Today started out cloudy with a temperature in the low 50's. A good west wind allowed us to have a great sail up to Harrisville. About halfway across Saginaw Bay the wind started to pick up and switch more out of the southwest.

10 miles out of Harrisville, we were back with 25 - 30 knot winds with a following sea that was building pretty quickly. Soon we had 7 - 8 foot waves racing up from our port stern, forcing us to turn and take them directly on the stern, to avoid a possible broach down in the troughs.

When we neared the harbor entrance, we lowered the sails and headed in, and again the winds were gusting to 30 as we approached the fuel dock. Waiting to meet us, were a group of 7 "dockhand trainees" supervised by the Harbormaster. Henry was on the bow when his hat blew off, and it went by the helm so fast, there was no chance for a recovery. It was taking near 3/4 power to keep the boat under control as we went down a narrow fairway with docks on the left and shallow water markers on the right. The 90 degree turn at the end was into the wind, and a miscalculation would either result in a grounding, or splinters flying. But the trainees were up to the task, as was Quiet Island, as we came up to a perfect landing.

It took all of them to get us away from the dock, as the wind had us held tight against it on the starboard side. Another pleasant dinner in town, which was just a short walk away, and we planned the next day's venture into the true "North Country" of Presque, Isle. We were halfway home, and the best was yet to come!

Route Summary: May 21st - June 1, 2002

Day 1   55 miles    Cleveland – Put in Bay, OH
Day 2   53 miles    Put in Bay – Detroit, MI
Day 3   56 miles    Detroit – Port Huron, MI
Day 4   20 miles    Port Huron - Lexington, MI
Day 5   40 miles    Lexington - Harbor Beach, MI
Day 6   59 miles    Harbor Beach - Harrisville, MI
Day 7   48 miles    Harrisville – Presque Isle, MI
Day 8   65 miles    Presque Isle – Mackinaw City
Day 9   55 miles    Mackinaw City – Charlevoix, MI
Day 10  73 miles    Charlevoix – Frankfort, MI
Day 11  86 miles    Frankfort – Sheboygan, WI
Day 12  122 miles   Sheboygan - Chicago

Total   732 Nautical Miles         81 Upriver        842 Statute Miles