07/12/2011

It has been a few days since the watch cycle and geography have given me a chance to send a message to the outsde world. It has certainly been an interesting few days however. We stopped in Sault Ste Marie fo a few hours to prep the Niagara to go through the Soo locks. We also briefly met with the Lynx and her crew as the were doing the same. The passage through the locks was uneventful,which is generally the best way for them to go.

Then we made our way to Lake Superior. If you have never made that passage by water it is difficult to really understand the awe of it. As you make your way up the river you come to a mildly narrow passage and then it is as if the entire world opens up in front of you. It is easy to imagine the feelings of those first explorers through that way, not believing that the water was still fresh because surely this was the ocean in front of them.

Shortly after our entrance to the lake we found ourselves beset in deep fog, though somehow sailing. We managed to sail almost around the peninsula and then drove north for a period of time.

I feel like I need to explain that the nature of time on a voyage is a complicated one. Days quickly become meaningless as all that matters is the watch. If I do not say how many days passed it is because I simply do not remember.

After some days in the fog we were up aloft in the dawn hours tucking reefs wen the fog bank parted to reveal the first land we had seen since entering Superior. We were told that we were off Isle Royale and would be sending shore parties after lunch. It was a cold and wet hour's small boat ride in, but worth every moment. The sun on shore was warm and the smell of pine trees and wet soil was almost overpowering. We spent some time talking to some residents about the study they have been doing on moose and wolves and then tromped in the woods for a bit. It was a lovely excursion.

On leaving we et a great deal of canvas and rode a favorable breeze well into the night. We were on from 2300 till 0300 and made just over thirty miles with a top speed around 9.5knots. It was a glorious run.

Today after lunch we took the deck again and found ourselves taking in sail and furling as we entered the Apostle Islands. I have never had the pleasure of passing through them in daylight hours but surely must return at some point. They are truly beautiful.

And now I am in port on shore leave till 0300, talking to strangers in a coffee shop and making friends. 8 may have even convinced someone to come find us in Duluth and maybe even become a sailor. We are contagious.