Off the Lake

We crossed the time zone late yesterday without realizing it. So we were up and moving before first light this morning. Which worked out okay since we were already under way when the sun first broached the horizon. Shortly after that, we were officially off the lake and into the river system. For the most part it was easy and fun even though much of the route was one industrial sight after another and a constant stream of bridges. Forty-eight bridges to be exact. We also passed port to port to a couple of barges where there wasn't a lot of room. We were within a First Light boat length as we passed. The nice thing about river barges is that they don't go fast and, except for the turbulence coming off the propellers, don't make much wake. So a close pass isn't much of an issue.

We had two locks to go through. Something we haven't done for many weeks. The first was all of a two foot drop but it seems I did something that irritated the lockmaster. As we pulled out he gave me a nasty look and a brush off hand signal. I had no idea what I did wrong. We had called in on the radio to start. Then I called a back to ask about specifics but got no answer. No one came out to the wall to tell us what was going on. The lights turned green. I drove in (we were the only ones in the lock) we tied off, we went down, the gate started to open, and I drove out. For some reason he blew a long horn blast after we were clear and underway. Ah well. Never going to see him again. Don't really care what his problem was. I hope he didn't stew about it for long but, if he did, that would be his problem, not mine. 

The second lock was a different story. They were working a 3 x 4 raft of barges though the 40 foot lift. So First Light and three other pleasure boats ended up holding station for nearly 2 hours before we could lock through. It was a bit of pain but that is the way it should be. Those folks are working for a living and moving the stuff that keeps the country working as well. It is only proper that the commercial boats take priority. After the barge moved off, the lockmaster called the waiting boats with the order that he wanted us in the lock. We rafted up 2 by 2 to ride the “floaters” (floating bollards which are spread pretty far apart—as you would expect in a lock built mainly to handle massive barges). The lockmaster came out to the boats and explained the procedure. A procedure which Included the last step of him sounding a horn when we could power up and move out of the lock. Apparently that gives the people waiting to go the other way notice that boats are heading out.

If the first guy had bothered to share that with me, I likely would not have irritated him so.

Half of the barge tied off to the wall waiting for the other half.

There were four of us waiting for the lock.

The tug finally arrived with the second half of the barge.

Two hours later and Voila!

Rafted in the lock.

Shortly after the second lock, we passed through four lift bridges one right after the other. Clearing the last, our little armada all drifted a bit to starboard and took up residence on the town free wall. Yes, we are risking another wall, and one that lay athwart a busy commercial waterway to boot. It has good reviews and free power, so we decided to take the risk.

A little while ago, another huge barge & tow went by about 50 feet off our port side. We felt nary a ripple. The wind is rattling the trees but with just over 300' of fetch it has no chance to get a grip on the water and stir things up. And the lake? It is more than 30 nm away along a twisty river and two locks. I don't think even Lake Michigan can come up with a surge that can reach us here.

Have I mentioned about how glad I am that we are done with Lake Michigan? Well, most of the folks in our little armada are of the same opinion. All of us had a story of sitting for days waiting for the winds to abate and most had tales of at least one really ugly day of travel. One couple is on their second loop. On the first, they were on Lake Michigan during the same time of the year as now. They had little problem the first time around and were as surprised as the rest of us at how challenging that part of the trip had been.

Tomorrow, most of us plan to head off together for the next series of locks. The “pleasure boats” traveling in packs from lock to lock is what the lockmasters like to see. I am glad to cooperate so long as they tell me what they want.

Yes, there are four bridges right in front of us...

We kept seeing these odd fountains

This bridge started to open, then stopped, then opened some more, then stopped.

We thought it was breaking and we were going to be stuck.

View from the Joliet free wall

Making a wake!

Today was going to be a shorter day so we slept in a little. Around 0800 Deb checked our boat traffic app and noticed that a whole gaggle of boats north of us were heading south. Many of them were folks we have been leap frogging with and all headed the same place we were about to depart toward. So off we went seriously wishing we had been stuck for five days in the place we were leaving rather than the place where we had been.

The lake seemed to be in a pretty good mood so we settled in for a short day. Deb then called to get us a slip for the place where everyone was heading and, oops, they were booked up. The person on the phone did tell us there was both a free wall with no services and a $1 per foot per night wall with power and water. Mmm...walls? No thank you. Had our fill of walls. So,what to do?

It was turning into a perfect day. The lake was so quiet that we could see First Light's modest wake all the way out to the horizon. The autopilot was perfectly content holding our course. How about we just keep going? The marina planned for tomorrow had a spot, why not make that today's goal? So we did. In the process we turned three travel days into two. Which means that tomorrow we have three miles of lake travel between us and the river. Our last big open water leg was today. And yes, that makes me a very happy little boat driver.

It would be fun to think that Lake Michigan was a) granting us a perfect day as a parting gift, b) apologizing for beating the snot out of us and breaking our boat or, c) tired of my complaining and just making it easy for us to go away. Of course Lake Michigan has absolutely no opinion about anything us puny humans might be about or think. (It doesn't even care that we gave it a name.) It would be a pretty safe bet that the lake will be here long after humankind has faded from galactic history. Still, it is hard not to grant it a personality, even if it be a capricious one.

So, three years after buying First Light and nearly two years after starting the trip to St. Louis, the last phase of our homeward three fourths of a Great Loop is about to begin. It is still some 300nm to St. Louis. Given the history of our attempt I'm not going to make a guess as to how long it will take to get home. But that is okay. I'm pretty sure that, as soon as we get there, most of the down sides of the trip will get morphed into some pretty good stories. It was our choice to go this way. We managed. That is a pretty good thing.

Lake Michigan now ranks near the top of my list of dangerous waters I have managed to cross. There is the Gulf Stream, the outside passage around Grand Abaco Island, and the Hawk Channel. Each of which can be the coolest thing you have done or the scariest thing you have survived. And though Lake Michigan didn't really catch us out with our ports open, it did enough to make my list. And, to me anyway, the Lake made it perfectly clear it could sink any boat it chose any time it chose to. All of those who (safely) travel these waters on a regular basis have my complete admiration.

We loved loved loved West Basin Marina in St. Joseph, MI

The VERY active railroad bridge in St. Joseph, MI

Our last day of pretty blue water...

That gray line is pollution from Gary, IN

The Chicago skyline

The water changes colors depending on the angle of the sun and the depth.

Much of this trip was by industrial shoreline.

The Great Escape

Last night's weather check suggested that today just might be a travel day. We set the alarm for 0600 but I woke up around 0530 because the boat had stopped moving. We rolled out of the berth and started prepping for departure before the first light was lighting up First Light. Up and down the dock others of our group-of-stranded-loopers were similarly engaged, with one already gone.

Before the sun broached the horizon, First Light's engines rumbled to life, as did the engine of our friend's boat in the slip next to us. (Another wall surviver.) Another refugee boat a couple of slips from them was already moving. First Light backed out, our friends followed us, and another friend followed them. The four of us hit the channel in a regular parade of escapees trying to get under the wire before the guards noticed. Clearing the channel the boats all turned south and fanned out a bit as each captain found their boat engine's “happy place”. Everyone seemed to settle down between six and seven knots with (much to my surprise) First Light being the fastest by a hair.

All of us started out heading for the same place. But not too far into the trip Deb suggested we continue on to an alternate that was half again the miles, getting us even further south. Lake Michigan had quieted down much more and much faster than I had thought it would, so I was all for going on. After all, the weather suggested that the further south we went, the better it would get. Why waste daylight?

Of course, the weather wasn't exactly accurate. For a while, the further south we got the lumpier it got. The autopilot was relieved of duty. But it wasn't that lumpy so we continued on, eventually reaching our destination. And what a destination it turned out to be.

It has a free wall but, like the one we endured earlier this week, it was completely exposed to swell coming off of the lake. There was zero chance we were going to risk that again. However, there was the West Basin Marina. Deb called to see if they had room. They had a slip around two corners and behind sea walls that was also modestly priced. About eight hours after our breaking out of the rolling prison, and even coming off of a lumpy lake, we pulled into a slip where, after tying off, ALL OF OUR LINES ARE BASICALLY HANGING LIMP! There is barely a ripple in the water. The restrooms and showers are about 100 feet away and are clean and fresh. Off the boat are picnic tables and benches. Had we been holed up here for five days I suspect my opinion of Lake Michigan might have been slightly less harsh.

The plan is to be here one night, making more miles tomorrow. We are two full travel days from the rivers, with day three being the day we the leave the lake, hit the rivers, and start the last part of this journey. Truth be told, both Deb and I are about done with this trip. It isn't that we wish we hadn't come this way at all, but it is getting late in the year and the fires of home are close enough to smell the smoke. But for tonight we are secured, comfortable, and pleased to be further south than we were.

Bye Bye Grand Haven and the dock from hell

We really did enjoy the boardwalk walks to the end of this pier, though.

Our friends on Number 99 leaving the inlet

Our friends on Aurora

Grand Haven is a pretty cool town. We might have to come back in the car some time.

This is Central Park in Grand Haven

I walked past this guitar store on the way back from the laundromat. Himself the Ukulele player didn't make it to this store which is a good thing because we couldn't really afford any of them! They had a bunch of cool antique guitars though. Guitar Haven