5 August, 2021. Short travel day. Better than expected

 

15 SM; 2.4 hours

Safe and secure anchorage last night.  Very quiet and little boat traffic.  Today is uncertain due to expected blow coming today and continuing into Friday.  The issue is timing later today.  Checking weather and wind this morning it looks like we have a few hours to travel before it gets real windy.  Our nearest safe harbor is a short distance away; while two further harbors are are around a prominent point and are much more exposed to the increasing SW winds today.   Also, strangely, there is fog with zero visibility at the coast airports along out intended route.  So we wait a bit for the sun to come up and a bit of wind to stir and blow off the fog.  At 0750 we felt visibility was good enough and improving so we hoisted the anchor and eased out of the anchorage toward Lake Michigan.  

Passing SS Badger with the coal boilers fired up

SS Badger was loading vehicles and passengers for a 0900 departure.  Lots of fishing boats in the lake as we maneuvered left and right to remain clear.  Entering Lake Michigan and turning left on course, it was a bit rougher than expected, but not unsafe or totally uncomfortable.   We both said we sure would not want to do four or five hours of this.  Continuing to the southwest is was pretty bumpy for the first hour.  The coast line shifts toward the southwest-west to a prominent point; Little Sable Point with our destination Pentwater, MI tucked into the lee of the land.  The last hour of travel the water was getting smoother but a swell remained from the SW.  As we approached the harbor entry, we rechecked weather and travel distance to the next safe harbor.  It was four hours ahead; one hour in decent conditions behind little Sable point, but three more hours on a SE course with building wind and waves from the SW.  Would not have been too comfortable.  With current conditions matching forecast and forecast winds increasing to 15 by early afternoon, we took what we gained and turned into the safe harbor at  Pentwater, MI .  Not a long day, but safe and we got 15 miles closer to Chicago.  

Good anchorages available, but we decided to take a wall tie up at Snug Harbor marina, located right in downtown.  Safely secured at 1010.  (Map)  Blow later this afternoon and even stronger southwest winds tomorrow.  Anticipated small craft advisories all day tomorrow.  So we will remain at least till Saturday.  Kim’s video

Serenity or the other side of the fence

We walked around the town, headed to the beach and took a look.  A small grocery store a block from the boat, is well stocked.  We bought a large package of chicken legs and a bag of charcoal.  Near the boat is a very nice grill and picnic table.  Grilled chicken and salad for dinner.  Strong breeze cooling the evening.

Reminder of how ugly the lake can get

Beaches are becoming more crowded as we continue south

Weather forecast presents a brief opportunity on Saturday to continue southward.  Tomorrow will have strong gusty winds in excess of 25 knots.  Late afternoon and into the evening winds are forecast to begin calming.  Saturday forecast is calming winds below 10.  Will the winds calm enough, soon enough for us to travel.  We will just have to wait and see.  Long range wind forecast are not good Sunday through mid week.  Patience, which sometimes I don’t have a lot, is necessary on the Great Lakes.

5443 SM traveled; 1960.9 hours hobbs