Jackson Harbor Mishap To Rock Island Chaos

July 29, 2023

We departed from Fayette, Michigan in very light winds with Shoo Fly at our side. Our day was spent motoring along, enjoying an easy ride. Our next stop was meant to be Jackson Harbor on Washington Island for a two night stay. We called ahead to ask about depths because both of our sailboats have deep drafts; Shoo Fly draws 5 feet and Mystic 5.5. After entering the harbor, we were told to pass the red day marker and make our way directly to the dock. We did just that, moving very slowly. A boat was sitting in our way, on the end of the dock next to the channel where our slips were. Folks on board were chatting and watching our approach. We ran aground about 200 feet off the dock. Dave attempted to back us off while I warned Dan and Nena not to follow. They turned around right at a floating green Clorox bottle that someone had placed in the harbor and headed back out of the harbor. We were stuck in place. Contemplating our options, we watched Shoo Fly come to a dead stop as they hit a rock. Dan realigned toward the channel we'd entered and made his way out. Dave kept trying to back off with no luck until the wind lessened just a little and we finally popped free. He quickly turned Mystic and headed out of the very shallow water. We passed the green bottle to our starboard, unsure of it's purpose but going with our gut. Once back into the deep water, we contacted Dan and Nena and made the joint decision to head for Rock Island, just across the bay. 

Later, we talked to our friend Mark, a local sailor who is very experienced sailing Green Bay. He told us that we should have aimed at the left corner of the dock instead of the right where our slip was. We were surprised to learn that Mark had placed the green Clorox bottle at the left edge of the channel to assist boaters. Mark said that running aground in Jackson Harbor is very common.

Shoo Fly and Mystic crossed the bay and headed for Rock island. The 52 foot sailboat we saw in Fayette was tucked inside the dock. The pier  is "L" shaped. The outside is completely exposed to weather. The west winds we were experiencing made our approach sketchy. We tied Mystic off then prepared for Shoo Fly to come in. Both boats were bucking badly. As Shoo Fly attempted to tuck in behind us, her stern was getting forced into the corner of the dock, her bow was pushed away from the dock. I grabbed the bow line as Nena yelled a warning that they were about to hit the cement pier. Dave used all his strength to hold Shoo Fly off. His attempts definitely saved them from certain damage, but in the process, their stanchion snapped off at the base. Dan was able to tie it in place and it held incredibly well, but they would not be able to trust that stanchion for the rest of the trip.  

Rock Island Concrete Dock

The captain of the 52 foot sailboat noticed that we were being hammered by conditions on the outside of the dock and offered to let us raft up to him in the calm waters inside, but we declined their generosity. We usually only raft with boats we know well because you have to climb across their boat to get to land. We didn't want to impose on them.

The Rock Island ferry has two loading spots, one inside and one outside the pier. It docks based on weather condition, choosing the safest option for loading and unloading visitors to the park. A small fishing boat was in the ferry landing slip on the inside pier. We tied up about one foot from the yellow line on the outside. We had to tip our solar panel so Shoo fly could tuck in only six inches behind us. It was a tight fit! Both boats were getting hit with rollers on the nose and bobbing two feet up and down as the winds increased and the bouncing got worse. 

The Park Ranger asked Dave to help her move the little fishing boat out of the ferry's way for the next loading. The ferry's last run of the day is at 4:00. We planned to move inside right after but a power boat snuck in and took our spot. Resigned to spending a difficult night on the outside, we joined Dan and Nena for dinner aboard Shoo Fly. We were having a great time until we heard a loud bang and felt a violent impact. Dan thought Shoo Fly hit Mystic but we found that Shoo Fly's metal toe rail had hit the concrete dock taking a chunk out of it. It was time for us to move! 

The fishing boat left and the power boat that took our spot on the inside informed us that they were leaving too. When Shoo Fly hit the cement dock everyone heard it and came off their boats to see what happened. The crew of the big sailboat offered to help us walk our boats around from the outside into the protection behind the pier. Everyone pitched in including a child about 10 years old. This was an awesome example of the support we experience within the boating community. Nena took videos of the transfers. 

Mystic on the outside wall at Rock Island
Photo by Nena Mooney

Preparing to move our boats
Photo by Nena Mooney

Moving Shoo Fly
Video by Nena Mooney

Moving Mystic
Video by Nena Mooney

Things improved greatly once we moved inside. Later, we had the opportunity to pay it forward when a fishing boat approached the outside dock and tried to tie off in the rough conditions and dark night. We ran to grab their lines but it was so rough that they were uncomfortable staying outside the dock. We suggested they try the short end of the dock that also had some protection from the waves. We walked them around just like our dock neighbors had walked us around. Their boat settled nicely. They thanked us and offered us a beer but we were too tired to accept. It had been an eventful day for us. As we walked away the captain hollered "and to think we heard that all sail boaters were jerks". We laughed out loud at this rude comment that was actually meant as a compliment. The fishermen were acknowledging that sailors are really not that different from power boaters in the ways that matter.

Three Boats at Rock Island
Photo by Nena Mooney

Rock Island Sunset
Photo by Nena Mooney

View of Mystic through boathouse

Boathouse View of Mystic & Shoo Fly

Rock Island Boathouse

In the morning,  we had to be off the dock before the first ferry's arrival at 9:15. We got up early to walk to the Pottawatomie Lighthouse. The host greeted us and told us she woke at 3:00 am to singing and chanting coming from outside. It scared her. There was a full moon and she thought it could be a Wiccan group who were known to do this along the woods above the cliffs of Rock Island. She said the scariest part of it was that she heard someone try to open the entry door to the lighthouse.

Harbor Host greeting us at
Pottawatomie Lighthouse

We made it back to our boats and headed out of the harbor before the ferry even left the dock at Washington Island. Our final stop on our North Green Bay Loop will be Sister Bay on Door County. We'd weathered many "storms" on our journey but we know that the most difficult experiences make the best stories. Especially when you survive them.