Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Playing in Nicolet Bay

 Nicolet Bay has got to be one of the most beautiful spots on earth – or water.  We have been here since yesterday and we are becoming so relaxed it feels like we're cheating - the sheriff is going to show up and tell us to get back to work, it’s a week-day and no more lolly-gagging around.  So far we are getting away with it but sooner or later we may get caught having too much fun.  During the day there are families on the beach, people on paddleboards and kayaks scattered around the bay and a few boats at anchor just enjoying it all.  By nightfall last night only one other boat and Reunion were left to watch the sun go down. 

Door County Meadow

Today we went for a long walk through the park and visited the nature center.  Only genuine carnivorous Wisconsin mosquitoes could chase us out of the woods and back to the beach and the sunshine.  We are enjoying having the dinghy to run us ashore.  I had feared that living on the boat would severely limit any exercise, but to the contrary we have been taking long walks every day.  Even in the marinas our boat is usually docked at least ¼ mile from shore, so it’s a half-mile hike just to carry out the garbage or get to the shower.

Walk in the Woods

We have encountered several boats with AGLCA Great Loop flags, and this morning I corresponded with a boat headed this way from Mackinac – they were wondering what to see in Door County and where to dock near Milwaukee.  I had fun being the one with some local knowledge for a change.  It won’t happen often. Looks like another rainstorm is headed our way so it’s time to make sure the boat is tucked in to keep all the dry things dry.  Tonight we will grill some steaks and stay inside where it’s warm and cozy.   Tomorrow we hope to head over to the Marinette/Menomonie and Cedar Creek area on the western shore of Green Bay.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

What a great day, I could retire to a place like this. Up about 8:00, made coffee answered email. Carol took a shower, this marina has great shower rooms that are individual full bathrooms with a toilet, sink, and shower, and they provide bath mats, Skipper Buds Harbor Club Marina, Sturgeon Bay, WI. (Not a paid for advertisement) About 10:30 we were ready to head for Nicolet Bay, my favorite anchorage. Moving out of the channel past the ship yards the ship being repaired had departed. We noted other projects in the shipyard.

Nice day to be traveling, south winds directly behind us up the Door past Egg Harbor and Fish Creek to the Peninsula point Lighthouse. Around the point and into Nicolet Bay. Lots of boats, paddle boards, small sailboats and kayaks in the harbor.

We decided to learn a few new things about our boat and how we will use it on our trip. We have not launched the dinghy away from the boat. I have run the engine a few times but the dinghy has not been apart from the boat.

Dinghy Launching

So now that I added the bike rack that is connected to the dinghy, the process is a bit more involved. Dismount the bike and store in a vertical position on the starboard side of the swim platform, dismount the dinghy arm for lowering, lower the dinghy, carry the motor from the sundeck down the ladder to the dinghy, clamp the motor in place, lock the motor to the dinghy, add fuel and start the dinghy. Move the gear box, containing life preservers, anchor, signal device, etc., from the sundeck to the dinghy. Climb aboard and motor in style to the shore. Everything was quite manageable.

Nicolet Bay Beach

We had an ice cream cone from the concession stand and enjoyed seeing all the families enjoying this fine Wisconsin summer day. We admired “Reunion” looking so fine at anchor. We walked through part of the Peninsula Park campground and exchanged stories about other adventures here. I remembered on one trip going over to visit Dave Banks and family only to learn the night before in a storm a tree had fallen and hit their tent, just on one corner and gratefully no one was hurt, but a real scare. Lots of memories here, we named the little boat here in 1994, “a Classic”. Carol joined Kim an I on that trip for a bit and Kim and Carol bonded over a little blue teapot.

All in all a Great Day!

Monday, July 29, 2013

The wind blew all last night from the northwest and we listened to a cacophony of rubber fenders rubbing against the fiberglass hull most of the evening. In the middle of the night I adjusted the lines and fenders and reduced the noise but when we are in a slip we are subject to the wind and waves of a fixed position. Some days this week I hope we will rest at anchor and then the noise will subside. Carol says it sounds like indigestion.

We have a SPOT device that provides our GPS location, help messages if necessary and can be used to track the boat if it is being used and we are not aboard. Today, I updated the system and added a link to the Blog site. In the upper left hand corner is a link called current position. Click the link and scroll out the blue screen until landmarks are visible. I believe we can provide tracking information and we will try to use it over the next several days as a test.

Reunion slipped at Harbor Club Marina

We visited Sturgeon Bay mid-day did a bit of shopping and browsing. Carol was able to have a three cheese gluten free sandwich, the first sandwich in a long, long time, delicious.

Carol purchased a small crock pot for the boat and tonight we will feast on roast pork loin from the crock pot really smells good. Supper is ready.

Lots of activity around us, the Michigan Street Bridge opens on the hour and half hour. There is a large shipyard in Sturgeon Bay and the Stewart J. Cort is being refurbished. 

Shipyard

The sun broke through later today and we can see blue sky, with light winds from the SE, might have reached 70 today. 

Michigan Street Bridge Opening for a Sailboat

Sunday, July 28, 2013

As by now you have gathered, everything is dependent upon the weather and the first thing we do each morning and the last thing at night is to check the weather. I have three weather books aboard and hope to learn more so we can better understand what to expect from the various weather patterns each day.

The forecast for Sunday was not perfect but we planned a 44 mile open water cruise followed by the protected canal cut to Sturgeon Bay. We like to get an early start when traveling since generally the wind diminishes each night as the land temperature cools. The daily heating and cooling of the land mass creates wind patterns, that coupled with the movements of the high and low pressure areas create our weather.

Manitowoc Lighthouse Early Morning

We like to get up about 6:00, get ready for the day, and leave the dock about 6:30. Since we can do most activities while cruising we only do the necessities prior to departure. Today, both Carol and I were awake by 5:30 and decided to get an even earlier start. NW winds 5-10 knots temperature at 6:00 a chilly 53 degrees and a promised high of 60. Scattered rain showers throughout the day with a 50% chance of precipitation. Sea state about 1 ft. and winds shifting to the west. Because we are not staying in a specific location we check the weather over the entire route we expect to cover during the day.

Rawley Point Lighthouse

Nice cruise start with partly sunny skies, as we rounded the Rawley point lighthouse just north of Two Rivers and Point Beach State Park. Both Carol and I have had camping adventures at Point Beach and the comment was it always rains there. 

It was quite chilly at the upper helm so we decided to move inside for a bit. The first time we have driven the boat from the lower helm, quite nice and much warmer. The sun came out, Carol took a mid-morning nap and I went back to the upper helm. When Carol came up to the bridge we checked the radar for rain events and noticed the UP was getting quite a rain storm, further is was headed straight south and directly for the Sturgeon Bay Canal. After our adventure on Friday, we learned we should install the upper helm curtains before the storm hit. At the start of the day we did hang the windshield, but we also have 4 additional windows we can put up around the upper helm. Standing on the captain chair with

Upper Helm Windshield and Curtains

one foot wrapped around the safety bar at the helm I began to hang the curtains. We were experiencing a 15 knot NW wind plus our 7 knot forward progress produced 20 knots of air flow pushing me and the curtains aft. Twenty minutes later the 4 curtains were in place and I rolled down the center windshield. That greatly reduced the air flow at the helm and we were ready for the downpour we expected in an hour or so. The wave heights increased to two feet on our beam and the boat rocks and rolls a bit. We know that it was warmer in the cabin and that since the cabin is closer to the water it moves much less than the upper helm, so back to the cabin and more comfortable cruising.

As we approached the eastern entrance to the canal, I checked the radar expecting to see the storm looming ahead but to my amazement it just disappeared from the radar. It seemed to have dissipated as it reached Green Bay, Great!!!!  We began our trip up the channel and of course it began to rain, the storm had dissipated but the moisture was still in the air and a light rain began to fall as we contacted Harbor Club Marina our chosen destination. They were ready for us and provided our slip assignment and information about the Michigan Street bridge openings, we would call them back after clearing the bridge. We followed a tour boat/fireboat through the bridge and the two guys from the marina helped us land the boat, of course in the rain. Still raining but we are safe and dry in our cozy home about 3:00. Time for lunch and a quick nap.

Michigan Street Bridge, Sturgeon Bay

Saturday, July 27, 2013

A cool and cloudy Wisconsin day, but a perfect day to spend wandering around Manitowoc together.   We watched the Badger Ferry come in to dock, and we went up and down the main drag – there is a courthouse with a beautiful dome and across the street, a place called the Courthouse Pub.  We went inside and determined it was the best possible place to come back for dinner.  We visited the Beerntsen’s candy store, and stopped in several coffee shops, art spots, and a store that specialized in wine and beer making supplies and equipment.  There was a great farmers market where we got some fresh fruits and vegetables – most of the farmers were Hmong families from this area.  And finally we spent the afternoon at the Manitowoc Maritime Museum.  The museum is very well done, with interesting exhibits and even an exhibit about the Great Loop.

 The feature was a tour of the WWII submarine Cobia.  You had to be a very special kind of sailor to volunteer for submarine duty – and preferably not a very large sailor.  They spent 2-3 months on each war patrol at sea, never seeing daylight and living in a 95 degree environment with 79 other guys and only enough bunks for half the crew to sleep at any one time.  We learned that they did get more and better food than most military outfits so maybe that was the attraction that got men to volunteer.

 

Beernstens Candy

Beernstens Dining

Tonite we went back to the Courthouse Pub for an exceptionally fine dinner and excellent service.  We highly recommend the establishment to anyone passing through Manitowoc.  Estimating that we walked 5 or 6 miles today it makes up for the days spent on the boat riding along.

Friday, July 26, 2013

After deciding the night before to stay a day in Sheboygan, we arose to mostly clear skies, winds from the south at 5-10 knots and a pleasant morning. The radar was clear and depending upon which weather report was used, it appeared clear until either late afternoon or early afternoon.  After some discussion with the Admiral, the benefits of traveling a partial day were explained to the Captain, and we decided to move on to Manitowoc.  We were able to leave by 9:00 and the earliest weather expected in Manitowoc was 1:00 PM. After some quick calculations we determined we would arrive before noon, the new Garmin Chart Plotter set the ETA at 11:49 so off we went.

Channel to slips, looks quite big now

Weather pretty much a carbon copy of the day before for the 20 nm voyage, seas building winds from the south. We watched the radar on our iPhones for storms and spoke with John Busey, our broker, about 10:30. He mentioned a little rain in Racine but no real issue. We could see the rain showers at Fox Point about 11:00, and it seemed like we would make port before the showers came. Well,  close, we ducked behind the breakwall at Manitowoc out of four foot waves and it began to pour. We covered the instruments and called the marina for our slip assignment and to obtain docking assistance. By the time we reached the channel to the slips it was raining so hard, I thought it could not rain any harder. Wrong.  In the next few moments it rained harder yet, we could see our slip but another boat was also in the channel and we could not determine their intended destination. The squall line was so strong the stern was being pushed around the bow. The bow thruster, that normally spins the boat quickly, had little effect. We were in a narrow channel being blown about. Well a little reverse, spin the wheel, some thruster, spin the wheel, then forward, then reverse. A deck hand had hold of the bow line but it became un-cleated from the boat. A few tense moments, Carol did an excellent job of working with the deck hands, while I kept the boat off the dock. Bow line re-cleated, stern line in hand and we move to the T head of a pier, safe and secure.

New Weather Front in the Northwest

The wind continued to blow until 4:00 when a new cloud formation could be seen in the northwest, dark and ominous, must be the predicted cold front with a few thunderstorms. More rain showers, but the wind is calm, and the burgee hangs limp (a burgee is the triangle flag on the front of the boat).

Doug and Dennis Timmel came to visit about 2:30, Doug sailed with me from the Chesapeake to the Hudson River last summer and wanted to see the changes to Reunion. It was very nice to see Doug and Dennis, we were able to show Dennis the changes to the boat and discuss the process. I hope Doug or Dennis can come visit again and maybe cruise with us on the Tennessee River or Tombigbee waterway.

Cooler weather with highs in the 60s and lows in the high 40s are predicted for the next couple of days.  Again, we have decided to stay in Manitowoc for a day or two.  Lets see if that's what we think in the morning.

The latest weather front has passed, I dried our jeans at the marina laundry and we had a nice rainbow to top off the day. A bit scary at times, always a learning experience, and a nice finish.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Sorry about this late post, time got away from us last evening.

We began the journey on our shakedown cruise at 6:40 am, Jenny and Eliot surprised us by stopping by to see us off. Check out the pictures of our departure on Jenny’s face book page, good friends and great family. Winds fairly calm after a hard blow for a couple of days, 1 foot waves and wind from the South.

Smooth ride to Milwaukee by 9:30. Needed to get some fuel and Milwaukee prices are most competitive at $3.89 per gallon. We purchased 160 gallons to fill our tanks. Continued on at 11:00 wind increasing as the day progresses to 20 knots later in the day and 3 ft waves from our starboard aft quarter. The auto pilot still does not like wind and waves from this direction, so I steered most of the afternoon. We heard a soft thump like a sail filling gently as we surfed down a wave. I knew we broke the trawler sound barrier buy reaching 10.0 knots.

Arrived at Sheboygan about 4:30 about 60 nautical miles. Really nice marina and river front area. Had supper at the Duke of Devon English pub. I had cottage pie and Carol Churchill fried chicken with yummy spinach. Fortunately, Carol does not like spinach, so I helped. The marina had cable TV, so we pulled out our cable and tried to get the TV programmed to the cable. After a bit we had 83 channels to view, so that works.

We checked the weather just before bed and decided to spend Friday in the marina. Strong winds and 5 ft waves predicted. Tune in tomorrow for the changes that followed.

Reunion Upgrades

We want to take this opportunity to describe what’s been happening to Reunion for the last 11 months, spent here at Pugh’s Marina.  Dennis spent every available hour all winter,  doing blister repair, painting the bottom, removing teak decks to replace with a non-slip surface, disassembling and painting the sundeck and numerous other smaller repairs that would bring the vessel up to “Dennis standards” – which are very high.

I did interior work, sewing new bench covers, curtains and a quilt for our queen size bed.  Photos may give you some idea of  “before and after”.  But now it is a fresh shiny new boat for our trip.

Many thanks to Mike Batzner for his woodworking expertise and all-around good natured assistance for many hours to fix some sad spots inside and out.  For some reason, boats seem to get a little water damage over the years.

Pugh’s Marina here in Racine has been very accommodating and we would recommend this place to anyone for storage, repair, paint/polish or whatever.  It should go on the list of  “great marinas “ for service and hospitality.

We are more than ready to depart.  Leaving on July 24 to head North on Lake Michigan to Door County, Wisconsin, where we will spend a couple of weeks enjoying that beautiful region on a shake-down cruise.

The adventures of Dennis and Carol on Reunion

 "The Year of the Great Loop"

Monday

We worked very hard moving from the house to the boat and getting the house ready for our renters beginning in September. Pretty much at a dead run all day Monday to the point that neither of us could concentrate or speak a coherent sentence, but we had everything ready to go. Jenny and Eliot were kind enough to help us order food at the Reef Point Brewery to revive us. That and a couple of hurricanes did the trick. Now all our possessions have moved to the boat and we check the weather only to learn of Small Craft Warnings with hi NE winds are forecasted for Tuesday and Wednesday, oh well a day in the marina to catch our breath.

Tuesday

Windy day in the marina, white caps at the anchorages in the harbor. A day to run errands, follow-up on work projects, and do some minor repairs. Always a few improvements to be make. The boat is beginning to feel like home, with new lighting, upholstery and TV set. We are planning on getting our entertainment from the internet and investigating various services and sites. Currently, it looks like Netflix has the best offering. Tonight we enjoyed a National Geographic presentation on the Big Sur.

Still windy and quite cool as we ready for bed this evening.