Getting Our Feet Wet - September 4 - 6, 2016

Our departure was less than graceful, a bit rushed and chaotic and very emotional! Brie and Dave drove us up to Knife River on Saturday and helped us unload our last items into Mystic. It was overwhelming to see how much stuff we needed to stow SOMEWHERE! I’m not going to lie; there were a lot of tears but also lots of encouragement and support from these kids we raised!

The folks at Knife River have never been the selling point for docking there. Only Dave, the Marina Manager, stopped by to say goodbye and wish us well. A fishing boat with an older couple aboard, the Larsons, came to the fuel dock while we were there. They had just made the trip from Washburn to Knife River. It was a rough crossing for them and they were just sitting there, catching their breath. We chatted and Sharon (the wife) gushed over us and our plans, took our photo and gave us a big hug, wishing us God’s blessings for our journey! They restored our faith in mankind and reminded us that good outweighs bad! I took a video of our departure, filming our last glance of Knife River Marina, the beach and the Island as we headed East. My instincts tell me that we will not return there, even if we return to Lake Superior.

Chatting with Dave at Knife River

Departure Photo by Sharon Larson

The crossing was not too bad with 2-3 foot waves and rolling seas at times. The wind was fluky, gusting at times, calm at times. We made the 52 mile crossing in 8 hours. Dave chose to motor because we had to get to Buffalo Bay by dark and half of our day was over by the time we left. In addition, we needed to run the motor for a bit because we’ve put so little time on it over the last few years. When we arrived, our dear friends Jim & Linda Weckman were waiting to greet us. They motioned us to slip #15 and informed us that we would be docking at Beth & Dave’s slip (another B&D, of course) life is funny!

Sand Island Light

Mystic at Buffalo Bay

Jim and Linda were our dock neighbors at Knife River for several years. We forged a strong bond and friendship with them! It was like seeing family and the hugs we shared were soul lifting! They showed us around the Marina and Casino and introduced us to their dock family. We sat around the campfire under the pine trees and ate fresh grilled salmon and whitefish with a group of new friends. What a wonderful experience on this first night of our journey. There was a lot of talk about boats and weather so we were in good company! Both Dave and I slept better than ever! Not sure if it was sheer exhaustion or contentment!

With Linda & Jim Weckman aboard Pemion

Linda sent Jim over to gather us for breakfast aboard Pemion in the morning. Linda is a wonderful host with endless onboard tips. She gave me two hedge balls for Mystic. I’d never heard of them but Linda tells me that they will ward off bugs and spiders. She gave me tinfoil to wrap around the ball in a cup shape. As the hedge balls age they will soften and turn to mush. They should last and protect us for six months! If only they would keep flies and storms away!

Aboard Pemion with Linda Weckman

Hedgeball

We had a wonderful day at Red Cliff. Arrived at the end of Red Cliff Days, a Native American celebration. We missed most of the fun but we were able to get a taste of it Monday morning during the Tribal closing ceremony complete with singing and drum rhythm. It was so moving and emotional. Linda and I took a walk to Roy's Point Marina then Dave and I ran the same course later in the day. My high school friend Jerri, along with husband Stefan had planned to meet us at Buffalo Bay. Jim and Linda joined us for a pot luck dinner of grilled chicken, fresh green beans, potato salad and bean dip with chips. It was a heartwarming evening!

Buffalo Bay Legendary Waters Marina

Red Cliff Days Closing Ceremony

Miskwa Bekong

With Linda Weckman & Jerri Mitchell

We planned to head for Ontonagon first thing in the morning. T-storms passed over us during the night but were followed by a band of angry red on the radar in the morning. We decided to stay put until the storms are gone. Hoping to leave by mid day. If nothing else, we can anchor in the Apostles and get a good start tomorrow.

Mystic at Buffalo Bay

Foggy Morning