Dreams & Realities ~ With a healthy dose of mortality

The winter of 2014 was BRUTAL! Temperatures have been well below zero for much of January. Local schools have shut down for "cold" days five times this month. Fuel prices are alarmingly high for families who are already stretching their budgets beyond reason. Some days it's hard to get out of bed, but still, we dream of springtime, warm weather and sailing aboard our Alberg 35, Mystic.

St. Paul Winter Carnival 2014

It is easy to fall into a rut living here in Minnesota. We try to hold onto the adventure and excitement of the summer and apply them to the cold months with snowboarding and winter festivals, good food and lots of hot coffee. It's something we have to work at. Everything is hard in the winter. Everything!

Split Rock Lighthouse View

Snowboarding at Welch Village

Snow Angel

I'd been thinking a lot about our future. Dave is ready to leave the comfort of our mundane, yet safe routine of work, play, saving for retirement, more work, more play. He reminds me that we are not getting any younger; our bodies are not recovering from the battering of all that play. Dave wants to go cruising NOW, while we still have our health and our ambition for this adventure. I want this too; but I am the careful one and the voice of reason. I want everything to be in place and perfect before we embark on this lifelong dream. As we tossed around the pros and cons life happened.

Life is full forks in the road. Just when you think you've settled into a routine, something comes up that rocks your world and changes your perception. Mortality has been nudging me with a sledgehammer intensity this past year. My first hit came with the sudden death of my father and the next with the passing of an old friend. James was our high school class president. He was kind to everyone, smart and athletic; a real nice guy. After high school, I did not see James but we reconnected on Facebook and I saw him at our 35th high school reunion in October of 2013. I spent some time with James catching up on life today and life over the years. We sat together, chatting and, at times, just sitting quietly, watching the festivities together. It was easy to be quiet with James. I could see that he was not well but he didn't talk about it. His health issues were made public in January 2014 when James made his way home to Groton, Connecticut to spend his last days in hospice care surrounded by family and friends. He passed away on Monday, January 27, 2014. He was 53 years young. His early passing made an impact on all of us. Once again, mortality was nudging me.

With James Chapman at our 35th high school reunion

It was fun to see all my classmates at the reunion. Several of them were either fighting cancer or would soon be fighting cancer. Facebook was becoming a Caring Bridge extension with too many posts of people struggling with health issues. The reality of aging and mortality was in my face reminding me that no one gets out alive. The saying, "Live like your dying", was running around in my head, feverishly, like a gerbil on a wheel. I felt bad for those who were struggling. I felt bad for being healthy. I didn't want to live like I was dying...I wanted to live like I was LIVING! I wanted to take the reins of my life and yell giddy up, then sprint off into the sunrise of my life, not sit quietly waiting for the sunset!

My classmates celebrating our 35th High School Reunion

As a marathoner, I know about struggle. I know about perseverance. I know about never quitting. Every fork in the road has unknown challenges, and sometimes things don't work out as planned. It would be so easy to keep putting off our dreams until everything is perfect. That might feel safe but the reality is, we don't have forever. Mortality shows no discrimination; it visits everyone, often without warning. It has a way of waking us up. I didn't expect my dad to die last year. I certainly didn't expect to see my friend or others in my age group pass away either. Mortality has my attention. I am fully awake; aware and eager to get both feet deep into anything that fills me up. My fear of the unknown is replaced by my fear of time evaporating. It's time to implement our plans for cruising aboard Mystic. Life has provided us a nudge!

Mystic docked at Lime Island, MI - 2013

A visit to Mystic - January 1, 2014

The year 2013 came to an end quietly in Stillwater. We stayed in on New Year's Eve but celebrated with Morey's smoked salmon and cream cheese on crackers, fresh lobster and home made clam chowder.The 'chowda' was made from a recipe out of an old cookbook from Mystic, CT which I got from my grandmother. For dessert I made one of our favorites; tofu chocolate moose topped with real whipped cream.

Dave had been working long hours during the holidays. Luckily, he had New Year's Day off. We decided to go on an adventure and headed North toward Knife River. We planned to check in on Mystic, our Alberg 35, then drive North to Split Rock Lighthouse to take winter photos. On the way, we stopped at McQuades' Harbor of Refuge, north of Duluth along scenic 61. It was mighty cold at  -1 F, but the die hard ice fishermen were out on the ice trying their luck. The lake was beautiful. We took photos of the shoreline with fresh snow covering the jetty and ice coating the shoreline.

McQuade's Harbor of Refuge Jetty

Lake Superior, North of Duluth, McQuade's

We stopped at Stony Point Road, our favorite section of Scenic Rt. 61. The view was magical! The lake was open in spots but the shoreline was dramatically frozen in patterns and glazes. We walked along the rocks which we'd used to sun ourselves on all summer after taking a quick dip in the lake. The shoreline is rocky with small round stones. Our instincts reminded us to walk carefully as the rocks can shift under our weight. On this day, there was no movement. Everything was frozen together. Dave made his way onto a section of flat rock and tried to slide on his back. Although it had a coating of ice a couple of inches thick, it was not slippery underneath his clothing. We laughed as he tried to slide to no avail. He was able to get some gorgeous closeups of the frozen flora from his vantage point though.

Stony Point Road Shack

Dave hamming it up on the ice!

Sitting atop the glaze at Stony Pt. Rd.

The shoreline was frozen in layers creating a Dr. Seuss-like pattern. The larger rocks were capped with ice which made them look like crystal mushrooms. Everything else was glazed over like a warm glazed donut.

Dr. Seuss-like scene, Stony Pt. Rd.

Mushroom capped rocks

Glazed shoreline

Ice varnished rocks

Ice varnished rocks

We got cold quickly so we headed for Knife River to check in on Mystic.  It was very quiet in "downtown" Knife River. My chest filled with excitement as we crossed the train tracks and entered the parking lot at the Marina. Mystic was close to the launch and only three boats into the line of vessels standing at attention on their winter storage. We rounded the first boat, sighted the second boat and then saw Mystic as we had left her, on the cradle and wrapped in old advertising tarps. Dave drove a bit past her and we both gasped and exclaimed at the same time, "OH NO!" My excitement was replaced by anxiety. I felt a wave of cold fill my chest, much like the feeling of being dipped in the Great Lake Superior in the middle of June. Knife River had suffered a major winter storm earlier in the season. It appeared that the northern blow had shredded the aft tarps, pulling out the grommets and throwing the tarps off of the cockpit. We could see that the cockpit was filled with a couple feet of snow which covered the cabin hatch as well. With dread we left the truck to survey the damage. Two tarps on the port side were in a tangled mess and were shredded in places, frozen and virtually unusable. We would need a new tarp. We drove to Two Harbors thinking that stores would be closed on New Year's Day but found that the local general store was open and had tarps in stock, but the cost and value were not worth it. In addition, the temperature was dropping. It would be frigid and dangerous to attempt the repair today.  We decided to wait and buy tarps in the Cities then return the next weekend. We would have more time to do the job right in safer conditions.

With some apprehension, we left Knife River for Split Rock Lighthouse. There are two car tunnels carved into the rocky coastline on the way. It was a lovely drive. We were surprised to see a cargo ship out on the big lake headed for Duluth. When we got to Split Rock, we paid $5.00 for parking then made our way down to Pebble Beach. The shoreline was magically frozen here too. The island off of Pebble beach was covered in snow and ice. Our photos captured only some of the beauty we were witnessing. We can see the lighthouse from the beach. It is an amazing view. Dave mentioned that he would like to check lake depths to see if we can tuck Mystic into this gorgeous spot. It would be nice to anchor here and photograph the lighthouse from the lake. Even better would be a photo of Mystic at anchor below the Split Rock Lighthouse cliffs.

Pebble Beach View looking South

Island off of Split Rock Light & Pebble Beach

Ice coated Pebble Beach

Split Rock Light view from Pebble Beach

When we left Pebble Beach, we drove up to the lighthouse to take the trail that leads down the cliffs to a lookout; another great spot to view and photograph the lighthouse. We almost passed the walkway because the path was closed off with ropes and signs. We turned back and looked out over the lake from there.

Split Rock Light

View of Pebble Beach from Split Rock Light

Weather beaten light

Split Rock Light

Split Rock Light

Split Rock Scenic 61 roadside view

Our walk made us cold so we made our way back to the truck to warm up. It was 3:30 and would be getting dark soon. We headed home, planning to stop for dinner at Grandma's restaurant. The Duluth lift bridge is right behind Grandma's. We arrived just in time to hear the lift bridge whistle blow, indicating that a boat would be passing underneath. This seemed impossible with all the ice and snow around us. We ran over to the canal to get a better view and saw a tugboat crushing ice as a cargo ship lined up to pass through the cleared path. It was so cold we were forced to seek shelter in the restaurant. We sat at the bar where we could see the action outside through a window. It took at least 20 minutes before the cargo ship made it's way through the channel and out into the big lake. I was disappointed that I missed this photo op. With luck, there will be another opportunity to witness and record the harsh and raw beauty of these northern winter conditions.

Grandma's Restaurant, Duluth

Ice crushing tug in Duluth Harbor

Grandma's - Taps - Brrr

Winterizing Mystic ~ Our first Season

The fall of 2013 turned out to be a busy time for us. It was a bit of a surprise to learn that we had to have Mystic ready for haul out by October 15th. In addition to being disappointed that our season was coming to and end, the timing was bad. Dave had returned to work in September, almost two months earlier than usual. We had our second 2013 marathon scheduled for October 12 in Hartford, CT with plans to stay out East for two weeks. And, we were feverishly trying to get the foundation poured for our garage rebuild project at our home before the cold set in.

We planned and organized as best as we could but fate checked in on September 30th. I got the call after work. My father had passed away suddenly. We had to make our way to Connecticut immediately. There are so many emotions attached to the loss of a loved one. Shock, confusion, and sadness. Dad went so quickly...no time for regrets or goodbyes!  It was a long drive from Stillwater, to Mystic. We drove straight through arriving at 5:00 am. After a short nap we dressed for Dad's service.

I've heard it said that death brings out the worst in people. Everyone seems to have a story about family drama raising it's ugly head at funerals. My father's service was no exception. In the midst of loss and sadness, we were faced, with the elephant in the room; the reality that our family was not what we believed it was. My father left our family to start a second family when I was in my early twenties. He and his second wife had one child. My dad's wife and son made all of the service arrangements and posted the obituary. They excluded us, the first family. Although the intent seemed to be to disrespect us, their behavior was more of an insult to the memory of my father. He deserved better. Tired and sad, I could only stand there overwhelmed. All I could think was that my father would have been disappointed.

Wendell B Dailey Jr.
"My Dad"

Wrapped in my fog of grief, I kept my thoughts with my dad as I walked along my favorite beach, Bluff Point in Groton, Connecticut. I go to "The Bluff" to center myself and to find my treasured sea glass along the shore. Super Storm Sandy changed my beach and sea glass was now hard to come by. The first day I walked the bluff was the day after Dad's service. I found only small bits of glass but I was delighted that three of them were shaped like hearts. In addition, I found two heart shaped rocks.  I knew that my father had guided me to these treasures. It was his message to me, telling me that he loved me. This brought me peace.

A smile finds me at Bluff Point

"Hearts" Bluff Point Seaglass

Our plans for balancing the trip to Connecticut and winterizing Mystic had to be changed. Dave flew back to Minnesota on Saturday, October 5th to work and take care of the haul out details at Knife River Marina. Mystic was placed on the hard on Monday, October 7th. Dave drove the three plus hours to Knife River after work on Tuesday. He flushed the engine, water lines and commode with anti-freeze then drove home again. He got up the next day for a full day at work. His flight back to Connecticut was early Thursday morning. I picked him up at the airport and we went directly to the ING Hartford marathon Expo to pick up our race packets. The race was on Saturday, October 12th. Following the marathon, we returned home for a nap then attended my 35th High School Reunion. It was a bittersweet time for me.

We left Connecticut for home on Friday, October 18th arriving on Sunday the 20th. Exhausted, we stumbled through the week then headed for Knife River on Saturday, October 26th to finish winterizing Mystic. Dave had gathered some old advertising tarps from work. The plan was to make a custom cover. We arrived early and started at the bow. There were a lot of cuts to make to accommodate the stays and lines. There was a lot of up and down on the ladder too. After each fitting, grommets were added and then each tarp was tied down. We worked without a break for six hours. The wind picked up mid day. It was chilly, but we continued with our work. Once Mystic was snuggled in with her new cover, we made our way across the marina to move our dinghy, Myst. We found her in a grassy area where she'd been resting, and dragged her back balanced on the marina cart. We tucked her underneath Mystic, returned the cart, then headed south toward Stillwater. The only stop we made on our way home was for dinner at Grandma's Restaurant in Duluth.

Winter seems far away. Our first season passed so quickly. We had a fabulous time and cherish each and every memory we created sailing in 2013. On our ride south, Dave began to tell me of all the things he had planned for us in 2014. First on the list is a cold plate for the ice box. We have a lot of bright work to do and a new faucet for the galley is high on our list. Dave is planning to design a custom dodger. The list grew during that long drive home...we sure have a lot to dream about over the long cold winter.

Mystic on the hard at Knife River ~ October 2013

Mystic tucked between "friends"

Mystic ~ Winter lodging

Mystic ~ Knife River, MN

A Week in the Apostles ~ Day 7 Cornucopia to Knife River

After a beautiful sunset in Cornucopia, we settled in for the night. Saturday we would head back across the big lake to Knife River. The forecast called for thunder storms.

Sunset off of Cornucopia Bay

We rose early, took showers, then readied Mystic for the trip. Cigano headed out before us. We followed right behind, at around 11:30. The crossing would take about 5 hours. As soon as we slipped into the bay, we could feel the wind and see the thunderstorms building west of us. We raised our sails and pointed Mystic westward. The wind was fluky causing us to have trouble keeping the sails full. The lake became choppy. We started motor sailing which turned out to be helpful. It was a relief to see Knife River come into view through the haze. We managed to avoid the thunderstorms but this was a rough crossing!

Cigano heading out to Sand Island

The Minnesota side of Lake Superior is colder than the Wisconsin side.  The chill remained with us aboard Mystic Saturday evening. We drove to Two Harbors for dinner at the Earthwood Inn. We had whitefish, our favorite dish and cold beer. Sunday morning we headed out for a nice 12 mile run along scenic 61. We found ourselves smack dab in the middle of the biking portion of a triathlon and we were in the way. Shortening our run to 6 miles, we returned to the boat and tidied up before heading south to Stillwater; another sailing adventure on the books.

Leaving Siskiwit Bay Marina

Sea Gull Jetty ~ Cornucopia, WI

Earthwood Inn, Two Harbors, MN

Voyageur Pierre