Great Loop Day 012 Sept 9, 2016, Oh, Look at the Pretty Rocks in the Water... What?!!

Harbor Beach to Port Austin MI

Sailing a boat calls for quick action, a blending of feeling with the wind and water as well as with the very heart and soul of the boat itself. Sailing teaches alertness and courage and gives in return a joyousness and peace that but few sports afford. -George Matthew Adams

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Day 12 Friday, Sept 9, 2016. About to leave Harbor Beach, MI. Lake Huron was beautiful today. No big waves just gentle rollers from freighters far away. The humidity finally went down. Winds from the northeast didn't slow my travels. Mickey as usual was sleeping down below in the cabin. He did come out once to sniff the air and realize we were underway,

All the electronics worked well today with only one slight hitch from this navigation app.

Contemplating the life of a sea cat. Each time Mickey wakes up he finds himself in a new port.

Everything was going well in 20+ ft of water. I was approaching Burnt Cabin point. (Do you suppose it was named after a burnt cabin?) I decided to go below deck to grab myself some pizza-flavored Pringles chips and a small bowl of Chi-Chi salsa I bought at Menards back in Sandusky. Miss the Chi Chi restaurant chain. Good Mexican food. They're gone now like so many restaurants we grew up with. I could eat a ton of their salsa. Now to sit back and enjoy my snack. A quick glance at my depth sent shivers down my back. How could it be only 4.5 feet? Seaweed on my transducer like it happened on the Detroit River? I sprung into action. A quick check at the rudder where the transducer was attached was not the problem. But look at all the pretty rocks under the boat. WTF?!

Dropped my salsa all over myself as I scrambled to disengage the auto tiller and push the tiller to port to get the bow to starboard. Got to find deeper water!

Several tense minutes hoping nothing hits my rudder. Even though I have a pop-up rudder rocks can damage a vital piece of equipment. No bumps no bangs I am safe in 30 ft of water.

What went wrong? A review of my cellphone navigation app clearly showed my progress from being in the white-colored deep water to getting inside the light blue color for shallows. But I've been sailing in light blue waters before. It's the dark blue I stayed away from that signifies real shallows. This is a new finding.

Nevertheless, this Navionics app is just what I needed. Shows good details of the harbor and marina layout. Seriously helps with knowing how to approach any marina and where the fuel docks are.

As Noel Gingerich, one of my Facebook friends who sailed in this area frequently reminded me Lake Huron rocks are not to be taken lightly.

I reviewed the chart on Navionics once again. In the distance ahead, I can see the Port Austin Reef Lighthouse. To my left, on my port, the water appears clear of any obstruction in a straight line to the town’s harbor. My chart tells me otherwise. I know what it feels like to motor over 2 to 3 feet of water with sharp rocks beneath you ready to rip apart your keel. About 3 miles northwest to the reef light and backtrack another 2 and a half miles south to the marina on the other side of the reef. In another hour we will be safely in the marina.

Check-in was quick and easy as I got my assigned ‘well’. With Mickey cared for below I went on a self-guided tour of the marina.

I heard from the guy at the office, there's a blue-canvased powerboat tied off on the next dock. The story goes three weeks ago the skipper decided to take a shortcut to this marina and cut inside the Port Austin Reef Light. Only to have his prop and engine severely damaged and now waiting for repairs. Don't know where they're from but it was mentioned they were loopers and flying a Canadian flag. Looks like their journey has come to an end. Expensive lesson learned. It's been forecasted strong winds for tomorrow. That being the case a trip across Saginaw bay is not in the works. I have an addendum below. Don't miss it.

Welcome to Port Austin State Dock, Michigan

On the dock.

The marina office is on beautiful grounds.

This poor boat was stuck here till it could get its prop and motor fixed from hitting the rocks and taking the shortcut.

Most evenings I would get these gorgeous sunsets that were simply awesome.

Comments from 2016:

• Noel Gingerich So many boats run aground there. Probably the most dangerous area on the lakes in my experience.

  • Henry Krzemien RN There were very few aids to navigation in this area. A few more buoys could save millions of dollars in repair work.

• Scott Stanley Sikorski The last time we traveled through there the dockmaster said some of the boulders were the size of two-family houses.

• Rose Fox, We sailed to Port Austin this summer. I'm very proud to say skipper Greg Jablonski studied his charts well and always kept us safe. Glad to hear that all is well Henry.

• Diane Lamoreaux Keep safe

Addendum:

Just had the highlight of this trip. Was invited to go along on a pontoon boat out to Port Austin Reef Light. The Port Austin Reef Light Association maintains the pontoon boat for workers shoring up the breakwater and building a dock on the south end of the building. It became apparent one of the workers forgot his car keys on the reef light which made it necessary for the return trip. Along the ride, Al and Lou, members of the Association pointed out some features of the reef. In my haste, I forgot to take my phone camera for the close-up shots of the reef light. I did get some shots on the return to the dock. Thanks, Al and Lou for the invite.

Can you guess who was the embarrassed worker who forgot his car keys back at the lighthouse?

Al and Lou gave me a ride to see the lighthouse up close and personal. Thanks, guys.

Al and Lou were members of the Port Austin Reef Lighthouse Association and are actively looking for new members.

Port Austin Reef Lighthouse | Photo Courtesy of Instagram fan michiganskymedia

Made no attempt to wiggle my way through the rocky shoals and I sailed outside the Reef Light.

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