Entry #90: N45.59.865, W83.53.974
Tuesday, July 30th (Day 85): Last night I sat in my cabin reflecting. With few exceptions, these past two/three weeks have taken a toll physically and mentally. I found myself increasingly pushing myself to my limits – both physically and mentally. Even though I was close to entering my 5th Great Lake (Superior), I needed to motivate myself to push forward. Doubt had slowly began to creep up in the back of my mind.
The sources for my lingering doubt that I could accomplish all my goals were twofold _ First, I knew I was running out of time. Even if I made it in time to start the Trans-Superior race would I have enough time to get back? Unlikely, as it has taken me 85 days to make a little over 2500 nautical miles. Circumnavigating Lake Superior alone will likely add close to 1,000 miles and it would be nearing Sept. 1st. Well past my deadline and I still would need another week to complete the Canadian side! I kinda knew this when I was on Washington Isle but I was able to convince myself to put my concerns aside and move forward. Adding to the scenario, if I decided to forgo circumnavigation and just do the Trans-Superior, the finish line was in Duluth – the other end of Lake Superior!
And a second source for my lingering doubt and despair was my physical condition. In addition to being in constant pain even in the best of sailing conditions, I knew that I no longer had the strength or stamina to handle severe weather conditions like I had encountered on Lakes Erie and Michigan. And I was about to challenge Lake Superior with the hope that the weather would be moderate for an entire month! In April in anticipation that I might need an extended time to physically re-coup and prepare NTL prior to taking on Lake Superior, I had reserved a slip at George Kemp Marina in Sault Saint Marie from Monday, July 29th (yesterday) through to Saturday, August 3rd. Now I will be fortunate to make it by Thursday with no time to re-coup or prepare NTL!
I couldn’t come up with a solution but I wasn’t ready to give up – not yet anyway. I got up and went for a walk thinking about my state of mind. I decided that my lack of motivation was the result of me fixating on the negative(s). So I decided to ignore the reasons against and focus on what I had accomplished to date and what I needed to do to best plan for and prepare for the next leg – Lake Superior. When I got back to NTL from my walk, I was thinking of my next leg heading for George Kemp Marina.
Never Too Late For 