Hello! To bring everyone up to date: We made it home from Malaysia on February 12, with a one day whirlwind tour of Istanbul on the way. Back in Michigan, we froze, then thawed with the rest of you in the spring. After some family time, we set off on a boat trip to circumnavigate Lake Superior, and that’s where we are today.
July 7–8 (Tuesday–Wednesday): Jefferson Beach Safe Harbor Marina, St. Clair Shores, Michigan → De Tour Village Marina, Michigan (eastern tip of the Upper Peninsula)
Left at 6:15 AM with flat water, low wind, and beautiful weather that held the entire passage. Stayed on the east side of the St. Clair River approaching the Blue Water Bridge to minimize the strong current that builds as the river meets Lake Huron. Our 8.6 mph cruising speed dropped to 4 mph at the bridge. Passed a lot of freighters. Arrived in De Tour Village at 3:15 PM on Wednesday, July 8. I walked around the charming village while Rob handled some work.
July 9 (Thursday): De Tour Village → Roberta Bondar Marina, Sault Ste. Marie, Canada
A quick 5 hour 40 minute passage. Roberta Bondar is a local legend and her name is all over town. When we visited the Bush Plane museum last year there was an entire exhibit dedicated to her career. Dr. Roberta Bondar, Canadian astronaut and neurologist, is alive (we asked the marina staff) and well, and although no longer local makes cameo appearances around town. Staff at the marina were very friendly and helpful.
July 10 (Friday): Entry to Lake Superior! Roberta Bondar → Gargantua Cove
The Canadian Lock (only used for pleasure craft and tour boats) opened at 9:00 AM, about three hours after sunrise, and three hours later than we usually depart. Slow mornings can be nice. The lock through was gentle (not a universal locking experience) a 21 foot lift. In at 9:23 AM, out at 9:45 AM. Flat water all day with intermittent fog. We were told to expect fog on Lake Superior, and indeed we did. Reached Gargantua Cove by 8:30 PM (sunset is 9:30 PM, but it stays light until nearly 10:30 PM). Gargantua Cove was a bustling fishing and logging community in the 1930s–40s, a ghost town by the 1960s, and today serves as the primary access point for the northern section of the challenging Lake Superior Coastal Trail. There were picnic tables for the hikers to use along the anchorage. The smell of fresh pine, the birds, and the beauty of this completely protected anchorage made for a lovely evening. Rob sent up the drone to check out a submerged ship with an exposed boiler (picture attached)— definitely something to avoid. The drone images show a large vessel tipped on its side. We’ll add drone footage at a later date as we didn’t bring an SD card reader.
July 11–12 (Saturday–Sunday): Gargantua Cove → Imogene Cove → Rossport
Pulled up anchor at 5:54 AM in sunny, clear conditions (no fog) and headed for Imogene Cove, a quick seven hour cruise. Rob prepped the dinghy underway. After arriving, we checked out the anchorage on the south side of the cove, then anchored on the east side, near the beach. We donned wetsuits and headed ashore, intentionally leaving our iphones, unfortunately because there were many things to photo! Bear tracks, moose tracks, and possibly wolf tracks lined the beach. A few pieces of wood with evidence of beaver teeth on the ends. Rob ventured into the woods and found remnants of a once 1,500 person lumber camp with sparse remnants of old tools and log structures. The forest has done well taking back the large camp Wonderful to stretch our legs and explore. On the way back to our anchorage, we passed a family of kayakers who later camped on the beach. Rob took the dinghy out again to investigate a cave — a bear cave?
At 7 PM, with storms forecasted Sunday–Tuesday, we decided to take advantage of the last flat wind and wave conditions and make an overnight run to Rossport Marina. A 10 hour trip stretched to 13 so we could arrive at the islanded entryway to Rossport in daylight. Good thing: Rob navigated around Spider Reef by sight — our navigation software would have sent us over or nearly over some rocks just under the surface. You can only trust technology so far.
The only dramatic moment came around 10:30 PM as the light faded. Rob heated a bagel in the microwave, which began smoking and smelled like burnt popcorn. I was mentally preparing for a nighttime boat fire 10 miles from a rugged, unpopulated shoreline — get the fire extinguisher, put on my wetsuit, life jacket and head for the dinghy — but the smell of smoke subsided. We agreed to avoid the microwave for the rest of the trip. This morning we gave it a good cleaning and it seems fine…
By 8:30 AM we were tied up in Rossport Marina. We arrived in time for a quick walk before two rounds of thunderstorms rolled through. Rob lowered the antennas to minimize lightening risk. We were very glad to be in a harbor rather than in the middle of the lake which is where we would have been if we hadn’t made the night crossing. It’s a picturesque town. We watched our church service online, finished last night’s chicken and dumpling meal with vegetables and chickpeas added, then napped to catch up on sleep. The one restaurant within walking distance — the Serendipity Café — was serendipitously open for dinner and we enjoyed lake fresh trout! More thunderstorms overnight brough hail and winds – we slept well – not too much rolling. Safely tucked in at the dock
July 13 (Monday): Rossport to Red Rock
Today we have a short 40-mile cruise in Nipigon Bay to Red Rock marina. This will be our first fuel service since leaving the Roberta Bondar Marina in Ste Saint Marie, ON. Approximately 280 miles. Fog at departure, 6:15 AM, burned off around 7. Tomorrow may be a no-go day for the boat – if so we will enjoy hiking around Red Rock!
And that brings things up to date! Thank you for sharing our travels, and special thanks to those who are following us and praying for us daily – even hourly – it matters!
Thank you,
Amy (& Rob)
Lake Huron - from Lower to Upper Peninsula
Lake Huron - from Lower to Upper Peninsula
LT at De Tour Village
LT at De Tour Village
Walking around De Tour: There should be more variety shows in this world!
Walking around De Tour: There should be more variety shows in this world!
Waiting for the Canadian Soo Lock to open
Waiting for the Soo Lock to open
This is from St. Mary’s River (De Tour Village to Sault St. Marie): My kind of boat! haha.
This is from St. Mary’s River (De Tour Village to Sault St. Marie): My kind of boat! haha.
On Lake Superior! They said we’d have fog! This is fog that rolled through us and eastward on to the shore
On Lake Superior! They said we’d have fog! This is fog that rolled through us and eastward on to the shore
Gargantua Cove anchorage
Gargantua Cove anchorage
Gargantua Cove, sunken boat with exposed boiler
Gargantua Cove, sunken boat with exposed boiler
Leaving Gargantua Cove anchorage - flat water lasted all day
Leaving Gargantua Cove anchorage - flat water lasted all day
Scenery along the way to Imogene Cove
Scenery along the way to Imogene Cove
Bear cave? Imogene Cove
Bear cave? Imogene Cove
Along the way to Rossport
Along the way to Rossport
Sun setting
Sun setting
Sunsetting night of overnight passage to Rossport
Sunsetting night of overnight passage to Rossport
The next day - nearly to Rossport!
The next day - nearly to Rossport!
Tucked in at Rossport - ready for the thunderstorms!
Tucked in at Rossport - ready for the thunderstorms!
Walking around Rossport before the storms
Walking around Rossport before the storms
Serendipity Cafe, Rossport - delicious trout dinner!
Serendipity Cafe, Rossport - delicious trout dinner!
Pretty, fragrant flowers everywhere!
Pretty, fragrant flowers everywhere!
Scenes from after-dinner walk around Rossport (there were about 3 families of ducks in this marshy area :)
Scenes from after-dinner walk around Rossport (there were about 3 families of ducks in this marshy area :)
Scenes from after-dinner walk around Rossport
Scenes from after-dinner walk around Rossport
LT tucked in at Red Rock marina (note red rocks in background ;)!)
LT tucked in at Red Rock marina (note red rocks in background ;)!)
End.