Leaving Perry’s Landing Marina, Erie PA

Entry #58:  The good news is that I am updating my blog at a marina with wifi.  The bad news is that I am updating my blog instead of sailing due to high winds forecast for tonight.

Tuesday, June 11th:  The forecast was for cooling temperatures, winds out of the NW in the 20’s (knots).  After yesterday, I was not looking forward to another grinding sail (my lower back and right hip issues), so I decided to rest another day.  It was good walking the four miles to and from Starbucks.  As I was walking a police officer on a bike rode by and said a friendly hello.  That struck me positively.  I have say, both the harbor setting and downtown of Erie are very impressive.  After updating my blog, I walked back to my slip taking in the beautiful harbor and spent the rest of the day doing wash and thinking about tomorrows’ sail.  After analyzing several apps on the long term weather forecasts for the western part of Lake Erie I was having difficulty deciding what course to pursue.  Do I take the longer route and follow the coastline or do I take more of a rhumline.  All the forecasts called for 30 to 40 knot winds coming from the west later in the week.  But as I’ve experienced the inaccurate forecasts due in part to the instability of the weather gave me an uneasy feeling.  And NTL does not have the speed to run away should in complement weather show up.  On the other hand, I’m running close to ten days behind my projected schedule and both budget and supplies are running low.

I was approximately 140 to 150 miles from the mouth of the Detroit River as the crow flies.  Ten days behind schedule and running low on supplies and budget, I needed to make-up sailing distance and was hoping to do an overnight.   Tomorrow’s forecast during the day called for 10 to 14 knot winds from the south during the day.  Ideal for NTL.  However, in the late evening and through the night, storms were being forecast with winds over 25 knots coming from the southwest.  An overnight strategy was not advisable.

Geneva On The Lake Marina in Ohio was 58 nautical miles.  Given the favourable forecast, if I leave early,  I should be able to reach the marina before the heavy winds and storms arrive.  With the extra days rest I felt good and decided to go for it in the morning.  Throughout the night I re-confirmed the favorable forecast.

Wednesday, June 12th:  It was a beautiful morning, I made coffee and hot oatmeal and left early.  The morning winds were light coming from the south east building to 10 to 14 knots as forecast.  I took in the beautiful sailing conditions.  Winds together with 2-3 foot seas seemed ideal for NTL.  Late in the morning I began to notice the winds slowly clocking to the southwest – earlier than forecast – and, the winds would periodically die down only to pick up.  It was a bit frustrating as changes would require constant sail adjustments.  Tiring but I was making progress.  It was at this time that I noticed my CBP patrol vessel a couple hundred yards to my starboard heading west at a high rate of speed.  I waved as they went by.  There were no other boats visible.

In the early afternoon the winds began to build until I found in necessary to furl my jib 50% and reef my main sail.  The forecast for winds to blow 25 to 30 knots in the late evening had come early!   Why was I not surprised as the weather has been both unstable and unpredictable through-out my trip.

Bursts of winds caused NTL to heal over 20 degrees and the 6’+ waves from the west resulted in me being tossed forward then back in the cockpit.  Fortunately I had learned to secure the cabin during this trip.  However, after 4 hours of this pounding, my right hip began protesting and I wished I had my Michigan helmet and pads on.   Throughout this trip, I never doubted NTL’s ability to handle these conditions.  NTL would heal (at times 20 degrees) with each wind burst and take on the oncoming seas tracking steadily on the course ordered.

I made better than average time and reached Geneva on the Lake Marina around 6:30 pm.  I felt a sense of accomplishment as I finally made my planned waypoint.   AND the marina had a functional WIFI!

Tonight I feasted on a can of tuna, updated my blog and prepared for tomorrow….

Take care everyone.