August 17, 2017



On August 9th we left Mackinac City at 6am and we saw the sunrise!   Wow, I didn't know it was so beautiful. We wanted to get "good water" on way to Charlevoix and that we did.....there wasn't a ripple.   We were in the Charlevoix City Harbor, right downtown.   I believe it is the most beautiful harbor on the great lakes (at least that I have seen).  It is right downtown and lots there to see and do and EAT. .....I believe we ate our way thru Charlevoix in one week!  With the help or our good friends Trudy and Chuck Center, not only did we eat, but we also borrowed their car to relocate ours to Traverse where we will need it later this week.  We had a great time at the beach, golfing, did I mention eating(!).....we also got to catch up with old friends the Nestles while there.  We saw and chatted with several other loopers....it seems the farther we get on this "leg" of the trip the more loopers are showing up....I suppose when we get further down south, we will encounter even more.  We reluctantly left there at 6am the morning of Aug 15.  This time I slept instead of seeing the sun rise....but, of course, I was in the cockpit ready to take over the captain's duties, if need be!  I wasn't needed!!


We are presently in Traverse City, Michigan at the downtown city harbor.....Lots to see and do....For instance, the Pinta and the Nina came into harbor yesterday .....they are replica tall ships of Christopher Columbus era, when he first came over.   There were PROTESTERS with signs and yelling obscenities and things like "Go Home".....etc.    So, of course, we ran down to see what all was about, following the police officers, etc......Native Americans apparently have a beef with Columbus (!) and want to rewrite history on this one also....well enough of that topic!

I am so excited to post that I am now getting the 2nd toilet replaced on LeReve.....so any guests will be thrilled to hear that news!  Capt Bob is, once again, trying to pry himself into small spaces.....times like this a small child would be good to have aboard!.....(but, come to think of it, after the couple weeks with small children aboard, not so sure the trade off value is really there...ha!  Love my grandboys, but it is constant activity that we are so not used to!!

My 2 cousins on my mothers side of family live in Traverse City (I have 52 FIRST cousins.....2 on my mothers side and 50 on my fathers!!  seriously)  So my 2 here are near and dear, as my brother, sister and I are their ONLY first cousins.  I called Barb once we arrived and she immediately came down to say hello, and invited us over the next day to swim and meet some more "2nd" cousins....there are more of them. I also got the chance to visit with my Uncle Wally, who is 97 years old!.....and my other first cousin, John......and later, Bob and I enjoyed a lovely dinner with Barb and her hubby Dave.   (ps, we also learned some important lessons about getting a "permanent" address established soon, as they are both attorneys.....I made sure we had attorney/client confidentiality before saying a word!! haha)..I shall not forget "too clever, by half" ... thanks Dave!!

Tomorrow I fly to Cape May, New Jersey, for my annual get together there with girlfriends Gerry Ann and Madeline (or as I call her Gini.....you can figure it out!)  come to think of it, maybe I should call GA "Vodka"...and they could call me "ice tea".....SURE!    We have been doing this girls week away for over 10 years. It will be a good "break" for both of us to get some off boat time....Bob will be driving downstate for business and be picking me up when my flight returns in a week.  Then we    will spend a few days in Ann Arbor/Saline with activities such as a baby shower for Molly, etc.   Once we return back to boat it is serious travel time to get to lower Lake Michigan, hopefully connecting up with Lisa and Sue over Labor Day, and then the REALLY BIG adventure begins.  I say that as we have boated the Great Lakes for years and it is a "pleasant" repeat, but a repeat none the less.....It will be interesting to see something we have never seen or experienced before.

August 3, 2017

Can't  believe it is August....We have had such a busy last couple weeks that there has been no time to blog!.   Plus the internet service in some places is so frustrating that I just give up....I have enough things to drive me nuts that I don't need one more.   We spent several nights in Blind River, Canada and then went on to Thessalon for one night...beautiful marina, absolutely NOTHING else in the town.....Luckily we did find a place to eat after walking for a mile or so that closed in 5 minutes of us getting there, and we did feel like we were putting them out for coming in so late (7pm) and I thought Rogers City had little to offer!   We crossed back over channel to Drummond Island to meet our kids and grand boys on July 22.  We effortlessly checked back into the US and got a slip at the "yacht haven" for the next week.  Seems the US doesn't have nearly the restrictions of what you can bring back  with you as Canada does with what you take into their country.  So the Martha Washington geraniums that I "smuggled" into Canada didn't have to be hidden in the bath tub to get them back into US.....hey, they were beautifully blooming and that's the only thing I have that reminds me of  living a "normal" life somewhat!.   I had meant to leave them with my mom but I forgot and still had them on board.   They also don't want you to bring ANY fresh meat, fruits or veggies with you....which is pretty funny, as let me tell you, their grocery stores are lacking a lot compared to what we are used to.   However, we did love, love, love the butter tarts! and of course, our favorite .....pea meal bacon....which really is ham wrapped in a mealy substance like corn meal. (but must be pea meal.....my grand sons refused to try  it! ha, their loss)

So the whole bunch showed up at Drummond, and the "adult" kids rented a cabin on the water just next to the boat harbor, and the 3 grand boys stayed with us on the boat.....It was quite a week...
We had a couple days of rain and that was pretty tough with the small places and 3 VERY ACTIVE boys..(thank you God that the new baby will be a girl!!)  All in all, I think everyone had a great time and even the 2 grand dogs seemed to enjoy themselves.  

We brought grandson Bennett with us on the boat, back across Lake Huron to Rogers City for spend the week ....it is much easier to have a grand son one at a time.  He was a big help to captain grandpa in cleaning the boat,etc  (as there was this "incident" involving a broken hatch, that he had to work to help pay off the $$ it cost to fix)....Bob then had a business trip downstate and then one in Colorado that left Bennett and me on the boat alone for 3 days.....As luck would have it, the Nautical Fest was going on and there were lots of activities, plus my sister and brother and families were in Rogers also.....Sister Lisa and Sue spent a lot of time with him at the beach, etc....plus there was this cute little girl that also occupied his time.....His grandpa told him to watch out for "those Rogers City girls".... it was pretty cute to see them hanging out at the carnival etc....don't tell him I mentioned it!  Oh to be 11 again!

The week gave us a few pretty rough nights of storms and we were glad captain Bob had the lines secured for us. Bob got back on Friday, I took Bennett to meet up with his mother to take him home and all has quieted down....except for the LOUD music that comes from the festival tent each night, just across parking lot from marina.....guess I am getting old!

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we hope to move north up to Mackinaw City for a few days and then on to Lake Michigan!  Huron has been fun, but it is time to get moving.....we have seen a few looper boats here, but have not made contact with anyone....when the winds are blowing there are not too many  boaters hanging around on the docks....we just get inside and hold on!

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

As you can see...I think I figured out how to post pictures.....The first is of "Reef" who I got to dog sit in Meldrum, the 2nd is an example of WHY we come to the North Channel....every evening we are treated to a spectacular example of God's handiwork! and 3 is Cap't Bob, just in case you don't recognize him!!....we are going to put his hair in a pony tail when we see our kids next week!...admittedly it is not the greatest example of one, but he is proud non the less! (and to think I am a hairdresser!!)  We are both getting a kick our of our ability to grow our hair long!

We did get the dinghy arm fixed by "Norm"....THE man in Gore Bay....some refer to him as the "dock god!"  He can fix anything, that is WHY he doesn't answer his phone, he is too busy.... but he found us and found our problem.....as he laid way out over the edge of the roof and looked into the arm!..Now, as to not knock Capt Bob's abilities, it did take Norm considerable time to track the problem down and Bob had checked most of the same things, except for that hanging over the roof part.  "We" now know how that works.....not sure who will get to be the one to do the hanging over part to reset the breaker, if need be in the future!

So, now we are in Blind River...at the North side towards the west end of the channel.  We perhaps got a little over confident in our anchoring abilities and are very happy to be attached to a dock again, getting a good nights sleep.   After we left Gore Bay, after 4 days of crummy weather, but saw a great one woman "community play"....(very good, not the previous experience I have had with a one woman play, remember GA and Gini...how could we forget).....we then motored into Oak Bay....found an anchorage with about 7 other boats already there and a few more came after us...but after quite a windy night, we seemed to be the only one headed for the shore line!  At 6am we were up and running, away from the shore and rocks......we found another, better protected, anchorage and I went back to bed....Capt bob never took his eyes off the anchor until noon....then he spend that night sleeping in the helm to keep a better eye on it.  We do have alarms that go off in these cases, but it was faint and I was the only one who heard it....

We had another crummy weather day, but did manage to dinghy around Oak Bay and ran into (not really, just a matter of speaking) Barbara and Bill, who we had met and hung with on Mackinac Island.  Bill was attempting to fix his dinghy motor (its always something!)....don't know if he got it fixed or if they tried to find us, as we left the morning after Bob stayed up all night.....

We motored thru the Whalesback Channel, checked out a few anchorages, tried one and came up with a 20 foot log perfectly balanced on our anchor!....If I had stopped screaming and taken a picture, I could have shared that with you.....Bob and I wear headphones to speak to each other when one is one deck and other in pilot house....(they are called "marriage savers") and are designed so you don't have to scream at each other.....but in this instance, I WAS screaming into his ear piece....OMG...OMG!!!  Well, we left that anchorage, as remote as it was, (maybe that is why) and tried a few more that were FULL of boats....and the wind was picking up.   I suggested we head to a marina!....maybe the adventurous days of my youth are behind me, as I kind of  like the security of a dock....  We won't give up, just needed a good nights sleep....We plan to stay here a few nights...give Bob a chance to work on his LIST.....he is presently applying oil stain to places that need it...!  Me, I am drinking coffee and watching!   I love this life!

July 12, 2017

Presently we are in Gore Bay, in the North Channel of Lake Huron, Canada.   We left Rogers City on Sunday am, had a wonderful trip across Lake Huron and entered Canadian waters at Meldrum Bay....after checking thru customs, we are now good to go for a few weeks.....

Our first stop and anchoring attempt was Monday eve in Campbell Bay off Bayfield Sound.  The anchor went down and held us overnight, just like it is suppose to!!  Hooray!....Neither one of us slept soundly though....but by morning we were more secure in our anchoring skills...not bad for the first time!....We would like to say getting the new dinghy off the top of the boat with the swing lift went as smooth.  After the morning fog rolled out, we decided we would stay here and take a tour of the area in our dinghy that Bob had successfully loaded up on top before we left Rogers City.  (Let me add that he is not impressed with it just yet.  He thinks it is too small and too slow.....he is so used to getting in his Caribe and going 40 mph!!! that he had yet to learn to slow down.)  That also goes for his life as a boater....every day he undertakes a major project.  What about me?? I am happy just sitting around reading and making an occasional meal.  Well, back to the saga......Bob got the little dinghy half way off the top when the power wench stopped....just stopped....Not a good thing.  Now we have it leaning over the side of boat and it won't go up or down.  After several hours of trying to find the problem to no avail, we both used all our manpower (and one of us is not a man) to get the darn thing back in the cradle manually.  Well so much for that!.....we decided to go to Gore Bay and find someone who might have a clue as to how to fix it.  We arrived late afternoon and the attendant says "oh, getting in and out of the way of the incoming storm?".....we didn't know there was an incoming storm, so perhaps the Lord has his way of getting us out of danger as we would probably stayed anchored another night.    We did get some rain last eve, not anything serious and today is a dreary dismal day.  We do have the name of a "guy" that could fix our problem, IF he would only return our calls...might be here longer than we anticipated.  It is not a bad port to be stranded at....it has changed considerably since we were here 12 -14 years ago....very large and nice amenities...lots of eating and grocery options near by.   There are probably at least 6 other looper boats in here....I might have to walk the dock and get in on some "docktails with them".   We did  meet 2 other looper boats while in Rogers City.....one with a man doing it alone.  (he was heading into Lake Superior) and another couple close to our age who had just started from Bay City....they were heading north.

Another cute thing that happened while we were in Meldrum Bay.....a young gal, sailing alone (has been for 10 years) with a cute little white yip yap dog named Reef was docked beside us.  She was going to dinner and said he might bark, just ignore him....I said, no way....."bring him on our boat and I will dog sit".    How much fun was that!  just like grandkids, I spoiled him and fed him all kinds of stuff probably that his mama would not.....cheese and crackers, etc....and then he went home.  ALMOST makes me want to have a dog....but decided if I can get a gig dog sitting every once in a while, no need!!!  Once I can get this picture thing down, I will try to post more pics and talk less!  HA...would love to share the beauty of the countryside.....

4th of July......We are back in Rogers City after a long weekend on Mackinac Island.   Left here last Wednesday and had a great trip up.  Spent 4 nights on the Island, returning on Sunday.  It looked like a great day on the water until about 2 hours out of Rogers harbor when the winds changed and we spent that 2 hours in "the trough"....going up and down sideways!.....I thought I would "hurl" over the side, but did not.  We are back here while Bob goes downstate for business and to pick up our smaller dinghy that we purchased. 

  I am getting ahead of myself.....on the island we met another boat "looping"....same brand boat as ours, a few years older, so we had lots to compare, and Bill was full of knowledge, as they have been looping for 12 years now.....   Bill and Barbara soon became our new friends as we enjoyed a few "happy hours"...one celebrating Barbara's birthday.  That was after our "private" carriage ride arranged by Bill just for the occasion.  A great time was had by all.  The harbor was not as busy as we had expected, but still as rock and rolling as we remembered, by all the ferry traffic.  We indulged in all the island has to offer....fudge, t shirts, fish dinners etc....  Bob especially enjoyed a "Saunders" chocolate cake that he remembers from his hunting camp days.  I did get to sample ONE piece.  I do need to mention that we took a bike ride around the island....8 MILES!...so one of us wore off the one piece of chocolate cake.  Every day started off a little overcast and gloomy, but would eventually clear up and the sun would shine.....it was a great time. 

Top pic is of Grand Hotel, then one of Capt Bob at the helm, with the Island Ferry in back round.

So as mentioned we are now back in R.C......had a great 4th and celebrated Betty's Birthday (87TH!!) on LeReve with salmon dinner....decided to do it all out, instead of traditional hot dogs....after all, you are not 87 every day!

However, forgot to serve the corn on cob and the watermelon.....too much celebration?? Not really, just too much food.....we will have no problem taking care of that in the next few days.....

Once Bob is, once again, back from business....we will be heading to the North Channel for a few weeks before we meet up with our kids and grandkids in Drummond Island for a week for our traditional family get together.....Perhaps for this years group picture we should all wear PINK...in honor of our new grandchild that will make HER appearance in November (thanks to Molly and Aaron Branham).  We are delighted and above all, pray for a healthy child.  We are truly blessed.

Monday, June 26.     Well.....I might be putting out a call for a new captain!!....since we left, Bob has broken (almost, so he thought, but an er visit) a toe,  fell off the boat, and last eve cut open his finger....went to ER this am and got 3 stiches in it!!  Last eve I tried to play Nurse (NOT AT ALL MY CALLING) and we cleaned it out with a concoction that I found in the first aid kit....but this morning, still bleeding heavily (ugh......again, I am far from a nurse, did all I could to not pass out last eve just looking at it!)...so off he went for "professional" help.  After the horror of our friend, Dick's , cut finger, it was nothing we wanted to fool around with.

We are still in Rogers City, a crummy day, overcast, heavy rain.    We have reservations for Mackinaw Island on Thursday, and hope to begin our way there tomorrow, or next day.  Plans are changing daily, as to our "schedule"....NO schedule!.....

Our dinghy here is way too big for this boat, so we have ordered one  back in Detroit area.  We can pick it up end of week.   So we decided to go north for the heck of it and then return to Rogers where our car is (stored at my mom's) and go pick it up when ready.   We thought about heading across the lake to North Channel, but you really need a dingy there to get around all the anchorages, etc.   So we will visit the island of fudge and horse sh___.   We will return here, (Rogers) and Bob has business in the area where we will pick up the ordered dingy, so perhaps I will go along (by car) and visit daughter Molly and son in law, Aaron....who by the way, announced that the upcoming baby (November) is a GIRL.  We prayed for a healthy baby, and already have 3 grandboys, and would have welcomed another, but are over the moon for a girl!!!

We also forgot to mention what an awesome day we had  the day before we left Lake St. Clair with Bobs mom and sister Diane and brother in law, Tom.    We did a short trip out to the lake so show them how "fast" we would be going.....thus, why it will take a year!! (HA).  The weather cooperated and we had a good day.  Bob's mom said she feels better now knowing what we are living on , etc.... She also watched him build the platform and steps this winter, and signed the bottom along with the all the guys that helped with that project.    AND speaking of that.....we had a couple yesterday come over and admire our boat (always a good thing) and say, "I've never seen a Carver with a swim platform like that".....to which I replied  "and you never will!!"    UNLESS you have Bob custom build you one!!     They were impressed and Capt Bob's chest just got a little puffier.....almost makes up for him cutting off his finger!!  That's why they call it an accident.   Everyone has survived and we are learning from all our "mistakes".  

JUNE 22......a very rainy, humid day in alpena,mi.   We arrived yesterday..had a long day across Saginaw Bay...but enjoyable and calm seas...however at 10 miles per hour it can get tiresome.   Woke up to rain and cloudy skies so stayed put....Alpena was the BIG city back in my high school  days...it is sad to see it now... not vibrant and booming as it was in the 70's.   We did however have dinner at the "owl cafe"...a favorite of my youth.    Still run by same family.    Took capt bob to groc store with me...not a good plan...but we do have  lots of swwets and junk food! Hope to head for rogers city tomorrow am.