Making Lemonade

Summer commitments interfered with long-term cruising plans, but Jake and I finally got away for a week. We met dad and Ariel in Whitehall on Monday. Dad had sailed up there with Jono and Amanda the previous week. Jake and I moved in, and Jon and Amanda took the car and headed back to St. Joseph.

With a fresh SW wind, we departed Whitehall and, the wind on the nose, motored the length of White Lake. Once out on Lake Michigan, we set a course north for Pentwater and had a mostly pleasant sail. About 10 miles out of Pentwater the Coast Guard issued an Urgent Marine Broadcast, calling for severe thunderstorms, gusts to 50kts, and frequent lightning. The wind and the waves we can prepare for, the lightning however is a different story. There's nothing like sitting in the middle of open water with a 55 foot lightning rod.

We lowered sail and fired up the engine as the sky darkened. The warning indicated that the storm should reach us within 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes came and went - no storm, just a dark sky and waves. Whatever storm there was fizzled out, and we entered Pentwater channel under jib about an hour later and dropped anchor in our favorite spot.

We have many fond memories of Pentwater. It was our safe harbor during our first summer cruise when the fuel system clogged with crud and forced us to sail in the channel. The family joined us while we made additional repairs to the water pump. Carrie was very pregnant with Jake at the time, and my dad bought (created?) a Stuff-a-Bear (a lion, really) in anticipation of his first grandson. We continued the tradition begun that summer during last year's cruise, getting a stuffed elephant for Josh. And this summer, in anticipation of another grandson, my brother's first, Grandpa got a giraffe. Jake and Josh helped out this time, each kissing a little star before placing it inside their little cousin's giraffe.

We departed Pentwater Thursday morning after spending several days swimming, fishing, and otherwise lounging about. It was disappointing to leave, but the clock was ticking down and I had to be back home for pre-session beginning on Monday.

After stops in Muskegon and Holland, we arrived back in St. Joseph yesterday (Saturday) evening. It's tough to pack up and leave Ariel in her slip, especially after spending so little time aboard. I've already begun looking to next summer in anticipation of a real summer cruise.

Whitehall to Pentwater. First sunshine, then the threat of storm.






Living it up in Pentwater.











Homeward bound.