Go, don't go, go,don't go...this is our dance deciding upon a departure. It starts with checking weather reports before bed, getting up early for weather updates and then "well what do you think?" We want to get to Put-In-Bay today. It is 70 nm and we estimate 12-13 hours. There is no place to "tuck in" along the way with our 6.5 draft. So when we decide to leave we are committed. Lake Erie open water forecast is Northeast 10-15 kts with 1-3 foot waves-increasing to 20 kts and 2-4 foot waves late in the day. If we leave early we can get there before all h---- breaks loose. We decided to go.
It was great fun navigating the Detroit River and sailing past downtown and the Renaissance Center. The river current gave us and additional 1.5-2 kts while motor sailing. We reached Lake Erie before we knew it. Once we finished the shipping channel we were able to sail nicely at 6 kts. It seemed like out of nowhere those "late in the day" predicted winds and waves hit us, except they were 25+ kts and waves were 3-5 with occasional 6 feet coming over our bow and cabin top. The main sail was already reefed and we had favorable wind direction. "Chasseur" enjoyed her frisky sail. Thankfully it was only "frisky" for the last 1.5 -2 hours of this transit.
There is a lot of protection in South Bass Island's Put-In-Bay Harbor except when the wind and seas come from the Northeast. When we made port the wind (out of the Northeast!) was 25+ kts and the waves were still 4-6 feet. for our approach. Getting to the gas dock for diesel and slip assignment was impossible. We quickly decided to grab a mooring ball, not an easy task either. The boat hook we dropped overboard, was safely retrieved by the water taxi attendant.
During the night "Chasseur" (and her crew) were tossed about on the mooring like a child's bathtub toy as the wind whistled through the rigging. Believe it or not we slept like babies!
Our arrival in Put-in-Bay, marks our third Great Lake, Lake Erie. Our cumulative distance achieved to date is 610 nautical miles. (about one half way to New York)
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| Belle Isle Lighthouse-Detroit River |
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| Belle Isle Bridge-Detroit River |
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| Detroit Skyline-Renaissance Center |
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| Detroit River Renaissance Center- Up close and personal |
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| Approaching the "Ambassador Bridge" US to Canada over the Detroit River |
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| Detroit River Lighthouse as we leave the river and enter Lake Erie "Only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find his right road." Dag Hammarskjold |
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