Father & Son Cruise
(1998)
Sailing Starts
Much has happened since Eric and I sailed together. When ten, we bought a Hobie 18 and began weekend camping and racing. Many good times were had over the five years we camped and raced with the local Hobie fleet. Eric would often invite a friend or cousin to camp with us.
The fleet disbanded about the time he turned sixteen… which seemed ok as his attentions were drawn elsewhere during his last two years of high school. Then we lost his mom the morning after he graduated. He went to college and took his time spending the next six years earning a degree from the University of Texas. His move to Austin and the part time jobs while getting his education seemed to put us together mostly only on a few holidays and we missed time together and the sailing weed enjoyed.
picture dated March ’85 Lake ‘O Pines Eric, a friend Danny and me,
the boys were twelve
There had been one occasion during the Christmas holidays of his senior year of high school however. Nice weather had caused he and his girl friend to join mom and me for a few days of camping and sailing. It was a great time and refreshed our memories of the many great times we had camped and raced in previous years. We were particularly full of holiday spirit and play and the weather was fantastic for camping. Neither of us had a clue that three months later… his mom’s health would fail.
In time, I acquired a new family and moved on and they suggested we look for a mono hull to do some camping. A very clean C22 was found and we had several outings on it, but cruising the Great Lakes was calling me. I wished to embrace again the nature which surrounded the area near Lake Huron where I was reared on a farm only a mile and half from the big lake.
Around this time, my brother in law and friend from teen years in Michigan was losing some of his sailing opportunities. He had often crewed but those occasions were drying up. The elderly captain of a forty-four foot Japanese built wood ketch had relied on Art many times to crew and maintain the aging diesel. In doing, he had extended the old mans sailing years but they finally ended, as they will for us all. A schoolteacher friend owned a C30 but his boat was for sale. The time was right for us to merge our sailing interest.
Growing up on the coastline of Lake Huron, I had watched sailboats making their way up and down the Lake during the summer season and hoped it would be me someday. Art and I had cruised a couple of times on his friends C30 but with it for sale, we needed a boat if we were to continue. I traded the C22 for a new C250, a boat specifically designed for my needs, easily trailered but a capable coastal cruiser that would handle Great Lakes conditions.
Out of school and working, Eric now had vacation time and we were eager to sail together. We made plans to attend a family reunion in Michigan and include eight days of sailing to the trip.
R&R's First Cruise
The trip north from Texas proved quickly the ease of which the C250 is hauled. The half ton extended cab pickup with 350 is a good combination. After putting in at the State Harbor at Harrisville, my eyes gazed the expanse of Lake Huron. I had sailed R&R a good bit on the local Corp Lake in Texas, but this was a Great Lake. How would the boat handle these conditions? I felt a mixture of trepidation and confidence.
Although this was Eric’s first cruise, we had sailed a good bit together on the Hobie Cat and some on the C22. It felt good being with him. We had talked about old times a great deal on the long drive north. Now we were making memories together again and it felt good. We headed north along Michigan’s eastern shore line under motor with wind ahead. All seemed well except the autopilot. Setting it resulted in a 40-degree starboard turn. When the pilot was used, it was necessary to fall off to port 40 deg prior to setting. The track function using data from the gps would not work.
The Honda 8 – 4 stroke moved us along at 6.5 mph at half throttle consuming 3.5 gallons of gas during the 55 mile passage to Presque Isle Harbor. North winds continued the second day as we made for the Les Cheneaux Islands beating close hauled. As it was a long way to go, we motor sailed. The 60 mile passage took us across the open waters between Michigan’s lower and upper peninsulas.
With three feet chop, I get my first taste of sickness while below in a warm stuffy cabin working at rearranging some gear in the V berth locker. It comes quick and sends me out of the cabin hunting fresh air. Standing at the wheel, the sick feeling is fought off and gone in a half hour.
Nearing the southern coastline of the U P (upper peninsula), winds increase forcing a reefed main and reduced jib in increasing chop. Two notations are made in my log notes.
· Excessive helm is reduced by raking center board aft
· A second reef point needs added to the main
Otherwise, the boat has handled these Great Lakes conditions without problem and I feel pleased.
Points North
A very protected cove is found near the eastern access to the islands and we settle in for the night after a short visit with a native who is returning across the small bay having retrieved a runaway dinghy. He's surprised to see R&R’s Texas boat registration.
The next day includes meandering among the many islands of the group and a stop at Hessel to refuel. Hessel will usually treat a visitor to some views of old Chris-Craft runabouts, today is no exception.
With a desire for an early departure westward, a position near the western entrance of the large bay is desired and sought but the only location seeming protected from the north wind has an electrical cable marked on the chart and sure enough, no anchoring signs near the shore. A look at the chart reveals a deep bay to the north after leaving Hessel Bay. Search Bay shallows very slowly and we pick our way to six feet of water and are now protected from everything but the south.
Chris-Craft runabout
The evening is absolutely peaceful with not one human creation in view. At 4 am, winds clock south and in a very short time bring a swell into the bay and by 5 am, the V berth is growing uncomfortable as R&R hunts on her rode and when reaching her beam to the swell, rolls and heaves me around the V berth. Eric continues to sleep in the aft berth, which of course doesn't have near the movement of the V berth. At false dawn, I make the move and leaving Eric asleep, slip the anchor and motor lazily south out of the bay. Clear of the bay, a close reach course under full sail is set for Mackinac Island under a breaking sunrise aft.
Unfortunately, our cruise plan does not allow a stop and we (Eric has joined the living) traverse the channel between Mackinac and Round Islands continuing west to the Mackinac Bridge. Nearing the bridge, a security call is heard on the vhf placing a freighter shortly under the bridge so we stand off and wait until it clears, after which an obligatory run under the bridge to experience a first but very short sail of Lake Michigan waters.
After lingering a short while around the bridge, which marks the extremity of our cruise, R&R turns east towards Hammond Bay on the LP (lower peninsula) to rejoin the land of the trolls (those who live under the bridge). The hydroplaning ferries are busy taking tourist too and from Mackinac Island and are watched cautiously.
Pillar of the Mackinac Bridge
South of Boise Blanc Island, Cheboygan is passed by, though it has a nice harbor that is on the to visit list someday. The reader might note the many names with American Indian origins, true for many areas of North America.ferry boat with rooster tail
Hammond Bay Harbor is fetched after the harbor master office has closed and anchorage taken in some shallow water off from the docks in what appears to be a very sleepy harbor, not another soul in sight. While walking the docks inspecting the not many rigs there, two Indian heritage gentlemen arrive in a commercial fishing rig and waste little time securing their boat and departing. Our focus is primarily on a boat named Colt 45, an obvious racing boat. She has triple spreaders, large hard stays, and seems huge... well, she/he is big. There is a pay phone on the Harbor Master's shack so we both call wife and girl friend.
After fueling the next morning (there really is a harbor master) leave is taken for an easy 38 mile run back to Presque Isle Harbor. During the afternoon while Eric naps, a “to do” list with twenty nine items is jotted down. Things learned from R&R's first cruise that should be upgraded or modified. Some of them are taken from the daily log and some from reflecting upon various moments along the cruise. By next season, the list will grow to sixty nine.
Note: R&R goes on to cruise the Great Lakes the next five years in succession and there is always an expansive list. The countless hours and expense of cruising upgrades is something I had little appreciation for when first dreaming of cruising, not that there isn't a great deal of enjoyment in the planing and execution of the modifications.
Arriving Presque Isle Harbor, rarely done by this captain because of a strong preference to lie at anchor in a quiet (no halyards slapping) inlet or bay, dockage is taken as the daily passages have been long and there hasn't been much time off the boat. We also haven't had showers in almost a week. After cleaning up, we visit on the docks with another father and son cruising team and enjoy hearing their story. Dad is semi retired with a commercial charter license for sport fishing. The son owns half interest in the small single screw power cruiser they are on. He has recently divorced and this cruise with dad serves as a diversion. They are on their way back to Port Huron to the south from a visit to Mackinaw Island and will arrive tomorrow evening if all goes well.
The Niagara
An early departure yields a treat upon clearing the harbor breakwater, several miles off a tall master is working south under what appears to be full canvas. Deciding to catch her if possible, a course is set forty-five degrees ahead of her. Three hours later, we sail alongside what we've come to know to be the Niagara. About half way to her however, both the Niagara and R&R are buzzed by a pair of F18 Hornets flying the deck that split formation long enough to low fly each of us. You know there not far away when you can see the pilots head turn to look at you. You also know they are going fast because they are there only for an instant.
A lake freighter contacted the Niagara via VHF while we pursued and we learned that she is homebound to Erie, Pa from a visit to Chicago and is crewed by cadets. Sailing alongside and snapping a few pictures, the one below catches a deck hand (appeared to be a teen age lass) swabbing the deck, repeatedly throwing a bucket on rope overboard to retrieve water to rinse the deck. Well satisfied with the unique opportunity to sail with such a beautiful ship, leave is taken and a course south set for Harrisville.
Not long after leaving the Niagara, a short becalming leads to a near 180 degree wind shift and a building southerly breeze sets in. South winds in this area are often driven by a Canadian low and are often brisk. Before long they are blowing 25 mph and gusting near gale. Now motoring, power is reduced to avoid flying off crest and hammering into troughs. We are glad that winds waited to change until after the visit to the Niagara as we enjoyed her view under full canvas, which likely by now has been greatly reduced or perhaps with her southerly course near ours, is now under power. That treat makes the slog bearable. Note: eight years later, The Niagara encounter remains an enduring memory and continues to serve as my computer desktop background.The Niagara
From Presque Isle to Harrisville is fifty five miles but distance and time catching the Niagara has been added and now bucking five foot swell, Harrisville is still in reach but with the option of refuge at Alpena, it seems the right choice.
Alpena is a much larger city than Harrisville, but rest within the fifteen-mile deep Thunder Bay. Stopping here adds thirty miles to a cruise and thus it’s not generally a port of call for boats cruising the coast. After clearing Thunder Bay Island and bearing N/W a small amount of jib is set and the motor killed for the long run into the bay. On the way, several sport fishing boats have given it up for the day and we seem almost matched to their greatly reduced speed. Within the depths of the bay, a regatta is taking place and we later learn that it is a one design national regatta though I don’t recall the class for sure, I'm want to say Thistle. Prior to reaching the marina, the days racing venue finished and only a few racers remained near their boats as we enter and tie up according to instructions by the Harbor Master.
Surf is pounding and breaking over the harbor’s large breakwater As R&R is tied up behind a dive boat, several local divers are discussing the rarity of conditions that bring water over the wall. Only a few minutes after securing R&R, our friends from last night enter the harbor and we help them tie up and listened to their story.
They were approaching Middle Island (lies mid way between Presque Isle harbor and Thunder Bay) when they encountered the wind shift and turned back. After an hour, they decided they really needed to make some distance that day as they lay a long days passage at cruising speed from home and had only two days to get there. If they holed up all of this day, and the next didn't offer full speed, they had a time problem. When they set out again, their simple goal was to make southing as much as possible with harbors at Alpena, Harrisville, Oscoda or Tawas as options. The going was rough. Twice they had tried to increase speed to only fly off a crest and land in a trough, yawing and broaching.
The four of us walked into Alpena and enjoyed a nice meal and story telling. During the night, winds clocked northwest as the low pressure zone dipped from Canada into the Appalachian mountains. The good N/W wind shift allowed a dead downwind wing and wing run out of the bay and as the course was adjusted for Harrisville, a broad reach at hull speed in the building winds. These conditions bring my first really strong awareness that the helm can be really abusive on the Catalina 250.
The broad reach in 3-4 feet quartering seas proves difficult. The C250 has an oversize rudder necessary to overcome rounding up tendencies. A quartering sea can impact the large rudder surface and broach the boat fairly easily on a broad reach. This tendency can be overcome by helming in such a way that just before the sea arrives, the rudder is veined into the sea and upon clearing, the helm is returned to course. This is true for many sailboats but very evident on the C250 and takes careful and alert helming. Eric and I swap helm duties every half hour to rest our arms from the effort.
Note: it is later determined that the great difficulty of the helm is due to a combination of factors. A poor beaching rudder hold down system after a little wear, allows the rudder to position itself aft slightly making the unbalanced rudder even more difficult to control. Additionally, the wheel to rudder ratio is not a favorable leverage ratio.
When arriving Harrisville, even though the harbor is small and there is an eight feet or so rock breakwater around the three lake sides and the single entrance is small, there are little white caps within the small harbor. A yachtsman approaches and asks about conditions we experienced. He and other cruisers have been holed up for two days waiting for the weather to improve. I look at Eric, we mutually grin for we are old Hobie sailors, and like it wet and wild.
Eric in calmer conditions
