14 Sep Day 1 – Ready not Ready!

Well today was the day.  After 25 years of dreaming, 7 years of boat prep and probably a couple of years of serious planning, we have begun the Loop!

After a frantic few days of boat projects and last minute packing we finally left the house and moved onto the boat.  About 6 or 7 trips back home was all it took to say we were ready to depart.  I don’t think you are ever really ready to go on a trip like this.  There is too much to think about.  What do we have to take?  What can we live without?  What needs to be done to be away that long?  You can prepare for ever and still forget something.  In the end you just have to set a deadline and stick to it and today was the deadline…

We were hoping to leave the dock @ 10AM.  A group of family and friends showed up at the dock to wish us “Bon Voyage”, however, there was a 15 to 20 knot wind out of the west holding us in Port Franks.  The wind was supposed to drop around 11 but at 11 it was still a fresh breeze blowing out of the west.  By Noon after answering the question, “when are you leaving”, dozens of times we decided to go.  After some tearful goodbyes we pulled away from the dock @ 1230.

. (Photo credit: Theresa Aveling)

It was a little rough entering the lake and with the stress, emotion and excitement of the day I forgot to try and take a web cam selfie leaving the Port.  The Port Franks Redneck Navy came out to see us off but it was rough and didn’t get many pictures.  All kidding aside, we did appreciate the support, and after 3 or 4 Bon Voyage celebrations we have come to think, maybe they WILL actually miss us.

After leaving all the excitement it was a straight shot of 30 Nautical miles across to Port Sanilac MI.  We arrived @ 1730, fueled up, secured to a slip and walked up to the Stone Lodge for a nice dinner, then back to the boat, made the bed, and crashed.

Trip Count:  Days 1, Miles covered 30, Bars 1

to be continued…