MIKE NEMETH AND CREW ABOARD AREYTO CRUISE THE 'CAROLINA LOOP,' AND MORE, IN MAY 2011

DOVEKIE'S 2011 CRUISE
With Mel and Jean Thomason

Part 1: Starting the Loop

We left North Carolina May 18, travelling via the Great Dismal Swamp to Portsmouth, VA for the 10th annual Camano Rendevous, which was a wonderful weekend of seeing old friends and learning more about our boats and the Norfolk area.

May 23 we headed north up the Chesapeake, feeling that we were finally on our way.  We anchored with two other Camanos (VANNEN and RELAX) at Mill Creek off the Great Wicomoco the first night.  By May 25 we had passed through the C&D Canal and were anchored behind Reedy Island on the Delaware River, ready for an early run to Cape May.  That proved to be a little rougher than we had anticipated until we finally got off the main channel and cut across the flats and anchored in Cape May Harbor.  The wind was south 10-15 mph in the morning so we set out up the coast to Atlantic City.  We were glad to duck in there in the late morning as the wind was increasing and waves were building to 4 ft. giving the boat a corkscrew motion that Jean particularly dislikes.  It is a contrast to anchor in a basin lined with grasses and see all the hotel/casinos lit up at night.

The next day we decided to take the "inside" ICW route and even though our travel time spanned low tide, we had no problems on this shallow waterway, and it was a lot more interesting that the ocean.  We found a little cove on the Toms River for the night.  Sunday, May 29 we were relieved to find the wind decreased for the "outside" hop from Manesquan (the end of the ICW) to NYC.

Coming around Sandy Hook we heard a call on the VHF radio to the Coast Guard that a cat was swimming in the water - the folks on the boat rescued the cat which then attacked them and they wanted to know what they should do with the cat.  The Coast Guard at Sandy Hook, which is quite accommodating, arranged for the Atlantic Highlands police to meet the boat and take the cat off their hands.

(We find the radio equal in entertainment value to the old party line telephone system and listen in without shame to every interesting call.)

We anchored at Liberty Park, behind the Statue of Liberty with a view of Lady Liberty's backside and the Verazano Narrows bridge.  As we were pulling anchor on Monday morning at 7 AM (early - to get the rising current on the Hudson) a sudden thunderstorm came up.  It washed all the salt off the boat and gave us a late start to Tarrytown where we met Jean's high school friend, Meg and her husband Bill for lunch.

(We won't go into details about the mishap with the pumpout; suffice it to say it was free but a little jerry-rigged and we had a wash-up job afterwards (the boat and Mel). We anchored at Croton Point that night.

Yesterday we ran up the Hudson with the current through the scenic Highlands past West Point and are now at Kingston where we stop to see a friend every time we pass through.  We also had our first real showers in a week! So the first two weeks have been mostly clear skies and warm to hot temps.

Two days ago we found out that the canal system between Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence is closed due to flooding, necessitating a major change in our route.  Instead of heading north to Champlain, we will be going west on the Erie and north to Oswego and across Lake Ontario.  We are sorry to miss the opportunity to see the scenery in Quebec but we don't want to wait weeks for the canals to open.

That's all for now folks!!  Hope your summer is going well.

Jean and Mel

Part 2: Continuing on to Oswego, NY

Part 3: On to Canada

June 22, 2011

We are in Ontario at a lock on the Rideau Canal. We have splurged and paid an extra $9.80 for “hydro”-- Canada speak for electricity.
 
We crossed Lake Ontario June 10, picking up the spare prop at the last marina before the lake. The lake was a little sloppy but as the wind was from the north, it improved about as we crossed the line into Canada. We waited 2 ˝ hours for a bridge to open in Kingston harbor and finally got to a marina where we could make our call to Canadian customs and replace our yellow quarantine flag with the red and white maple leaf flag of Canada.

We did our shopping and laundry the next morning (try carrying three loads of laundry on a bicycle uphill!), and then went sightseeing, beginning with a trolley bus tour of the city. We also made a quick visit to the Great Lakes Marine museum, which features a Coast Guard Ice-breaker.

On June 12 we entered the first lock on the Rideau Canal which goes from Kingston to Ottawa. The canal was built in the 1830's to provide for a passage of military supplies from Kingston to Montreal and Quebec should “the enemy to the south” (that's us y'all) decide to capture the St. Lawrence River. But of course we never attacked so the canal was put to commercial, and later, recreational use.
 
The small towns along the canal thrived for a while but, like the towns along the Erie Canal, now largely depend on tourism. Today the canal is operated by Parks Canada and it has been designated a World Heritage Site.

The 47 locks are small and mostly hand-operated by college-age students who are employed for the summer. There are also permanent lock staff who supervise. They are all very friendly and helpful and patient. This is not an experience for someone who's in a hurry- 20 miles and 12 locks is more than enough for a day.

The canal winds through a variety of rivers and lakes and the scenery changes from more rugged granite outcroppings and mixed hardwood conifer forest to cottage-lined lakes, then more rolling farmland and finally the larger homes and wonderful parks and bikeways of Ottawa.

We spent three days in Ottawa, tied up at the brand new canal docks right downtown; it was a five minute walk to Parliament Hill and biking distance to several museums. We enjoyed a tour of Parliament, the Museum of Civilization, the National Art Museum, Rideau Hall (where the governor general lives and the Queen stays when she visits) and the Byward Market. There is excitement building for the visit of Prince William and Kate who will be in Ottawa for Canada Day, July 1 (like our July 4th).
 
Hundreds of people ride bikes in Ottawa and the city has a wealth of off-road bike trails as well as bike lanes on major roads. It is a very attractive city with European-looking buildings, wide streets and lots of landscaping.

Now we are on our way back to Kingston on the Rideau, stopping at some of the places we missed on the way north. We have been blessed with fine weather until today which turned into an steady drizzle. Dawn breaks before 5:00 AM and it is still light at 9:30 PM so it is hard to get in 8 hours of sleep. We enjoy the haunting call of the loons on the lakes but are less thrilled by the buzz of mosquitoes and deer flies but it is all part of the experience.
 
We have made some new friends along the way and reconnected with some folks we knew previously. Tonight two fellows arrived at the lock in Adirondack guide boats (look like rowed canoes). They are making a 500 mile journey to Lake George via Ottawa, the St. Lawrence, the Richelieu, and Lake Champlain. They were wet and, I bet, tired. And I thought we were roughing it!- Not!

Hope your summer is going well.

July 4

We have "hydro" so will bring you up-to-date while the clothes dry.  It is 7:05 AM; we have had breakfast, done a load of laundry and the sun is high in the sky!

We left the Rideau Canal at Kingston, ON and  travelled through the Bay of Quinte, a protected passage along the north shore of Lake Ontario, to Trenton.  On the way we anchored out in a sidewater and stopped the second night at Belleville where we used the bicycles to visit a lovely rose garden and Glanmore, a national historic site (a late Victorian house, fullt furnished).  After completing household chores, we finished the day with a free band concert in a park.

The next day we went through Trent and began our 240 mile trip on the Trent-Severn Waterway.  Built to connect lake Ontario with Georgian Bay (Lake Huron), the canal was started in 1833 but not completed until 1920.  It served a number of interests from logging runs to transport of goods and people.  Again, when railroads and roads were built, the canal fell into disuse until it was transferred to Parks Canada which maintains it as a national historic canal.

We have come the first 90 miles (19 locks) to Peterborough.  Along the way we have stayed at some rural lock stations and a couple of towns, Campbellford and Hastings.  Actually, we just stopped for the day in Campbellford, finding a grocery store, a small restaurant for lunch (great turkey soup), a bakery (two apple fritters), a place for Jean to get a haircut, and the World's Finest Chocolate outlet store (a dangerous place!).
 
We chose Hastings for Canada Day (July 1) to see what a small town celebration of Canada's confederation would be like.  We went to the firehouse for hotdogs ($1.00) and ice cream (free), then took our chairs to the bandstand for an afternoon concert (which included some clogging, but I must report that our cloggers put a lot more into it). In the afternoon, there was a parade, complete with 2 bagpipe bands (much to Mel's delight), antique cars, muscle cars, tractors, the Shriners, fire engines, a few floats and civic personalities.  In the evening (10 PM as it stays light late) a nice display of fireworks over the water, which oddly started with a grand rush of color and sound and then sort of slowed down and then it was over.  I was waiting for the finale and the big bangs.  Anyway it was a great day.
 
Mel did his civic duty and went out the next morning to pick up litter.  I didn't think anyone noticed until boaters next to us came to say thank you and relate how much his action had impressed their thirteen year old daughter.  Sometimes we best teach by example.  I would have helped in this endeavor, but I was schlepping 6 gallons of water from the distant lock station back to the boat.

So now we are in Peterborough, named after the man who induced a couple thousand Irish immigrants to settle here in the early days.
 
Our first stop was the hospital to visit a fellow boater who fell getting on her boat and broke her hip in Campbellford and was brought here for surgery.  She is about ready to leave the hospital and fly home to Indiana for rehab -- a sad ending to a year-long boat trip.  Her husband is trying to round up some "mates" to get the boat back home. I'm glad we made the effort as she hadn't had any other visitors.

After the long pedal to the hospital, we stopped for lunch at a souvlaki place and then we rode out to the lift lock for which Peterborough is famous.  It is the highest lift lock in the world.  There are two "pans" of water which boats enter, one up and one down. Then water is added to the top pan and the weight pushed the lower pan up as the upper one falls.  Quite an amazing thing to see.  We will go through it later today, but I wanted to get pictures.  There is also a visitor center/museum. 
 
We stopped at the Peterborough museum as well (nicely done history of Peterborough).  In the evening, we visited with some boaters from Georgia.

So after we get fuel and a pumpout this morning we will be on our way.  We hope you have a glorious Fourth of July!
 
Mel and Jean.

Part 5: On To Lake Michigan

July 28, 2011

We have been winding our way through the 30,000 Islands (and 100,000 submerged rocks) area of Georgian Bay and I thought you might like a brief description.  This area is unlike anywhere else we have been with the boat.  Georgian Bay itself is a large body of water on the east side of Lake Huron.  The east side of the bay is a maze of rocks and islands extending miles inland in some places.  Near the lake the rocks are barren; a little farther inland, trees begin to appear on the islands.  The islands become very close together with channels separating them.  The effect is very beautiful with granite rock plunging into the water topped with pines and other trees and flowers and grasses in the low places or growing in rock crevasses.  A typical small bay that we would anchor in has granite walls and trees on the sides and a grassy marsh area at the rear of the bay. The loons, Canada Geese and cormorants frequent these bays along with beaver, weasels, frogs, snakes etc.  There is nothing like the plaintive call of the loon in the early morning.
 
Today we came inland on Byng Inlet and are several miles from the lake.  We left behind the islands and pine trees.  There is still some rock but the land is flatter and more soil-covered.  It feels like a completely different place.  I expect there were lots of trees at one time, but the area was heavily lumbered in the past.  The inlet itself is amazing -- it runs practically straight inland for about 10 miles, becoming a river and then a small stream (which runs off the chart).  It is mostly deep and was used as a shipping channel until recently.  Coal and oil were brought in by ship and off-loaded here. That is all gone, along with the lumbering business and tourism is the main business. 

We decided to stay at a marina after we tried to anchor and found the anchorage was full of old logs.  As much as 40 percent of the trees that were floated down the waterways never made it to the mills -- they sank and are still on the bottom or sticking up at and angle (known as a deadhead -- something you don't want to hit with your boat).

The main small boat channels and some alternate routes are well buoyed and easy to follow (with some twists and turns, some tight places and shallow spots and submerged rocks lurking on the edges of the channel).  Some bays have soundings marked on the chart only up the center.  If you stray from the center, you need a bow watch to spot underwater rocks and must proceed slowly and with caution.  Going aground here means major damage to the boat.  Some channels are wide enough for only one boat and it is customary to announce on the VHF radio that you are entering the channel.  The buoys themselves are only 3 feet high and skinny so harder to spot than we are used to.  All in all, it keeps one on ones toes!

We are only 50 miles from Killarney, which is the start of the North Channel, but we are making it last a week so our generator part (which didn't get to Orillia or Parry Sound in time) will hopefully catch up with us.  (I told the customer service rep at the courier company that one could walk 20 miles a day and get the package to us quicker than the courier company seems to be able to drive it!  Not so nice but we've been trying to get this part since July 10 and my patience is wearing thin. 

We have enjoyed more normal temps this week -- highs in the high 70's or low 80's and 60's at night -- perfect!

Aug. 13, 2011

It's been more than two weeks since I sent any news because we haven't had an internet connection in the wilds of northern Georgian Bay and the North Channel.

We made a number of forays inland - Sandy Bay, Henvey Inlet (where we anchored in "the flower pot" and took the dinghy several miles to the end of the inlet and then got wet coming back because the wind was up along with the waves), Obstacle Island  (picked blueberries), Bad River (another dinghy adventure).  We set out with limited fuel and made a circuit of some islands, not realizing that we were going the wrong way and would have to come up a rapid.  In the middle of the rapid, the shear pin broke on the outboard but we managed to row to shore and replace the shear pin.  Then the quandary was to try the rapid again as we were almost to the Devil's Door and back to the boat or turn around and go back the way we had come, probably running out of fuel.  We chose to run up the rapid and then found there was a rapid going down through the Devil's Door (a narrow place).  It all worked out and we got back to the boat in one piece with a little fuel to spare.

From Bad River we had a run across some open water (which we did early in the morning before the wind was up) to Beaverstone Bay.  At Mill Lake we picked a few more blueberries, then enjoyed the passage through beautiful Collins Inlet, anchoring at Keyhole Island.  On August 4th we got to Killarney and found our long-awaited generator exhaust part had arrived!  We installed that and have enjoyed a quieter generator since. When I opened up the old exhaust cylinder and saw the damage, I was thankful that we didn't damage the generator itself; there had been enough heat to melt closed the water tube, causing an explosion which blew apart the insides of the cylinder.

We also had the almost required fish and chips from the bus at the Herbert Fisheries as well as ice cream.  After Killarney, we were in the North Channel, with the white quartz La Cloche Mountains (looked like patches of snow in the trees).  A special side trip was down Baie Fine, a ten-mile fjord, where we anchored in "The Pool" at the end.  We had taken to swimming most days, but Mel came out of the water fast when fish started biting him!  There were lots of small fish (up to six inches long) that attacked anything that moved -- even a piece of white string!

We next stopped at Little Current on Manatoulin Island for fuel, groceries and new shear pins. 
We were on our way to the Benjamin Islands when we discovered that much of the North Channel we had to travel had no detail on the chart card we use in the chartplotter.  This left us with paper charts, which is do-able but not much fun, especially with all those submerged rocks!

We did manage to get into the anchorage at South Benjamin Island and there found 8 other "looper" boats.  We all got together "on the rocks" for a social hour and we made arrangements to follow two other boats through Whalesback Channel.  We had an extra day at Beardrop Harbour where we waited out a blow (Jean picked more blueberries and a quart of huckleberries).  Our buddy boats both dragged anchor and had an anxious time of it but our trusty anchor held well.

We left early to beat the wind to Blind River which has a very nice marina facility (we all expected something more rustic).  We rode our bikes to the logging museum and visited the grocery store to spend the last of our Canadian cash.

Yesterday we crossed back into the U.S. at Drummond Island and today crossed the northern part of Lake Huron to Cheboygan to get together with two other couples who own Camanos (one doing the loop as we are). 

That brings you up to date.  It is obvious that summer is on the wane up here.  Today we have a day-long drizzle and the temps have been dipping into the low 60's and even 50's at night and the 70's during the day.  Time to head south!  But first we will stop at Mackinac Island.

Aug. 19, 2011

After three days in Cheboygan, we went 15 miles to Mackinac Island, a destination that we'd been told not to miss.  This is a popular destination but most folks come by ferry from Mackinaw City or St. Ignace.  We were able to get a slip in the marina without a reservation since it wasn't a weekend.  The many ferries come and go all day, some creating a surge that moves all the boats against the docks.  The cruising guide advises one not to complain about the ferries because no one on shore cares -- ferries are the bread and butter of the island, bringing thousands of tourists to this tourist-dependent town. 

There are no cars on Mackinac Island. Soon after the first horseless carriage arrived in the late 1800's, the carriage companies petitioned the city fathers to protect their business by banning motorized vehicles and the ban has stuck.  There is a modern ambulance, some fire trucks and power trucks but transportation for everything else is by horse or bicycle (I guess a golf cart is OK but we didn't see any).

Downtown the streets are lined with parked bicycles and there are large bike lots in key places.  Horse carts and carriages abound and the odor of horse permeates the downtown.  All that said, there is a certain charm to seeing a cart loaded with hay drawn by a team of work horses or a wedding party in fancy carriages.

We took the narrated carriage tour which gave us a good overview of the island: the Grand Hotel (largest summer hotel is the world), the Governor's Mansion (which we toured Wednesday morning), the carriage barns where most of the horses are kept, Arch rock, the old cemetery, Fort Mackinac (which was moved from Mackinaw City in the 1800's and which Jean toured Wednesday afternoon -- very nicely done exhibits), the state park (most of the island is State Park) as well as buildings of interest in town.  In general, it's an expensive place, but the marina was quite reasonable and we refrained from shopping.  Sounds to remember are the clip-clop of passing horses, taps played at night and the fog horn in the early morning as fog settled around the island.

Yesterday we went under the Mackinac Bridge, through the Straits of Mackinac, west to Gray's reef and then south down Lake Michigan to Charlevoix.  The wind picked up during the days, so we rolled as the waves came across the lake from Chicago.  We were glad to pull into the sheltered harbor and new marina at Charlevoix.  A group of "loopers" was leaving to visit the boat house owned by the Winns of Four Winns boats.  We got settled and joined them for the tour of the collection of classic boats of all kinds, in the water and hung from the ceiling of the biggest boathouse I've ever seen.  The Winns had just finished the loop and one of the couples had met them along the way -- hence the invite to visit.  All the loopers got together afterwards for happy hour.

Today we had some routine maintenance done on our engine, did two loads of laundry, shopped for food, rode our bike to see the "mushroom houses" (look like stone hobbit houses) designed and built by Earl Young, beginning in the late 1920's.  Tonight we'll join some friends for a restaurant meal.  So it's been a busy day.  That brings you up-to-date.  Tomorrow we'll continue south on the lake.

Part 6: Exploring Lake Michigan

August 24, 2011

On Saturday, Aug. 20, we left Charlevoix at 6:45 AM and had an easy trip of it with waves 1 ft or less.  Leland also has a nice new marina and is a popular destination because of Fishtown.  The river comes a short hop in from the lake and is lined on both sides by old fishing shanties.  These have been preserved and now house small shops -- the kind of place tourists love.  We walked around a bit and then rode the bikes to south beach and back.  Mel's leg was bothering him so we didn't go far.  Our neighbor boaters had a dock gathering right at the stern of our boat until 11:15 pm which made it hard for us to get to sleep and we had an early start planned for the next day.
 
Sunday I awoke at 4:45 to find Mel up and dressed and doing the engine checks (he had no idea what time it was!). We did get a 6:15 AM start for Frankfort, which was before dawn.  The forecast was for 2 ft waves or less.  Most of the way we had 3-4 ft waves and a 20 k wind, which is our limit of being comfortable on the water.  We arrived late morning at Frankfort and, after lunch, rode the bikes several miles on the Betsie Valley Trail.  I don't think I've ever had such a nice ride.  It's an old rail bed, so almost flat, which goes around Lake Betsie and then parallels the river and heads towards Beulah.  There were wildflowers all along the trail- purple asters, goldenrod, queen anne's lace, wild sweet peas, milkweed and even some horsetails  -- I think. You can get the picture.  On the way back we picked some apples growing between the trail and the road and bought cherry tomatoes and cukes at a yard stand.  For dinner we went to the Pigskin Fundraiser (pulled pork and all the fixings, drink and dessert) to raise funds for the football team.  The senior citizen price was $4.00 -- can't beat that!  Cooked up some of the apples and called the "kids" -- a busy day.
 
Monday  we again encountered 3-4 ft waves almost broadside to the boat on our way to Manistee. Lake Michigan is living up to my expectations!  Manistee also has a nice new marina building.  After lunch, Jean trotted to the post office to mail a package and then came back to the boat and took a nap, not feeling very energetic.  The forecast was not good for Tuesday and Wednesday so we decided to stay put.  On Tuesday we enjoyed a trolley tour of town and lunch at The House of Flavors.  By then Jean had a UTI so she rested most of the afternoon.  We also received news of the earthquake in Virginia, severe storms in Indiana and hurricane Irene barreling toward the North Carolina Coast where our boat would normally be. Today (Wednesday) the circus came to town so we have just returned from the afternoon performance under the big top.  It was a small big top but had all the elements one would expect from tigers and elephants to trapeze acts and "the human volcano".  And, of course lots of clown acts.  Good fun!

The forecast for Thursday is a continuation of wind and waves we don't want to be out in. So unless things change we are here for yet another day.  Good thing we're not in a hurry!  And by then, Jean should be feeling well again. Hope all is well with you and be safe wherever you are.

August 28, 2011

We have progressed two more communities south on Lake Michigan -- a total of 42 miles. Both communities were once big lumber ports, with big fortunes made at the time.  The timber ran out in the early 1900's and most of the mills burned down at some point. 

We had an easy trip to Ludington, a small, more commercial/industrial town on the shores of Lake Pere Marquette.  As we came in the breakwater, a good-sized ship was leaving; it was the 4,244-ton Badger, the last of the large car ferries on the Great Lakes.  She crosses to Wisconsin and back twice a day and is berthed in Ludington.  After lunch, we rode our bikes into town to find the bike shop, hoping to find a more comfortable seat for Jean's bike.  After trying out one odd contraption consisting of two small somewhat moveable pads, she abandoned the quest.  In the process however she found that the existing seat could be tilted forward, making it marginally more comfortable.  We made our trip to town worthwile by getting ice cream and visiting the local farmers market, hauling home some sweet corn, wax beans and tomatoes for dinner.

Next to us at the marina was an interesting steel-hull boat that was being rehabbed by the owners (an 8-year project).  They graciously offered us a tour; we are always interested in seeing other boats.  The boater on the other side who had his whiny 3-year-old in tow, turned out to be a photographer (he was an autoworker by trade).  He showed us some of his work including some intriguing shots of two of the lighthouses we had passed showing the underwater scene as well as the lighthouse.

On Saturday we came on to Pentwater, more of a laid-back resort community.  In the morning, we visited a wooden boat show -- small classic runabouts and canoes mostly. Here, also, we found six other looper boats, some of whom we have met before.  Meeting people is one of the fun parts of boating and especially of doing the loop.  There were folks from various parts of the U.S .and Canada. Most of them have larger boats than we do (and one is smaller). There was a get-together for happy hour with everyone bringing some contribution to the snack table -- there was chipotle hummus and tortilla chips, marinated mushrooms, goat cheese with cranberry and crackers, a hot baked artichoke/cheese dip, shrimp with dipping sauce, summer sausage and crackers, and cheese and crackers.  It is hard to develop much enthusiasm for dinner after one of these gatherings!  However, we had been given a quart-sized bag of fresh-caught salmon which needed to be cooked so we finished our repast with salmon sandwiches (and have enough salmon left for two more meals).  As I've noted before, one can't buy fish in these towns but folks are generous with what they catch.

The wind was up yesterday afternoon and the forecast was similar for today so we stayed on.  This morning we biked to the beach and then out into the countryside a bit, winding through town on our way back.  We strolled down main street where there is a sidewalk sale going on and found one of several ice cream parlors to get a cone. That constituted our exercise for the day, so we are back at the boat, sheltered from the wind which is cool.  Since we are broadside to the wind we have a fair amount of rocking motion -- all the better to sleep with!  If I get feeling really energetic, I might ride back to the beach to see what the waves are like.  Things are supposed to calm down in that department tonight and we should be on our way south tomorrow.

We are thinking of all of you on the east coast as Irene slips up to New England and hope that you have power and no damage from the storm.  We are extra thankful that DOVEKIE is in Michigan and not on Albemarle Sound, though the marina started hurricane preparations mid-week and hopefully came through OK.

We expect a brief return of summer with temps near 90 at the end of this next week, but it was in the mid-50's this morning.  A confirmation that we are headed in the right direction!

Sept. 4, 2011

After staying an extra day in Pentwater, we again got underway on Aug. 29 with almost glassy lake waters.  It was sunny and clear when we got to White Lake.  The girl at the municipal marina meant it when she said we could have our choice of slips- there wasn't one boat in the 50 slips!  (Three others came in during the day.)  After filling the water tanks and eating our lunch, we rode our bikes on a pretty rail trail, stopping on the way back in Montague to buy a few items at the grocery store.  Before dinner, we visited with folks taking home their new boat to Peoria and after dinner we walked up town, which was all closed up for the night.
 
The next day we had 20 miles all told to get to Muskegon with 1-3 ft waves on the lake.  In the afternoon, we took the trolley tour (60 cents each), stopping at the Naval Museum where the submarine SILVERSIDES is tied up (actually resting on the bottom).  This is a Gato class submarine, active in WWII, now open for visitors.  We had seen Ethan's nuclear fast attack sub PITTSBERG when he was in the Navy; SILVERSIDES was a far cry from modern subs, but impressive for its huge diesel engines.  (I never thought I'd be impressed by a diesel engine!)  The trolley took us around town -- a great way to get a feel for a place.
 
Wednesday, we left Muskegon early as 2-4 ft waves were forecast for Lake Michigan and headed for Grand Haven, only 13 miles away.  The town has a nice waterfront area, all set up for tourists to spend their money.  A farmer's market was going on- a good opportunity to pick up some fresh veggies.  We walked to two historical museums in town and took the trolley tour (75 cents this time).  In the late afternoon, Jean was inspired to wash the boat which gets dirty from the spider droppings and general grime.  After dinner we enjoyed the musical fountain right across the river from where we were docked.  It's reputably the largest musical fountain in the world and has been a nightly event since the 60's. 
 
On Thursday, Sept. 1, Lake Michigan was so calm that we passed by Holland and Saugatuck (Sag-a-tuck, locally) to get to South Haven.  Like Grand Haven, South Haven is a resort community with all the facilities for tourists.  Historically, people took steamships from Chicago, had 3 hours on the beach at South Haven and returned to Chicago at night.  Now they come by car.  We needed a place to stay the long weekend if necessary and South Haven was the best bet.  Thursday there was a folk music group performing at the marina.  We also visited with some of our looper friends who are also here.   Friday, the lake was kicking up again, so we did laundry and rode our bikes to the Liberty Hyde Bailey birthplace museum (L.H.B. was an early agriculturalist, horticulturalist, environmentalist etc at Cornell University) and the Maritime Museum.  Both Friday and Saturday were hot (close to 90 degrees) so we ran the AC for the first time in months.

Saturday was a good travel day as far as the lake was concerned, but there were no slips in St. Joseph, due to a 150 boat regatta arriving from Chicago. In the morning, we got a broken spoke replaced in the front wheel of Mel's bike and visited the local farmer's market (in addition to veggies, Jean managed to get a cherry pie back by bicycle to the boat in one piece).  In the afternoon, we went to the movies to see "The Help".  You will enjoy this film even if you haven't read the book, but as is usual, the book seemed better to me.  The tickets were $4.00 and the popcorn $2.00 a bucket with 50 cent refills -- small town Michigan is more reasonable than most places we have been.  The boat rolled a lot that night; in fact it had been pretty much "in motion" for three days due to wave surges which come in from the lake down the entrance channel.  It made getting on and off somewhat hazardous.

This morning we moved the boat to a more protected slip and it is much better.  We are whiling away the day except for a quick trip to the Sav-a-Lot grocery, which features brands you've never heard of, limited selection, no free grocery bags (bring your own and bag it yourself) but reasonable prices.  Something as exotic as hummus is not to be found at Sav-a-Lot!  The forecast is for winds up to 25 knots with 3-5 foot waves near shore (more out in the lake).  Tomorrow is worse, with 7-11 ft. waves for the lake and Tuesday is looking iffy as well.  We need to get across the lake to Chicago but we'll wait for a reasonable day to cross.  In the meantime, there are worse places to be than South Haven!

We feel fortunate that we are not trying to get back down the eastern seaboard.  The Erie Canal looks like it might be closed for the rest of the season, with the severe flooding in New York State. We hope we will soon be on our way south again. We hope you are enjoying the Labor Day Weekend.

Part 7: To Chicago and the Rivers

Sept. 18, 2011

After a four-day weather delay in South Haven and a 4-day delay in St. Joseph, both on the east side of Lake Michigan, getting across the lake became a first priority goal.  The hurricane that came up from the gulf produced an air mass that kept the wind blowing from the NE for days.
We were not without distractions however.  We bought fuel in St. Joseph, only to discover the next day that it was contaminated with an unknown substance (it was cloudy).  The diesel distributor offered to have all the fuel pumped out of our tanks and replace it with good fuel and, as clean fuel is the first defense against engine problems, we took them up on it (it would have cost hundreds to have it done ourselves).  We didn't want to get partway across the lake and have clogged filters!

We also had to install a new fresh water pump as the old one was leaking.  So all that plus laundry and grocery shopping kept us busy.  We also enjoyed socializing with other loopers who were there.  Finally, on Sept 10,  the wind died down and shifted to SW so we headed 60 miles across the lake to Wilmette.  Here we tied up practically in the shadow of the Baha'i House of Worship.  It was a short walk to the Temple so we made several visits including the devotions on Sunday to hear the a capella choir in that magnificent space.  The Baha'i House of Worship is open to all people to pray and meditate; it is surrounded by peaceful gardens and fountains.  If you are ever in the Chicago area, it is well worth a visit.
 
The next stop was Chicago.  We stayed at the new Desable Harbor which is right downtown.  A walk through Millennium Park brought us to the Chicago Institute of Art where we also picked up the sightseeing double-decker bus tour which gave us an introduction to the city architecture and points of interest.  We spent the afternoon at the Art Institute, Mel in a wheelchair (the only way he can enjoy a museum without pain in his leg) and me pushing. 
 
On Sept 13 we went through the Chicago Lock which separates Lake Michigan from the Chicago River (which means that all of Chicago's waste water, and goodness knows what else) flows south through the heart of America to the Gulf of Mexico.  The Chicago River winds through downtown Chicago.  We passed under 56 bridges and passed many of the skyscrapers which make Chicago architecturally interesting.  The Chicago River flows into the Sanitary and Ship Canal (the name aptly describes the purpose of the canal -- all along it are warning signs not to put your hands or any parts of your body into the water.

We also passed through the electric fish barrier, a section with electric current in the water to exclude the Asian Carp from invading the Great Lakes (not effective by some accounts).  Several years ago boats had to be towed through the fish barrier which cost each boat owner several hundred dollars.  Now boats are allowed to pass one at a time.  South of Chicago the banks are lined with barges and factories for miles.  It didn't smell very good either.  Before Joliet, the river banks become more natural.  We had to wait an hour at the Lockport Lock for a barge tow to get through, so we were happy to tie up at the wall in Joliet in the late afternoon with several other looper boats.  The dock party lasted until after 8 PM when it started getting cold.
 
The Des Plaines and Kankakee Rivers join to become the Illinois River which we followed for another 288 miles.  There are 8 locks, all going down.  Most of what is visible from the river are the trees along the banks backed by levees.  There were flocks of white pelicans which were unexpected, other birds, a raccoon and three deer as well as the incredible jumping carp.  These fish jump several feet out of the water in large arcs as the boats pass by.  They hit the boats and anything in their way.  If they weren't so bony and living in such questionable water, I think one could have a good dinner by catching them in a net as they jump.

There are anchorages but good ones are hard to find.  We anchored out 3 nights and spent one night in a marina at Peoria (where we made a trip to the grocery store and enjoyed tacos for dinner at the bar).  The river is used by barges and the tows got larger as we moved south (three rows of five barges pushed by a single tug makes a formidable thing to pass).  The tug captains know their business and a quick call on the radio brings instructions as to which side to pass on.
We were fortunate to be travelling with a boat that has AIS -- a new radio system that identifies oncoming commercial boats and gives their positions.  So in most cases we had a "heads up" that a tow was about to appear around the bend.

On two of the nights we anchored out we were actually rafted up with friends on Last Dance who fed us two delicious dinners (and would only let me bring the salad).  We ran aground once getting out of an anchorage but hopefully did no damage to the boat.
 
Today we passed mile 0 (mile 217 on the Mississippi) at Grafton, IL where the Illinois joins the Mississippi.  This part of the river is almost a mile wide with a number of islands.  There were beautiful rounded cliffs below Grafton.  Tonight we are at a new Marina at Alton, IL -- covered slips, a swimming pool, hot tub etc.  I look at it as a chance to relax a bit after the six days of pushing to get 350 miles downriver.  We still have 200 miles on the Mississippi and 80 on the Ohio before we reach the scenic Tennessee River.  Each body of water has its special challenges -- on Lake Michigan it was the wind and waves; now we are more concerned about currents, debris and barges; on smaller streams one worries about deadheads and snags and shallow depths.  But mostly, it's a peaceful way to see America from a different viewpoint (actually the viewpoint of the early explorers who travelled mainly by water -- except they didn't have to look at factories and barges!)
 

Oct. 2, 2011

We last wrote to you from Alton, IL as we were about to start down the Mississippi River.  We left many of our looper friends behind and struck out for Hoppies, an institution on the river since the 1930's.  Fern, now in her 70s, dishes out advice to downbound cruisers -- where to stop, where to be careful, what to expect etc.  The facility itself is a series of ancient barges, tied to shore and liberally strewn with all sorts of stuff ("an OSHA nightmare" as one cruiser put it).  We broke the 200 mile trip into 4 days with stops for the night at 3 anchorages and one tie-up on a lock wall.  The current runs about 4 miles per hour, which is great to save on fuel, but difficult if you want to get out of it for the night.  Not a whole lot of interest to see -- barges, riverbanks, industrial docks etc.  Meeting or overtaking a tow of 20 to 30 barges can be a challenge but the tugs always give good advice if one calls them on the radio.
 
Our last day on the Mississippi, we awoke to fog, and, being totally adverse to driving in fog, we waited 2 hours for it to lift, changing our 7 AM start to 9 AM.  We made the big turn into the Ohio and ran a little faster than usual to maintain a reasonable speed.  There are no good places to anchor on the Ohio, which means making it all the way to the Cumberland River.  We had it figured to arrive about 5:30 PM which would still be in good daylight.  Then we hit a two-hour delay at Lock 52.  Now we had 1 1/2 hours to go 16 miles before dark.  Jean put the pedal to the metal and we burned the diesel and waked the shore and pulled into Cumberland Towhead anchorage 10 minutes after sunset (the sun had actually disappeared behind a dark cloud an hour before so the light was dim).  We had a bowl of soup and fell into bed at 8 PM for a quiet night's sleep.
 
The 30 miles on the Cumberland was a welcome change from the wide Ohio and Mississippi.  Mostly the banks in this section are tree-covered levees so not much to see except some interesting gravel operations.  We were the only boat in the huge Barkley Lock which lifted us 57 feet to Barkley Lake.  Exiting the lock was like entering another world with beautiful tree-lined shores.  We stayed two days at Green Turtle Bay Resort, (actually in a corner of Mississippi) taking in a fund-raiser fish fry and a Branson-type variety show at the Grands Rivers Badgett Theater.  The second day there was a steady all-day rain so we sort of hung around, doing a few small chores.
 
There is a canal between Barkley Lake and Kentucky Lake (the land between is the Land Between the Lakes, a national recreation area).  Via the canal we reached Kentucky Lake and thus began our 600 mile trip up the Tennessee River.  I would have liked to see the river before TVA tamed it into a series of lakes connected by a wide, placid river.  Of course, I realize that we wouldn't be making this trip if TVA hadn't done its thing, but still, there is something sad about a wild river being harnessed quite the way we've done to our major rivers.  There are nine dams on the Tennessee, each creating a lake with its own distinct "flavor." Kentucky Lake is the largest and has many "embayments," side valleys that were drowned when the area was flooded.  These are delightful places to anchor for the night, out of the wind and tows on the big lake.  When the lake gives way to river, the valleys are greatly reduced, so anchorages are found behind islands in the river.  It doesn't always get one out of the current, but there is less likelihood of being run down by a tow in the night!

After four nights of anchoring out, we were ready for a marina.  Grand Harbor marina is situated where the Tenn-Tom waterway strikes off south for Mobile.  We met some loopers there and shared a car to go shopping and to dinner.  Nice to have some company after being by ourselves for four days.  We were about to stay a second day and visit Shiloh Military Park, when we heard that Wilson Lock was going to be closed during the day for four days the next week.  We decided we'd better make every effort to get through the lock (anticipating a delay with tows trying to get through before the closures).  So again, we left the loopers behind and made the long journey up Pickwick Lake.

We went under the Natchez Trace Bridge (Natchez Trace was an important overland route between Natchez and Jackson, MS and Nashville, TN in the days before steamboat travel), passed by Florence (home of Blues artist W.C. Handy), and Tuscumbia, girlhood home of Helen Keller and site of the first railroad west of the Appalachians.  Finally, the Wilson Dam and Lock, the largest on the Tennessee and third largest lift lock in the world -- 93 feet!  Picture our little 28 ft boat in a chamber measuring 110 ft x 600 feet x 93 feet and you can imagine how dwarfed we felt.  No, there were no tows waiting at all!  They dumped 45,912,240 gallons of water to empty the lock for us and then refilled it to lift us up -- a total of 91,824,480 gallons just for our little boat!  I know the water isn't "wasted" but it sure seems like a lot!  The lock has one other interesting feature: once the chamber is filled the upper gate is lowered and the boats pass over it.  We anchored for the night in a creek 6 miles from the lock.
 
Today we came almost 40 miles and are staying at a marina because there are no good places to anchor on this stretch.  This is a minimal service marina -- no showers, laundry etc and the restrooms are in a nearby restaurant (thus accessible only when the restaurant is open).  The price is OK though - $21.00 for the night (with electric -- important because it was cold last night and will be tonight).  Tomorrow we plan to see friends in Huntsville, AL.  If you think getting to Knoxville, TN by way of Mississippi and Alabama seems strange, get out an atlas and have a look at where the Tennessee River goes.  At one time, it flowed southwest from Chattanooga, but an uplift in the Cumberland plateau sent it across northern Alabama and at the corner of Mississippi, it headed north to the Ohio River.  So we have ended our trek south and are now heading east.  We are beginning to get that "heading for the barn” feeling.  We have a little more than 300 miles to go - about ten days or so.  So our next communication will most likely be the last and we will have reached Asheville. Until then, we hope you are enjoying this beautiful fall.

Part 9: Home At Last!

Oct. 24, 2011

Here is the last installment of our saga for this year.  We left you in Decatur, AL; our next stop was Huntsville which has a nice marina and we got to see some Baha'i friends and eat a delicious Persian meal.  The other "stop" was Chattanooga, which is a wonderful place to visit.  We had dinner and an evening's entertainment at Hampton's Vaudeville Cafe.  We know the owner, Steve Hampton and had been wanting to check it out for a number of years; it was good fun.  The next day was the annual Head Race (a sculling competition that brings teams from all over the Southeast). and lunch at an Indian Restaurant.  Mel didn't feel up traipsing through the wonderful museums, but Jean did some street exploring in the afternoon.  That evening we went to a special Baha'i potluck and musical evening and reconnected with a number of folks that we have known for years.

From Chattanooga we had three more locks and lakes and as we came up in elevation, there was more foliage change. Watts Bar Lake and Tellico Lake we both beautiful with a mix of autumn colors and clearer water.  We anchored out in some pretty coves and Jean enjoyed a short hike on the Eastern Shore Trail that runs some 19 miles along Lake Tellico.  We reached Tellico Marina on Thursday Oct. 13 and spent the weekend cleaning and sorting and arranging for a way to get to Asheville on Monday. 
 
So DOVEKIE is now in a covered slip near Knoxville, TN.  We have paid for a year's slip rental so our boating next spring and summer will be in the lakes and rivers in the Tennessee Valley.  We will go back in November when the boat gets winterized, if not before.  We are required to register the boat in Tennessee, so we need to attend to that as well.  We have connected with the Knoxville Power Squadron and will attend a dinner meeting on the same visit.  Our plan is to see how we like being only 3 hours from the boat instead of seven.  We can still get to Florida next fall and then will decide whether to be East Coasters or River Rats.
 
Being home is a mixed blessing.  All the daily tasks are so much easier (hot showers, laundry, dishwasher, shopping, electricity without starting a generator -- the list goes on.  On the other hand, we have more to do -- more house to keep clean, mail, bank accounts, weeding, things that need fixing, meetings, and the bed doesn't rock us to sleep.  After five months, we had begun to be a little tired of being on the boat. We'll see how fast we get tired of being at home!  I still read the daily AGLCA postings, hoping to hear of the whereabouts of some of the nice cruisers we met along the way.  And, we're not done -- we still need to go down the Tenn-Tom to Mobile and around to Tampa Bay before we complete the Loop, so we have that to look forward to.
 
We hope you are enjoying the fall. The leaves are past their peak in Asheville and I have the feeling that winter is just around the corner.  Each warm spell isn't quite as warm and lasts a shorter time.  I guess it's good to ease into cold weather.  We plan to stick it out until January and then fly to Trinidad for two months.  In the meantime we will visit with children and grandchildren and reconnect with friends.
 
Fair skies and may the wind be at your back,
Mel and Jean

MORE CRUISING CAMANOS

Log of We Be Blest

A Small (Camano) World

From Mary Jo Nagel,  Recovery Room:

We completed the Champlain Triangle (small loop) from our home in Orange Park, FL (Jax area) this past summer (2007). We really enjoyed our cruise and realized what a small world it is. Our paths crossed with the Tuschicks while we in Albany and they were headed for New York as part of the PDQ convoy. Tom Clare "Sea Knight" greeted us as we reached the top of Erie Canal Lock 11 and invited us to join them overnight at the Lock 11 Yacht Club and share a movie with them.  We visited with Fred and Lori Phelps, "Nomad" in Deltaville, on our last night on the Chesapeake Bay. We had borrowed navigation maps for the Hudson River and Canada from the Phelps and we were looking for them but we didn't have any kind of detailed itinerary for us or them. We also had conversations with other Camano owners that we saw at bridges or fuel docks. It's a very nice community!