WEARY AND WORN OUT

It was difficult finding a good weather window for leaving St.Joseph /Benton Harbor.  We spent 3 nights there. While there, 2 people were swept off the breakwater. One survived, one was never found. 8' waves that day. We finally picked a so so but doable day. We rocked and rolled to the Cal Sag canal 50miles with 2-4'waves. Then we had to go through a huge industrial area and one lock for 20 miles more. We stayed at Marine Services in Dolton...very quiet in the middle of nowhere.

Next morning we had a long day going through 2 locks, rain, and terrifying narrow passages with barges and tugs, especially through Lemont, IL. We pulled up to the fuel dock at Harborside Marina, Wilmington, in pouring rain and lots of current. We did hit the dock on the starboard stern, but no damage. We were only allowed to stay there one night, as it was their fuel dock.

As John was checking the engine, as he always does, he noticed the water pump to the engine was leaking. What to do ???? We worried all night, used some rescue tape and prayed a lot. We had the Dresden Lock to go through and 20 miles to go to our final destination. We made it!! Tomorrow the Cummins guy is coming to check the engine and fix the water pump.

We are storing KNOTUGAL in Seneca, Il . at SpringBrook Haarbor. It has heated indoor storage. It's a very nice, well run marina on the Illinois River. 

Last night Seneca was hit with torrential rain. They had the worst flash flooding in over 50 years. It washed out a nearby bridge and water was gushing all around us. Fortunately we are on a floating dock. We had no damage, but there was a lot of damage in the area.

We'll now leave the boat, drive to Brewerton,NY to pick up our car and drive back home. We'll come back to KNOTUGAL next Spring.

 My niece, Julie, and her hubby Bill Lictenberg came to see us in Seneca. 

BEAUTIFUL SUNSET IN BENTON 

HARBOR

 

PRECIOUS RUSTY DEALING WITH THE WILD RIDE

TO KEEP THE ASIAN CARP OUT OF LAKE MICHIGAN...VERY INVASIVE

                                      A BRIDGE OPERATOR TOOK THIS GREAT PICTURE

                  

                                               FINALLY, THE CHICAGO SKYLINE

PECKING OUR WAY SOUTH ON LAKE MICHIGAN

 Having to really watch our weather windows as we head down the lake. Our next stop after lovely Pentwater was Horrible Holland. We arrived mid afternoon on the 4th of July. As we entered the channel, we were faced with a hundred boats of all shapes and sizes coming out to the channel. Evidently it was an informal parade of boats. Needless to say, it was overwhelming after such a calm cruise down. We had to be on high alert as we entered the harbor. When we got to our marina, Eldean Shipyard, we both called and radioed them on the VHF. We got no answer. Next thing was to find their fuel dock for a much needed pump out. It was nowhere to be seen. I yelled to another boat as to where it might be. It was down a fairway, again, difficult to navigate with all the boat traffic. We finally made it to our slip after being sent to the wrong one the first time. I could go on and on. We had to spend 2 nights there, due to weather conditions.

We left there and had a rocky rolly trip to Benton Harbor, West Basin Marina. It is truly a delight being here. Very nice marina with all the amenities, clean, friendly and a fabulous area to walk Rusty. We will spend 3 nights here. The winds and waves for the next 2 days are going to be rough. We have a large open lake crossing to make to Chicago. For fun, John will replace our water pump today. The old one has been acting up for a couple weeks. Stay tuned.

FRANKFORT, LUDINGTON, PENTWATER MICHIGAN

LUDINGTON CAR FERRY EMERGING FROM DENSE FOG INTO THE HARBOR

YUP...BEACHES IN MICHIGAN

ME AND MY BOY ON HIS NIGHTLY WALK THROUGH THE TOWN

BEAUTIFUL MORNING TO HEAD OUT TO SEA

THIS IS THE MESS WE CRUISED IN FOR 2 DAYS,THANK HEAVEN FOR GOOD ELECTRONICS

Pentwater....great stop for a 4 day layover due to weather on 4th of July wknd.  Had laundry and groceries steps away. Adorable town with fun restaurants.

MILES OF GORGEOUS SAND BEACHES IN MICHIGAN...WHO KNEW???

THERE WERE 29 MUSHROOM HOUSES IN CHARLEVOIX...EACH ONE DIFFERENT

YUMMY PLANKED WHITE FISH

MY TREASURES FROM FARMERS MARKET IN PENTWATER

MACKINAW ISLAND TO CHARLEVOIX

 We spent 3 nights on Mackinaw...a fantastic destination that I would recommend to anyone!

Yesterday we left Mackinaw for Charlevoix. It took 6 hours, 5 of which were in dense fog on Lake Michigan.  It was horrific. We had no visibility. Thank Heaven for our great GPS electronics. It showed us the entire journey. That along with AIS and my marine traffic app, we arrived safely. Normally, we would not have been able to get a slip in Charlevoix. They book ahead 6 months,  but because of a rainy forecast, we got one due to cancelations.

                                                                  ARCH ROCK

                                                              MACKINAW FERRY

MACKINAW BRIDGE

                                              GRAND HOTEL

SMALL TOWNS CHARM

 We are very much enjoying our stops along Lake Huron. It is way less developed than Lake Erie, and Lake St. Clair . Our first stop was Harbor Beach, middle of no where, but oh so quiet at night and the stars were magnificent!From there we continued to Harrisville.....a small town stereotype. Friendly people that love where they live, well kept modest houses , and a highlight of theirs is to walk the docks in the harbour, have and ice cream cone in the evening and look at boats and the lake.

We walked into the one dinner restaurant in town... Shotmakers. It was full of locals on a friday night. We sat at the bar, and instantly became engaged in talking to the people sitting at the bar. It was so much fun. We heard lots of local stories.

Next stop was Presque Isle. In the midst of wilderness, with no wifi, and lots of small fishing boats. We are so far north, that the sun doesn't set until 9:45 and rises at 5:30. Everyone is truly up at the crack of dawn.

Last night we arrive to Cheybogen MI. We were met at the dock by boating friends from home, June and Tim Schnieder. We had a great steak dinner on their boat and shared lots of sea stories. We are still in port today due to high winds and rain.

GETTING A RIDE TO WALMART WITH JUNE AND TIM SCHNEIDER ON THEIR RV IN CHEYBOYGEN MI

(boating friends that also live near us in Texas)

PUSHING FORWARD EACH DAY

Since the last post, we've been to Erie,PA.....wild and crazy marina on a wknd, Mentor, OH.....nice and quiet, Put In Bay ,OH...a really fun time with friends Greg and Sue, Jefferson Beach Marina in St. Clair Shores....another wild and crazy place on a wknd, Gross Pointe Yacht Club for an evening with long ago friends, Rob and Vanessa.....afternoon by the pool and a trip up to THE OLD CLUB on Harsens Island on their friends gorgeous boat, St. Clair, MI....quiet, and tonight Port Huron, MI waiting out very strong winds from the North and mega waves. Hoping to head up Lake Huron tomorrow. Hoping for calmer weather.

FIRST STOP IN PUT IN BAY....GREAT MOJITO

WELCOME TO DETROIT MI/WINDSOR CANADA

MAY FLIES COVERED EVERYTHING

WE THOUGHT WE WERE IN THE CARIBBEAN IN PUT IN BAY

GREG AND SUE'S PLANE, THEY FLEW IN FROM OHIO

MEDINA, TONAWANDA, BUFFALO NEW YORK

 Had great stays at the above towns . Medina was quiet, Tonawanda was lively, and the Erie Basin by Buffalo was filled with many, many boats.... we literally rocked..........................not a good thing.

TONAWANDA CASTLE

WE SAW HUNDREDS OF GEESE FAMILIES

THE PARENTS ALWAYS ARE IN FRONT AND BEHIND THEIR BABIES

ONE OF THE MANY LIFT BRIDGES ALONG THE CANAL

BRIDGE OPERATOR HOPS IN HIS CAR TO GO BETWEEN BRIDGES

CRUISING DOWN THE NIAGRA RIVER TO LAKE ERIE

                                 

                                  SERIES OF SCENIC BRIDGES ALONG THE CANAL

6 NIGHTS IN NEWARK NY

 So....as luck would have it, Lock 29 continued to be an issue with very shallow water. There were severe depth issues due to a stream between the old canal and the new Erie canal. A dam between the two, collapsed.We finally ventured after two "canary" boats left yesterday and made it through,

Tonight we are tied up  on the lock 33 wall just west of Pittsford , NY. Once again, all is good. Many of the pictures below are compliments of Mr. Erie Canal, Bob Stopper. A friend to all doing the Loop.

Sadly, the Erie Canal is showing its age,having been around since 1817. The locks and their mechanisms are regularly failing. Every day another issue pops up somewhere. It's such a priceless historical attraction. We feel fortunate to be experiencing it.

                                               ENTERING THE LOCK FROM HELL #29

                                                MY CAPTAIN AND HIS FIRST MATE RELAXING AFTER A                                                                                           ROUGH DAY

                                              

                                                OUR WALK HOME FROM THE GROCERY 

                                                STORE ALONG THE ERIE CANAL PATH

                             TYPICAL CANAL BOAT REPLICA THAT YOU CAN RENT

NEWARK  HAD ALL SORTS OF BEAUTIFUL MURALS AROUND THE WATERFRONT                                                                DEPICTING THE CANAL HISTORY

                                           ACTUAL ORIGINAL LOCK