Slow Hand 2023 To Lake Superior and back

[HeadedToTexas]

Yikes. Yeah, they midges and muffleheads are pretty thick right now. Enjoy.

 

[Wayfarer]

The midges are fierce this year. I **** you not, there was a swarm of them big enough to show up on my radar a week ago. I've only ever seen that once before after a giant mayfly hatch on Lake Erie.

Thank god they don't bite.

 

[mncruiser]

Ted, how’s the journey going?

 

[BDofMSP]

Hello Ted, I've been catching up on your voyage and it is (as always) inspiring!

I know that mncruiser has mentioned it before, but my wife and I met you July of last year on the wall at Black River. I was in a Silverton sedan cruiser and we were trying to secure that Sea Ray that was self destructing against the wall. Unfortunately I didn't know who you were at the time!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that we're planning to leave Bayfield for Isle Royale on June 23 and plan to be there until July 3rd. I hope we can run into you again. If not, I'll definitely be here at Pikes Bay whenever you make your way to Bayfield. Sean and I would love to show you around.

Enjoy Lake Huron!
BD

 

[O C Diver]

Well after a two and a half week visit with the wife it's time to head back out on the Lakes.

Left Port Huron at 5AM after a nice stay at Desmond Marine. Great people; nice facility; extremely inexpensive long-term dockage; very competitive fuel prices ($3.75 per gallon). Between a 3+ knot current and dodging a few ore boats it took about an hour to get out on to Lake Huron. Just in time for sunrise.




Ted

 

[O C Diver]

Hello Ted, I've been catching up on your voyage and it is (as always) inspiring!

I know that mncruiser has mentioned it before, but my wife and I met you July of last year on the wall at Black River. I was in a Silverton sedan cruiser and we were trying to secure that Sea Ray that was self destructing against the wall. Unfortunately I didn't know who you were at the time!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that we're planning to leave Bayfield for Isle Royale on June 23 and plan to be there until July 3rd. I hope we can run into you again. If not, I'll definitely be here at Pikes Bay whenever you make your way to Bayfield. Sean and I would love to show you around.

Enjoy Lake Huron!
BD

Sorry I will miss you at Isle Royale. Need to be in Marquette for the 4th of July fireworks. Should be to Isle Royale on the 10th and will likely stay around 18 days. Hope to be in Bayfield or the Apostle Islands a week or so later.

Hopefully will see you all then.

Ted

 

[HeadedToTexas]

$3.75 a gallon for diesel? That's good news. Sounds like there is plenty to do in Port Huron.

 

[O C Diver]

$3.75 a gallon for diesel? That's good news. Sounds like there is plenty to do in Port Huron.

Yes, Desmond Marine is on the Black River maybe a tenth of a mile from the Saint Clair river. There is a strictly enforced no wake zone with several marinas and restaurants on both sides. Lots of restaurants within walking distance. The marina has a well stocked store and their distributor is about 30 miles away so they can get most items in a day or two. I rented a car for under $60 as I had a few stores to go to that were about 40 miles away. Port Huron has a number of stores, but not a grocery store within walking distance. Detroit and it's affluent suburbs are to the South. You can probably find anything you want within 40 miles of Port Huron.

Ted

 

[HeadedToTexas]

I remember it fondly from a crisp October night a few years ago. It was one of my stops en route from Grand Haven to Sandusky. Great memories.

 

[BDofMSP]

Sorry I will miss you at Isle Royale. Need to be in Marquette for the 4th of July fireworks. Should be to Isle Royale on the 10th and will likely stay around 18 days. Hope to be in Bayfield or the Apostle Islands a week or so later.

Hopefully will see you all then.

Ted

Don't blame you. We were in Marquette for 4th of July fireworks last year. Rained all day but they eventually went off and they were great. Fun festival in that park too!

Enjoy your trip.
BD

 

[O C Diver]

Don't blame you. We were in Marquette for 4th of July fireworks last year. Rained all day but they eventually went off and they were great. Fun festival in that park too!

Enjoy your trip.
BD

I was there last year. Anchored out in front of the Coastguard station and mooring field.

Speaking of the Coastguard, things aren't going so well right now. John Deere decided to take some time off.



Ted

 

[BDofMSP]

Oh dear. That's not great. Glad you are safe. Can't wait to hear about it.

 

[fryedaze]

Looks like you are in by dark. Good luck. I hope the fix is easy. The way you baby those JDs it should be.

 

[ranger58sb]

Speaking of the Coastguard, things aren't going so well right now. John Deere decided to take some time off.

????

-Chris

 

[CharlieO.]

Looks like a nice day for a tow.

 

[mvweebles]

I was there last year. Anchored out in front of the Coastguard station and mooring field.

Speaking of the Coastguard, things aren't going so well right now. John Deere decided to take some time off.

View attachment 139858

Ted

Ugghhh...as a fellow "Single" owner, very interested to hear outcome, especially given your experience and knowledge.

The picture shows towing bridle below caprail suggesting towing eyes in the hull? Or something else?

Best wishes Ted - quite the cliff-hanger........

Peter

 

[rslifkin]

I think we're all waiting to hear what the problem is. There's a limited amount of stuff that comes up suddenly and leaves you dead in the water without a band-aid. I'm thinking either an electrical problem, major mechanical failure, failure of a hose you can't patch or replace, or a driveline failure (transmission, etc.). My last unplanned engine shutdown was due to a transmission that stopped transmitting power...

Ugghhh...as a fellow "Single" owner, very interested to hear outcome, especially given your experience and knowledge.

The picture shows towing bridle below caprail suggesting towing eyes in the hull? Or something else?

Best wishes Ted - quite the cliff-hanger........

Peter

I think the lines are going through those hawse holes in the bulwark.

 

[psneeld]

I think we're all waiting to hear what the problem is. There's a limited amount of stuff that comes up suddenly and leaves you dead in the water without a band-aid. I'm thinking either an electrical problem, major mechanical failure, failure of a hose you can't patch or replace, or a driveline failure (transmission, etc.). My last unplanned engine shutdown was due to a transmission that stopped transmitting power...






I think the lines are going through those hawse holes in the bulwark.

I think I see the line in the hawse hole at the very, very bottom of the pic.

 

[fryedaze]

Looks like maybe a test run this morning. The Ted fan club is in hot standby awaiting an update.
I really should get a life[emoji23]

 

[SteveK]

Looks like maybe a test run this morning. The Ted fan club is in hot standby awaiting an update.
I really should get a life[emoji23]View attachment 139873

Yea but at least we have visual on the escapade and adventures of slowboat.

 

[Wayfarer]

Ahoy sir Ted! Looks like you’ve been able to make some more miles. I’ll be heading north on Huron on the big boat tomorrow, let me know if you need a speed boost! We’ll throw you a line

 

[O C Diver]

Ahoy sir Ted! Looks like you’ve been able to make some more miles. I’ll be heading north on Huron on the big boat tomorrow, let me know if you need a speed boost! We’ll throw you a line

Hopefully I will be going in De Tour Passage this evening. Probably will have to pass on the higher speed tow as the weather on Superior is looking to get lumpy on Tuesday, not that it will bother your work boat. Will probably hide through Tuesday, move up to Whitefish Point on Wednesday, and head to Munising on Thursday.

Which ship are you driving these days? Just in case I need some Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard.

Ted

 

[O C Diver]

Looks like maybe a test run this morning. The Ted fan club is in hot standby awaiting an update.
I really should get a life[emoji23]View attachment 139873

I've had an electronic problem on JD that isn't completely resolved. Complete resolution will require a material solution ($,$$$). Yesterday I put together another thead describing the issue in detail. My phone ate the thread. So I will be trying again this afternoon.

Ted

 

[hmason]

Oh no.

 

[Wayfarer]

Hopefully I will be going in De Tour Passage this evening. Probably will have to pass on the higher speed tow as the weather on Superior is looking to get lumpy on Tuesday, not that it will bother your work boat. Will probably hide through Tuesday, move up to Whitefish Point on Wednesday, and head to Munising on Thursday.



Which ship are you driving these days? Just in case I need some Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard.



Ted

Ah dang, I’ll just miss ya. I’m on Manitowoc. We’ll be passing by DeTour on our way west tomorrow morning at obnoxious o’clock. Something like 0500.

Well if our paths do cross, I don’t think we have any Grey Poupon, but I’m pretty sure we have some bulk store brand mayonnaise! Lol.

Safe travels Slow Hand.

 

[O C Diver]

I left Port Sanilac yesterday morning and anchored about a mile offshore of Harrisville last night. The wind fell out yesterday afternoon and was calm last night.





It remained calm till late in the morning.





When you ask for a calm night at anchor, understand that the law of unintended consequences comes into play. A much brighter anchor light seemed a really good choice at the time.







Ted

 

[mvweebles]

Yikes!!! That is amazing! I'll be you wish you had a leaf blower.....

 

[O C Diver]

Yikes!!! That is amazing! I'll be you wish you had a leaf blower.....

I'm in the Great Lakes, with unlimited freshwater. Soaking them before washing them overboard, keeps them from returning to the boat. The 60 PSI anchor wash down pump, 50 feet of hose, and an adjustable spray nozzle, washed the intruders away in a couple of hours while under.

Ted

 

[HeadedToTexas]

That would do it. We spent two nights in the Put In Bay mooring field and there wasn’t an anchor light to be seen. Still, I wish we had a 60 psi washdown supply!

 

[Old Sea Dog]

Reminds me of the blind mosquitoes on Lake Okeechobee I had to deal with last Sept.