Greetings from Our New "Home", Harrisville MI

This Saturday morning we're in the quiet little town of Harrisville MI on Lake Huron.  We arrived on Monday and took their "pay for three days get the fourth free" deal, but are staying an additional two days to avoid rough seas in the Lake.  That's one of the many beautiful things about this adventure - we don't have to push ahead when the weather forecast is bad (AND we can make tonight's party at the marina).  But six days at one port makes for one antsy Captain...

The last couple of mornings it's been in the 50's and we've run the heat to take off the chill.  Wish we could send some cool air to those of you who need it!  Tomorrow we are headed for an anchorage in Presque Isle MI.

Now for the pictures...  And, more later, take care!

In Port Huron just below Lake Huron on the St. Clair River,
a small fishing boat drifts downstream in sight of a big ship.

This retired Coast Guard Light Ship is now a museum.  The
Blue River Bridges between the U.S. and Canada are behind it.

We rode bikes from Port Huron to this beach on Lake Huron.

From the beach, we saw this sailboat slowly making its way
into Lake Huron against a four nautical miles/hour current.

 

The entrance to the Black River, leaving Port Huron.

MAIA slowly leaves the Blue Water Bridges in her wake
against the strong current of Lake Huron.

On July 19th while we were in port, the 110 foot barge ARTHUR J
and a 38 foot tug were not so lucky, sinking in heavy seas about five
miles up Lake Huron.  On July 21st, we passed the recovery effort.

Port Sanilac MI from our anchorage in the harbor.

The entrance to Harrisville Harbor.

Harrisville Harbor from land.  From the Harbor there's an
incredible panoramic view of Lake Huron.

Sunrise at Harrisville MI looking across Lake Huron.

Don't Give Up The Ship, or, Arachnophobia

In the last 10 days we've conquered Lake Erie, traveled the Detroit River, crossed Lake St. Clair and almost completed the St. Clair River.  Today we are in Port Huron MI, in the Black River just off the St. Clair River and a very short distance from Lake Huron.

Shortly after we tied up in Port Huron yesterday we heard a knock on MAIA's stern - it was Bill who passed us in the Hudson River hundreds of miles ago and again in the Erie Canal where we met him over dinner (also hundreds of miles ago)!  Bill is paddling the Great Loop in his 16-foot canoe, remember?  Hopefully we'll meet again.

We've now visited eight states...VA, MD, DE, NJ, NY, PA, OH and MI.  I only have one complaint: SPIDERS!  Starting in the Erie Canal we've been fighting the creatures (who knew they like to cruise?); the locals tell us we can't win the battle but we'll keep trying.

Okay, now for the pictures...  More later, take care!

Entering the Vermilion River, OH

Glacial grooves on Kelleys Island OH in Western Lake Erie

One more sunset picture, at South Bass Island OH, Put-In-Bay.
The western Lake Erie islands could make you forget you're
not in the Caribbean.

MAIA, moored at South Bass Island, taken from Perry's
Victory & International Peace Memorial.  In the War of 1812,
Commodore Perry flew a "Don't Give Up The Ship" flag
and won the Battle of Lake Erie.

Another view of some of the western Lake Erie islands
from atop Perry's Memorial

The City of Detroit from the river

Dave cools off and blows some bubbles in the crystal clear
waters of Lake St. Clair

On the right, a squall that we avoided in Lake St. Clair. a few
minutes later another storm passed over us briefly.

From our slip at Metrobeach Park on Black Creek looking out
to Lake St. Clair

In upper Lake St. Clair, a tree in the marsh

One of the bridges in Port Huron MI closes behind us as we
wait for the second to open.  On Thursday July 19th we'll
head up Lake Huron to Port Sanilac MI.

P.S.  We've picked out a few houses along the way in the last few days that we thought would be nice to live in, here are a few...


On Catawba Island OH, Lake Erie

On South Bass Island OH, Lake Erie
(it's a house, really!)

Just kidding, I'm not into eight-legged creatures...
This place is for sale on Black Creek off of Lake St. Clair



This log home with copper roof is along the St. Clair River.
There's some incredible real estate along the river on
both U.S. and Canadian sides.

Erie, Erie and More Erie

It's been another great week!  We completed the Erie Canal, visited Erie PA and are continuing thru Lake Erie.  It's HOT here (not quite as hot as Richmond VA and other places, though).  We're hustling thru Lake Erie due to its fickle, unpredictable weather.  But it kind of feels like home (the Chesapeake Bay) with wind and waves and wide-open water (and fickle weather).

Yesterday afternoon we rented a car in Cleveland OH and restocked some necessities (mainly wine and beer, with some parts and pieces for MAIA and a few perishable food items).  It was an adventure driving a car after almost two months.  We took the opportunity to visit a restaurant featured on Guy Fieri's show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."  "Sterle's Slovenian Country House" fit the bill with live Polka music and an inexpensive meal of salad, chicken noodle soup, yummy veal, roast pork, Polish sausage, potatoes and spicy sauerkraut.  But I digress...

Our next few planned stops are Vermilion OH, Port Clinton OH and several anchorages in western Lake Erie.

Here's the rest of the week in pictures...  More later, take care!

The bascule bridge in Black Rock Canal, Niagara River,
lifts for MAIA

The Peace Bridge between the U.S. and Canada and
Lake Erie beyond

Sunset at Dunkirk NY

Sunset at Dunkirk, part II

The fireworks at Erie PA (Presque Isle) were terrific
from MAIA's flybridge!

Leaving Presque Isle

Algae(?) in Lake Erie en route to Cleveland OH

The algae(?) in MAIA's wake.
It was beautiful but a little eerie.

The east entrance to Cleveland's breakwater

Happy Canada Day

We've spent the last few days amongst a group of friendly Canadians in Tonawanda, outside of Buffalo and spitting distance from the Niagara River.  Tomorrow we leave for Dunkirk NY as an interim stop on the way to Erie PA.  I will miss New York, where we've spent more than one month!

Our next adventures will be in Lake Erie.  More soon, take care!

Sunset at Medina Canal Harbor

On the way to Tonawanda, lush farmland along the canal

Also large orchards...

We were lifted in the last two Erie Canal locks (#34 and #35
are side-by-side) in Lockport.  This is as we were leaving
lock 35.

In Tonawanda we've seen hundreds of boats.  They raft up
sometimes four boats deep against the wall.  We enjoyed
concerts on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

We took the city bus to Niagara Falls ($5 for me and $2.50 for Dave, but
we might have been able to walk there faster...)

We walked over to Canada on the Rainbow Bridge.
US on the left, Canada on the right.