing the kayaks required crew to resort to the knot book

These are the rocks we would meet if the anchor drags

Lasagna dinner

As the sun set... the wind built again

30 hours of anchor swinging, anchor held!

Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.......

Sunday, August 13 LEG 3 Begins

1230 Heading west out of Little Current

The wind is a steady 15 knots out of the west. As usual, we will be tacking to make progress to the west. The sky is clear and the temperature is a bit brisk. Our destination today is Hotham Island on the north side of the North Channel. The crew went to the grocery store this morning for a feast tonight.

1405 Elm Island, 5 NM

Brad has been reading "Sailing for Dummies" since he arrived. It's now time for a practical session. Brad sailed for about an hour on close reach after we rounded Elm Island. I'm not sure what's up with all these crews. We're barely over an hour out....beautiful sunny skies.... good wind.... and the crew is fast asleep...... they appear to be squandering all my sleep, as well....

1530 North of Clapperton Island off of Robertson Rock, 12 NM

I woke up the crew to begin tacking west. After they got the sleep out of their eyes.... they did a respectful job tacking in close quarters. We had a great view of Croker Island and the Sow and Pigs off of South Benjamin Island. The rock in that area is a stunning pink granite. The water is pretty deep (125 ft) almost right up to the Islands.

1630 Rounding Frechette Island to the north, 21 NM

We've had a nice reach along the east side of the Benjamins and Fox Island. It's almost like rush hour in this narrow channel. One sailboat ahead and two behind us all apparently heading to the same general area. It's time to furl the sails and begin the navigation into Oak Harbor. Oak Harbor is a series of bays and inlets formed by the Spanish Indian Reserve to the north and Hotham Island to the south. These protected waters stretch for almost 5 miles.

1730 Dropping Anchor in West Bay of Hotham Island, 25.2 NM

An inexperienced crew did a good job getting the anchor down. I wanted to get it set well, since we may be getting some weather late tonight or tomorrow morning. We are anchored in West Bay with 11 other boats.

1740 At anchor in West Bay

Right after we got the ship shape an official looking character in a dingy stopped by to inform us that Happy Hour will be on the rocks shortly.

1800 Making landfall on Hotham Island

Dave dived off the boat and proceeded to swim over a quarter mile in 68 degree water to the Happy Hour site. Brad, not to be outdone by Dave, dived in and proceeded to swim to the party. He was safer, wearing a life jacket. However, his navigation skills were flawed, traveling twice the distance required. Eric was disappointed he couldn't run this morning. So he volunteered to be the oarsman on the dingy. Like Washington crossing the Delaware he ferried the remaining Bumboat crew and Captain (standing on bow pointing to the landfall) in multiple trips.

1820 Cocktail Rock on the east shore of West Bay

Wow!! Who would of thought that in the middle of the wilderness we would be having cocktails with 20 other people we just met. We were very popular bunch with the natives (most were members of the Great Lakes Cruising Club) .... apparently they don't see much of our type out here.... It was a very chatty group whom really got a kick out of the Bumboat Cruise itinerary. Many of these cruisers take all summer to cover the ground we covered in 46 hours. The natives were amused by our arrival by human power.... they thought surely a vessel of the Bumboat's class would merit some fancy powered craft.

Brian exchanged his four flavors of jello shots for the rights of the Bumboat crew to eat their appetizers. The jello shots were a hit. We heard laughter throughout the anchorage the rest of the night...

2030 Returning to the mother ship

It's time for the crew to make that gourmet meal..... pizzas..... three types..... pepperoni, cheese, and deluxe..... all from the box to the oven.

2100 Bumboat Saloon

The crew played poker as the Captain finally updated the Captains log. The Captain turned in at 0130, set the alarm for an anchor check at 0300.

Crew participates in a line seminar

Our first mate driving

A common denominator of all crews

Crew liberty

Land HO

Guests arrive

Happy Hour

Leg 3 Crew

Sow and Pigs off of Benjamin Islands

Bumboat in West Bay of Hotham Island

Saturday, August 12

0830 Dock 16 at the Sportsman Inn, Kilarny

A late night kept the crew in their bunks. Pete was up early casting for fish. Brian P. and I went for a 5 mile hike on a wilderness trail. It took a bit longer than expected.....should of taken water.

1150 Kilarny Channel, westbound

The captain asks the crew to fetch the binoculars since the exit is strewn with rocks and channel marks.

1152 Exiting Kilarny Channel

The captain is unsure of a rock and a confusing channel marker. I slowed down and reversed course to assess the situation. I again asked the crew to retrieve the binoculars.

1155 Exiting Kilarny Channel

I've now completed a second revolution waiting for the binoculars. Perhaps the crew hasn't heard me..... "WHERE'S THE DAMN BINOCULARS??"

1156 Dead slow in the Kilarny Channel

Mark flies out of the cabin with the binocular body in his one hand...... and all the eye pieces in his other hand... he is apologizing for his apparent mishandling of this valuable glass...... I grab the body and assess the situation.... and we proceed on...

After we are in clear water.... I am able to reassemble the pieces..... as it turns out..... Mark bumped the binoculars...dislodging one eyepiece.... a fast thinking crew in the cabin could not figure out how to reassemble the eyepiece.... resulting in the idea to disassemble the other eyepiece to figure out how to reassemble them..... all of which came on deck after our second rotation at the west end of Kilarny Channel.

1415 Browning Cove on north shore of Heywood Island, 12.3 NM

We anchor for lunch and water sports in an anchorage the Bumboat has never explored. Pete whips out the fishing rod and casts like a maniac. The rest of the crew swims, suns, and kayaks. Brian L. managed to perform a full 360 degree underwater rotation of the kayak as he entered from the stern of the Bumboat..... providing all aboard a very good laugh...

1720 Little Current Government Docks, 20.1 NM

After clearing the 5 PM bridge opening, we proceeded directly to our slip. The LEG 3 crew arrives at 1930 during our fish fry. Pete has managed to catch about 5 pounds of perch and bass over the last few days. He fried them all up.... and both crews enjoyed his bounty.

LEG 2 and LEG 3 crews were very chatty during the changeover. A few LEG 2 crew were attempting to stow away for another LEG....

Browning Cove on Heywood Island

Friday, August 11

0900 Hoisting sails outside of Little Tubb

We've seen enough of Tobermory.... It's still blowing pretty hard out of the northeast. The wind is supposed to diminish, but stay out of the northeast. We're off to Kilarny.

1010 East of Flowerpot Island, 4 NM

We have motored dead into the wind in six foot seas to round Flowerpot Island. We then fell off onto a starboard tack and trimmed the sheets for another close hauled ride. The sun was bright and the bay was a deep blue as we cruised in water 400 feet deep. It's a bit chilly..... but, nothing polar fleece and wool hats can't fix.

1315 Pinching up at Wall Island, 19 NM

The Bumboat has had a nice ride in six foot seas and 15 to 20 knot winds. We've been trying to claw upwind to the northeast...but, islands and reefs keep getting in the way. Pete is at the helm doing a fine job. He needed some help to clear the windward side of Wall Island. Pete's efforts to catch fish in Little Tub Harbor yesterday was fruitless. I guess today he decided to learn how to sail rather than further discredit his fishing abilities by trolling in six footers.

1520 Two miles east of Cape Smith on Manitoulin Island, 35.6 NM

The wind died off of Rabbit Island. Brian took a turn at the helm to motor us into Kilarny. He did a fine job.... except for that slight veer towards Cambell Rock. Brian L. seems to have an addiction to electronic devices and pushing buttons...... shortly after he had the helm..... our navigation system locked up.... requiring a system re initialization.... dumping all configurations and cruise data.....

1700 One mile south of Kilarny Light, 47.5 NM

We're near the harbor entrance..... time to get on deck.

1800 Dock 16 of the Sportsman Inn

The crew has separated to pursue individual activies.......Pete and Brian L. found someone claiming to be a fishing guide and are out looking for the big fish..... Derek and Mark decided to activate the kayak and practice their synchronized paddling..... Brian P. has a cell phone stuck in his ear.

Pete and Brian L. returned after sunset and "claimed" to have lost an 8 pound bass..... they caught a few bass for our dinner collection. We had a late dinner at the Sportsman Inn and mixed it up with the locals until they turned off the lights. Our waitress wouldn't sing Happy Birthday to Mark...but, he did get a birthday beer.

Crew in Action off of Wall Island

Kilarny Light

Kayak Assembly

Un synched

Thursday, August 10 LEG 2 Begins

0830 Dock #13 in Litttle Tub Harbor

A strong front was due overnight. It was delayed, arriving right around the time we were setting sail for Killarny. After consulting with myself, I decided to stay put in Tobermory. The winds were blowing 25 to 30 out of the northeast...... which was exactly the direction we needed to go to Kilarny. The crew was both pleased and disappointed. They were ready to go..... but, they were uneasy about the big seas out in Georgian Bay. I wasn't convinced the Leg 2 crew were tough enough for the conditions of the day. The crew had a hearty breakfast... and our waitress did sing Mark Happy Birthday.

The satellite data connection isn't working now because of a high bluff to our southeast.... and no wireless signals in the harbor....

1230 Bruce Peninsula National Park

We've loaded fruit, water, and candy bars into two newly purchased day packs. The alternate plan for the day was to go on a hike. Twenty five years ago I hiked the length of the peninsula on the Bruce trail..... and remembered some spectacular scenery. After considerable effort, we rounded up some drivers to take all seven of us to the National Park down the peninsula. We hiked for four hours on some of the most rugged sections of the trail. We ascended and descended high cliffs, walked on round rocks on the shore (quite painful and difficult to walk), and navigated through alpine forests. The hike was great exercise and was considered a huge success by the crew.

1930 Grandview Restaurant

A good dinner tonight. Mark's birthday drink was rather rather girly (Derek had one too). This waitress also wasn't very inclined to sing Happy Birthday. After dinner.... back to the Crow's nest for LIVE music.... a bazaar man whom used various body parts to accompany his synthesized music.... and then we became members of the Royal Canadian Legion....

Climbing on the Bruce Trail

Bruce National Park

Wednesday, August 9

0230 27 miles due south of Tobermory, 266 NM

I just woke up from a 3 1/2 hour nap. It was the first time I slept since we cast off from Vermilion. Earlier we saw a beautiful sunset and moon rise.... and now it is very surreal..... the water is as flat as a mill pond, the moon seems as bright as the sun, and the horizon is black around all points of the compass..... just the Bumboat and the fish.... Before our nap, Gregg and I gave instructions to the crew.... set up a watch schedule and wake either of us if they are confused. The crew did well only waking Gregg once for instructions on how to avoid a large fishing vessel. Joe thinks he may of saw a space ship.

0630 South of Hurd Channel

I've had the helm since 0230. The sun has just risen and the moon set. We have good visibility to navigate through the reefs outside of Tobermory. Everyone is up and alert in anticipation of landfall.

0700 Little Tub Harbor, Tobermory, Ontario 297.8 NM

We have arrived at the fuel dock after 46 nonstop hours. I feel pretty good..... this is the most efficient way to get the boat north. We stopped at the fuel dock to register and take on 51 gallons of diesel..... which was our total consumption including running the 8kw generator regularly. After docking the crew jumped ship to shore for breakfast and to turn in their sea legs. All things considered, the crew did an excellent job.... they were chatty, didn't get sick, and didn't complain. It's not many whom can claim they went nonstop from the south shore of Lake Erie to Tobermory.

Engine hours at this fueling: 160

1700 Dock # 13 in Little Tub Harbor

The Leg 1 crew appears to be agitated by the Leg 2 late arrival. It appears the Leg 2 crew need lots of rest stops. After a brief exchange of words, the Leg 1 fired up the 12 seat white van and headed south out of Tobermory. They are well rested, so they should survive the night drive.

The Leg 2 crew had an average dinner at the Crow's Nest. Our waitress refused to sing Happy Birthday to Mark (28 years). A pathetic jazz duet played as we consumed a few Canadian ales.

27 miles south of Tobermory

Leg 1 Crew

Tuesday August 8

Please excuse the delay updating the log...... read on....

1745 10 NM southwest of Clark Point on the east shore of Lake Huron, 206 NM

At Harbor Beach we moved to the port tack. We had a great sail across Huron heading due east. The winds held steady at 20+ knots and the seas were easily 6 to 8 feet. The ride was, once again, spirited. It was much less bumpy since we had a much better attack angle on the waves. The Bumboat screamed along at 8 to 10 knots, close hauled for the entire Lake Huron crossing. The main was full and the headsail reefed to 100%. I hand sailed it most of the way...... enjoying the ride. During the Huron crossing.... you would of thought only Gregg and I were aboard.

2100 18 NM west of Kincardine, 225 NM

At Clark Point we changed to starboard tack about the same time the wind shifted. Of course, it shifted to east of north.... making our turn to Tobermory another slog to windward. The ENTIRE trip from Vermilion has been close hauled beating into some big seas...... It's starting to get a bit old. Three hours ago I discussed the possibility of pulling into Kincardine for the evening. But now that sunset was near and the wind was setting down, an all night passage to Tobermory seemed like the right thing to do. Gregg informed me later in the evening that I crushed the crew's morale by pressing on.

After what seemed like days, the wind has finally blown itself out. It is now dead calm and the waves are diminishing. I rigged the boat for nighttime operation... fired up the diesel.... and set a course and speed for a dawn arrival in Tobermory

Relaxing in 8 foot seas

Monday August 7 - Leg 1

1830 Grassy Island on the Detroit River, 64.1 NM

The diesel is pushing us up the river in style. It's very hot and humid. We are now in the process of deporting all the flies whom joined us in Lake Erie. The crew is reading and sunning themselves on deck.

1930 Under the Ambassador Bridge, 70.6 NM

Right after we past the bridge, the Bumboat's new satellite communication system failed. So much for technology..... Hopefully, we can figure out the problem. After the lightning strike last year, I consider all electronic gadgets aboard as luxury, not essential for boat operations.

2035 South shore of Lake St. Claire, 76.9 NM

It's time for dinner; stuffed pepperoni bread and rubins prepared by the Captain's wife. As we cross Lake St. Claire the crew becomes rather lethargic... it appears they have overdosed on dramamine. It's time to prepare the boat for night operation; stow gear, life jackets worn by all, navigation light check, and stocking the cooler with caffeine.

2345 Squirrel Island range light on the St. Claire River, 97.5 NM

Halfway across Lake St. Claire the sun set and the moon rose. Our entry into the St. Claire cutoff channel was by the milky light of an almost full moon. During the day we encountered little commercial traffic. Now that it's dark, all the commercial traffic seems to be converging on us. Gregg and I have our hands full spotting and avoiding numerous lakers and barges. For a moment, the crew appears to be intrigued with all the different vessel lights coming at us.

Tuesday, August 8

0130 Fawn Island off of Marine City on the St. Claire River, 108 NM

The commercial traffic continues to keep us on our toes. We just had a 1000 footer and a barge pass us at the same time on a river bend. Most of the crew is sleeping; either in their cabin or slumped over on deck. It looks like it will be a long night.

0500 Blue Water Bridge, gateway to Lake Huron, 127 NM

Gregg and I have been up all night driving the boat up the river. It has become rather cold; it's in the upper 50's with the wind right on the bow. The crew is still all out. They missed a pretty interesting river cruise. We are now entering Lake Huron. The plan is to keep going non stop. As usual, the current under the bridge was brisk, slowing our progress to 3 knots over the bottom. As we entered the dark lake, we encountered big sloppy rollers left over from yesterday's blow.

1045 Ten miles east of Forestville, Michigan, 164 NM

The wind shifted out of the northeast and picked up to 20+ knots. We've been pounding though six footers for hours. The slop left over from last night combined with a wind shift resulted in sailing close hauled with the waves square on the bow. It's been wet, noisy, and tippy. All the sailing activity aboard the Bumboat hasn't seemed to effect the crew; they are fast asleep. Gregg and I can't even find a lee berth to catch a nap.

1325 Ten miles east of Harbor Beach, Michigan 179 NM

We have been at the mercy of the wind. Our desired destination was Tobermory. However, the wind and waves have us heading due north along the Michigan shore. Unfortunately, it's at the end of the east wind fetch.... keeping the seas up. Most of the crew is up and have enjoyed egg sandwiches for breakfast. Tony passed on breakfast.... since he is looking a bit pale.... and.... after at least 8 hours, Brian has emerged from his cabin to join the rest of the ship.

We still don't know where we will end up. We will probably sail all night again and see where the wind takes us. Gregg and I are due for a nap.

Excuse any errors.... the seat belt sign is still on.... and my fingers periodically leave the keyboard....

Ambassador Bridge

Moonrise on Lake St. Claire

Close hauled in Lake Huron

Monday, August 7 - Leg 1 Vermilion to Points North

0830 Vermilion

The crew arrived on time! We stowed gear, loaded more provisions, and set sail for the North. The sky was overcast and we had about a 10 to 12 knot wind out of the west. Seas were light at 1 to 3 feet. The crew was excited with the anticipation of the voyage.

1130 Off Long Point on the NE side of Kellys Island, 19NM

We've had a very pleasant sail to just north of Kellys Island. We were hoping to pass to the south of the island to make as much progress to the west as we could. However, an approaching cold front is backing the winds clockwise from the WSW to the NW, forcing us to sail north of the island.

1230 North of Ballast Island, 25 NM

After we past Kellys Island we decided to motor between Middle Bass and South Bass Islands. Since the wind was backing faster into the NW than anticipated, we hoped to get a good angle on the Detroit River Light. The sky continued to be overcast and the humidity is high.

1445 East of Middle Sister Island, 40.6 NM

As we bisected Rattlesnake Island and Middle Bass Island, we had lunch. The crew was impressed with the large spread of sandwich fixings. The wind began to die and rotate into the NW. We motor sailed to Middle Sister Island . The crew began to lounge about the boat; reading and sleeping.

It's nice to have Gregg at the helm.... allowing the Captain to take care of ship's business.... including trying an update of the Captain's Log via a satellite internet connection.

1550 3 NM southeast of Detroit River Light., 48.8 NM

We furled the sails. The wind is on the nose and light. The crew is very quiet and lethargic after the large lunch. Gregg has had the most time at the helm, followed by Brian. The Captain hasn't spent much time driving the boat. It's time to head on deck and begin the Detroit River navigation.

Vermilion off stern

First Lunch

Sunday, August 6, 1700 - At home port, Vermilion, Ohio

The Bumboat is almost fully provisioned for Leg 1. The last few days were spent getting the ship in shape:

• We have taken on 46 gallons of diesel, topping off the tank at 108 gallons
• Freshwater tanks filled, black water emptied
• Purchased and stowed $750 worth of food and drink
• Lashed the dingy to the foredeck
• Completed one last check of major systems
• One last buffing of the teak before we scrape it up on the wharfs of upper Canada