Home again, home again

This blogline will chronicle our safe return to Saugatuck.

Manistee – Pentwater

We arose early and departed in heavy dew and leaden skies with low visibility and lost sight of the shoreline until we rounded Big Sable point where we could just see the light.  We passed Ludington and the water was kind to us this day so we became bound for Pentwater.  We arrived early at Pentwater in a 15 kt northerly wind and anchored just west of  Little Bayou Bay in 40′ of water with all 150 ‘ of rode out.  The afternoon was a lazy one where we recovered from the trip south.  We were here just one night as we became a “horse heading fro the barn”.

Pentwater – Saugatuck

The captain arose at 0615, did the normal morning duties and ate breakfast.  Precisely at 0645 the engine was started and we started the dirty and laborious task of raising the anchor which required the windlass to break the anchor free from the mud.    First Mate finished the stowing of the anchor while we headed for the open water.

The early morning was filled with broken skies and reduced visibility and the crew was alert to fishing boats plying the waters at the 100′ line.  The waves picked up to 2 – 3′ as we neared Little Sable Point on a 215 degree heading.  When we rounded the point we went on a 180 heading but the waves were giving us the old corkscrew ride of quartering following seas so we assumed the 165 heading as soon as we could go direct White Lake.  AS we neared White Lake the seas became 4’ and we assumed a 170 heading bound for Muskegon. As we passed Muskegon the waves were and kept building all afternoon with the 20 kt wind but the ride was pretty good in the stern on following seas.  As we surfed down the waves our speed was 10 kt and we committed to making Saugatuck, via Grand Haven, Port Sheldon and Holland.  We were met in the Kalamazoo River by a rock band blaring in the Wicks Park ( remnant of the “Taste of Saugatuck”)  and we knew we were home again.