A Visit with Family near Cleveland

Cleveland is the largest city on Lake Erie with a 5-five mile long breakwater to protect the harbor but there’s no safe place to anchor. This being the home of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, reporters often did stories from there on the untimely death of Michael Jackson which occurred while we were here. We know there’s a lot to do here but we planned to go into Rocky River instead to visit family. Also I hate leaving Ginger alone on the boat. Her separation anxiety may have gotten worse in her old age; she now barks until we return to the boat.

The Cleveland Yachting Club was our home for the next two days. I enjoyed the pool as the weather was hot and muggy. The AC the previous owner of the boat installed was much appreciated; this is a luxury we’re only able to use when in a marina. We thought the finger piers were narrow in Grand River but these have them beat. They consist of two 10-in. boards so we were wary walkers! They can squeeze a lot of boats in this way and I guess you’d get to know your neighbors.

My cousin (and godmother) Audray and husband Ernie live quite close and they were very gracious to see to our every need while we were here (got errands done, groceries, laundry and catching up). This is where we had lunch at the Emerald Necklace Marina overlooking the Rocky River. It’s a very pretty area.

An unexpected pleasant surprise was seeing Audray’s brother Dan and wife Gail from Madison. They were on their way back from a trip to the Smoky Mountains.

We were so glad to be off the boat during the thunderstorm that blew through that night. I think you can see the rain on the windows on the sun porch. There was a LOT of lightening which is always a concern being on a boat with a mast. Audray’s 2-yr old grandson was pretty entertained by it though! It was great to reconnect with family and thanks again, Audray and Ernie, for taking such good care of us!

We arrived in Lorain, OH late aft. on Friday, June 26th where we stayed at Spitzer Riverside Marina (still no safe anchorages). This marina has such long docks that golf carts give rides up to the office, showers, etc. But before 9am or after 7pm you’re out of luck. We saw a lot of other Beneteaus on the docks as there’s a dealer in nearby Vermillion. Hunter sailboats are also plentiful as their dealer is in Huron. Here’s the Lorain Lighthouse at the breakwater entrance. It’s very similar to ones we’ve seen lately.

We came into the Huron Boat Basin the next day. The guidebook states Huron is the southernmost port on Lake Erie, and all of the Great Lakes actually. They were at capacity due to a large group having a rendezvous, the Greater Cleveland Boating Association. But they had a spot for us on the inside wall which worked out fine. Here’s us to the left of “the hut”.

There are concerts in the nearby amphitheater Saturday nights and we could hear 60s music by the British invasion group, “The ReBeats”. I walked over for a listen but Paul thought he could hear as much as he wanted to from the boat. Fireworks were also going off nearby so it was a busy place. We ended up staying another night as the $1.50/foot rate drops to $25/boat on weeknights.

On Sunday morning we did a new thing – went to church by boat! We found out that Zion Lutheran Church in Huron holds an 8AM service at a nearby marina. We took the dinghy the 10 min. or so down river and found about 20 people and 1 dog gathered for a brief worship service led by a lay person as the pastor was out of town. The only time Ginger made a peep was a loud “AMEN” after the Lord’s Prayer. She’d finally spotted the other dog there; the timing got a few chuckles.

On Monday we walked Ginger to the Firelands Animal Hospital for some medicine (nothing serious, Ginger lovers). This is one of the areas in the region called the Firelands for this reason: During the Revolutionary War, some Connecticut residents were given land grants to make restitution for property burned and pillaged by the British. Huron has been a destination since the French began trading with the Indians in the mid 1700s.

As of this writing, Tuesday 6/30, we’ll be spending our 4th night here. We had planned to leave today but didn’t think it was prudent to head into 15 – 25mph winds out of the direction we’re heading and battle 4 – 6 ft. seas. What’s one more day, besides we like the $25/day rate and it’s a very nice facility with shopping within walking distance.

Now you’re caught up on your favorite Loopers! Thanks for checking in.

Lake Erie - calm so far

Leaving Erie, PA we motor-sailed about 4 miles off shore; a nice breeze but not enough for any speed. So far Erie has been quite smooth although it’s not a very deep lake and can get choppy in a hurry. We came into Ashtabula, OH and tied up at the wall downtown to use the free pump-out. We had planned to tie there overnight but contrary to what our guidebook told us, the sign said ”No Overnight Docking” so off we went. We found our way down the river to the Ashtabula Yacht Club and stayed for $1.50/foot (not quite as welcoming as Dunkirk).

There was a unique vessel across the river from us: The Historic Bum Boat Pub circa 1930, according to the sign. A few boats pulled up but most clientele came by land.

The Ashtabula lift bridge opens on the hour and half hour. It was lit at night with blue floodlights which made it look much prettier. Plaques commemorated the community project of lighting the bridge and listed the donors and amounts given. Evidently they're quite proud of it.

The lake was like glass so we motored to Grand River Marine in Fairport, not to be confused with Grand River Marine in Grand River. We got to the correct one on the second try. This was the first day it actually felt HOT. The wobbly metal finger piers were none too wide at 30 in. Best not to be “tipsy” walking on those things. As you can see, the view across the river was none too scenic.


One of the reasons we wanted to make Fairport was access to a diesel mechanic as we had some fuel leakage in the engine. Capt. thought he’d found the source but his attempt to remedy it wasn’t successful. Hooray for Ed from Diesel Pro who found and fixed the problem. Luckily it didn’t involve big bucks. We were out of there the next day, less than desirable facilities and NO wifi available.

We saw “Point Counterpoint” as we left the next day. The vessel belongs to The American Wind Symphony Orchestra in Pittsburgh, PA. We could hear them rehearsing for the Sat. night concert. The raised center portion is the stage and faces the audience on land. What a unique summer experience for the music students; I would loved to have been there for the concert.


Westward Ho - on to Cleveland.

Erie, PA

The weather had been unseasonably cool until June 22nd. I guess it was appropriate that after the calendar said it was officially summer, it started to feel summer-like.

Good anchorage spots aren’t easy to find in this part of Lake Erie but we found a great one in Presque Isle Bay. This Bay was a natural harbor more than 150 years ago when Admiral Oliver Perry’s fleet was built here. It’s said to be the best harbor in all of the Great Lakes. The spot we found was just off a marina and state park and protected on all sides; water depth 13 ft. The next day we planned to get a slip at the Erie Yacht Club – we were told they had fabulous showers! However, they were having phone problems and we weren’t able to contact them by phone or radio. It was actually better docking at Wolverine Moorings for $1/foot as it was more conveniently located. We had to go under a 68-ft. high skywalk linking a Sheraton and the Bayfront Convention Center. That was a first.

This is a popular thing to do on the weekends, stroll out to the Bicentennial Tower. We had Sunday brunch at the Smuggler’s Wharf near here. I really liked sitting under the shady pergola with all the grapevines and hanging plants and a view of the waterfront.

The Victorian Princess paddleboat was getting ready for a sunset cruise. The birds in the water are Canada Geese. They're very abundant here!

Erie is the home port of the U.S. Brig Niagara. It’s a sailing school vessel and is sailed by a crew of 17 professionals and 20 trainees for 3-week periods during the summer. The replica of Admiral Oliver Perry’s warship was built in 1988. It was on the original Niagara that Admiral Perry won the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813. Perry’s famous quote “Don’t Give up the Ship!” is appropriate to the City of Erie today as the sailing program is in jeopardy due to budget concerns at the State level.

This is the Brig Niagara and where she's docked in Erie.

Our only stop in Pennsylvania was Erie as the State only has about 40 miles of shoreline on Lake Erie. On to Ohio!

Buffalo and Dunkirk, NY

After visiting Niagara Falls on Monday, we finally left Smith Boys in N. Tonawanda. They treated us very fairly for winter storage and would highly recommend their facility to other boaters. Lizzie came along with us and Kyle was the wheel man. We needed to go through one more lock before Lake Erie. Paul and Lizzie held the lines while we were very slowly raised about 5 ft. at Black Rock Lock to reach the level of Lake Erie. That makes SEVENTY locks in all on our trip. We traveled down the Black Rock Canal and through the Conrail swing bridge which was open; we requested a bascule bridge to open for us. Here’s Capt. Paul on the radio.

Two more fixed bridges were no problem for our mast height of 55 ft. Erie Basin Marina in Buffalo was our destination. The area is actually dredged to form the shape of a buffalo. As near as we could figure, we were in the hind quarters of the beast. Kyle eventually met us there; he took the opportunity to get a new muffler on his car outside “the city”. It was a bit tricky being on the wall; we needed our 2-step ladder to get on and off the boat. The rate was $1.90/foot and the best amenity was the observation tower nearby.

This is the view of the sun setting over Lake Erie from the tower.

We had dinner on board and enjoyed Eric’s birthday cake in his honor.

Tuesday about mid-day, we left for Dunkirk, NY and Kyle and Lizzie were off to Brooklyn. We didn’t realize it until much later but our extra clothes and bags stored in the car trunk went along with them! We think there are only a few things we need mailed to us so I guess that’s not too bad.

We sailed with motor assist in light variable winds the 33 miles to the Dunkirk Yacht Club. It’s rather unique as their entire facility is built over the water. You can hear the sounds of the water beneath you in the bathroom and shower. The power plant to the left keeps the water from freezing over winter. It’s supposedly a great fishing spot; they also had a very strong free wifi signal (always a plus).

We have never been made to feel more welcome than at this yacht club of about 100 members. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Paul was invited to coffee with the guys every morning and someone was usually making breakfast in their clubhouse kitchen.

We were told about some of the members' restoration of a 1927 John Alden Yawl Malibar Junior. They were having a party the next night at the workshop and they made sure we had a ride. So we got to see the results of their labor of love of the past SEVEN years. The rigging, spars and sails were lost in a fire at the workshop in 1998. The whole process is quite a story. Here's two of the guys showing Paul the topside of Muirgen, which means "she who is from the sea" in Gaelic.

Here's a view of the transom. These guys are real craftsmen; we were so impressed with the quality of the work done and especially their dedication. They also have a lot of fun along the way - a great group of people.

Here's a link to the website if anyone has more interest in reading about the restoration. They've done an excellent job with photographing and documenting the project which will hopefully be completed next June.

http://web.mac.com/bjurlin/Site/MUIRGEN.html

Another really interesting thing about our visit was meeting Tom and Jon, two Cleveland State rowers who are rowing to raise funds and awareness for Habitat for Humanity. Their goal is to reach KEY WEST! Here's their craft, a 1972 converted 19' O'Day Mariner. The boat is cleverly renamed Not For Sail. Good luck and God Bless to those guys!

Here's a link to their website and blog http://www.habitatcrew.com/Habitat-Crew-Home.php

Our one night in Dunkirk stretched to three as it rained for two days after we arrived, besides we were having fun. We were on the water 7 1/2 hours on Friday making it to Presque Isle State Park just off Erie, PA. We crossed the watery state line sometime Friday afternoon. We anchored one night and are currently in a slip at the marina at Wolverine Park. We hiked for a few grocery items in the rain as we never did find that darned free trolley!

All for now from the crew of Restless Wind. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Guests and Niagara Falls

We were never fans of the loud cigarette-type power boats, but are even less so now. Holy Cow those things are loud! We happened to have ring-side seats for the poker run on Sat. the 13th at Smith Boys in N. Tonawanda. Here’s a group picking up their poker card at the dock right across from us:

Here are some of their friends coming up behind – one louder than the next!



On Sunday Kyle and Lizzie drove the 400 miles from Brooklyn for a visit. We had dinner at a local Italian place Paul and Eric had visited. Then we got a few groceries at the local Top’s Grocery, including a birthday cake in Eric’s honor. We always take advantage of having a car available to us. To make more room in the aft berth, we stored some things in Kyle’s car. Paul and I found we both brought too much clothing with us; we couldn’t remember how much we left on the boat in the fall (should have made a list!)

Monday, June 15th – Happy Birthday Eric! Niagara Falls was a must-see so we drove the 10 miles or so over there. Lizzie and I (Em) had never seen it. Lizzie is a professional photographer and there were lots of photo ops to try out her new camera.

Thank goodness Kyle saved her from tumbling into the raging Niagara River and ending her budding career!!

My Hero!

The summer daytime flow of water is 75,000 gallons per second on the American side of the Falls. There are a dozen pictures I could post but here are just a few:

Gulls perch on the logs in the rapids of the river:

A Maid of the Mist tour boat is heading under the rainbow at the American Falls. The skyline across the river is Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada:


We didn’t get this up close and personal with the falls. I’m not sure these flimsy yellow rain slickers were doing the job keeping these tourists dry heading to the Cave of the Winds!

Heading down the hill toward the famous Horseshoe Falls: 

The tour boats get as close as they’re able and try to hold steady in the current. The roar of the water must be incredible.

We were so glad we got to see and enjoy this well-known marvel of our Creator's handiwork.

Landlubbers No More

At last writing in mid-September, we were back in Green Bay after living aboard for 12 months. In that time we traveled 5,061 statute (land) miles. We spent 159 nights at marinas; 107 nights at anchor; 55 nights at free docks and 40 nights on mooring balls. I think we were both ready for a break and the comforts of home. Ironically, the winter brought even more snow than the previous one we spent in Florida, and that was a record breaker. Paul got himself a new heftier snow blower but that didn’t stop him from grumbling about the weather. Em, however, kept her promise to never complain about the cold (since I never stopped griping about the heat on our trip!)

Paul was kept quite busy with his contract work but my temporary work was pretty slow. I was forced to get things done around the house and keep the pets company. Nap time: that’s Ferris, Alison’s evil cat, with me and Ginger. I shouldn’t say “evil” but extremely unpredictable at the least!


Spring arrived at last. I especially enjoyed seeing things greening up, spring flowers and our magnolia tree in bloom for too brief a time. I missed those things last year being in a warm climate all winter (I'm not complaining!)

Mother’s Day and my birthday was much more fun this year. It brought a family trip to Miller Park for a Milwaukee Brewers’ victory and dinner out in Green Bay with Alison the next day.

I now have FOUR snuggies (2 burgundy; 2 aqua) compliments of Paul! I brought one along to keep me warm in the cockpit on a cool summer night.

Paul and our son Eric drove to the Buffalo, NY area May 29th to get the boat ready for launch. The van was packed full of everything we could imagine we’d need. No pictures of the launch since the camera was at home but all went well. Thank you SO much, Eric, for taking vacation time to help us out and for all your hard work! Paul replaced our non-working radar system with another one and found the problem was in our display unit. He attempted to repair the wiring to the anometer (wind machine) but as of yet, hasn’t been successful in getting it to work. The boat is getting in “ship-shape” however, inside and out. I'm the inside cleaner/organizer.

I delayed heading to NY to attend a family wedding. It worked out well for two reasons: I got to see family and friends I don't often see and I missed the 12-hour drive in the van. I flew out with Ginger on June 9th; GB to Detroit and from there to Buffalo. I was a little worried about Ginger flying at her advanced age but she was just fine in the pet carrier Eric got for us. I was so glad it had wheels and a long strap for the long walk during the layover. She was a source of many conversations as usual.

These unusual towers are close to our dock at Smith Boys Marina. They’re remnants of a paper mill and are now home to LOTS of swallows and working and non-working grills.

We’re actually on Tonawanda Island in the fast flowing Niagara River. This was the view last night from our stern looking toward the river. I guess I did miss those great sunset views!

We’re looking forward to a visit from Kyle and Lizzie this weekend when they drive across the state from Brooklyn. Then we’re off to Lake Erie. Thanks for sticking with us on the journey!