Entry #106: N42.58.472, W82.25.333
Sunday, August 18th (Day 104) – I can’t help but feel that Mother Nature has had it out for me and she was trying to prevent me from completing my journey. She’s seeking to seize any opportunity should I make a mental mistake to send me to Davey Jones’ locker. Its not going to happen. I was more determined than tired. I feel more assured than my physical aches and pains. I concentrated on being alert and focused, more than I have been for a month. I can do this. No excuses. I will do this!
OK, Port Huron and the Blue Water Bridge is only 40 miles (as the crow flies) and my destination for tonight is St. Clair 50 miles. The latter is a bit optimistic but the closer I get to the St. Clair River, the stronger the current in my favour. With moderate to strong winds and clear skies my fingers are crossed. It was not to be….
I left before 7 am in the rain. The offshore wind was from the east but the 3 foot rollers were coming from the southwest. The forecast was for building winds shifting to the southwest in the late morning and another line of storms to hit around 5 pm.
While preparing NTL for the stronger winds and storm my auto-pilot began acting up and kept reverting to manual. Each time I had to go back into the cockpit and take over the helm re-set my course to 245 degrees. After numerous re-sets, I tried re-positioning the autopilot into a new slot hole. It worked. My auto-pilot functioned trouble free for the remainder of my trip.
In the building winds and cross beam seas, I reduced my jib size about 15% and let out my main about a foot. Between my sails and single piston diesel (running at 2,100 rpms) my GPS indicated NTL was moving above designed hull speed (5 ½ to 6 mph)! The current was definitely a helping factor.
At 8:30 am I passed the 3,000 mile mark of my journey. I smiled when I noticed a monarch butterfly landing on my bimini before flying off. (I had seen a monarch butterfly while sailing in each of the Great Lakes with the exception of Lake Erie.) Based on my current speed and heading I would make the Blue Water Bridge around 3 pm.
By mid-morning the overcast skies had lifted and though the wind and seas had continued to slowly build, I found my boat speed had progressively slowed to 4.9 mph. This has resulted to pushing back my arrival time to 5 pm. The winds were now 12-15 knots with 3-4 foot seas. And, they have shifted. Instead of sailing on a beam reach, I was now heading into the wind and seas – resulting in my lower speed. Further the latest weather forecast indicated an earlier arrival (5 pm) of severe thunderstorms (including small craft warnings). I have been in the basin of Lake Huron during a storm and I didn’t want a repeat experience. So I set a full jib and tightened my main before increasing my throttle to 2,700 rpms. My speed increased a full mile to 5.9 mph.
By 1 pm the wind had died down leaving my jib limp. And I was still some twenty-five miles from St. Clair Municipal Marina. I could already see clouds on the western horizon and given current conditions, it was unlikely I would beat the storms.
(While studying the horizon to the west, I noticed two large freighters anchored about a mile apart near the Michigan coastline. I assumed they were waiting for the severe storms to pass before entering the St. Clair River. Later I found out I had been mistaken.)
It was time to consider contingencies. I identified two marinas just northeast of the Blue Water Bridge. I re-set my chart plotter and found them to be only 11 miles away. Unfortunately my efforts to contact either marina to secure a guest slip failed. I decided to plot my course for the two marinas anyway as I really didn’t see any alternative. I raised my engine throttle to 3,000 rpms.
I kept missing several passing thunderstorms as I continued heading towards the mouth of the St. Clair River. (They seemed to follow up the St. Clair River and at the Blue Water Bridge each storm would either pass in front or behind me before going east into Ontario.) Fortunately, with each passing storm came fresh winds and together with the current on my stern, I had made great time. It was just 3:30 pm when I entered the tight entrance and small harbour of the two Sarnia marinas. Another thunderstorm was about to hit as I sought to dock NTL. Fortunately the storm slipped by me to the south and I decided to give up on docking and go for St. Clair.
With a beaming smile, I was about to go under the Blue Water Bridge to complete my fourth Great Lake circumnavigation when I was stopped and confronted by another U.S. Customs Boarder Patrol Boat! I was prevented from passing under the Blue Water Bridge and needed to turn around as the St. Clair River was closed! HONEST! I couldn’t make this up. Apparently there was an unauthorized floating raft event down the river and St. Clair River was closed until 6:30! So that’s why the two freighters had anchored.
Ok Mother Nature. Your thunder storms hasn’t stopped me. And fetching the USCBP on me was unsuccessful? And the temporary shutdown of the St. Clair River will not deter me? I can wait. You are not going to stop me. Do you hear me Mother Nature! (To the readers of my blog, I apologize for the rant.)
I returned to the small harbour I had just left and tied up on a break wall to be protected from yet another passing thunderstorm. From here, I estimated it would take me about 2 hours to reach St. Clair. With the river opening at 6:30, I should have just enough time before darkness set in.
Suddenly two people walked over to my boat. ‘This dock belongs to the Sarnia Yacht Club. You are not allowed to tie up your boat and need to leave,’ said one individual. I responded that the river was closed, there are severe storms passing through and I’m seeking safe harbour until the river opens at 6:30 pm. ‘You can anchor the harbour’ responded one individual. I again responded, given the direction of the storms, I would be exposed anchored in the small harbour and in potential danger. No, after over 100 days I am tired and plan to safe harbour here protected by your berm. I will leave at 6:30 pm when the river opens. If that is unsatisfactory, please feel free to call the police or cost guard. The two individuals huddled and then replied, ‘OK, you can stay here but need to leave at 6:30 pm. The second person pointed to a small building and said, ‘You’re welcome to use our restroom’. I thanked them as they walked back. (I wondered, were they Mother Nature in disguise?) As I closed my eyes I felt ‘So close and yet so far’ before taking a snooze in the cockpit.
At 6:30 I promptly headed set out and followed a large cruiser under the Blue Water Bridge. Y E S! 104 days and 3034 nautical miles! Y E S!
Oh no. What are those blue and red flashing lights ahead? I line of boats – U.S.C.B.P., U.S.C.G., Sheriff and Police boats were all lined across the river each stopping boats from passing through? A U.S.C.G. approached me and announced that the river will be closed until 8:30 pm and asked where I was headed? I replied, “St. Clair Municipal Marina.” He offered that I could go into the calm waters of the Black River until river traffic is allowed. I took the coast guards advise and moored at Desmonds fuel dock. I was met by a young fellow whose first name was Carson. I told him I really didn’t need much fuel and related my story while he handed the fuel nozzle. The gallon of fuel was on the house.
It happened that the Boarder Patrol had also moored beside me. I walked over and asked if I could report my NEXUS number to them. They politely declined saying I needed to call in. After completing my NEXUS call-in I found Carson to ask where was a good hamburger place. I then walked into town and grabbed a bite to eat.
It was dark, raining and thundering when I returned to NTL. By now there were numerous other boats moored at the fuel dock – all, including myself – were given permission to safe harbour through the night. Thankful, I slept soundly that night.
If Carson reflects the level of hospitality of Desmond Marina, I need to consider keeping NTL here.
Never Too Late For 