Summer Solstice Sail and Offerings to King Triton
The Summer Solstice had Erin up and moving at 5am. She had already gotten her car reorganized and taken Kiwi for a long walk before she texted me at 6:30. I was so happy to have slept well as it has been a few nights of not sleeping well for me. Captain and I took a little time to drag our butts out of bed but we made it to shore with Kona in tow around 7:15. Being Sunday, Erin was going to have to leave and we decided that we would also depart Egg Harbor today and head to Fayette, MI. Not being in a rush, we headed to the Big Easy for breakfast. They didn’t open until 8am so the dogs got a little dog park time while we waited.
Breakfast was very filling. I finally got something else off their menu and the egg and pesto sandwich was amazing and would hold me over all day. We said our goodbyes to Erin at the dock around 9am. What a great visit and I am so happy she came up. It has been a few years.
Back on Ciara, we readied her to leave. The winds were supposed to be really light so I was pretty sure we would be motoring all day with a chance of a little light sailing mid-day. Captain and I are still used to thinking like weekend warriors, having to move the boat in less then ideal weather days. Now that we have more time, it has been a pleasure to pick our moving windows and not feel like we have to pull anchor at 6am. Even though we had an eight plus hour day ahead of us, we were laid back. We had plenty of sun, we had all day and good forecasts. I remember when a three-hour sail was a long time. Now full days seem the norm. I am just glad we get to sit and enjoy when we get places and not doing this every day.
We were underway around 9:45. We actually had wind right there in Egg Harbor so we hoisted the sails and enjoyed a perfect sail for about an hour until things lightened up. Captain was trimming the jib when the winch handle broke! Most everything on Ciara is original. We even have her old wooden mainsheet block with the shipyard’s ensign on it. The jib handle is 75 years old, just like everything else. There is a bronze pin in there and finally met its breaking point. We have one more handle and are trying to figure out if we can fix it before we head to Canada. It is always good to have at least two of everything on a boat. I do worry about the bronze as this is at least the second or third bronze fail we have had over the years.
Once the sails were set and all was well, I worked on my blog and spent some time on Kona’s Korner; another little project that I have been wanting to do.
After I was done down below, I joined Captain up on deck the rest of the afternoon. Around 1pm we came to the top of the Door County Peninsula. For those who don’t know, Door County is named Door because the waters between the tip of the peninsula and Washington Island are called Death’s Door. When two large bodies of water meet it often causes confusing and bigger seas. Deaths Door also happens to have lots of rocks to navigate, making it a shipwreck graveyard and dangerous in big weather. We weren’t going through the door today. However, the winds from the fetch coming straight through from Lake Michigan gave us a beautiful beam reach reaching up to 8 knots! Kona needed some loving through that part so I sat on the floor of the cockpit with her. Sometimes I wonder if we both need that! I was watching the wind forecast and there was a chance we would be able to keep these winds all the way across to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The winds did calm a little, and because we were now watching the sun starting to get to late afternoon, we motor sailed with the sails up. We were making a very nice 6 knots with just a little assist from the Iron Genny.
I find it odd that I still have trouble doing much while sailing. Napping can happen, but often without warning. I can type my log presuming we aren’t having too sporty of a sail. Reading is much harder. Cooking only when necessary. It is just nice to sit and relax. It would have been a good day for some wheel time for me, it didn’t cross my mind until now. The weather was cool, for a short time it warmed up and we were able to take off some layers (hee hee) and enjoy the sun on our skin.
We enjoyed the day watching other boats and landmarks in the looking glass from afar. From the top of the Door peninsula the islands dot out and make dead reckoning really easy. First Washington Island, then Rock, St. Martin, Little Summer and then the Escarpment on the main land of Michigan’s upper peninsula. Coming into Fayette we can get 300 feet from shore and cruise along the escarpment while watching the Bald Eagles defend their nests high in the trees.
Fayette is only a few miles into Big Bay de Noc. I started to ready our lines for an unassisted dock landing. We so hardly ever go into marinas, and last time we were here I almost broke a stanchion. I was being extra careful to pre-think my maneuvers. According to the online reservations system, there were no boats to be expected in the marina and it is always good to be able to dock by ourselves anyhow.
As we turned into Snail Shell Harbor and were greeted by the ghost town of Fayette, we saw that, much like us, two other boats had come in earlier without reservations. No worries, there are 14 slips, plenty of room for us all. We lowered our sails and put out the fenders while the other sail boat folks watched and came to the pier we had choose. I gave a good call out and let him know that I was going to catch the cleat myself and not to help but that I would then throw him the bow line once I got the spring line secure. I didn’t almost break anything this time and we had a smooth and lovely landing.
Once I had thrown the bow line to our new neighbors, I was able to disembark and take the stern lines from Captain. As I knelt down to tie Ciara to the cleat, I knocked my glasses and in slow (blurry) motion I watched them bounce on the pier and “plop!” into the water. Ensure curse words. Our 2026 offering to King Triton has been made. Although we hope and try for a rescue mission yet.
Captain helped me back on board and I went digging with my face three inches from my toiletries looking for my spare pair. Darn it, darn it, darn it. I really need to wear my croakie or contacts.
Kona was so happy to be done sailing. I took her for a walk right away and she relived herself after holding it for nine plus hours. Being 8pm (we lost an hour coming to Michigan) the state park was pretty dead except the two other boats. The power boaters never came out of their floating condo but the sailors who had helped us come in now had a thank you beer from Captain. I called my dad to wish him a happy Father’s Day and all of the Captain’s kids called as well. It was a very hectic hour getting Ciara all settled into the dock. At 9pm enough was done and calm that I was able to play tap and finally (FINALLY) played it really well.
We were both hungry. There is one bar up here that is about a mile and half down very thick gravel roads most of the way. We unloaded a scooter and longboard and headed out. Watching Captain handle an electric longboard on gravel is something else. That man can drive a toaster….
We arrived at Sherry’s Port Bar to find it very closed. Oh well, that was fun. We headed back to Ciara. Marty and his son Johnny were inviting us on board for some drinks however I was getting hangry and invited them on Ciara so we could cook and be social at the same time. We had fun conversations about how a trumpet works (vs a bugle) and heard all their crazy sailing stories. I am always amazed how we are all on the same seas, dealing with all the same things that can turn from pleasant to “oh crap” in just moments. We survive and have the tales to tell!
Captain made the most wonderful Kielbasa and onions for dinner. So much so that I declared they were the best Kielbasa I had ever had. I hardly ever inhale that meal and look for more. Maybe it is a full day in the sun and wind, maybe everything just does taste better on a boat.
It was nearing 11pm. My tummy was done and not in the mood for doing dishes. Now that we are tied to a dock, we have ALL the power and water we want so I opted to go to bed and be productive tomorrow. There was a little overnight rain due in about an hour so we said our goodnights to our new friends, closed the portals and fell asleep as soon as we hit the pillows.
