8/15/14 Manitowoc to Sheboygan

8/15/14  Manitowoc  to Sheboygan

Another very smooth ride on Lake Michigan took us to Sheboygan today.  We have been pleasantly surprised with the calm waters and cool weather (lows in the 50s at night).  On the way to Sheboygan, we kept getting alerts on VHF channel 16 about sailboat races south of the inlet.  As we got closer, we were able to see perhaps a hundred sailboats.  We found out later that this was the lightning class national race and there were sailors from all over the U.S. participating. 

We are in a large, well protected harbor here called Harbor Centre.  As we arrived, we did communicate by radio, but there was no help on the dock.  That was surprising since this is a very large marina and there seemed to be a number of young men (dock workers)  in the office.  They have an unusual way to keep the geese away here.  It is an electronic set of hawks that circle around on a pole and squawk bird noises.

to scare geese away

Harbor Centre

 

Ron called the Sheboygan Yacht Club next door and inquired about a restaurant.  Since we are reciprocal members of the Dunedin Boat Club, we were able to get reservations for dinner.  It was great!  Ribs, baked potatoes and soup and salad bar. 

 

 

 

I was able to contact an old friend from Pekin, Jeanne Kimble.  She lives in Port Washington and we are going to try to get together Sunday or Monday in Port Washington. 

Sheboygan is the home of Kohler fixtures (toilets, etc).  They have a museum here….have to see that if possible).

 

 

8/14/14 Algoma to Manitowoc

Gentlemen:  "Start your engines", but NOT AT 4 A.M!  Yes, this fishing mecca evacuates to go fishing between 4 and5 a.m.  Luckily, we were the only ones sleeping on a boat in the harbor, and yes, it did wake us up. 

Where did those boats go?

The winds and waves today were slow, rolling swells on the stern, so we had a wonderful ride along the coast.  A few miles offshore, however, threes to fives with some sevens were predicted.  I am so glad we have already crossed the lake!

We have been to Manitowoc many times by car and once by boat about 12 years ago.  Little has changed in this quiet town.

Inlet

 

  The two main attractions are the Badger ferry which travels between here and Luddington, MI,

Badger

and the submarine that can be toured.  Many subs were built here during WWII. 

Submarine
 

After a short walk to town (about 1/4 mile), we returned to the boat for naps.  We miss the loopers who are across the pond in Michigan. 

We walked a few blocks to Maretti's Deli for dinner.  This is primarily a takeout Italian place, but they have a few tables for dining in.  The pasta dishes were very good, reasonably priced and close to the marina.

8/13/14 Egg Harbor, WI to Algoma, WI

We made several alternative plans because of the wind/wave forecast.  In Sturgeon Bay, we saw this boat under construction.

After transiting under the Michigan St. Bridge in Sturgeon Bay

Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard Facility and Light
 

and heading out into Lake Michigan, we realized the waves were a non-event.   About 1 foot of following seas made for a great ride.  Algoma is the Sport Fishing Capital of the Great Lakes.  Algoma Marina offers no dock help and no one answered the radio when we arrived.

Algoma Marina

 It was lucky we had a reservation and a slip number.  The note at the office said the person in charge was gone until 3pm.  We are the only trawler in the harbor. The rest are charter fishing boats and private fishing boats.  After dinner on board, the three of us took a walk to town.  It was SO quiet.  Most businesses were closed and there weren't many.  The town seemed to have a fair number of bars, though. 

Tomorrow we head for Manitowac. 

8/12/14 Another day in Egg Harbor

We were so thankful to be tied to the main dock in Egg Harbor when the high winds started last night.  We had all of our fenders on the starboard side of the boat next to the wall, so that we just had a gentle rocking motion throughout the night.  A 24 hour small craft advisory was issued for both Green Bay and Lake Michigan.  On parts of Lake Michigan, the wave heights were predicted to be 15-17 feet.

We rented a movie at the grocery store last night and spent part of the morning watching "God is Not Dead", which turned out to be really good.

By late afternoon, the winds had calmed somewhat and the sun came out.  Our Florida neighbors, Ned and Carol, who also have a condo in Egg Harbor, loaned us their car for the day.  We were able to pick up a few things that we needed and I was able to get my hair cut. 



We drove to Fish Creek for dinner at Wild Tomato.

 

While at dinner, Ron mentioned Joe Russell, a friend from the Peoria area, who often vacations in Door County.

 When we returned to our car after dinner, Ron noticed that the car next to us was a Subaru from Illinois.  The couple getting their bikes down from that car looked familiar, as well they should.  They were Joe and Cheryl Russell (Russell's Cycling & Fitness Center) in Washington, IL.  What a small world!!

 

We also were able to attend the presentation at Stella Maris Parish in Fish Harbor. Fr. Michael Joncas, who has written many songs including On Eagles Wings, did a presentation which included  how he writes songs, humorous stories, and singing (with the audience).  He earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of St. Thomas and a master's degree from University of Notre Dame.  He also graduated summa cum laude with a degree in liturgical studies from Pontificio Istituto Liturgico of the Ateneo Sant' Anselmo in Rome. He currently is the Artist in Residence and Research Fellow in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. 

What an opportunity to hear him speak and sing!

8/11/14 Egg Harbor, MI (Door County)

We started the day with a walk around downtown.  Egg Harbor, has a number of artistic eggs placed strategically throughout town.  Ballots are also placed near the eggs so that you can vote for your favorite.  We didn't see all of them, but we are sharing a few here in the blog.

There are also some interesting sculptures here.

 The shops are typical of a resort area, but this one had such beautiful flowers outside.

 In front of one business, we saw these two cars.  One is a Citreon,

and the other is a Figaro made by Nissan

.  The Figaro had a unique design for the convertible top. 

After our walk, we went back to the boat and did some much needed cleaning.  Ron washed the outside of the boat before the rains hit.  I re-inventoried everything in the galley.  We are definitely not going to starve!

The rains subsided for a while, so we went to a local Mexican restaurant for an early dinner. 

During the night, the rain continued and a strong, cold north wind started battering the marina.  However, we are safely tucked in against the main wall of the marina.  A small craft advisory has been issued for the entire day tomorrow, so we will stay in place. 

8/10/14 Sister Bay to Egg Harbor, WI

Day of great people!

Ron was feeling better, so we decided to walk to the 9:00 a.m. mass which was up the hill about 3/4 mile away.  We were going to stop for breakfast, but decided we might miss church, so up we went.  When we arrived in front of Stella Maris Parish, the sign said 10:00 a.m. mass. So we walked another couple of blocks and found a restaurant.  After breakfast, we still had some time to kill, so we visited the nearby Piggly Wiggly grocery store and bought bread.
Stella Maris "Star of the Sea" was a lovely building that appeared to be fairly new.  It shares traveling priests with all of Door County.

 We were amazed at how full the church was, and then remembered how our home parish in Dunedin fills up when the snow birds arrive.  This is a similar situation in reverse.   It was filled to capacity with vacationers. The priest (from the Milwaukee diocese) was a dynamic speaker and presented some new ideas on Jesus' appearance to Peter while he was in his boat fishing. The message was very thought provoking!

In the bulletin was an announcement that Father Michael Joncas (renowned composer of "On Eagles Wings" is speaking on Tuesday, August 12th in Fish Creek.  How did this happen?  According to the bulletin, it was Divine Intervention.  Someone from the parish had contacted Father Joncas to thank him for writing the beautiful song they sang at Christmas, Stars Flung Like Diamonds. They wanted him to know how much the parish loved the song and they invited him to visit Stella Maris.  They also wanted him to know that they understood how much time, prayer and work goes into composing a liturgical hymn.
Not only did they receive a reply from Father Joncas, but he actually vacations in Door County and graciously offered to do this presentation on HIS VACATION. 

I am trying to find a ride so that we can go.  Other songs he's written are Psalm 118 (This is the Day), I Have Loved You, Psalm 122 (Let Us Go Rejoicing), and A Voice Cries Out.

During mass, the lady sitting next to me overheard me say that we were staying in the marina, and, after mass, she and her husband offered us a ride.  Hopefully, I am getting their names right:  Dave and Brenda Wenberg.  VERY NICE!

Yesterday I had chatted with a couple in an American Tug near our boat when Ron had his reaction.  They were both very helpful.  Thanks Dr. Julie and Dr. Rod for your assistance and expertise!

Again, we want to thank Larry, on Lady KK for all of his help during Ron's emergency!

Once we arrived in Egg Harbor today, we called our Florida neighbors, Ned and Carol who have a condo here.  Ned came down within an hour of our arrival and invited us for dinner at their home. 

We had a wonderful dinner at Ned and Carol's condo, which has a terrific view of the water.  Thanks so much for being such gracious hosts (even though Carol wasn't feeling well)! 

This was truly a day of NICE PEOPLE!!!

8/9/14 Exciting Day in Sister Bay, WI

Early this morning, we moved our boat to the adjacent slip.  It was an easy move.  We just tossed a line to the next dock and moved the boat without starting the engine.  Once moved, we were talking to a fellow looper, Larry, on Lady KK.  Ron was standing and suddenly told Larry he needed to sit down.  He sat on our gunwale and suddenly passed out, landing partially on the dock and partially between the dock and the boat. 

It was hot out, so my first thought was that he was overheated.  We got him in the air conditioned boat and gave him some fluids, and he started complaining of numbness in his hands, feet, and lips and tongue.  I knew right away it was an allergic reaction.  He then mentioned that he had been stung by a bee a few minutes before we moved the boat. He has no allergies and has never had a problem with bee stings.

I started him on Benadryl, but was sorry I didn't have an Epi-pen aboard.  He slept most of the day and just feels weak tonight. 

I'm so glad we were not underway when that happened.  That would have created a whole lot of other problems!

Tomorrow's plan is to head to Egg Harbor, about 15 miles down the coast.
 

sunset view from the top of our boat

 

8/8/14 Fayette, MI to Sister Bay (Door County), WI

Phone service was not good in Fayette.  We had to walk to the top of the hill, and even then we had only one bar on our Verizon service. 

After a hot breakfast and walking Duke a couple of times, we took off.  The water was absolutely flat and the sky was a bit hazy.  The entire trip was beautiful. 

We've been to Door County both by car and by boat, so we were familiar with Sister Bay Marina.  Our slip is facing the break wall so we have a great view of the harbor and the sunset. 

 

big Hatteras from Chicago

8/7/14 to North Port Marina (Traverse Bay) to Fayette, Michigan

We arose early ( for Matuska time) at 0530 so we could get underway at sunrise. 

The waves were predicted to be 1-2s and that was right on the mark.  Although we had beamy seas the whole way, it was a pleasant ride (except for Duke). When the waters rock us back and forth, he gets very anxious.  We have a life jacket which seems to give him some security by the pressure on his body.  He also has a prescribed antihistamine that seems to make him sleepy.

After dodging a few fishing areas, we entered the harbor at Fayette, 9 hours after leaving North Port.  It is a naturally protected harbor with only one long dock.  We were in luck, because there was a space behind a large boat that we were able to fit in. 

Fayette was an industrial community that manufactured charcoal pig iron between 1867 and 1891. It is now a historical living museum and state park.  Dock fees are .75 cents per foot....but there is no power available.  Ron and I had visited this area on our previous boat about 12 years ago, so we didn't go through the buildings on the site this time. 

Early evening, a 42 foot trawler came in and wanted everyone on the dock to move to accommodate him.  The boats at our end of the dock were willing and moved closer together.  There were several small boats at the other end of the dock, and one not so nice guy said he was 'f....." not moving.  After some angry words and threats, he moved a little bit.  Finally everyone on the dock adjusted just enough so that the trawler fit in.  The trawler owner, a gold looper, was not appreciative or friendly.  He didn't give gold loopers a good name!

We dined on the boat and turned in early.

8/6/14 Crossing our Wake-Grand Traverse Bay, MI

We are Gold Loopers now

Changing our Flag to "Gold"

August 25, 2011 we started our 3 year trip on America’s Great Loop in Traverse Bay, Michigan.  Today, we crossed our wake after traveling over 8000 miles.  It has been a wonderful experience.  Each area of the loop presents its own beauty and its own challenges, but the people we’ve met along the way have been the highlight of our trip.  Because we’ve stretched the trip over a three year time period, we’ve been able to include many side trips and longer stays in special places. 

August 2011/ October 2012 : Traverse Bay down the river system to Chattanooga,  the gulf crossing from Carabelle to Clearwater, Flamingo, Key West, a week in Charleston during  Spoletto and Piccolo, Portsmouth for the tall ships, Yorktown and Williamsburg, a week  in D.C., Annapolis, Long Island Sound to Nantucket, and then back to NJ where we left the boat just in time for Super Storm Sandy.

May, 2013-September 2013: Kingston, NY where we waited (and partied with other loopers for two weeks) for the Erie to open and finally gave up, Lake Champlain to Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, the Rideau Canal, Thousand Islands and back to Brewerton, NY.

May 2014 –August 2014:  Brewerton, NY to Ottawa and back to Kingston, ON via the Rideau Canal,  Canada Day in Trenton, the Trent-Severn, Georgian Bay, North Channel, and back to Traverse Bay.

Our trip this year will end in Peoria, IL where the boat will be stored in October and we will return to our home in Florida.  We’ll be back to the Great Lakes next year.

To our travel mates:  we loved our time together and we miss you.  To the acquaintances we met along the way, thank you for your friendship.  To Ron and Eva Stob, for inspiring us through their book.  To Tom Conrad:  for weather forecasts that allowed us to have a beautiful overnight Gulf crossing.  And thanks to God, for providing us with a safe journey.  We are grateful!


"The River"

You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin' as it flows
And a dreamer's just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores...and

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide...yes

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

There's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all...yes

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Yes, I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
'Til the river runs dry