Some Like It Hot

Two boats and crews made the trip: Joe and Lacinda Terry, with their two willing crewmembers Tristin and Calen, on their MacGregor 26 “Reverie” and myself and cousin Chuck Jagodinski, on my Catalina 22 “BlewBoat”  Unfortunately, Stan Dale and friend Barb were unable to make the trip on Stan’s Catalina 22 “Belle Dream”, as planned, although they did graciously make the drive up to see us off.

Blew Boat and Reverie made it to Red Cliff at about 2:00 PM  Thursday, with plenty of time to set up and go for an afternoon sail in light air.  Reverie sailed north up the coast for the 3 miles to Schooner Bay Marina to get settled in where we had reserved slips for Thursday night.  Chuck and I sailed Blew Boat down the 3 miles south to Bayfield to have a look around, and maybe escape the mid-90 degree heat that had been plaguing the Midwest for most of last two weeks of July.  After couple of very cold beers and a pizza at the Pickled Herring restaurant, we made our way back North to Schooner Bay, where we spent an enjoyable evening in the well-protected harbor.

Friday morning we departed Schooner Bay for Devil’s Island, setting sail in light but adequate easterly winds and brilliant sunshine, meeting up at the Park Service dock on the Southeast side of Otter Island for lunch, and a swim in the crystal-clear water.  Even though the air temperature was well in the nineties again, the surface water temperature offshore measured about 55 F.  The water temperature near shore was somewhat warmer, but not by much- a short swim to cool off went a long way!

Departing Otter Island, the wind swung to the West and then died altogether, so we motored the remaining 5 miles to the south landing harbor at Devil’s Island, with “Sim” (our tiller pilot) doing most of the helm work.  Our original plan was to spend Friday night in this remote harbor, and explore Devil’s by the overland trail that runs from the harbor to the northern end sea caves.  Even though the wind was non-existant, a low  westerly swell entered the shallow, rocky harbor, making an overnight stay there not an option.  Joe, his son Calen, and Chuck decided to hike the two-mile round trip to the north of the island to see the lighthouse buildings, and some of the sea caves. Lacinda and Tristin swam in the clear water of the little harbor, while I worked on small maintenance projects between dunks in the harbor to cool off. (Cruising is indeed the art of boat maintenance in exotic locations.)  Since we needed to go somewhere else for the night, and since Superior was so flat calm (a very unusual state for this greatest of the Great Lakes), we decided to motor around to the north end of the island to view and photograph the unbelievable sea caves, before heading due east a few miles to find protection for the night on the west side of South Twin Island.

Reverie and BlewBoat  both managed to find space at the small Park Service Dock at South Twin, where we would be protected from the anticipated wind direction change to the northeast during the night.  The wind did indeed change as advertised during the night, accompanied by some violent thunderstorms and one of the most spectacular lighting displays I have ever seen.  During the night, the wind swung out of the northeast, but an uncomfortable southwesterly swell persisted, making our position on the dock untenable.  As soon as daylight broke, Chuck and I moved Blewboat out a hundred yards or so

and anchored in 12 feet of water, the hook securely buried in a rippled sand bottom.  The motion onboard BlewBoat was immediately improved, and we managed to get some sleep.  (This has taught me that if there is any kind of wave action at all, one will sleep infinitely better swinging at anchor as opposed to being tied up at a dock- the motion is so much gentler!)

The next morning (Saturday) we set sail for Presque Isle Bay, Stockton Island, in 10-15 knot northeasterly winds, and 1-3 foot seas, which built to 15-20 knots winds and 3-5 foot seas as the day went on.  BlewBoat was conservatively attired in a storm jib (made by Stan Dale), and a double-reefed main.  We eventually shook out one of the reefs, hanked on the working jib, and had an absolute blast tacking up the channel  between Madeline and Stockton- some of the best sailing I have experienced, with BlewBoat making 5.5 to 6 knots to weather in 3-5 foot comfortable seas, and good old “Sim” (our tiller pilot) doing most of the work.

We made Presque Isle Bay by mid afternoon, and anchored outside of the harbor in waist-deep crystal-clear water over a rippled sand bottom.  There was no dock space inside the harbor, so we waded ashore for a leg-stretch.  Later, with Reverie and BlewBoat rafted up, we enjoyed a leisurely dinner and conversation.  Then both boats moved into deeper water to anchor for the night.  Later that night we were entertained by another round of violent thunderstorms with spectacular displays of lightning, all the while being protected in this excellent anchorage.

Sunday morning broke to gray skies and intermittent rain and thunderstorms with squally winds out of the west-northwest. We decided to wait for better weather before making the run back to Red Cliff for the trip home.  At about 9:00 AM, a NWS bulletin was broadcast advising mariners in the area to get off the water if possible.  Reverie came alongside and picked up Chuck and I, leaving BlewBoat buttoned-up and at anchor, while we sought shelter inside the harbor- Reverie is a water-ballasted boat with a flush-retracting centerboard, making beaching possible, which we did inside the harbor.  We then took shelter in the NPS Visitor Center to wait out the weather.  One thunder cell after another barreled through, with intense lightning and torrential rain.  We noticed that  a sieche had been occurring, a phenomenon peculiar to large inland waters, no doubt due to the intense  squall winds- the water level rose and fell by about a foot in a matter of minutes- they are really quite weird to see- like inland tides.

Finally at about 2:30 in the afternoon, we decided to make the run to Red Cliff, agreeing to sail within sight of the other boat, and to duck into Quarry Bay, 3 miles west on Stockton, if the going got too rough.  We motored out in a rainstorm, which quickly became a deluge with visibility restricted to a few hundred yards, but not much wind, in 1-3 foot seas.  As the wind was manageable, we decided to give the motor a little help by setting sail with a single-reefed main and working jib. As the wind built, the motor become un-needed and was shut down.  Blessed peace!  As we moved through the current thunderstorm, the skies began to clear, and the wind swung to the east- southeast strongly, and building.  As the wind continued to build to 20 knots, we struck the working jib, replacing it with the storm jib, which turned out to be an excellent move.  As we sailed through the strait between Hermit and Basswood Islands, the southeast wind really began to blow, accelerated by the islands.  The foredeck was awash from time to time, and the 3 foot chop was very steep, with mostly whitecaps, as the wind built to 25-30 knots, with an occasional gust to 35-40 knots in the North Channel between Basswood Island and the mainland.  This was the strongest wind I have ever sailed in.  We were knocked down only one time, with a little water coming over the cockpit coaming- but BlewBoat, honest and seakindly as she is,  rounded up to weather and righted herself at once.  (Thank you, Frank Butler and Catalina!)  This a was one of those confidence-building events, which one would not intentionally seek out, that serves to make one a better, more experienced sailor, with (hopefully) even more confidence in one’s vessel.  Sailors tend to form emotional bonds with their boats, and experiences like this are the reason that happens.

Pulling into the well-protected harbor at Red Cliff seemed a world apart from the blow outside in the North Channel. Driving through the city of Bayfield on the way home, south along Highway 13, we saw extensive tree and power line damage done by the morning thunderstorm, which utility crews were still working to clean up.

After a final dinner in Ashland with the crew of Reverie, we began the trip home, already planning to do this again next year- there are a lot of the Apostle Islands yet to see.  Yes, we will hope for better weather next year, but fair weather or foul, this year’s expedition was unforgettable, with memories enough to get us through the next Wisconsin winter!

These are things worth remembering.