It has been an interesting couple of days. After anchoring in Frankfort on Wednesday, we headed to Northport yesterday.
Got to the Manitou Passage, it was blowing 15-20 kn with waves 3-5 feet. That is the edge of what my friend Steve calls "blowing stink."
Decided to go west of the islands, hoping that being on the leeward side of the islands would make for a better sail and it did until we reached the northern end of North Manitou and the weather outside the channel was the same as the weather inside.
Educational lesson - The Manitou Passage is seven miles wide from South Manitou Island to the mainland’s Sleeping Bear Point. But the navigable deepwater channel is only a mile across. It is the most dangerous passage on the Great Lakes and many have said one of the most dangerous in the world.
BTW – we are carrying our kayaks and it seemed like a good idea to carry them vertically on the deck. Nope – vertically they act as sails and really make it hard to maneuver the boat in port and with docking. Again, Cindy used all of her sailor vocabulary tonight as we docked in Northport.
Rough ride for several hours yesterday and we decided to turn south and take refuge at Leland. While we were battling the wind and waves going north, our friends Dave and Cathy Fulbright were headed south in the passage. They had a great ride, they said. Wind and waves behind them pushed them along at 8 Kns. While we were barely making 4.
More things to fix. An opening port that I had just put new gaskets on started leaking again, and a chain plate that I rebeded a couple of years ago also started to leak so the inside of the cabin got really wet as the waves pounded over the bow of the boat for hours.
Fixed both last night and put the wet bedding and cloths in the dryer.
If you haven’t been to Leland you need to go. I was so tired I didn’t take any pictures but look it up, it is a great little town.
Sailed to Northport today and I mean actually sailed. Nice 8-10 Kn winds and a flat Lake Michigan made for a nice day on the water.
Duncan insisted on getting ice cream tonight in Northport so I obliged.
Fifteen years ago, when we first came here by boat, the village’s sanitary sewer system was failing and so was the village.
Now 15 years later and it is another great place to spend time, if you can afford it.
Barb’s Bakery is the place to start your day. They open about 6 and stay open until what they have baked is gone which is usually about 9 a.m.
People coming up the hill from the marina look like zombies at 6 a.m., dressed in their pajamas and bed head but knowing they can't wait until a decent hour to make the trek as the bakery will be closed.
Great baked good and really wonderful staff and building.
Headed to Harbor Springs tomorrow. We’ll stay a couple of days before deciding if we want to go to Beaver Island or on to St. Ignace.