Love Note to Bayfield, our homeport 9-14-09

Hi everybody! Hope you are doing well and that you will have a warm September to continue cruising. Apple Festival is just around the corner and I can smell the apple pie from the Candy Shop.

It’s been a year since we left beautiful Bayfield to do the Great Circle Loop. We have done about 5,900 miles so far and are now anchored in Lake Champlain which is like a hybrid of a very small Lake Superior and a Colorado alpine lake but I don’t ever have thoughts like “Kitchi-gummi doesn’t give up her dead”—that was last September in Whitefish Bay with 6-8 foot seas, the most stressful crossing of our whole entire trip. If you can boat on Lake Superior, you can do anything.

This Peg will not be back in Lake Superior for quite awhile but we are sending you a new Peg, Loopers Peg Miller and her husband, Dave. You will probably notice their 44’ Tollycraft, Sea Ya, docked in the marina. We have told them how beautiful Bayfield is, how great the boating is in the Apostle Islands and how welcoming all of you are. Stop by and introduce yourselves and ask Dave to tell you about his special Navy escort out of a high security area. Anyone can make a little wrong turn.

Bayfield, the Apostle Islands and the BYC have been the benchmarks for us to measure other ports and we can report to you that you have rarely been surpassed. Even the Abacos in the Bahamas seemed to us like a turquoise blue Apostle Islands minus the bears but way more tiki bars.

It was fun to see Jill and Wayne, Frank, Phyllis and Gretchen as well as Vonnie and Erling in FL and to email with many of you along the way. I probably should have posted our website, and here it is http://www.babygrandadventure.blogspot.com/

We will be doing the Canadian canals next year and coming back into the Great Lakes and taking a few years to explore the Georgian Bay/North Channel area. We’ll keep the website going so join us on our adventure.

Wishing you fair skies and calm seas (We’re powerboaters now)

Peggy and Bob

Labor Day Week 9-09-09

We are moored in Deep Bay in Lake Champlain with 3 sided protection. We are enjoying blue sky days with temps in the 70’s in the northland which is just perfect. The light is getting more golden and there are a few hints of fall with slight color change.

We are not all work and no play as Point au Roche State Park with hiking trials is just a dinghy ride away. There are miles of trails to hike and when we get hot, " just jump in the lake".

Great Labor Day Weekend 9-6-09

We left Burton Island on Friday, 9/4 so we could meet up with Bob’s brother John and his wife, Mary on Saturday at Treadwell Bay Marina. They have a cabin in the Adirondacks and this was a convenient meeting place.

I awoke on Saturday to the smell of strong coffee, cigarettes and the sound of French. I truly did not know where I was and wondered if I had lost a year as we plan to travel to Montreal and Quebec next year. I learned later that Treadwell Bay is 60 miles from Montreal and that the marina is occupied by 90% French Canadians. I love the lilt of the French language but why is it that I only remember Spanish words when I try to speak French. I think that I have some work to do this winter.

Treadwell Bay Marina is an interesting place which makes you work hard to get to the pool and the good restaurant. Notice the steps to the left side of the picture—41 total and we did them numerous times with groceries and 4 loads of laundry with dock carts. I asked a Montreal boater how he copes with this and he noted, “You get used to it and can drink more wine and eat more food and still stay in shape.” Hardy people.

We had a great time visiting with John and Mary on our boat. We tooled around Treadwell Bay made easy with a crystal clear blue sky day, 70 degrees and moderate winds. John even wore boat shoes and looked more nautical than Bob.

Bob and I love this lake and had seriously thought of retiring here. In 2003, we looked at a dilapidated property in which we saw great potential but our offer was refused. We cruised up Alburg Peninsula on Sunday to see what happened to it. Somebody bought it and transformed it into the Vermont “camp” we would have created.

We spent the rest of the weekend enjoying an anchorage in LaMotte Passage. Hope you are having a great weekend also.

A Year Ago Today…. 9-4-09

Hard to believe that Bob and I started our Great Loop trip a year ago today. Big events always have a time distortion—seems like yesterday/it was another lifetime ago. After a whirlwind few months of selling the house in St. Paul, finding a condo in Denver that will be our home, and retiring on 9/2/08, we started our trip of a lifetime on Friday, 9/5/08 in Lake Superior.
Here I am this morning watching our gold Looper burgee and sunrise over the Green Mountains in Vermont on Lake Champlain. It’s been an incredible year.

I asked Captain Bob to crunch some numbers to give you a rough outline of what we’ve done. My blog has been woefully inadequate in this department so here it is:

Total statute miles in 1 year: 5883
Gallons of diesel fuel used: 1462 for an average of 4.02 miles per gallon
Engine Hours: 795
Boat Travel Days: 131, avg of 45 miles, 6 hours per day
Nights in a Marina: 323
Locks: 37
Boat Parts Replaced: engine room blower, boat water pump, macerator,
impeller, inverter panel.

Some of these numbers surprise me as I thought that we travelled more days and anchored out more. We started to do our Favorites list (best beach-Clearwater; best place on the Loop-Bahamas; best anchorage-Statue of Liberty……) but then we would remember other great places and start again. It was a great way to revisit our trip and play “remember when….”

We have learned so much this year about ourselves, each other, what’s important and what’s not. We have learned to live LARGE in a very small boat. We remember the anticipation and anxiety before making a hard crossing but also the sense of accomplishment when we did it. It has made us stronger. We have appreciated the community of boaters that we’ve met along the way and shared so much with.

There is one more category. Regrets: none.

Burton Island 9-1-09

I’ve never been here before but it is so familiar. Substitute granite for sandstone and I am right back again in the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior. We have the place practically to ourselves until the working masses arrive on Thursday for Labor Day weekend.

I finally kept my word and jumped into the clear cool waters. I never felt that way in FL or the Bahamas—something about thinking too much about fish that could kill me.

We are enjoying our time here reading, relaxing, hiking, biking, kayaking and having campfires as well as getting a few boat projects done. Life is good.

Tourist Time Between the Drops 8-30-09

It’s almost like Mother Nature knows that kids have to go back to school so she throws in some cool weather and rain to end summer abruptly. Locals here don’t even feel that they’ve had a summer with all the rain and they want a do-over. We have stowed our portable air conditioner, but where did I put the quilt?

Vermonters love their Green Mountain coffee, dogs and bikes. We did have one glorious fall-like afternoon of bike riding along the Lake Champlain Bikeway trail which is relatively flat. If I were to do some serious biking here, this decaf gal would have to get all caffeined-up and rent dogs to mush my way up the BIG mountains on my itty-bitty bike.

Rather than slog through the rain on the boat, we rented an Enterprise car for $30 per day to tour Fort Ticonderoga and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. So much of our early history as a country happened here and I finally understand some of it.

The 13 British colonies were surrounded on all sides by French territory and these two superpowers had a go at it in the mislabeled war, the French Indian War. If Britain lost that one, we would all be speaking French right now. Both countries had huge war deficits so England raised taxes on the colonies and the rest is history.

These mountains and waters are alive with the daring Revolutionary War exploits of Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold before he became a traitor. How could you fight a war when only 1/3 of the population was solidly with you; 1/3, were neutral and would not really help; and the other 1/3, conspired against you? It’s amazing that this country got born at all.

We were going to tour another museum but then the sun came out, we were passing the Shelburne Vineyard and their wine tasting sign beckoned us. The wine is very young and they have relied on some very hardy vines from Minnesota vineyards. I don’t think France or California have anything to worry about but it was a lovely afternoon here.

We loaded up the car with groceries and fall boat provisions. It’s time to change/drain all the fluids to winterize the boat and I have boat waxing and varnishing to do. I have so much sanding to do that I will probably erase my fingerprints.

Gold Loopers Bill on Transition and Mike from Golden stopped by to say "Hi" and reminisce about looper time.

Revisiting the Fork in the Road of Life 8-27-09

Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you had made the other choice? I do. Maybe it’s because I have had too many rainy days lately to think about stuff. Most likely it is due to the fact that we are back in the Lake George/Lake Champlain area where Bob and I spent our early years recreating as a couple.

We travelled here as twentysomethings with our trailerable sailboat to island hop and enjoy the cool clear healing waters. It’s almost like we’re passing our young selves along the way and nodding “hi” as having a liveaboard boat was our dream even back then.

So why did we up and leave and move to Minnesota in 1976 if we were so happy? I think we are hard-wired for adventure and have a bad/good case of wanderlust. Is it because 3 or our 4 parents are immigrants and set up a pattern to move—they did so because they had to; we do it because we can.

We have had a wonderful 30+ years in Minnesota and then we up and leave for Colorado. Again our lives have been wonderful there filled with great friends and a great life, but it’s like a 30 year time bomb is counting down and we have to move on. Doing the Loop is a great segue into that and I must admit I love being in new places and trying on new experiences.

As I sit by Lake Champlain tonight watching the beautiful sunset, I realize that if I had stayed in the New York/Vermont area, I would probably be right here on these very shores enjoying this very same sunset. Life’s funny that way.

The Narrows of Lake Champlain 8-24-09

We left Westport Sunday (8/23) to explore the western palisade section with steep granite cliffs and secluded tree-lined anchorages but the north wind and storms kicked up and we had to cancel our plans and head across the lake for the protection of Point Bay and picked up a mooring ball.

Here is our rainbow appearing through a light rain and sun as we swung on the mooring and are surrounded by sailboats with their gently-clanging halyards and rain falling softly on our bimini. It is a great time to read until the light fades or get lost in your thoughts with the help of the hypnotic power of the rain. If I become one with the rain, will it stop?

The sun peeked out and the seas calmed down on Monday so we decided to travel 7 miles up Otter Creek to Vergennes. For our boating friends, I will note that flat calm is helpful to navigate the entrance which has some shallow shoals to the south so you don’t want to make a mistake. The creek is about 50 yards wide, has depths of 14-20 feet in the middle except for an 8 foot section by Dead Creek, and has ½ knot current. Deadheads are marked creatively with milk jugs. It is home to osprey and water fowl and is dotted occasionally with small houses and private docks.

When we rounded the last turn, we not only found the sun at the end of our rainbow, but also a spectacular waterfall display. Vergennes welcomes boaters with a free dock with electric and water and has a number of restaurants, small grocery, shops, liquor store, pharmacy and summer playhouse. Its City Hall is located in the Old Opera House which still functions as a theatre in the upstairs area. With a town green and Farmers Market, it is a delightful New England place to visit.

Bob and I have had a running discussion about how to pronounce “Vergennes.” I took a little French years ago so I did an Inspector Clouseau pronunciation; Bob thought that the “g” should be pronounced with a “j” sound. I was passing the library so ducked in to consult the reference librarians about this burning question. I explained the above and the 3 female librarians noted that “Vergennes” is pronounced with a “j” sound but I should not tell my husband “as you know how men get when they get one thing right.” I am letting you in on this little secret but don’t tell Bob.

We spent a wonderful evening with boaters from Chipman Point and got lots of helpful information about the lake. Nightcap for the evening was the falls being lit with rainbow colors. In the still of the night, the cascading falls roared like the ocean and lulled us to sleep.

Lower Lake Champlain 8-22-09

I went for a walk early on Thursday (8/20) and saw a small runabout in the canal. I assumed it was waiting to lock through at 7 am, but found out later that vandals had cut its dock lines and it had drifted perilously close to the dam adjacent to the lock. This type of thing happens so rarely but can be so dangerous.

We locked through #12 and entered the lower end of Lake Champlain, but with its narrow width and army green water, it did not look much different yet from the Champlain Canal. As we rounded its twists and turns, it reminded me of an amusement park kiddy boat ride---wheee.

Then the Green Mountain of Vermont on the east side and the Adirondacks on the New York west side came into view and we knew we were entering another world. Lake Champlain is 120 miles long and 10 miles at its widest and missed designation as the 6th Great Lake but it is next in line. It has 70 islands (ok-that includes some rock outcroppings), secluded anchorages, wildlife preserves and parks and clear, deep water when you journey further north. It seemed to us like a hybrid of a small Lake Superior and a large Colorado alpine lake.

You are going to have to take my word on that for now as we again have less than optimum photo conditions with fog, haze, humidity and/or rain. Didn’t we just have a month just like this in the Chesapeake? Locals assure us that when Hurricane Bill passes and the stalled wet fronts can roll through that the sunshine will return.

Here’s whose sharing the lake with us today. The Peckinpaugh is a 259’ historic canal barge making its way south to celebrate Samuel de Champlain’s European discovery of this lake in 1609. It’s not getting as much press as Henry Hudson’s voyage but some local college kids were intrigued and are doing Lake Champlain on a homemade raft.

We had hoped to anchor by Fort Ticonderoga but those darn t-storms were threatening. Look close in the picture and you might see also that Colonial soldiers were setting the cannon to fire and we were right in their crosshairs so definitely time to move on. The book 1776 comes alive in this area when you realize the amazing feat of young Nathaniel Greene and the ragtag Continental Army who moved the cannons from this fort overland to Boston in the dead of winter to turn the tide of the war. We’ll be coming back here by car to visit this fort as well as Fort St. Frederic and Fort Crown Point. It’s amazing how many battles took place here on these quiet shores.

We pulled into Westport Marina on the NY side on late Friday morning (8/21) and were greeted by the Carroll family. This is one of the best run and friendliest marinas on the Loop with the entire family (Mom, Dad, grandparents, kids of all ages and extended family) making sure you have a good experience in the marina, gift store, and restaurant, and if you need engine work, Larry is your guy. The town of Westport is also worth a visit and has 2 vintage small grocery markets that reminded us those in the Bahamas where you can find a little bit of everything. The town reminded us a bit of Bayfield, our home port in Lake Superior, with its hilly streets, one of a kind shops and a great bakery café, Me and My Girls.

Time to get some work done also between rain showers so we put up the mast, cleaned the fenders and started some wax projects. Poor Bob had to redo our whole computer which crashed for unknown reasons and our Verizon Air Card and Wi-Fi were not working either. We’re back online so the fix worked.

Cruising the Champlain Canal 8-19-09

Mondays are usually moving-on days and so we left Waterford 8/17 with Orinoco. We all agreed that Waterford is one of the best small town stops on the Loop. There are only a few waterway signs on the Loop but this one points us to Lake Champlain so we can’t get lost. Orinoco is taking the Erie Canal for points west and way beyond (Alaska) to continue their expanding live-aboard adventure. Bon voyage.

Have boat poles, gloves and fenders as well as lowered mast, radar and antennas so we’re ready to do the Champlain Canal locks. All of the boating guides warn that you have to be ready for a 15.5’ clearance---wow---are we going to make that one, Bob? We had the flybridge bimini ready to lower but luckily we had 17’ clearance throughout the canal.

The Champlain Canal rises 139 feet over 42 miles to Lock 8 and then descends 44 feet for 22 miles to Lock 12 in Whitehall. It follows the Hudson River upstream to Fort Edward and then through a dug canal to Whitehall. We bought a 4 day pass for $30 and it was well worth it.

It was constructed in the early 1800’s for sailing commercial canal boats with 150 tons of cargo which were pulled through the original narrow, shallow canal on side trails by mules and horses. Even when steam tugs were used later, the journey would be 4-5 long days. We’re feeling pretty speedy with our 135 horsepower Ford Lehman engine doing 7-8 mph. The canal was the superhighway of its day transporting goods and passengers around the region.

The canal takes you through the heartland of New York State with its fertile farmlands, famous battlefields, charming canal towns and wildlife preserves, but there has been a major glitch this year. General Electric was ordered to clean-up their sizable toxic PCB dumps in the Fort Edwards area and hired private contractors to do so. Their dredging unleashed PCBs into the canal area and downstream and also collapsed part of the old fort. The only positive that I can see is that with the PCB scrub, I probably will not have to compound the hull before I wax this fall.

The northland is finally experiencing summer with temps in the 90's and humidity to match. We have only used our portable air conditioner about 5 times on the whole Loop but this week, we are plugging it in whenever we have shore power.

We tied up at the free dock in Whitehall (electricity and water) just before the last lock, #12. Whitehall is the birthplace of the US Navy due to its history of constructing the first 12 ships for the fledgling American War for Independence in 1776. Today, the Victorian/French Gothic Skene Manor presides over the town and welcomes visitors for lunch and tours on weekends.