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Sheboygan was a great stopover. A very modern facility with
plenty within walking distance.
We left just before sunrise and planned on going non-stop
to Chicago to take advantage of a good west wind. The following day the
wind was forecast to switch to the northeast, so this would be our last
good day.
A little north of Port Washington, we discovered that the
head would no longer flush. So we changed course for Port Washington to
pump out, and take on some more fuel.
The wind really picked up after we left Port Washington,
and we wound up with a double reef in the main, and a reefed headsail to
stay balanced. We stayed above 7 knots for quite awhile. After a few
hours, the wind died off some, and we shook out one reef, and unfurled the
headsail all the way out.
Just before sunset, at around 7:30, I heard a report of 40
knot winds going through Milwaukee, and for boaters to seek shelter. We
were quite a distance south of Milwaukee, just between North Point and
Waukegan, about 10 miles offshore. No one ever mentioned that the gust
front was southbound down the shoreline until much later. So I
disreguarded it completely and kept on truckin'.
The sky was clear and the lake was flat when that 40 knot
gust hit us. It came from behind with no visible warning whatsoever. The
boat heeled to port, as the autohelm tried to keep it on a south heading,
but started to round-up. I disconnected and found that the wheel was to
the stops, and we were still heeling farther and still rounding up. I
turned the wheel to starboard a 1/4 turn, and now we were really going
around and there was no stopping it.
I heard the unmistakable crashing sounds coming from the
cabin down below that meant only one thing. We're really having FUN now!
The boat whipped around and buried the port rail in the water. When we
were completely turned around into the wind, northbound, the boat
popped back up vertical, with the sails luffing in a screaming gale. Wow!
I like this boat! I have even more confidence in its design than
before.
Of course Cheryl & Henry came clambering up on deck
after swimming over the debris field in the cabin, and helped to shorten
the sails. Shortened to furled. Welcome home indeed.
Except for that one 40 knot gust of wind, the sail down
the western shoreline was perfect! We could see the welcome home beacon on
top of the Hancock building from 20 miles away, and as an added treat,
fireworks from Navy Pier and a shooting star for a finale!
We
entered the "updated" Montrose Harbor at 1:40 a.m. Sunday morning, 12 days
after we left Cleveland. With 200 newly added slips, navigating to our
slip at O-6, was certainly different. Especially considering that our slip
is one of the new ones. Henry's son picked him up at about 2:30 a.m., and
we stayed up till 4:00 a.m., unwinding from the day's 122 mile passage
from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It was hard to believe that we were finally
here. Cocktails were in order, and we spent another pleasant night aboard
"Quiet Island".
But our "routine" of the past 12 days kicked in at
5:30 a.m. as we awoke out of habit, but this time with the realization
that the mooring lines would remain as they were. And we rolled over, and
went back to sleep, dreaming of a breakfast "ashore".
Quiet
Island, is home at last.
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