We are kicking off the annual Breen family boat trip and it’s technically our third attempt to make it to Mackinac. We have done everything we can to remove barriers for making it this year and have two weeks set aside compared to the usual 9 days. We are determined to make it!
But with all things boating, it will be dependent on the weather so we will see. Although this lack of planning bumps into all of our Type-A personalities, we’ve come to enjoy the adventure of it all. So here’s to our next adventure!
Tyler graduated on Friday and had a seminar Saturday morning. Then we had a Congregational meeting on Sunday at church so we left a little later than originally planned. But it worked out well for us to go out Saturday and unpack, get settled, and get all the groceries stored away for the trip.
This morning we got up and headed to church. We made it back to the boat with Culver’s in hand and prepped to get out on the water. It is a WINDY day today with a small craft advisory for the lake.
At 1:52pm we left the dock and headed out.
At 2:20 we were rolling in the channel and made it out between the lighthouses in Grand Haven.
I would estimate the waves were all of 3-4’ with an occasional 6’ mixed in. It wasn’t necessarily comfortable but definitely doable for the boat. For our comfort, we couldn’t run full speed so we found 19mph worked best. The wind was out of the west so there was a lot of rolling side to side as we headed up the coast.
At 2:54 pm we passed Muskegon and the wind started to switch direction, coming out of the north. This helped cut down the waves slightly but we were now heading into the waves and as they built during the afternoon, it became more bumpy the further north we went. Eventually we made it to our cruising speed of 26 mph.
At 4:31 pm we passed Pentwater and I could soon see the wind turbines of Ludington in sight.
At 5:24 pm we arrived in Harborview Marina, slip A33. All of us happy to be in calm water again. No one more glad than Coco. It’s funny, when we decided to press on today, I forgot how much our dog hates rough water and therefore didn’t think through what that decision would mean for me.
For the bulk of our trip, you could find me here… on the back of the boat, drenched in splash, clutching a trembling dog as we bounced along.
Once we settled in, Scott grilled brats for us for dinner. Then we took a walk to find a postbox to drop some mail and of course looked for the Kilwins Ice Cream. It was nice to get out and stretch our legs.
We had a great view of the Badger Docks and really enjoyed watching them come and go during our stay.
We were all feeling pretty tired and headed to bed around 10:00pm. Tomorrow’s weather isn’t looking too promising. Strong wind and waves throughout the day but possibly a window to make the next next leg north later in the afternoon or evening. We will see.
Weather:
Skies: Sunny, Windy
Temp: 62*
Winds: 15 mph W, turning to 18mph N
Lake Conditions: 3-4' out of GH; 1-2' chop north of Whitehall; 2-3' near Ludington
Distance Travelled: 67 mi
Harbor View Marina (231) 843-6032 VHF 9
Harbor View Marina is past Ludington Municipal Marina, just around the bend on your port side. It has 160 slips with approximately 25 slips available for transient sailors. There is a fuel dock (diesel and gasoline) and pumpout station. There is water, power and cable TV available at dockside. Restrooms, showers and laundry are available in their lovely clubhouse. The clubhouse also has a fitness room, library, swimming pool, spa and ship's store. Other amenities include picnic and recreation areas, BBQ grills and internet access. Downtown Ludington is only a couple of blocks away.
