Waiska Bay to Whitefish Bay Safe Harbor

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Dave was up at 5:30 while I stayed snuggled in bed for another hour. We had planned to leave by 6:00 am and make a 70 mile run. There is a cold north wind so Dave decided we should go to Whitefish Point and wait out the weather.  We can make a longer run in better conditions.

The days are running together.  It’s good we have phones that show date and time and that I’m marking each day as I write our ship’s log. We aren't sure we'll make it to the Apostles by July 4 for the fireworks as planned. It’s ok, the goal is to get to Knife River safely. We hope to hike the Au Sable sand dunes on Grand Marais and visit the Picture Rocks between Grand Marais and Munising.  That north wind may keep us away though.

Gros Cap Reefs lighthouse, the first ugly lighthouse we've seen, is offshore and appears to be built to withstand the weather. Iroquois Light is onshore.  It is abandoned but beautiful. We arrived in Lake Superior to a bell ringing on green marker #39 at 9:30 am.



Gros Cap Reef Light

We docked at slip 6, on the safe harbor dock at Whitefish Point. We can stay here for free. Cruising books call this a “Refuge”.  A Coast Guard boat is sitting at the dock with 4 young ‘coasties’ aboard.  We brought them home baked chocolate chip cookies. The first thing they said to us as we approached was, “Are you American?”  They were nice young men who told us the lighthouse was a short walk away. This lighthouse is believed to be the oldest on the lake, built in 1849. It marks “the graveyard of the Great Lakes”, with more than 500 shipwrecks off the point, including the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Mystic at Whitefish Point Harbor

Standing on the point at the site of
the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald



Whitefish on the point

We walked along the shore to the point and took photos of ourselves standing where we imagined the great ship Edmund Fitzgerald went down. It reminded me of my beloved Bluff Point except Whitefish Point shot out in the opposite direction. The Whitefish Lighthouse is a tourist destination with a museum and store. There were a gazillion people visiting the lighthouse. We took photos and meandered through the store before heading back to the harbor past the Seney National Wildlife Refuge.  Visit http://www.fws.gov/refuge/seney/  for photos and details of this beautiful place.  Again, we are reminded that there is never enough time to experience all we wish to. 


Whitefish Point Lighthouse

Whitefish Point Lighthouse

It is quiet here at the safe harbor, much like it has been at all the state docks we have visited. We rock gently and I dream of having a gourmet ice cream cone. Dave is listening to VHF and finding French Canadian channels. I wonder if our daughter, Brie would get a kick out that since she is fluent in French.

The breakwater we are tethered to is very popular. Tons of folks have walked out past Mystic to the entrance to the safe harbor. A motorcycle couple from Detroit stopped to admire our boat. The man said he owned a Seafarer 28. We looked at a Seafarer 34, Wind Swept Lady, while we were searching for a cruising vessel. The motorcyclist admired how updated Mystic is, noting the modern refit with windless, anchor rollers, roller furling and winches. The couple was biking around Lake Superior. They complained about the cold June weather which was definitely an issue for us as well. They said Detroit has been wet this spring. They bought 2 new 65 gallon rain barrels for their yard and they are already full.  They can’t use the water fast enough. We are impressed that they are exploring Lake Superior by motorcycle. 

Musings:

• Wind has finally lightened as evening settles in.  We sit on deck with cups of tea laden with honey as we listen to 70’s and 80’s music on the radio.  Life is simple, life is good
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• Tomorrow should bring lighter winds but we’ll be covering high miles under the toughest section of the lake they call Gitche Gumee. We will be rested and excited to get to the marina in Grand Marais. All I can think of is taking a shower!!! 
  
  
• We’ll have lots to do when we get to Knife River. Mystic has fared well but is very dirty and has some dings that could use tender loving care. Dave checked the 15.5 gallon head tank. We need to pump out as soon as we are at a marina. We didn’t expect it to fill so quickly. We estimate we only used it 10-15 times. 
  
  
• Dave ran the jack lines tonight in anticipation of a wild ride tomorrow. We will be able to attach our harnesses to the bright yellow lines and move along the full length of the boat safely.  He’s always thinking and strategizing.
  
  
• Two of everything! Impracticable at times but has saved us more than once.  This trip we brought 2 camera batteries (one died), 2 CF cards (one failed), 2 computers (one died), 2 sets of charts (one printed, one on the computer which failed). Yes, whenever possible bring backup!
  
  
• We arrived on Lake Superior today! Yeah, us!