Picturesque Kentucky Lake

What a beautiful afternoon we had yesterday on Kentucky Lake.
The temperature was ideal...the wind was perfect...and there were a lot of sailboats out on the water enjoying the day.
Last night we anchored at mile 60.2 in a little cove named Panther Bay. Tucked in behind a bend in the bay, we were the only boat here! We could anchor every night for a month of Sundays and never pull into the same cove twice...After the sun went down we sat up on the foredeck and watched the stars...even spotted a few satellites moving through the night sky. We would highly recommend this anchorage for all the loopers behind us. We are taking it slower than usual this morning because we decided to only go 19 miles today to stay at another anchorage before our next marina stop...as long as the ice holds out, we are happiest at anchor...
~especially when there's not another living soul in sight!
A video of Panther Bay, along with other short clips of Barkley Canal and Kentucky Lake will be posted on Youtube, too!

A Heavenly Day

It's Sunday...we missed mass again today...

Some days there is just no time for prayer...but, when I stop, on a glorious day like today, and lift up my arms to the sky and say, "Thank you God", I know He hears me because my heart hears him reply, "You are welcome"...and that's when you know, you are communing with God in a place that is holier than any temple or church...Today was a heavenly day.

Herons and Turtles and Ducks, Oh My!

Can you find Ithaka docked at The Green Turtle Bay Marina?

(click on photo to make image bigger)

We've had a wonderful reprieve after the trek down the Mississippi and up the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers...four lover-ly days at
The Green Turtle Bay Marina...I can see why this has become a looper favorite...popular possibly more so because it is strategically located at the end of 350 dismal miles of nothingness...If someone were to ask me now, which of the segments along the loop were the least desirable, I'd probably have to say the journey from Chicago to Lake Barkley...not withstanding the great folks we've met along the way...ah yes, Who could forget Fern at Hoppies smoking her cigarettes just a few feet away from the fuel tanks on her dock...BOOM! and of course, Captain Moe at Heritage Harbor in Grafton and Jan & Joe in Grafton...and, There were some nice anchorages: Upper Henry Island at mile 194.6 and Duck Island at 135.6....mile 61.6 where we anchored at the western most point of the entire loop! Little River Diversion Channel was quiet, except for the fisherman trying to stir up the carp by driving their bass boats in mad circles, trying to show us how they [the carp] actually jump right into their boat from the sound of their motors! (Didn't happen) ..We met a few other loopers and travelled with them on and off along the way...We've spent a few days exploring Lake Barkley in the dinghy, posted on (click) YOUTUBE and used the marina's courtesy van on several occasions to go into 'town' for dinner and re-provisioning as well as driving around parts of the (click for website) 'Land Between the Lakes'...the largest inland peninsula in the eastern United States! All very interesting and had we had our own car we would have visited the planetarium and the Elk & Bison Prairie...

We've caught our breath again...laundry is done, pantry is stocked, and the crew is well rested...we set out tomorrow for a few days of anchoring as we cross over the Barkley Canal from the Cumberland to the Tennessee River and begin our adventure towards Chattanooga...Life is good on Ithaka.

A Little Bit of "Sunshine"

We had a wonderful surprise visit yesterday from the crew of Sunshine! ~ About 10:00 AM yesterday morning the phone rang and Muriel asked where we were...We told her that we had just pulled into The Green Turtle Bay Marina, south of Paducah Kentucky on Lake Barkley the night before...she said, "Well, we'll be in that area on our way to Kansas City around 3 today...Can we stop by for a visit?" STOP BY FOR A VISIT! You've got to be kidding!? Bud later told us that when they were planning the trip they mentioned they would look down while crossing over the Ohio River with the hopes they might see Ithaka cruising by...Never did they actually think the timing would have been so perfect...But, you know us...we do seem to have things fall into place in a rather divine way! It was great to see Bud and Muriel and of course, Chip's 'fishing buddy, Shelly! We reminisced about our time together last summer and we made plans to see each other again while they are down in Florida visiting Jeff and Anne (their son and daughter-in-law) in November when we are home! We called Bill and Eileen (Blue Max) while they were here, too...and we all got very nostalgic.

We got "socked-in here today, but we did have a "little bit of Sunshine" yesterday!
Life is good on Ithaka!

(click on picture to make it bigger)

The Cumberland River

We left our anchorage on the Ohio at 8:00 AM and began the arduous task of continuing upstream, against the 3-4 knot current and on constant watch for logs and deadheads...It rained on and off all day and although, up to this point, the Cumberland River isn't nearly as impressive as the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, we have seen more eagles than on any other stretch of the rivers...The Barkley Lock and Dam lifted us an impressive 57' and we then entered a beautiful, serene lake on the other side... Today we will spend much of the day organizing, re-grouping, cleaning, doing laundry and shopping. The town that we are near is Grand Rivers, Kentucky...it is at the northern entrance to Land Between the Lakes. I'm sure I'll have more to blog about in a day or two as we intend to set out and explore the area both on bikes and dinghy over the next few days. Don't forget to check out the videos I'm posting on YOUTUBE!

Old Man River

"Mee-zee-see-bee" which means, Father of all Waters
~ Ojibway Tribe

It's interesting to me, but as we turned into the Ohio River today I was struck with the thought that it seemed a more 'feminine' river that the Mississippi...not thinking for a moment about the song, Old Man River, but just noticing the 'softer' shoulders...the gentle way the banks rolled down to the water's edge...then tonight I listened to the song, as sung by Judy Garland, and I knew that 'Old Man River' was Mother Nature's way of wearing the pants...tough and sturdy and dirty and forceful...It was a great 4 days cruising down this magnificent body of water...even in the quiet boredom, mile after empty mile, it was filled with something deeper than words...a lone bald eagle perched on a rock jetty...a breathtaking sunset...it truly is the Father of all Waters...

~and, How could I ever conclude our trip down the Mississippi without mention of one of its more famous steamboat pilots: Mark Twain? Born in Hannibal Missouri as Samuel Clemens in 1835, he took the pen name Mark Twain after the term of measurement. A fathom being 6 feet, and a twain being 2 fathoms...the deck hands would yell out "Mark Twain" to notify the pilots of the depth of the river...his stories have brought the river life to readers around the world...

We are ahead of schedule...not that we actually have a schedule...Originally I thought we'd be on the Cumberland River by month's end, but at this rate we should be there either tomorrow or Wednesday. We aren't supposed to be at the rendezvous in Joe Wheeler State Park until the end of next month...so I would say we're going to have some down time coming up soon....I am looking forward to a little chill time in the Kentucky Lakes...maybe get my paints out...read a few books. After spending 6 of the last 9 nights on the hook, The Green Turtle Marina is going to look good to this weary first mate.

Tonight we are anchored on the Illinois side of the Ohio River in a town called Metropolis, best known as the hometown of Superman...It's a good safe spot, off the path of tug traffic, tucked in under a RR bridge behind a floating Harrah's Casino...

Honor the Sabbath

We missed church today...but spent the day in God's heavenly flow. Days like this can be monotonous...but, it all depends on how you look at it. We cruised 110 miles, taking full advantage of the river's current, and ended up in a creek called Little River Diversion Channel. I like the name...its almost as if the person who named it knew that after a long day on the Mississippi most captains would be ready for a 'little river diversion'. It is very peaceful. We don't even have the generators running...shhhhhhh...

It was raining lightly when we set out at day break...and it gently rained intermittently throughout the day. There weren't many other pleasure vessels on the river...mostly tugs and tows...plus there are not many places to stop on the way to the Kentucky Lakes, which makes it even less desirable for day boaters...We traveled with two other 'loopers' that we met at Hoppies...and I'm glad Fern, and our friends Bill and Eileen, who were here last year, told us about this anchorage.

There weren't any bright colors today...Ah, but the mist was a soft gray...the water muddy brown...the cliffs were touched with burnt umber and deep earthy greens...the sky was as blue as my grandmother's eyes...and God shined his sunbeams between the clouds on and off --we were treated to a light show dancing on the river...These are God's colors...No, we didn't go to church today, but we were in His cathedral all day...and it was wonder-full.

"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." ~Sir Isaac Newton

Alton to Kimmswick

Here we are at Hoppies "Marina"...if that's what you want to call it--It's 4 or 5 retired barges, rusting out, attached and chained to rocks, floating near a quaint little town called Kimmswick which just so happened to be celebrating its Sesquicentennial today, yes today! (that's 150 years for us mere mortals that don't speak Latin...thank you Chip for telling me how to spell it)...Our perfect timing of showing up at places at exactly the right moment continues! The downtown is a bit surreal...kinda' like Goodland on Steroids. The Stores are all brightly painted and mostly all sell the same sh#@ and knick-knacks, yet we had to go in and out of each and everyone of them in the hopes we'd come across a treasure (which indeed we did...and packages are on their way to our 3 granddaughters as I write)...I highly recommend all loopers coming through to check out 'The Design Haus' on Front Street...possibly one of the cutest shoppes I have ever been in!

--After a two hour wait (check out the videos on YOUTUBE ) we locked through and actually made up the time lost by taking advantage of the 3-4 knot current..Ithaka actually saw double digits for probably the first time ever! I had to put my wind-breaker on!

One of the highlights of the day...heck, one of the highlights of the entire loop, was passing by the arch (click on picture to make it bigger) in St. Louis...The Gateway to the West! (video also on Youtube)

Ending up at Hoppies was not by chance...we've been planning to stop here for years...To meet Fern of course! On the Mississippi she is famous--(happens to be my own mother's name, too!) We attended her 'River Talk' tonight and with her assistance, we are plotted right through to Mobile! Thank you Fern.

It's over 200 miles to the next marina...we are aggressively planning to do 110 miles tomorrow and make it all the way to Little Diversion Channel. This is more remote than the Canadian wilderness!

Sunset on the Mississippi

Taken last night, here at Alton Marina.

Grafton to Alton

Picture #1 is of me at the Grafton Lighthouse.
#2 of of Captain Chip as we entered the great Mississippi River...and,
#3 is me outside The National Great Rivers Museum...how do you like my yellow bike?

Grafton to Alton was a whopping 16 miles--we decided to pit-stop here to take the edge off what could potentially be an otherwise long day from Grafton to Hoppies, just south of St. Louis. Since neither of us has ever navigated on the Muddy Miss before, we didn't know what to expect...As it turned out, the chart plotter is working much better from the flybridge and the traffic was pretty minimal...we will likely do much of the piloting down the rivers from the top deck. It certainly was a very exciting moment to turn from the Illinois onto the Mississippi--No sooner did we do so and we spotted a church steeple up on top of the bluffs and right on que the bells started ringing...Chip just looked at me and said, "We are blessed"...

Pulling into Alton we spotted the infamous Piasa image which dauntingly graces the side of the bluff along the river. In 1673 when Joliet and Marquette made their way down the river to this region they first documented the engraved 'monster' and described it as being 'as large as a calf with horns, a horrible look with red eyes, a beard, a tail like a tiger that wraps around its body and ends like a fish tail...green, red and black are the three colors composing of the pictures'. If you are interested in learning more about the 'monster' that the Illini Indians called The Piasa, pronounced Pie-a-saw, which means 'Bird That Devours Man', click HERE to read the legend.

Alton is known for many historical figures and events. Of them, Elijah Parrish Lovejoy, a preacher who relocated to St Louis from Maine, only to move to Alton because Illinois was a 'free state'...and in 1836 he is best known for taking a brave stand against slavery...Also, since we had only just been to Ottawa last week, the site of the first Douglas-Lincoln debates, it is only fitting we are now in Alton, the site of the last of their debates in 1858...it is said to be here that the term, "A house divided cannot stand" was first coined...Regionally there are many stories connected to evidence about the Underground Railroad, not far from here, a settlement in Godfrey known as Rocky Road is probably the oldest and largest of the underground railroad and was known as the 'Alton Route'...Recently, most notably, Miles Davis was born in Alton in 1926...and a flood in 1993, said to be the flood of the century, tested the tenacity of the folks in Alton...sandbaggers worked day & night reinforcing the levees...the river crested at 42.7 feet. --For those of you familiar with the Guinness Book of World Records, born in Alton in 1918 was an average size baby whom his family named Robert Wadlow...by 6 months old he weighed 30 pounds! Ultimately he grew to be 8' 11.1" and still holds the title today as the world's tallest man!

As important as any of these facts probably is that of Captains William Clark and Meriwether Lewis as they began their journey west in 1804 just a few miles south of Alton, at the mouth of the River Dubois in their quest to find the Pacific Ocean...This is where that great journey was launched...

Today we visited the National Great Rivers Museum where we got a bird's eye view of the Melvin Lock and Dam...We will be passing through here tomorrow at first light...Alton was a good stop...if we ever pass this way again we will spend more time here.

Meeting of the Great Rivers

After spending 3 wonderful nights alone anchoring on the Illinois River, we pulled into Grafton Harbor Marina on Wednesday evening. Historic Grafton, IL is a sweet little town offering both scenic nature & wildlife as well as a picturesque main street with antique shoppes, specialty stores featuring the work of local artisans and a variety of restaurants. We ate dinner last night at The Mississippi Half Step, which we would highly recommend. I had a glass of a local Illinois wine from a nearby winery and it was delicious!

This is where the Illinois River meets the Mighty Mississippi...all along the confluence of the two rivers the water birds are plentiful...We've spotted thousands of the migrating white pelicans...and less than 20 miles away, the Missouri River converges just south of Alton, which is our next stop. It is amazing to be in the place where these three great rivers come together. From where we are docked we can see the Mississippi River and the limestone bluffs in the distance...the sunrises and sunsets here have been breathtaking. Grafton is best known for the birds that come through this area in flocks as they follow the great rivers south. It is the winter home of the majestic American Bald Eagle. The road that runs along the river, known as The Great River Road in Illinois has been rated one of the "10 Greatest Drives in the Nation"...

I never thought I'd ever be cruising down the Mississippi River in my own boat someday...well, today's the day...Come on Captian, let's get going...our next adventure awaits us!

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness." ~ Mark Twain

90.38'64" W

This is as west as we go...Tonight we are anchored under a RR bridge, just south of the little town of Naples, Illinois (no kidding)...at the western most point of the entire Great Loop! Now we have been to Naples, Idaho; Naples, North Carolina; and of Course, Naples, Florida! --Someday: Naples Italy! We pushed it today to make sure this was where we would end up...75 nautical miles at 7.5 knots plus one lock took nearly 10 hours! We are tired but happy. ~and, Life is good, as usual, on Ithaka!

(photo attached is a picture of the white pelicans in formation-click on it to make it bigger!)

The Morning Mist

Mystical Morning

Photo 1. Chip going out in the dinghy to pull up the stern anchor.

Photo 2. A Great Blue Heron flying by.

Photo 3. Before the mist disappeared. (remember, you can click on these pictures to make them bigger)

Got up early and made Chip french toast out of the homemade apple bread we bought at the farmer's market on Saturday...we took care of about two hours or so of "real estate " related work; then decided to head out into the peaceful morning fog...we knew it would burn off quickly, and there was definitely something mystical about traveling alone through the mist.

We saw several flocks of white pelicans...they are amazing! (click on link to learn more, too) I did a little bit of research and found out that they are a bird watchers delight...they show up every year, at this time, right in this very place as they migrate south through the upper Mississippi River Valley on their way from the fresh water lakes up north to the Gulf of Mexico! We watched a magnificent hawk circle overhead, and saw more great blue herons than we could count. The binoculars are coming in handy...

The barge traffic has been minimal...and we passed an old-fashioned paddle boat called The Spirit of Peoria. We didn't have to wait longer than 10 minutes at the lock today and it was the very first time we just floated through...no lines, which was really cool! --haven't encountered many floating logs...and still haven't seen one of those $500 carp! Sheesh! We watched the duck hunters, in anticipation of the upcoming season, trim their blinds and throw the "dumbie" birds out to their Labs--a method of training the retrievers, amazing... We cruised by several little towns, but opted to anchor again tonight...the weather has been beautiful...the water is calm...the sunset is breathtaking...this is the the kingdom...we are so blessed.

A Lovely Anchorage

The fog lifted as we left the harbor this morning and headed downstream about 10 AM along with all the other Sunday morning pleasure crafts and barges on the Illinois River. As the day went on it got prettier and prettier. It was a picture postcard day....the water was like glass, the sky was blue and the temperature about 84 degrees. I couldn't believe that I was actually wearing a bathing suit in Illinois in September! Lovely.

We saw a bald eagle...lots of geese...a few osprey...still no leaping carp (which by the way, they lifted the ban 2 days after we paid $500 bucks to get towed through...ARGH!)...so many beautiful blue herons...and best of all, we saw the white pelicans, which if we had not been told to look out for them, we probably would have mistaken them for cranes...the river is very peaceful here...more lovely.

We waited over two hours at the one and only lock of the day...Sundays are busy...next time we'll know better. We did 57 miles today...I was at the helm for a good part of the day...now, at last, we are anchored...behind Upper Henry Island at mile 196.5...we got the hook to stick first try...there's not another living soul within miles of us...we are drinking wine and listening to the Be Good Tanyas...and there is nothing more lovely than floating on the hook. This is paradise and Life is good on Ithaka. Amen.

The Friendlist Town on the Loop

We've stayed put for a few days in this sweet little town, mainly because we had some work to catch up on from back home at the office that needed our full attention...Day 1 in Ottawa IL consisted mainly in doing laundry and buying groceries...we cleaned Ithaka from stem to stern...had dinner at a pub called Crawdads right here at the marina. Ah yes, the marina...Heritage Harbor. For those of you traveling down the river behind us, this is one of those tips you'll want to make note of...as you enter their basin off the Illinois River, Heritage Harbor Marina has a sign that reads, "Welcome Loopers and other friendly boaters" ...I must say, possibly the friendliest and most accommodating marina we've stayed at on the entire loop. Captain Moe is a wonderful fellow with a great knowledge of the rivers which he is happy to share. --A fairly new facility; by next summer they'll have added a pool and other services. We used their van to go into town (about a 2 mile hike) three times in the past few days...After working all day we watched one of the movies we had on board: The Prestige. Most nights we read but, it was fun to turn in early and watch a flick (we don't get very good TV reception, which is fine with me, but we do have an interesting selection of movies on board).

Day 2 was set aside for some sight-seeing...we went to the Visitor's Center and were met by two gals, both of whom actually knew what a looper was, too! I really think these folks are smart to cater to the 100 or so loopers who cruise by and stop every year...anyway, they loaded us up with lots of good information about Ottawa. Here in Washington Square, in 1858, Abraham Lincoln first spoke in public. He debated Sen. Stephen A. Douglas. This town with a population of barely 10,000 had over 14,000 people turn out to witness the debate! They say this debate got Lincoln noticed and made him a presidential contender for 1860. The bronze statues of Lincoln and Douglas grace the fountain in the town park. The farmer's market close-by was wonderful. We bought freshly baked apple bread and home made jam as well as locally grown, organic sweet corn which we enjoyed for dinner last night! Public Art was developed to revitalize Ottawa's downtown, and it has created quite a cultural attraction. To date, there are now 8 wall murals painted on the sides of building depicting the people and events important to the town's history (do you see anyone familiar in the picture attached? Remember, you can click on these photos to make them bigger)! There are Lincolnesque "Top Hats" painted on barrels by various local artists, too, done as a fund raiser. Of course, we also did a little bit of shopping...couldn't leave town without contributing to the local economy. Lots of quaint shoppes & antique stores. You can tell there's a lot of scrap-booking and quilting going on in Ottawa. One shop in particular I will recommend for all who visit Ottawa...Deja Vu...whimsical and fragrant...great gifts! I could have done all my Christmas shopping in one stop!

Last night we attended mass at a beautiful old cathedral-like church. I had never before been to a Catholic church named St. Columba. It was my great-grandmother's first name...I didn't even know Columba was a saint...of course I 'googled' it and found several saints with that name...none of whom were Italian...One of the stained glass windows caught my eye, which I will post here, of a cross on one side and an anchor on the other.

We are fogged in this morning, so we are getting a later start than intended...Looking forward to doing the loop again someday and stopping back to Ottawa IL, the friendliest town on the loop!

"People travel to faraway places to watch in facination the kind of people they would ignore at home." ~ D.D. Runes

Marmalade Skies

Sunset in Ottawa

Chip and I left Joliet (mi 288.0) at 8:30 AM central time and continued along the Des Plaines River...With the radar tower lowered, we have not had to hail the bridge tenders, just making it under the 16.5' drawbridge heights at center; allowing us to make some good time. We would recommend the Free Wall in Joliet to anyone cruising through...it is a convenient first night stop from Chicago, and a good place to arrange crew changes as the Harrah's right across the street from the park where we tied up has an airport transfer. There aren't any facilities, and there were a few shady characters roaming around, but all in all, a good night sleep...We had a wonderful visit with Art & Sharon, and as I watched them walk away I realized that we would likely be traveling alone now until Chattanooga where we are hoping my mom will join us the end of October.

At mile 273, the Des Plaines and the Kankakee Rivers meet and form the Illinois River. Up to that point the riverfront has been very commercial with a lot of chemical plants, grain elevators, sunken barges...We traveled completely by sight and paper charts (which is fairly easy on a river) as the chart plotter chip, sent to us from the manufacturer was blank. Once we got through the 2nd lock at the Dresden Dam the river began to get a little more picturesque. We began to notice wild flowers and wading birds as well as several pairs of wild swans, Canada geese and a random monarch butterfly...

It was a warm day, the temperature gage on the fly bridge read 93 degrees, and at a cruising speed of 7-8 knots we weren't creating much of a breeze. We are tucked in now at a "Looper Friendly" marina in Ottawa Illinois (mi 242). The photograph is of the sunset last night, taken off the stern, looking out over the inlet leading into the marina with a silo reflected in the water. Now I am off to do a little reprovisoning and laundry...and of course, some exploring. If you are interested in learning more about where we are, please log onto the Ottawa website HERE.

09-09-09

After weeks of anticipation, transversing through the Asian Carp Fish barrier was a bit of a let down...a very efficient crew of 3 aboard a tug boat named the Buster White towed us through the 1.5 mile stretch...it was pretty uneventful. We tied off to their vessel, disconnected all our batteries (necessary as the current charges the water at 2 volts per square inch) and remained on their tug during the 15 minute process--You'd think they'd have served lunch for the $500 bucks they charged! Geez!

For those of you who have not been following along I will give a brief summary of the Carp dilemma: To combat the migration of this invasive species the Illinois waterways and Lake Michigan joined forces with the Corps of Engineers and installed a barrier back in 2002 consisting of cables running along the bottom of the canal which disperses electrical charges which can destroy a boat's electronics (thus the disconnecting of batteries etc), but will hopefully deters the fish from migrating up into the Great Lakes...Supposedly this only effects wooden or fiberglass hulls. We were told that approximately 40 to 50 miles down the river we will encounter 15 to 25 lb. carp flying through the air, some can actually land on the deck...trust me, if that happens, I will post photos!

Sorry for the boring blog post, but I was certain many of you would be just dying to know all about this! Oh well, at least I can say that for all my life I will always remember exactly what I was doing on 09-09-09...

Chigaco Recap

We spent four fabulous days in Chicago with Art & Sharon!

The morning they arrived we walked over to The Navy Pier from our marina, had breakfast and enjoyed "people watching"...later that day we took the Trolley Tour of the city and learned about some of the cultural, architectural and historical distinctions that make this city so special - from the John Hancock building and the famous Water Tower at the north end of Michigan Avenue to Soldier Field and the museum campus at the south end of Millennium Park. The beauty of this magnificent city is evident around every corner. On Sunday night we walked to Grant Park and got great seats and listened to Dee Alexander, amoung others, at the Chicago Jazz Festival! The timing of our visit could not have been better...imagine, here we were in Chicago, just in time for this fantastic FREE entertainment! Great weather, great music...

On Monday we took the Architecture River Cruise...the river has become the heart and soul of Chicago and seeing the city from this vantage point is something we highly recommend to anyone visiting...Some of the tour highlights included Marina City, The Merchandise Mart and the Willis Tower (formerly known as The Sears Tower). Perhaps one of the most beautiful modern buildings in the city is the newly completed Trump Tower. On Monday night we ate dinner at Gibson's, one of Chicago's famous steak houses--dark and smokey with literally 1,000's of photographs of movie stars adorning its walls, we enjoyed a terrific meal and then experienced a memorable cab ride back to the marina which we will laugh about for many years to come...

On Tuesday we made our way back up to Michigan Avenue where we had seen the beginning stages of set-up the night before for Oprah's taping of her 24th season kick-off party! We joined the nearly 250,000 other fans who were already crowding into the streets by noon for the 5 PM celebration. I made a sign which read, "Naples Florida Loves Oprah" and was stopped to be interviewed by both the local news anchor from Chicago's channel 2 news as well as a reporter for the Oprah Sirius Radio station...everyone seemed interested to learn that we had traveled all the way to Chicago by boat from Florida to see Oprah! We wanted to get as close to the stage as possible so as we tucked in behind some barricades where Telemundo TV was setting up less than 100' from the main stage and just acted like we belonged there...Chip left early and headed back to prep Ithaka for today's departure; but Art was a trouper and stayed with me and Sharon for the duration! We enjoyed live performances by James Taylor, Chris Angel and Jennifer Hudson...not to mention experiencing seeing Oprah command the enormous audience as well as witnessing the entire 5 blocks dancing to The Black Eyed Peas! Seriously, could we have planned this any better?

We packed as much into a 72 hour visit as anyone could and left early this morning to begin our adventure down the rivers...and so it only seems appropriate that I would end this post with a quote by Mark Twain: "It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try to keep up with Chicago-She outgrows his prophecies faster than he can make them. She is always a novelty; for she is never the Chicago you saw when you passed through the last time."

Hello Chicago!

It was a great cruise into Chicago Harbor earlier today...the fog rolled in just as we left Hammond Marina...gave us a chance to really "trust" our instruments! Probably the last time for a long while before we get to use the chart plotter again...once we are on the river system it's all paper charts and line of site navigation. It was exciting to maneuver through the markers and dodge the sailboats as we made our way into this magnificent harbor. I put a few videos on YOUTUBE if anyone is interested in checking them out!

Once we docked Chip scrubbed down the outside of the boat while I got dinner started...we went for a long walk up along Lake Shore Drive to Grant Park where the Chicago Jazz Festival is taking place all weekend. Now we are going up on the top deck to watch the fireworks at The Navy Pier which is just off our starboard bow. Life is good on Ithaka.



Click on the photo to enlarge and the skyline of Chicago will come into view!

My Kind Of Town...

...Chicago is...my kind of town!

Here's were we will be "camping" out for the next few days: Du Sable Harbor. The marina shown in this aerial photo is right on North Lake Shore Drive, at the foot of Randolf Street...smack in the middle of Downtown! --and walking distance to the world famous Navy Pier, Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile, Millennium Park, The Water Tower, and so many more of this great city's landmarks and neighborhoods...Am I ready for a steak at Gibson's, a deep dish pizza?? You betcha'!

My kind of town, Chicago is...My kind of razzmatazz...

Home Sweet Home

For those of you who have never been on Ithaka...I am attaching an interior photo (remember, you can click on it to make it bigger).
It really is beginning to feel like home today. Spent the best part of the day cleaning and organizing...settling in. We want to mention what a wonderful experience we had with Skyway Yachtworks. Steve and his crew are awesome...especially Arturo, ace #1 mechanic and employee of the year! The entire team at their facility made the process of going from storage to getting underway easy-squeezy! Anyone thinking of wintering their boat in this area should definitely consider calling them! 773-734-777. We give them top grades!

--Ventured out and found the closest Wal-Mart Supercenter and Ithaka is now loaded down with groceries to last a couple of weeks! We talked to Shelly from the good ship Sunshine this morning and spoke with Bill & Eileen from Blue Max earlier tonight (two of the looper boats we traveled with last summer). We opened the 1st of many bottles of wine tonight...Ithaka's first official happy hour of Leg III! Now, the candles are burning...music is playing ala Jane Monheit...(no TV reception--YAY!)...and we both started a new book: Chip is reading The Shack, and I am reading 700 Sundays)...The weather is absolutely perfect...don't think we'll need to use the AC very often. The rental car goes back tomorrow, so we'll be on our own...no more land lubbing....It's walking shoes and bicycles from this point forward. Art and Sharon called us earlier and we are counting the days till they join us! I may not be blogging when they get here! We "party" a lot when they're around!

~The electronic carp nets are still in place so if we want to get south of Joliet anytime soon we will need a tow...we will be checking on that tomorrow. Last check the cost was over $600 bucks to tow us a mere 7/10's of a mile!!! Yikes! So much for public waterways...but I won't go there. Guess that's cheaper than camping out in Chicago for any length of time (2nd only to NYC for docking fees)...For now, we are happy where we are: Hammond Marina in Indiana, and we cannot believe it has actually been an entire year since last we slept on Ithaka. Sweet dreams all...for us it's "Home Sweet Home"!

Day 1 Leg III

We're Finally Here!

Captain Chip on his way up to check on Ithaka! She's looking pretty darn good for having been in indoor-heated storage for almost a year! I got most of the dry goods, boat parts, charts, books and movies (oh yes, and wine) unpacked while Chip touched up the bottom paint and took care of other maintenance items. Back tomorrow to haul her into the Calumet River by noon. We will probably sit tight at Skyway Yachtworks in Hammond for a day or two before heading to downtown Chicago...getting Ithaka ready for the long journey ahead...a trip to Super Walmart, a Laundromat...and more than just a little bit of elbow grease...We are so happy! (click on the photo to make it bigger)

Last Mango in Paris...

Tonight is different from the other "last nights at home before the big trip"...I'm not sure what it is, but we are calmer...more organized...not as concerned about how things will be back home while we're away. We've done this now a couple of times and it is definitely easier this time...I'm a List Maker and my lists are coming in very handy! My mom will be here in the morning to drive us to the airport...all our storm shutters are in place...(feels like we're sleeping in a tin can)...we said our "good-byes" at the office...'fridge is nearly empty...the kids and grandkids were here for Chinese...the laptop is packed, the movie camera and the the baggie jeans...and I've got my favorite dancing shoes ready: a comfortable pair of hot pink flip flops...and so for our last mango in paradise we are doing "La Vie Dansante"...The Dance of Life!

...'de ja vu, to you'...

Carp-e Diem

Carpe Diem: "Cease the Day": make the most of present opportunities...OK, ok, I just came up with a new translation...how about "Cease The Carp"...literally! --as in , "GET those nets out of our way so we can proceed down the rivers...PRETTY PLEASE"!! It's obvious that the Asian Carp population is a serious problem...and netting them as they swim upstream prior to entering Lake Michigan is necessary, but I am not sure why the corps didn't wait until after the Labor Day holiday (peak boating season in this area) to begin this operation. Hmmmmm.

Last year, due to a certain hurricane that dumped 10 acres of rain for every acre of land, the river cruisers were dubbed "The River Rats"...Floods were prevalent and no one was going anywhere till the water subsided and the locks reopened...It took weeks. Now, as in RIGHT NOW, THIS YEAR...the pleasure boats are backing up into Lake Michigan awaiting the thumbs up from the authorities. -and We are being called 'The Carp Captives'! It seems the powers that be decided that it would be a good time to test out these new electronic carp nets just below Chicago...It's a long fish tale, but if you are interested click on this LINK for details...

As we get closer to our D-day...it's not looking too good for us if we want to venture south of Chi-town...Only 7/10's of a mile is closed off from pleasure boaters locking through, however, that's all it takes to bottle-neck us loopers up for days and maybe weeks...Soooo..for now, we are still planning on coming up later this week & getting provisioned and sitting tight till the Illinois River reopens. Sha and Art are on board [pun intended] no matter what happens. Yeah, we have fun when we are floating regardless of where we are...if it takes 2 weeks instead of one, or 4 instead of two...who cares...Carp-e Diem I say! Carp-e Diem!

It's A Wrap!

For months I have been collecting all the books I want to take with me on this 3rd and final leg of the loop...perhaps one of the things that I look forward to the most whenever Chip and I are away together is the quiet time spent reading a good book. Life is hectic at home...happy, but hectic. I seldom get the luxury of just lounging around with my nose buried into a good book...only 17 more days...

Tonight we wrapped up our packing...Of course, I know I am bringing too much stuff...I bought two big boxes from UPS the other day, but by the time I packed all the books I want to read; and all the DVDs that I've bought to watch, all the art supplies and Cd's packed --and oh yes, CHARTS (yeah, guess that was a good idea: charts...ha ha), there wasn't much room left to fit all the clothes! This is not as bad as it sounds...normally we wear the same 4 or 5 things over and over again...flip flops, baggie shorts, t-shirts, jeans...Ah, my favorite wardrobe. On a boat it is better to be comfortable than fashionable! Last year when we came home I made a list of everything we left on board, so if I don't bring anymore clothes at all, I know we'll be just fine! Less is best! --and, After all, a good book doesn't really care what you're wearing!

We are shipping the boxes up to Michigan to Chip's brother's house because that is where we are starting our trip...From there we rented a car and we'll drive to Chicago to pick up the boat and provision it. My cousins, Art & Sharon, are flying into Chicago a week later to spend a few days with us where we will begin the journey down the river system. We've been to Chicago before and we've taken the Architectural Tour. The thought of actually cruising through downtown Chicago on our own boat is unbelievable! We made reservations tonight online for Gibson's Steakhouse! --and, the Chicago Jazz Festival is happening the weekend we're in town...I just love when a plan comes together!

It's A Wrap!

23 More Days!

I can't believe it's already August! We are really getting excited now...the reality of leaving for the last leg of our journey is much more tangible now than months ago...or even weeks ago. I'm actually getting butterflies just thinking about it! Now, the lists are being prepared...the packing has commenced...plans are being implemented, charts are being scanned and highlighted...marinas selected...reservations confirmed! --and it is definite...Art & Sharon ARE flying to Chicago on September 6th to join us for the cruise through Chicago! Whoo Hoo! We will cruise together, through the 40' Lockport lock to Peoria on the Illinois River! --the beginning of the river system! They have never been to Chicago before...I am so happy they will be joining us for part of this trip. Looks like we will be staying at DuSable Harbor, right in the heart of downtown Chicago!

Everything at the office is falling into place, too! We are so blessed to have Krista, Meagan and Sam holding the fort down in our absence...Our plan for now is to get as far as Joe Wheeler State park by the end of October, then rent a car & drive home...work our butts off again in November then return to ITHAKA by the 1st of December to bring her home by the first of the year! What a great way to begin a new decade...a new chapter...ending a 7000 mile journey with my sweet Chip! That's the plan for now, but as anybody knows who has ever boated, plans are subject to change on a moments notice...the weather or a whim can set the course in a totally different direction...and that's the part I love the best! Everyone who knows me knows what a planner and organizer I am...being on Ithaka sets me free! 23 more days to no make-up, no cable and no appointments! Ready or knot...here I come!

56 Days and Counting!

We're starting our count-down! 56 days to go and we will be off to begin the 3rd and final leg of our awesome adventure...Once again the coffee table is filled with travel guides, charts, maps, books, and lists...lots of lists! Leg I ~ 2007, we left in May; Leg II ~ 2008 we left in July...now we head out to finish the loop the end of August! Plans now include a trip first up to see Gil & Pam, then up to visit with Dave & Carol before heading over to the boat...hoping that Art & Sharon will join us for the first few days onboard as we shove off from Chicago right after Labor Day! Looks like we will take about 7 to 8 weeks to travel down the Mississippi and the Tennessee Rivers, September and October...then back home for the month of November--leaving the boat in Alabama till after hurricane season...PLUS, while home, we will be busy getting all systems and advertising ramped up for the upcoming 2010 selling season! It's hard to believe 2009 is already half over, and that we have already been away from our "Ithaka" for 10 months! Times sure flies when you're having fun!

...We will head back up the end of November to conclude the journey...hoping Bobby will join us for a few days so that he & I are together for his big 3-oh! We thought it would be amazing if we could cruise back into Naples just in time to celebrate the holidays! Imagine that...what a memorable way to start the next year!

Departure Date In Sight

The journey began at the Miami Boat Show in 2003...we happened upon the "Looper" exhibit and bought a book called, "Honey, Let's Get A Boat". Both of us had always been around boats, had always been drawn to the water...we knew there was some adventure carved out for us in our future...we had heard about The Great Circle Cruise...But, after reading the book and doing a bit of research we began to believe it was more than just a dream...Leg III departure date is in sight!

--and, We are Living the Dream!

You are my Sunshine

You are my Sunshine
...my only sunshine...
you make me happy, when skies are grey,
you'll never know dear
how much I love you...
Please don't take my sunshine away.

Our dear friends on Motor Trawler Sunshine crossed their wake at 9:35 AM yesterday, Sunday April 26th, and called us immediately after...We are so thrilled for you Bud, Muriel and Shelly --and we feel so blessed to have shared a part of of our "loop" with the three of you last summer. We will never forget Canada, 2008!

Godspeed, till we meet again.

The Longest Wait

For the past two Springs I have been eagerly preparing for our Summer adventure aboard Ithaka, but not this year. A week into April, and by now I would have been making my lists and organizing charts, putting aside the books I intend to read while away, dusting off the art supplies...researching the marinas we would be staying at, the gunk holes where we would anchor and "googling" the cities and towns along the way where we hope to explore. But, it looks like we will be enjoying our Summer here in beautiful Naples instead...We do not want to travel into the Gulf of Mexico during hurricane season, so we are estimating our 2009 departure to be somewhere closer to mid-September this year. This is the longest we have been without Ithaka...although we are much too busy at work right now to enjoy her anyway, it will be nice to see her out in the back yard again when we get back home at the end of this journey. Chip actually suggested the other day that we just fly up to Chicago in June and cruise back up Lake Michigan and stop at all the places we missed last year...then go back again the following year to bring her home. I must admit, for a moment I considered this as an option...It is so lovely there...it would definitely be a great way to spend the Summer. He also thought that maybe we could cruise during the summer months down to Tennessee, then go back in the late Fall and arrive home in time for the holidays...make it 4 legs instead of three. That also sounds intriguing. I guess it mostly depends on business. For now we are grateful to be very busy...makes the longest wait go by quickly...Ah, I think I am ready for a peaceful sunset aboard Ithaka...


"Travel is not a reward for working, it's an education for living." ~Gap advertisement

A Naples Reunion

Recently we had a wonderful mini looper reunion at our little cottage in Goodland; as Sunshine, Southern Comfort and Blue Max were all in town together! Having left them all behind when we headed home from Chicago in September, it was wonderful to reunite and see all our friends. We walked over to Stan's Idle Hour Bar to watch the show...we watched the dancers, we drank a few mudslides and had a lot of laughs! Dinner back at The Pineapple Hut, then the night was over too soon...

Godspeed dear friends...until we meet again...

Out of the Loop

You know, now that we have been home for a few weeks we are beginning to feel a little "out of the Loop". But, last night we had quite the treat right in our very own backyard. Here is a beautiful shot of a magical sunset taken from our dock looking west out to Naples Bay.
Thank you God.

Bog Entries

I guess we "bailed" right in the nick of time (pun intended). All our friends with whom we travelled all summer have been stuck in marinas along the Illinois River for 2 to 3 weeks. As far as I know they are all trying to coordinate the commencement of about 40 or so loopers once the rivers are open again to recreational boats. We've been reading their blog entries (and teasing a bit about them being "bog" entries)...but seriously, it is a blessing that they are all safe and sound...This could have had a much worse outcome than just getting delayed in marinas for a few weeks. Chip and I are sending them all our good thoughts and prayers and certainly hope they will all stop by and visit us in Naples this winter when they are passing through.

God Speed dear friends. You are the Champion Loopers of 2008!

A "Duck" Out Of Water

Ithaka came out of the water at Skyway Yacht Works last Wednesday...she'll be in storage for a year before we head back up to Chicago next fall to begin Leg III of "Discovering Ithaka". We have been watching the weather closely and our prayers are with all our looper buddies south of Chicago entering the river system.

The folks at Skyway were great. It was sad to leave knowing that a whole year will go by before we are back onboard. We spent a couple of days in a beautiful, brand-new hotel (Ah! Amazing king-size bed and the longest hot shower I've had in over 2 months) before we flew home on Friday. My mom picked us up at the airport with an armful of yellow daisies! We missed her so much! She treated us to lunch then dropped us off at home where we began the process of getting settled in...We really did land running. Security Shutters came down, yard work, grocery shopping...Our little house felt huge to us! It's good to be home. We had all our family over yesterday for a big Sunday dinner...the hugs felt wonderful...the laughter filled our home...and the love filled our hearts. We are so blessed!

Today we are back at the office and I didn't want to wait too long to post a few pix of Ithaka coming out of the water...Once I get rolling here at the office there's no telling when I'll be blogging again. Our boss, our daughters, our assistant, and all our colleagues have made us feel so missed and welcomed us back with open arms...

We will continue to check out the location of our friends on The Looper Locator site...Thank you for all the good information that you are posting on the AGCLA website, too. We are hoping to make it to the fall rendezvous in Alabama next month!

Lest We Forget

We must never forget,

"On a day when buildings fell, heroes rose."

Please take a quiet moment today, and everyday, to count your blessings...

NUMB3RS

Here are a few interesting statistics...

We travelled approximately 1,800 nautical miles in 71 days. That is an average of 23.35 miles per day. Some days we went 40 or 50nm, others only 15 to 20...(and somedays we didn't move at all)! Our shortest day travelling was from South Benjamin Island to Hotham Bay...Our longest day, distance wise, was probably Pentwater to Grand Haven, but I will need to double check that when we get home (we shipped the charts back to Naples yesterday)...other long runs include Oswego to Picton, Lakefield to Bobcaygeon and Kirkfield to Orillia. But the longest day was Trenton to Campbellford where we went through 12 locks in one day ! Each lock takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes from start to finish. All total we went through 42 locks on the Trent Severn canal system and 7 on the Oswego.

We topped off the gas tank 4 times, which averaged out to $1,500 total spent on fuel...and we have more now than when we started in Brewerton. That calculates out to approximately .83 cents per mile. We cruised at an average speed of 7.2 knots; although when we were going through the locks, narrow channels, back waters and such that average was closer to 6 knots. We kicked it up to 10 knots a few times just to let her run warmer...

The deepest water we were in: Lake Michigan, 660 feet...the shallowest about 2 feet under the keel going back into the pool at Baia Fine.

During the 71 days on Ithaka, taking into consideration the nights we spent "on the wall", "on the hook" or at marinas, we averaged a little over $28. per night for accomodations.

We ate out a total of 5 nights, which does not include nights that we were treated to a home cooked meal by other loopers or the Labor Day Cook-out which cost us a whopping $4 bucks apiece! I did not tabulate groceries because I figure if we were home we'd have to eat, right? One thing is for certain, it is likely we would have eaten out more often if we had been home all summer....I will consider this a savings. Okay? We weighed ourselves yesterday for the first time since leaving home and let's just say our "score" is 15-love. Yes, for those of you who figured that one out, I've gained 15 pounds and Chip stayed the same! No excuses, but I must add that living within 5 steps in any direction of a refrigerator is not the best set up for me...Also, the old saying of, "it's 5 o'clock somewhere" has also taken on new meaning.

Last but not least, boat insurance. When Ithaka is in her homeport of Naples Florida, where there is a 6 month hurricane season, her insurance runs about $5,000 per year. For the 3 years it will take us to complete the loop, Ithaka's insurance is only $900. per year. I have determined that with the insurance savings plus the fact that the girls have done an extraordinary job running our business while we are away, it actually makes sense for us to stay away every summer! That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Guess it's not so loopy to be a looper afterall!

**********************************************************************************

Ending Leg II

We've spent these last few days of Leg II enjoying our time together before heading back to Naples where we will jump right back into work and all the other activities that fill our lives. I've already planned a BBQ at our house for Sunday...and we can't wait to see our loved ones!

We rented a car and drove up to the towns on Lake Michigan that we skipped because of the weather last week. We thoroughly enjoyed Saugatauk and South Haven. We recommend both to anyone looping through...and for those of you that have never visited the east coast of Lake Michigan; it is a destination unto itself with wonderful little towns and villages along the way, beautiful beaches with magnificent dunes and crystal clear water.

We also drove into Chicago twice. The first time we spent an entire day at The Field Museum (photo of Chip standing on the steps of the museum) The 2nd time we went to The Chicago Art Institute. That day we were invited to dinner at a private home in Chicago along with about 10 other looper couples who are in the area. Those in attendance are either in the process of doing the loop, hope to someday do it or have already completed it. We actually met another couple who I remembered meeting last year in Little Falls New York! Woody and Ellen were gracious hosts who generously treated all of us to a Chicago feast including Deep dish Chicago style pizza! Their home is on the 15th floor of a beautiful new highrise building overlooking Soldier Field and Lake Michigan...It was a fun night!

Last Friday evening Chip & I went to see Chris Botti along with Bill, Eileen and Clarissa from Blue Max. He was performing right next door to the marina here in Hammond at The Horseshoe Casino! We had great seats. It was a thrill to hear him in person and his ensemble was magnificent. Lucia Micarelli was one of the artists that accompanied Chris. The audience was moved to tears...

We will be taking Ithaka out of the water and putting her into storage tomorrow. She will be here for about a year until we come back in '09 to complete the circle.

...more news and photos to follow soon!

People, Places and Things

Today we began the task of "breaking down" the boat...defrosting, cleaning & scrubbing...making lists, re categorizing, compacting, putting away, packing...organizing cupboards & closets...Deciding what to keep, what to give away, what to ship home...what we couldn't live without and what we have just too much of...Throughout the day we have reminisced about the people, places and things we have experienced these past two months...Asking Chip, "What is your favorite memory?" opened up so many conversations about Discovering Ithaka...

First of all, the People...hmmmm...we've met so many nice people this summer...and who would say that they have favorites? But, there are a few who may have pulled at the ol' heart strings a little tighter than others...Shelly Sunshine, of course, and her mom & dad, too! The whole crew from Blue Max, we love you...and Peggy & Guy from Southern Comfort...We four boats crossed each others' wakes throughout the summer and we feel very blessed to have met kind-hearted, like-minded people, all sharing a similar dream. -In addition to new friends, it was wonderful to see Bill in Picton, Brandy in Mackinac Island and Gil & Pam in Charlevoix...Thank you all for being a part of this trip. I believe that people are innately good, and this was proven time and time again this summer.

It was even tougher to try to pick some of our favorite Places...The scenery in the North Channel, especially South Benjamin Island, hiking to the top of the overlook at The Pool in Baia Fine and gazing out over the topaz-colored water, what a view; How about going over The Big Chute? -and the Kirkfield Lock...Bobcaygeon, Leland, Saugatauk...amazing, beautiful, friendly, breathtaking, unforgettable...The lesson here however is, no matter where you are there is beauty...if you open your heart and eyes and look for it...I can't wait to sit on the dock in my backyard and watch a sunset...I believe that the best place to be, is to just be.

Lastly, Things...this can refer to so many things...Flea markets and wild flowers, swans and Canada geese, waterfalls, rainbows...How about all the fish Chip caught? (fish are things :-)...the smoore's party on the rocks (thanks Peggy)...the dock party in Killarney (hey Bud's buns!)...Some new things: New bikes (and they fold up so small for storing)...a new electric frying pan (one of the things I wouldn't want to live on board without), Chip's new inflatable dinghy (with a 2hp air-cooled motor-oh yeah, now we're talking), a new lamp in the salon (nice, soft lighting), a new storage trunk which doubles as a coffee table (to use next year as a pantry instead of the ugly blue rubbermaid bin), a new habit of grocery shopping with reusable bags (Meagan will be proud of us)...Of course, some old favorites from last year: My camera (never leave home without it-over 3,000 photos this summer), Navnet and paper charts (couldn't leave home without them), DVD player (thank you for Amber for the videos), laptop (for when we did have a connection), rechargeable fan, flyswatter, zip-lock bags, good books to read...The best things were: holding hands while watching gorgeous sunsets, observing the monarch butterfly migration, watching a meteor shower in the middle of the night on the top of Ithaka, finding rocks shaped like hearts, hearing from friends and family from home and seeing the grand babies on our webcam...Yes, I believe some things are meant to make your life easier...and some things aren't really things at all...so I'll be watching sunsets and looking for that monarch in Naples, too...and I can't wait to hug my loved ones!

Colorful Markets

One of our most favorite things to do this summer has been to visit the many farmer's markets along the way...Whether it was a big town or a tiny village-in many cases, the markets were the highlight of our stay. The Grand Haven market was probably our favorite of all!

We found a neat website that will help you to find where and when the markets are in some of the towns along Lake Michigan: http://www.localdifference.org/ In addition to the freshly baked breads, the jams and the jellies, of course the wonderfully delicious locally grown fruit and vegetables; it was the colors of the markets that impressed me the most. Don't get me wrong, the Dutch Love corn was possibly the best I have ever tasted in my life...but the colors...ah the colors...well they defy description. You'll just have to see for yourself. I hope the photos portray the palette as vibrantly as they appeared...Imagine purple cabbage!--and tomatoes so red the sight of them makes your mouth water...I will never forget the dahlias and sunflowers... Ah yes, like the poem...we 'entered harbors for the first time and stopped at markets to buy fine things'...Discovering Ithaka every step of the way, knowing it is truly the little things that makes our hearts sing.

Changes In Lattitudes

We changed our course 3 times in as many days-such is the life of a boater...long term plans are loose at best, short term plans can change with the winds, as is the case today...
Yesterday we set out to South Haven where we intended to try again to rent a car for a day or two to visit a couple of the towns we by-passed: Holland and Saugatauk. But, half-way down the lake, after looking at the weather predictions for later in the week we decided it best to move along a little further south. A few phone calls later, cancelling one reservation and trying to find a slip for the night, we found ourselves on our way to the St. Joe-Benton Harbor area. It was an aggressive day, 73 nautical miles in all and the first 35 were in rolling seas...We checked the weather again before we went to sleep and again first thing this morning and considered all scenarios-Chip made the final call and by 9 a.m. we were heading (St Joe lighthouse in photo) back into Lake Michigan and across the big, blue water to Hammond Indiana. This will be the last stop of Discovering Ithaka Leg II. It's a bit overcast today; not cloudy, just a hazey grey across the horizon with the sun trying with all its might to shine through...the waves are choppy but only 1 to 2 feet-easy. This is the last wide open water we will experience until we get to the Gulf of Mexico next year.
Last night we said "so long" to Sunshine-They are heading to Chicago...It's been great travelling with them and we will look forward to seeing them in Naples when they pass through..
We've decided to forgo Chicago this year and just stay put in Hammond-get Ithaka ready for her year-long hibernation...the marina where she'll be stored is only a couple of miles away...It just made sense, rather than going to Chicago now then having to back track with uncertain weather approaching. Besides, it will be so much fun to start Leg III in the windy city next year!

More photos and updates to follow in future blog entries...but for now, this is Captain Chip's Best Mate signing out...there's no land in sight, however a lovely monarch butterfly is delicately dancing around on the breeze...now, that's what I call discovering ithaka.

A Looper Cook-out in Grand Haven

A few of the looper captains got together and decided to organize a cook-out here in Grand Haven since there are so many of us all together in one place! -And, afterall, it is Labor day weekend so a BBQ is pretty standard practice.

Those attending came from far and wide...one couple from Australia actually came to the states to buy a boat specifically to make this journey...they are cruising on Kiwi Explorer. Others at the party included our friends on Sunshine (Bud, Muriel and Shelly) from Mooresville North Carolina and Blue Max from Shelter Island New York (Captain Bill, Eileen and Clarissa)...Wanderin' L & M is from New York, too... oh yes, and C-Life from Southport North Carolina...Phantom of the Aqua from Ft Myers Florida and Bella Luna from Leesburg North Carolina...Etc. (that's the name of their boat...Etc.) and, full of grace: Grace-full...the biggest of us all: Victory & let's not forget Our Turn, too! (I hope I didn't miss anyone). It was a super gathering of fun folks all happy to share stories about this wet, wild and wonderful adventure. Someday I'll write a poem using all the names of the boats we have met along the way!

Not much longer before we hang up our boat hooks for the winter, but with so many of these loopers passing through Naples by the end of the year, we know we haven't seen the last of them!

"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles."