Respite will be making the final push home from Frankfort, without its captain. Cindy suffered a kidney stone and related infection over the weekend after we arrived in Frankfort. She went to the hospital there Sunday night and was taken by ambulance to Munson Hospital in Traverse City a few hours later after they determined that she had a fairly large kidney stone and infection that needed better treatment than they could give.
A surgeon removed the stone and the infection is under control. After two days in the hospital Cindy was released but her doctor recommended she not rejoin the boat for a couple of weeks.
Our good friends Cork and Rhonda Boersma are coming up today to meet us in Frankfort. Rhonda will take Cindy and Duncan back to Coopersville and Cork and I will sail Respite home.
Not the ending to a great trip that we had envisioned but great to have friends like Cork and Rhonda who are willing to help. We are forever indebted to them.
We have spent the last couple of weeks visiting friends in northern Michigan and slowly working our way back into the hustle and noise that is every-day life.
Theresa and Kevin McDonough welcomed us to Beaver Island. They met us for dinner when we arrived, and gave us a van to drive around the island for a few days which we haven't done in years.
My sister Jayne used to own the Stone House on the island - the only house that is located on the island map. When she sold it a number of years ago it needed a lot of work. The couple that bought it have completely remodeled and updated it and it is now a B&B.
My brother Joe had also built a house on the island with his first significant other. That house is also in great shape. We stopped by the lighthouse and other places we love on the island and had a great time.
From Beaver we went to Harbor Springs and as always, when we stop there, Dave Ives helped us do some much needed repairs to the boat. Dave suffers from motion sickness and can't sail but loves being part of our adventures by helping to maintain the boat and we are grateful to him.
Larry and Pam Puskar met us in Charlevoix for lunch. Always great to see my old college roommate then we anchored off Horton Bay on the eastern end of Lake Charlevoix and visited places on shore where Hemingway lived when he was young. The owner of the Norton General Store treated us to a fabulous breakfast and took us on a private tour of the 150-year-old building which he and his late wife had meticulously restored.
Spent three days in Boyne City as the weather had gotten bad. The city never ceases to amaze me as there is great art everywhere in the city including a large sculpture which also the library bike rack.
We left Boyne City headed to Northport and spent a few days there due to bad weather and a rough Lake Michigan before heading to Frankfort on Sunday anticipating on being home by this Friday.
We are so grateful to Nina and Steve Mertens who came and got Duncan and me in Frankfort after the ambulance took Cindy to Traverse City and then offered us their home for the last three days. Great friends.
Respite will still make it home by Friday but wish that Cindy could sail the final 100 miles of what has been a 1,200 mile adventure over the last 10 weeks but she can't.
It will be odd not to have her and Duncan on board but great to have Cork who is one of the finest sailors I know.
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.
Jeff, Cindy and Duncan