Entry # 61: N41.35.596, W82.42.753
Sunday, June 16th: After 41 days I was anxious to complete circumnavigating the second Great Lake and get home for needed repairs to the boat, rest my body, enjoy home cookings and seeing my family and grandchildren – not necessarily in chronological order. If I could make Kelleys Island today I should be docked on Lake St. Clair on day 43.
I was up before 5 am getting ready for an early start. Kelleys Island is part of the island chains north of Sandusky, Ohio which includes Put-In-Bay and Pelee Island. I targeted Kellie Island because it was the most direct route home. If the weather was promising, I would take the rhumb line (52 miles) to the island. If high winds or storms were forecast, I planned to follow the coastline to Sandusky and then cross north to the island. The second route added an additional 10 nautical miles and thus another day to the trip. From Kelleys’ Island it would only be 75 miles (or 2 easy days) to Jefferson Beach Marina on Lake Saint Clair.
The evening before the forecast called for north eastern winds 5 to 17 knots, 2-4 foot seas with chance of showers. No storms or lightening in the forecast forecast. I decided to take the rhumb line. Another learning experience. I left dock at 6 pm in thick fog and a cool breeze. I checked my Marine App to check on location and direction of ships in the area. Satisfied I proceeded to set sail and power towards my waypoint in the dense fog.
Around 10 am the fog was beginning to lift and behind it the wind was filling in initially from the west. By 10:30 am the fog had lifted and the wind had changed direction now coming from the northeast – as originally forecast. While the winds were at 8 knots the seas were 3 to 4 feet – unusually high for the strength of the wind. I didn’t think much about it at the time.
By noon I had made the halfway mark, however the winds and seas had continued to build and were now gusting at 22 knots with 6-7 foot seas coming at 45 degrees starboard stern. I reefed my main and set my jib at 50% while taking the tiller from my complaining auto-pilot. I wondered why were the seas so large? Then it came to me. When I studied the wind patterns and their strength the previous evening, I remember seeing that the west and central part of Lake Erie were projected to have up to 30 knot winds and 7 to 8 foot seas. I was on the west side of Lake Erie and saw a much more moderate forecast. And of course, I had based my decision to take the rhumb line on the moderate weather forecast not thinking that the waves and winds on the east would hit the western part of the lake as well! Another lesson learned. Boy I felt like a dummy.
I was making great time (6 to 7+ mph) and arrived and docked at Portside Marina on Kelleys Island at 5 pm. After checking in the 3/4 empty marina, I took a shower and had a nice warm meal. As I fell asleep all I could think about is 45 more miles to the mouth of the Detroit River. Yes.
Never Too Late For 