Venetian Rained Out!

Last evening was supposed to be our big dock party -- everyone bringing something to share, and roaming the docks while a local singer entertained us -- BUT

It rained all day, or at least all afternoon, and not just a gentle drizzle which boaters can dodge without any problem.  No, this was the real thing -- a down pour with pelting rain, winds, and significant cold that kept all but the most fool hardy inside their own boats.  Reported about 2 1/2 inches in the local area -- much needed by the farmers et al -- but not by Charlevoix's town fathers for whom Venetian weekend is the highlight of the summer.

So, I entertained friends Jay and Phillip from Traverse City in my cockpit -- eating the hors d'oeuvres that we all had made to share with the dock, drinking wine, and catching up on the summer's activities.  Not a bad way to spend an evening, but it was sad that few of us were able to enjoy the company of everyone in town.

The fireworks were, of course, cancelled.

Today, it has been in the upper fifties maybe low sixties, and is grey as all get out.  A good day to make a vat of chili -- and to just hunker down and read.  Tonight, assuming that the sky doesn't think it needs to make a repeat of last evening, the postponed fireworks are scheduled to be launched.

I can watch them from the stern of the boat -- so that is what I intend to do -- keeping warm and dry.

The entire week ahead is supposedly like this.  So much for boating weather.  Good books and friends to visit with will make up the difference.

Of Dragons, Tall Ships, and Sleeping Dogs

The little blue dragon sailing out to the big lake from Suttons Bay

The tall ship underway thru the anchorage at Suttons Bay

Sophie has had it!  Too much excitement for any dog to take.

Suttons Bay: Blue Dragons, Tall Ships, and a Wet Dog

Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures later -- have had zero success for the last several posts.

Anyway, departed Charlevoix as planned on Wednesday and motored out into Lake Michigan, where a southwesterly blow was building white caps and waves -- much noise and bouncing around which made for an unhappy dog.  But, once we tucked into Grand Traverse Bay and got behind the Leelanau Peninsula, the water flattened out and Sophie even went down below to her bed for the quiet motor into Suttons Bay.

The Bay is a little more than two miles long and ends at an expansive beach where boats can anchor in about twenty feet of water.  So, with much planning ahead -- and a few mistakes in getting the anchor free from the boat -- I was able to set the anchor between two sailboats.  Lowered the dinghy to take Sophie ashore.  By that time, Chuck and Joann on Moku Hale arrived, so I detoured past them and then headed into the dinghy dock in town.  A decent landing, but pretty ungraceful scrambling up and out of the dinghy for the captain -- Sophie simply jumped up on the dock!  Later I found a beach near the marina to pull into -- made for wet feet, but less drama.

We had cocktails on Moku Hale, and agreed to get together the next morning for shopping and lunch.  It was hot, even with a wind blowing -- so sleep was fitful. 

The next morning was bright and hot.  After a trip ashore for Sophie, I came back to the boat to wait to call Moku Hale.  And, out from the beach came a small blue dragon -- some child's beloved swim wings that had escaped and was heading out of the bay pushed by the winds and the small waves.  It visited several boats before continuing north, last seen disappearing against the blue water.  Not a few minutes later, the local school ship -- a small schooner left it's dock near us and motored past -- another photo op!

Later in the morning, we rode into town together on Moku Hale's dink, and roamed the main drag.  Into our second store, and somebody commented that it was pouring rain!!!  What's a boater to do when all the windows and hatches are open, but the run to the dinghy and ride back would take us at least 30 minutes?  We opted to wait it out, and in less than ten minutes the showers had passed and we stepped out into an even steamier environment.  A nice lunch in town, then back to the boats -- Sonador appeared to be dry!!!!

Later we joined Cheryl and Larry on Meretricious for cocktails and dinner in town.

And, for Sophie a final dinghy ride for the day back to the dinghy dock -- it was getting dark and the beach was not an option -- but this time jumping on the dock didn't work, and she ended up in the water and NOT HAPPY!  But, I dragged her back onboard the dinghy and gave her another opportunity to go ashore -- this time successfully.  Guess I'm lucky I didn't go in with her. 

Last night at anchor was not restful -- not that I thought I would drag after all the pushing of strong winds for the past twenty four hours -- the snubber on the anchor line made all sorts of loud and disturbing sounds as Sonador shifted to ride with the winds and waves in the harbor.  I wasn't the only one to have a sleepless night, so this morning Moku Hale took off before 10 a.m. for Traverse City, and I followed within half an hour to motor the sixteen miles in chop, white caps, and lots of spray into Elk Rapids. 

I'm here until Monday morning.

Hot, Muggy, Buggy Michigan

The Rendezvous was great fun -- seeing old friends and meeting new.  Ending with a special afternoon and evening at Castle Farms, a restored "Normandy style" farm which hosts special events and weddings here in Charlevoix.  I'll go back for another leisurely self guided tour later this summer!

Now, all the GLCC boats have left Charlevoix, and I'm getting ready to go out for a week also -- you can only stayed tied up for so many days in a row, before the boat starts to grow legs.

Planning on anchoring in Suttons Bay for a couple of nights, then into Elk Rapids for the weekend at the marina there, then who knows where before returning here on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

Sophie has her summer cut and is surely feeling cooler -- but we are hunkering down in the air conditioning as a heat wave with associated humidity has descended on the area.  Yesterday in was in the low nineties.  Now, I know that's nothing like other parts of the country are suffering under -- but for a place that frequently requires a light fleece at nights, this isn't fun.

Oh, and the fish flies -- aka May flies -- have been HORRIBLE.  We've had five or six hatches as opposed to the normal one or two -- and they have covered the boats and docks for days.  Today, I finally washed Sonador with the hope that yesterday's hatch was the last for the season.

Time Flies!

It is already the tenth of July, and I have no idea where the time has gone.  But, life is back to normal -- got fuel yesterday (with one hundred gallons covered for my "inconvenience") and this is after I decided not to pursue any claim -- this is much too small a community to get into a shouting match with the service people.  Am back at Irish, riding out a couple of days of rain and thunder, but at least it has turned cooler after several hot and muggy -- thanks goodness for air conditioning -- days.

The Great Lakes Cruising Club (GLCC) is having the annual rendezvous here this year -- starting yesterday with the "pre-rendezvous dock gathering" -- or an excuse to catch up with boating buddies from past years, meet new people, and generally enjoy good food and drink.  Today, there will be a  more formal reception under a tent near the Charlevoix bridge, pictures will be taken, and there will be short remarks by the "officers" of the Club.  Tomorrow, a pancake breakfast followed by two seminars -- one on cruising northern Lake Michigan and the second on the history of Round Lake (that's Charlevoix's harbor) -- followed by dinghy and kayak races.  Friday, the formal Commodore's dinner at Castle Farms just down the Lake from the city.  It should all be good fun.

Next week I plan to take a few days and cruise around this area with some of my boating buddies. 

Happy Fourth of July!

It's foggy and dreary on the Lake this morning, but will supposedly clear by afternoon.  Charlevoix does not have fire works for the Fourth -- they reserve all the explosions for Venetian which is in two weeks -- but there will be fireworks in surrounding communities which we should be able to observe from the back deck.

The pump out of diesel at Irish went very well -- by a little after noon yesterday I could see the bottom of the fuel tank and by 3 p.m. I was back in my regular slip.  Now, I have to talk "turkey" with the people who originally pumped the gas into the tank and present them with the bill from Irish.  Otherwise, I've started the claim process with Boat US (my insurance) at their suggestion.

Life is almost back to normal, and life is good.

Happy Fourth of July to all.

When You're Smiling, Keep on Smiling and....

It's the only answer!

Tomorrow, early afternoon, Sonador will be towed over to Irish's main boat yard to have her diesel (sorry about the earlier misspelling) tank drained fully!  This morning I talked at length with the diesel mechanic, and he advised that he wouldn't take to the chance with gasoline in the tank that could be anywhere from 5% to 15% of the fuel.  Diesel engines depend on the fuel to keep smooth running -- gasoline, in it's pure form will not lubricate the engines/pistons/etc the way diesel does and, in fact, could etch to the pistons and the rest of the engines to the point that they would need significant repairs or replacements.

Russ and Mary Alice Allen did not raise a fool (at least I'd like to think they didn't).  The cost of draining the tanks (more later on the approach) is less than one tenth of the replacement costs (not including labor) of a single engine on Sonador and we have two!

Irish proposes to extract the diesel from the "pick up" point where the engines are fed the fuel rather than the "fill" point which Ward's used.  The latter is more accessible, but since there was at least 30 gallons of fuel still in the tanks, they weren't what one would call emptied.

Good thing I had planned to hang around for a few days :)

Oh, it has turned dry, bright sunshine and gusty winds -- a perfect day for sitting at the dock and visiting with friends.