Spiders in the Fog, Indiana Labor Day

Holland, Michigan

It was great spending time with Jim and Susan Merritt, Meghan, Lexi and little Cooper. We were sad to part ways with Gypsy, she’s under repair – there was a water problem, discovered by Meghan who was looking for her chapstick when she found her shoes floating in the cabin … AND there was something about a good samaritan effort by Susan’s brother who bravely leaped on board a large sailboat that was drifting away from the neighboring dock in Frankfort while its absent minded captain was releasing a line from the shore. Unaware the boat was in gear, Chip fired up the little motor … and smashed into Gypsy, no good deed goes unpunished.

Misty Spider Webs in Holland

We awoke to heavy fog.  The kind where you can barely see more than a few feet.  You don’t realize how many spiders are on the boat until the webs are covered in mist.

Running in the Fog

There was a small window of opportunity to run the boat on smooth waters, but this time it was in dense fog.  While the fog is unsettling, with the right equipment it’s far more tolerable than rough waters.

Smooth Waters On the Lake, Visibility??

Visibility at 9:45 am : Still Zero.

Visibility at 11 am – Maybe a few feet

The fog lifted sometime after noon.  By 1 pm there was a small parade headed to South Haven, including Sea Trek (one of the 3 not shown), Exhale, and  Miss Hattie.

South Haven

Arriving in South Haven, we met Pirates in the Black River.

To celebrate our arrival, we joined the crew of Sea Trek, gold loopers, on their yacht. It’s always a treat to spend time with Bruce and Beverly (B and B).

When you board Sea Trek, the proper Vulcan greeting is “Live Long and Prosper”

Memories of Popeye the Sailor – Wilhelm Baum

Lenore (Miss Hattie) and I enjoyed the flowers in South Haven.

Michigan City, Indiana

The 6-hour run to Michigan City along side Miss Hattie was relatively smooth.  Anticipated inclement weather, the Labor Day weekend, and our new friends motivated us to stay in Michigan City for four nights. It was a delightful respite! While we were there, we said hello to the little Pilgrim.  Penny and Mats, we hope you are having a fabulous time visiting family in Sweden.

Bob told us, you know you are in Michigan City when you see the familiar stacks.

Opened in 1950, the Michigan City Generating Station is a coal and natural gas-fired power plant located on the shore of Lake Michigan in Michigan City, Indiana. It is operated by Northern Indiana Public Service Company, owned by NiSource.

A dear friend from Long Beach, CA once told me, “we have friends for a reason, friends for a season, and friends for life.”  We have now been on the water more than six months.  If you ask either of us what has been the best part of the journey – without hesitation the answer is the friends who have joined us, and, fellow boaters we have met along the way.

A warm thanks to our new life friends, Bob and Lenore Bigsby, Miss Hattie. We truly enjoyed traveling with you from Manistee, MI.  Thanks for introducing us to your boating community on the 800 dock of your home port, what a feast!  We look forward to seeing you in Florida very soon.

Parting with Sorrow, Legendary Leadership

This week we lost two great American heroes: the Queen of Soul, Aretha Louise Franklin (1942-2018), and Senator John Sidney McCain III (1936-2018).  Aretha and John taught us to demand RESPECT and fight for human dignity, without compromise.  Rest in Peace, although you are deeply missed already, your legend will live on. In the words of Meghan McCain, “Today we mourn the passing of American greatness, the real thing.  He was a great fire who burned bright. The America of John McCain is generous and welcoming and bold.  She’s resourceful, confident and secure.  She speaks quietly, because she’s strong.”

Next Up: Illinois River

By the end of today (Monday, September 3) we will waive goodbye to Lake Michigan. In Michigan we stopped in DeTour Village, Mackinac Island, St. Ignace, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Leland, Frankfort, Manistee, Ludington, Pentwater, Grand Haven, Holland (with a side trip to Saugatuck on the Vespa), and South Haven. Our first Indiana stop was in  Michigan City.

Next Guests – Not sure 🙂

Where Have We Been So Far? Thanks for asking 🙂

Total Locks completed = 126, includes:

• Florida – Lake Okeechobee area: 7
• Virginia – Great Dismal Swamp: 2
• New York – Troy & Champlain Canal: 12
• CANADA – Chambly Canal/Quebec: 9
• CANADA – Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway: 5
• CANADA – Rideau Canal/Ontario: 47
• CANADA – Trent-Severn Waterway: 44

States and Provinces traversed on the water, commencing March 1, 2018:

U.S (March 1- June 10). Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Vermont. (August 10 – tbd): Michigan, Indiana

Canada Provinces (June 10 – August 9): Quebec, Ontario.

Side trips (via auto or plane):

Los Angeles (MS [2 – April and May], Rick [3 – May, June and July] & Maddie [May], Cleveland (RMG, MS & Maddie [2- April and July], Craig [April])