Flathead Revisited

Making the most of free time is an art.  If you can get all of the little odds and ends out of the way and focus on what you really want to be doing you’re in good shape.  If one of you knows the secret please let me know.

            I had a four day weekend and was determined to make the most of it.  I wanted to spend my time on the lake.  Where else?  I was hoping that I would be able to circumnavigate Flathead Lake.  Finally.  No such luck, it was to be an epic failure.  That is, in actually circumnavigating the lake.  I did succeed in spending pretty much my entire weekend sailing.  Unfortunately, the wind gods were not with me, and I spent a lot of time bobbing. 

            To put that in perspective, it took me six hours to go three miles.  It probably would have been faster if I swam towing the boat.  Oh well, a bad day of no wind on the boat is better then a good day at work any time.

            I could have started the motor and made the distance in half an hour but I had motored for twelve miles the day before.  I needed to conserve my remaining fuel to make it back to the launch and that was a good twenty miles away.

Flathead Islands

            That sums it up.  No wind, no circumnavigation.  Now, what I did manage to do is find some really neat areas on the south side of Flathead Lake.  There are at least four good sized islands there and many smaller ones; all very fun to sail in and around.  Even if you are only going half a knot.

            It was in that area where I spent the majority of the weekend.  Also, Finley Point State Park is there and it undoubtedly has the nicest boating facilities out of all the state parks located around the lake, and is the only one with a marina.  Good luck getting a camp site.  Ha ha, don’t need one. 

            I would be back at the lake again the next weekend.  This time I did have wind and accomplished my goal of circumnavigating the lake.  I also managed to find an open spot on an island and camp there.  That was impossible the previous weekend.  It was a mad house out there; everybody and their brother had a speed boat.  Thus all the prime camping areas I saw were already taken.

Levi Sleeping

            This past weekend I had my friend Levi aboard.  He had never been sailing before and much like my own indoctrination into the sport, it was a trial by fire.  One day we were pulling six knots with only my storm jib up.  It was great.

            Unfortunately, the previous weekend (the 4^th) there was no wind, so my friend Donovan wasn’t very impressed.  However, he did get to see the lake.

            I had fun both weekends and will say this about Flathead Lake.  It is a fun lake to sail but is no Lake Superior.  It is too small for my taste but one must make due.  I will be going again and will probably even enjoy it. 

            One other note, I contacted Tim, not “Tim” but a gentleman I met through the blog.  He lives here in Montana and I invited him out for a sail.  He joined Levi and I for a quick cruise around the southern islands.  We had good wind and the boat was healing for a good portion of the voyage.  I think it worried him a bit.  That was probably due to the fact that he had flipped his boat the weekend before.  I assured him that, at least in the current conditions, the Flying Fish was completely stable.  Fair sailing Tim.



Island Camp Sites



Donovan at  Finley Point St Pk.

Bull Island

The Cap'n

The Mission Range

A Voyage on Flathead Lake

After three weeks of waiting for decent weather, the opportunity finally presented itself.  It was time to hit the lake.  I was ready and had been for some time.  After being stuck in Condon Montana for the last two weeks; it was time to see what Flathead Lake had to offer.

I had been thinking about it for some time and knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go.  I had an eager crew, a seaworthy vessel, and a plan.  It was the perfect formula for a weekend on the lake.  Well, nothing ever goes as planned, especially if you’re dealing with unknown variables.

First off, the night before we left, I wasn’t expecting to drink beers with my crew mates until 2 AM in the morning.  But we did have a good time and even managed to shave one of the individuals’ leg.  How old am I?  Hey, when in Rome.

Needless to say, the next day was a very slow start.  I think we rolled out at about 12:30 in the afternoon, bound for Kalispell.  We needed supplies and I wanted to make sure the boat would be legal on Montana waters.  The only place I could accomplish that was at the Fish and Wildlife office in Kalispell.  I also needed to get a spare part for the motor.  It seems I had lost the plug which connects the gas line to the motor sometime in the pervious couple weeks.  A fruitless search revealed nothing.

After a fifteen minute wait at the Fish and Wildlife office I was told that I was good to go and wasn’t required to purchase any addition permits for the boat.  What a colossal waste of time.  Last time I’ll listen to locals on the virtues of boat registration.

After a few more stops and an endless set of traffic lights we were headed for the lake.  I was able procure a chart of the Lake when I bought the spare part for the motor; so the trip wasn’t a total waste.  Now I at least had an idea what was to be found around the lake.

I wanted to launch on the south side, out of Yellow Bay.  That would put us close to the more interesting areas of the lake.  I needed to get gas, and figured there would be a gas station at the launch point.  Nope, wrong again.  So, we turned around and headed back up to Woods Bay.  Hell, at this rate I would be circumnavigating the lake via the highway system instead of on the water.

We got gas and headed for the launch.  There is a marina/RV park at Woods Bay and it seemed like our best hope.  Unfortunately, the good folks there didn’t think about sailboats when they built the marina.  There was a bridge over the entrance; thus making it impossible to access the lake if you happen to have a twenty eight foot tall mast on you vessel.  Arrrrrrg!

I talked to the owner and found out there was a public boat launch just over the hill.  She said there was no over night camping, but we could launch the boat there.  No, problem, we wouldn’t be camping; at least not there.  As long as we could leave the truck and trailer, we were good to go.

We made it.  The time was 3:30 PM Friday.  It took about thirty minutes to set up the boat and stow (loosely termed) our gear.  The boat was launched and we began our weekend.  It was much later then I had hoped for, but better late then never. 

My original plan had been to circumnavigate the lake and maybe stop at a dock side bar or two along the way.  I would find a nice cove somewhere every night to anchor the boat.  It looked good on paper.

No sooner then we were on the water then my crew member Lucas was on the phone making plans for the night.  Lucas….. “Hey, were heading for the Raven, meet us there.”  This call directed at our supervisor, who was hurting for a social life.

We sailed for an hour or two and then headed for the Raven.  The Raven, a bar located in Woods Bay is located on the shore of Flathead Lake and comes equipped with a dock; very convenient. 

I was thinking, a couple beers and back on the water.  We needed to find a place to park it for the night.  Lucas however, had other plans.  Little did I know that I would be spending my entire night there. 

I called it good around 11 PM and sought refuge on the Flying Fish.  With earplugs in, I was immune to the noise coming from the bar.  Soon I was sawing logs, as is my custom.  Lucas wouldn’t come aboard until after the bar closed. 

When I went to sleep the lake was perfectly calm.  Sometime in the middle of the night the wind picked up and provided chop.  Since I was tied up to the dock, the boat started to bang against it, rousing me from my slumber.  I got up, moved the boat, and anchored out in the bay.  The rest of the night was fitful, but at least the boat wasn’t hitting the dock.

Saturday morning we actually started “real” sailing; setting our course west across Flathead Lake.  As we cruised, the wind picked up and by the time we were close to the west shore the Flying Fish was pulling six knots. 

I was loving it; this is what I had come here to do.  Lucas, being a complete novice to the “State of Mind” that is sailing, didn’t know what to expect.  At times becoming freaked out as the boat healed in a gust.  He picked it up quickly and soon I was leaving him to man the tiller so I could attend other things.

We made for West Shore State Park.  We hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and the lake was too rough to prepare a meal on.  We docked and found a picnic area.  It was disheartening to me as we ate due to the boat being completely pounded against the dock.  Looking back, I would have sought out a calmer spot to eat.  As far as I could tell the Flying Fish suffered no adverse effects; just my nerves.  I was happy to get back out onto the lake.

From West Shore State Park we made for Long Arm Bay; a journey which would take about four hours.  At first the wind was coming from the south and our direction of travel.  After tacking for more then an hour we were making little headway.  The Flying Fish does not like to beat.  So, I started the motor.  We only made four knots against the wind, but we did gain ground. 

We motored until we approached Wild Horse Island and then left our fate up to the prevailing winds.  Murphy’s Law, the wind died down making for a slow trip from that point on.  We would have to use the motor again just to move.  Oh well, at least we were out on the lake.

I headed into the harbor at Big Arm hoping to find a gas station.  The chart indicated that it was a fueling spot.  My tank was down to about a third and I wanted to make sure we could make it back to the launch if the wind didn’t agree with us.

As we pulled in the boat came to a sudden halt.  The harbor was not deep enough for the keel.  Somewhat embarrassed by the situation, I quickly cranked up the keel and proceeded into the slip area.  There is nothing better then having an audience when something like that happens.  I’m sure the people lounging on their boat in the harbor appreciated the spectacle.  They were nice enough to inform us that there was no longer any fuel services located there.  SHIT.

Back out we went, engine stalls and all.  At that point I decided to head straight for Big Arm State Park and whatever camping spot we could find.  Fifteen minutes later we neared the shore, spotted a camp spot, and made ready to land.  In no time at all we were set up and ready to enjoy the evening.

Lucas pitched his tent and we both had camp chairs.  Soon after landing we were sitting around a fire and enjoying a few beers.  The night set in and we called it a day.

On Sunday morning the Flying Fish made her way back out into the lake and towards the launch area.  It would take us about six hours to sail the distance.  This was mostly due to inconsistent wind.  However, once we cleared Wild Horse Island the wind was steady and we made good time, averaging five and a half knots.

We arrived at 3:00 PM, packed up the boat and headed back to Condon.  The weekend was drawing to a close, but had provided good sailing and some extra curricular activities.  I would be ready to hit it again the following weekend.

Out on Lindbergh

Yesterday, to spite my better judgment I took the boat out.  It was raining pretty much all day, but the crew and I were restless due to the poor weather and needed a break in the monotony.

Being stuck in Condon Montana is no picnic.  There is nothing to do unless you like dive bars or hiking.  The locals are friendly enough, but offer little in the way of entertainment.  Unless you happen to be at Liquid Louie’s on a Saturday night; it can get pretty lively.

Round about two in the afternoon, I was asked if we were going to take the boat out.  I looked at the weather (dark and overcast) and said what the hell.  We hooked up the boat, drove down to the local store, bought supplies, and headed out.

Within about fifteen minutes we had reached Lindbergh Lake; a small four mile long  lake in the Mission Range of northern Montana.  Not what I would call a good sailing lake, but you could tell by the numerous houses along the shore, and the power boats on their docks that it was a well used body of water.

The crew and I, that is, me and a couple new friends Lucas and Donovan, arrived and set up the boat; soon there after we had it in the water.  No sooner then that took place, than it started to rain.  Our adventure on Lindbergh Lake was not starting out to well.

We retreated to Lucas’s truck, where we took refuge.  About fifteen minutes later the rain subsided and I made the decision to begin our little voyage.  It was overcast, but at least it wasn’t raining, a definite plus.

The mountains from the lake

I started my four horse Evinrude and motored us out into the lake.  The mist was ever present, but as we moved further out in to the water it became apparent that Lindbergh Lake had some beautiful scenery to offer.  We motored west roughly down the middle of the lake.  I estimate that it was about a quarter mile wide at most.  The lake meandered thought a steep glacier carved valley and was completely surrounded by lush forests.  It was very picturesque.

During that time I made preparations to get rained on again, by erecting a home made canopy over the cockpit.  With bungee cords, tent poles, and tarp installed; we were now ready for the deluge.  Good thing too, because it started raining on us shortly there after.

With no sun and wet conditions it was a cold trip.  Donovan decided he was more comfortable in the cabin; leaving Lucas and I to man the cockpit.  We hunkered down under the tarp as the Flying Fish slowly made her way down the lake.  The tarp did its job with the exception of our derrières.  The water coming into the cockpit was soaking the seats.

As we rounded the last bend of the lake we were rewarded with a great view of the high peaks located in the Mission Wilderness.  It almost looked as if we had been transported to the Alps.  I was waiting for some guy in lederhosen to pop out of the forest. Actually, lederhosen were not on my mind. 

I did a couple circles at the west end of the lake before heading back; the whole time taking in the magnificent view.  We could see that there was going to be a break in the weather, but I decided that it was better to make our way back instead of counting on a reprieve in the rain.

When we were almost back, about a half a mile from the boat ramp, the rain stopped; if only for a brief pause.  It looked like the sun might make out and warm us up.  It was at time that I broke out the grill and fired it up. 

The motor was silenced and we sat drifting on Lindbergh Lake.  We threw some brats on the grill and soon were feasting.  Those and a couple beers did us good.  Pretty much as soon as we finished eating the weather decided it was time for the fun to end.   

The rain started up again and so did the motor.  By the time we made it to the boat ramp it was getting pretty wet.  It took us about fifteen minutes to get the boat ready to tow.  We hopped in Lucas’s truck, heater on, and headed back to the ever exciting Condon work station to resume our ever exciting weekend activities.  But hey, at least I got the boat out.  Oh, and we did see a deer swimming.

Swimming deer

A Journey to Flathead Lake, Montana

Situated in the northern Rockies of Montana is a great valley carved by glaciers and in this valley sits a lake; Flathead Lake. Some thirty miles long and up to about fifteen miles wide, with islands and coves to explore.  It was here that I set my sites if I had any hope of taking my boat out this summer.   Because sailing season is so short in the north, one must take every opportunity.

I had gotten the offer to work on the Flathead National Forest in late April.  I immediately got on Google maps and looked at the perspective job location to see what was there.  Low and behold there was a relatively large lake very close to the location I would be working. Nothing like Lake Superior, but adequate for the purpose (I hoped).

In early June I packed up my car, hooked up the boat, and hit the road  It was hard leaving family and friends, but it was only for a short duration; I would return and in time to enjoy at least the last bit of summer.  

The drive was uneventful; my Subaru Forester pulled the boat with no trouble.  Of course it was flat; the real test would come when I got out west.  Wait, I spoke to soon.  At approximately 12:00 noon as I was driving across Minnesota I blew out one of the trailer tires.  As fate would have it I had no spare, and to top that off, the lug wrench in my car didn’t fit the wheel.

I disconnected the trailer on the side of a narrow two lane highway, and drove to the closest town, a distance of about eight miles.  Once there I bought a lug wrench, and went back to the boat.  It took another trip into town with the blown tire and back before I was on the road again.  I had the other tire changed as well, not wanting to relive the experience. 

Yep, still there (the boat)

The rest of the day was spent heading west in some wicked head winds.  My little car was struggling to maintain sixty miles an hour across North Dakota.  Man, that was a long drive.  I can only hope the winds are in my favor on the way home. 

I made my goal of reaching the Montana state line before midnight eastern time, with ten minutes to spare.  I drove for another hour until I was getting loopy and then pulled over and slept in the boat.

The next day found me in Montana.  Let me tell you, Montana is a really big state!  It took me ten hours of driving through beautiful landscapes devoid of any towns to reach my goal.  Hell, the 1^st McDonalds I found was in Helena. 

My new pad

I arrived in Condon Montana at 3:00 PM local time and claimed my spot for the summer.  It was a small bedroom in the corner of a small house located on a government compound in the middle of nowhere.  The other occupant and I proceeded to drink many beers.

My new RV

The next day I drove down to Flathead Lake, towing the boat.  I went to Wayfarer State Park and got a camp spot for the night.  I then went shopping for all the necessary supplies to see me through the coming week.  Upon my return, I crawled into the boat and took a nap.  Sailing would have to wait, it was late in the day and I was tired.

The next day I was up early.  I made some food and some coffee, broke camp, and headed for the boat launch.  It took me an hour to set up the boat, and get her launched.  I would spend the next seven hours on Flathead lake (my new lake) admiring the scenery.

           It was a pretty slow sail with the top speed pushing four knots.  In fact, I had to motor about half of the time due to lack of wind.  That’s okay; it was good just to be out on the lake.  In future water souljourns, I shall make a much more detailed exploration of the lake, spending my three day weekends in and around all the coves and islands to be found there.

Looking east on Flathead lake

Typical shore habitations

A view from the Flying Fish

Adventure in the Apostle Islands Final

When we awoke the next day the gale had subsided, allowing the Genius to continue on her journey.  We quickly ate breakfast, cleaned and stowed our cook ware, and made preparations to get under way. 

Soon we were sailing north and towards the outer islands.  It was a cloudy day, but the wind was fair and the Genius made good time.  Due to the mast incident, Tim would not put up large Genoa for fear of another catastrophe.  The mid sized Genoa was serving its function.

It was a good sail.  We crossed the channel between Stockton Island and Cat Island and headed northwest towards Rocky Island; our final destination.  Tim, Mike, and I had discussed sailing around Outer Island, but Tim put the kibosh on that plan.  He didn’t trust the Genius and didn’t want us to get to far from a secure harbor or anchorage, just in case.

As we passed Ironwood Island, I made lunch for the crew.  As a matter of fact, I did most of the cooking. Poor guys; I’m no chef.  However, I wasn’t going to subject my self to Tim’s idea of proper meals; that consisting of nothing but grilled brats.  

It took the Genius about five hours of sailing to reach Rocky Island.  Mostly do the direction of sail.  We were on a beat the whole way, and had to tack many times. 

Rocky Island Dock

We located the dock and secured the genius.  At that point we decided we would pay the ten dollar fee, and stay there for the night.  Rocky Island has decent facilities and a Ranger Station.  There was a picnic area with a fire ring right by the dock.  That’s where we cooked our dinner and then enjoyed a nice camp fire. 

While hanging out on the dock, we met a couple groups of sea kayakers who where also touring the Apostle Islands.  One group had paddled from Bayfield that day, which is a pretty long haul.  They said their arms where pretty tired.  I could understand.

That day had been uneventful, but at least we had been able to sail.  That night however, would prove to be anything but. 

Mike and I had decided that we would sleep on the dock.  The cabin was very crampt and stuffy.  Sleeping under the stars seemed a better choice.  So we laid out our sleeping bags and hit the hay.

The first rain drops hit us sometime during the night and woke Mike and I from restful slumber.  Mike and I hastened to pick up out stuff and climb back aboard the Genius.  We also had to contend with the pop-up roof; which is difficult in perfect weather.  With the rain starting to pick up Mike and I fought with the roof but finally managed to get it down.

Now that we had moved into the cabin, we then had to move and jumble all the crap so we could lay on our bunks.  It was about then that we noticed that the Genius is not exactly water tight.  Water started to drip from all the fitting mounts directly onto both Mike and I.  It was going to be a wonderful night.

CRACK BOOM!  A lightning bolt hit somewhere close.  It was the first of many.  The storm that had blown in while we were sleeping was a full out major tempest.  The bright flashes and the booming thunder where all around us.  And we were on a leaky boat with a twenty eight foot high lightning rod. 

“We’re gonna die in here,” Mike said with an air of panic in his voice.  “Let’s get the fuck outta here”

            “It’s just lightning,” I said groggily.

            “Let’s go, come on,” Mike said. 

            “I’m staying,” I replied and rolled over.

            “Fuck this,” Mike said and exited the cabin.  CRACK BOOM!

            Mike would spend a great deal of time in the foyer of the Ranger Station, an area of about nine square feet.  There he would sit out the storm, but at least he was dry.

            I managed to put the storm out of my mind and tried to sleep.  I do enjoy a good electrical storm.  I have had lightning strike within one hundred feet of me over ten times through the years.  And I guess I developed a nonchalant attitude towards it.  Don’t get me wrong, I respect it, but lightning doesn’t scare me.  I love to watch it.

            I think Mike tried to come back aboard at some point during the night, but was driven away again by continued electrical activity.  CRACK BOOM!  Chicken shit.

            The next morning Mike was really Grumpy.  He had though I purposely put him in the wet bunk, although he had chosen it freely.  I explained to him that I too got soaked due to the poor condition of Tim’s boat.

            “That’s ok then, it’s Tim who’s the asshole,” Mike said making light of the situation.  I guess misery loves company.

            “I agree,” I said.

            “What?!” Tim chimed in. 

Apparently, he didn’t even realized there was a storm and had slept right through it.  Also, Tim slept in the bow and was perfectly dry all night.  Asshole.  Oh well, the crew was no worse for ware.

We ate one more breakfast, stowed the cookware and made way.  We headed back to Bayfield, our time had run out.  It would take us five or more hours to get there.  About half way there it started to rain again.

As the Genius sailed by Oak Island we heard thunder.  Tim, who is not a big fan of lightning, did not want to risk open water during an electrical storm.  We found a beach on the south side of the island and anchored the boat.  There, the crew abandoned ship and stood on the beach in the rain.  

I though the whole thing was kind of silly.  It was just a little thunder and it sounded like it was moving off.  It wasn’t like the previous night’s activity.  On that I would heartily agree that being out in open water would not be a good thing. 

So there we stood, staring at the boat in the rain.  Joy.  I finally had it and said as much.

“What are we going to do, camp here and wait until it passes?” I said.  “It’s moving off, let’s go.” 

Tim, Mike, and I discussed it, but finally decided to make a run for it.  We motored the remaining distance to Bayfield, not wanting to prolong our time in the rain.  The voyage went without incident and we arrived safely.

It took us about thirty minutes to recover and dismantle the boat, making it ready for the road.  The trip had been a real adventure and we all enjoyed it.  Tim, Mike, and I climbed into the truck, turned on the heat, and headed for home.  

Adventure in the Apostle Islands Part 4

The cove, also known as Quarry Bay located on the south side of Stockton Island; was just what the doctor ordered.  The Genius had anchored on the leeward side of the bay and was safe for the time being. 

Mike, Tim, and I now had a real dilemma.  Who would jump into the cold waters of Lake Superior and secure the Genius to shore with a rope.  It’s amazing how one day the lake will be warm and inviting and the next cold enough to make you question your manhood.  I certainly wasn’t eager to volunteer, being perfectly happy to stay on the boat.

Mike rose to the occasion, or should I say shrank.  With a long mooring line in hand he lowered himself into the water out of the cockpit, submerging chest deep into the lake.  Burrrrrr.  He trudged through the water and emerged soaking onto the beach; where the mooring line was secured to a near by tree.  Now that the Genius was positioned as close as possible to shore, the rest of the crew could depart without having to go swimming. 

We had unwittingly parked just off shore from a very nice camping spot.  The camp had open access to the beach and was equipped with a picnic table, a fire pit, and a bear box.  We immediately lay claim to the camp spot and soon were basking in the beauty of the cove while preparing to barbeque our lunch.  We had also accumulated a fair amount of trash and would burn what we could in the fire.

Mike, Tim, and I stayed in Quarry Bay for the remainder of the afternoon before we left to find greener pastures.  Not that it would have been a bad place to anchor, but the gale was still in full force and had shifted making for a potentially uncomfortable night.  We decided to venture to the east side of Stockton Island, hoping to escape from the relentless wind.

The voyage to the east side of the Island took us about thirty minutes, and once again the Genius was subjected to the high winds and enormous waves cause by the adverse weather.  However, as soon as we rounded the point and headed north, Stockton Island sheltered us from the gale and provided calm seas. 

The Fleet

As we entered the unnamed bay we were greeted with an entire fleet of boats taking shelter from the storm.  Many of which we has seen only hours before in Quarry Bay.  It seems that this was the spot and we were about to join the party.

The bay on the east side of Stockton Island is very large and is home to one of the best beaches on Lake Superior.  Its crescent shape and rolling dunes make for a very picturesque location.  I would highly recommend this location to anyone visiting the Apostle Islands.

Again, because of her shallow draft the Genius was maneuvered very close to shore.  In fact, right up to the beach.  We had come equipped with two anchors, one barrowed off of my boat.  One was set about one hundred feet off shore and the other on the beach, ten feet off the bow.  We had arrived.

Genius on the beach

There we would stay for the next two nights due to the persistent gale.  We were stuck, marooned if you were, by forces beyond our control.  I personally had never been stuck on an island before as was determined to make the most out of the situation.  Unfortunately for us, we would not be accompanied by a boat load of marooned sorority girls who needed a helping hand.  We would have to make due with ourselves, three semi drunk guys crammed together on a small boat.

On the bright side, due to her shallow draft, we could come and go as we pleased; not having to worry about a dinghy to get us to shore.  In fact, one time while departing the vessel, Mike was in such a rush that he managed to do a face plant right on the beach.  Tim and I laughed our asses off.  It was pretty funny.  Fortunately, Mike injured nothing more then his pride.

The next morning found us in the same spot as the night before.  Except this time we all got a good night sleep.  The Genius didn’t so much as wobble and we were thankful for it.

While lounging in the cockpit that morning drinking coffee we noticed a peculiar site; a dinghy floating past devoid of a passenger. 

“Check this out, it’s a dinghy……floating by,” I said, bringing the object to everybody’s attention.

“Get it!” Tim said, immediately rushing out of the cabin to see the great spectacle.  I just sat there dumbfounded, holding my coffee.  I was in my sweats and hadn’t considered jumping into the water to grab the wayward dinghy the best option.  We had moved the Genius at least one hundred feet off the beach for the night, and the water had to be at least waist deep.  No, my thought was to chase after it with the boat.

No sooner then the alarm had been sounded, then Tim stripped down to his shorts and was jumping in the lake after the dinghy.   It was breezy, the gale still in full force, so the dinghy was making its way out to open water.  Tim trudged after it.  In a turn of good fortune, the dinghy was blown into some rocks that were about one hundred yards away.

Tim managed to secure the dinghy without having to completely submerge himself, but he did comment that the water was a bit chilly and that he was now fully awake.  He brought the dinghy back to the Genius.  Soon we would find ourselves back on the beach, dinghy in tow. 

During the course of the day, the crew of the Genius would rescue three wayward dinghies, their owners neglecting to consider that the occasional high wave can wash a small boat right off a beach.  And what about an anchor?  Oh well, all was good, the Genius was ready to assist.  It was Bay Watch, Stockton Island.

For our troubles we received a hardy thanks from the dinghy owners, a spare bottle of propane for our stove, and the use of a satellite phone.  The later used by Tim to assure his wife that everything was alright and the Genius hadn’t sunk.

Inside the Genius

While the owners of the first rescued dinghy were visiting, Tim decided to show off the lavish accommodations enjoyed by the captain and crew, inviting them aboard.  The Genius, a McGregor 23, is not what I would call a spacious vessel.  The husband declined the offer content to drink a beer and continue the conversation.  His wife however, decided to check out the boat.  Tim proudly, escorted her throughout the vessel, while Mike and I got out of the way looking at each other ominously. 

One look on that poor woman’s face said it all.  “How can these men live like this?”  Her face went from a polite and curious smile to a look of pure horror and disgust.  Within seconds, she had seen enough and like a trapped animal, would have chewed off one of her own limbs to get off that boat.  Not soon after, the couple made a hasty retreat back to their own boat. 

During the day spent on Stockton Island the crew enjoyed everything the area had to offer.  We hiked over to the ranger station on the windward side of the island.  That’s where we learned about the severity of the gale.  The station posts current weather conditions on its bulletin board. 

Much time was spent lounging on the beach.  The crew also managed to do a little house keeping on the Genius.  However, there are only so many ways to stow items on a small boat; the end result looking much the same as before we started.

Tim & I

As the day wore on, captain and crew found themselves in the midst of conversation, beer in hand.  At one point Mike even commented that he could sail the outhouse faster than the Genius, and it was probably more seaworthy.  Tim still feels that was an unnecessary comment, but acknowledges the brilliance of the insult.

That evening, with the help of a box of wine, I almost had Tim convinced that he should become a stand-up comedian.  His bit would be to single out audience members and insult them on the spot.  He has a gift.

To be continued……………

Adventure in the Apostle Islands Part 3

The morning came slowly, but after a horrible night of lying awake in close quarters, on a rocky boat, the crew of the Genius was ready to start the day.  We found the dawn troublesome.  The wind had continued to pick up during the night, agitating the water.  Also, the Genius was on the windward side of Oak Island, so we were getting the full brunt of the effect.  The only solace we had was that the boat hadn’t slipped her anchor, so we found ourselves in the same place that morning.

The decision was made to seek calmer waters and then feed ourselves.  Tim started the motor and steered a course towards the south side of Oak Island and back in the direction we had come the day before.  It was the shortest distance to get around the island.

It took about fifteen minutes to maneuver over to the south side of the island.  Once we were on that side we spotted a small cove.  It wasn’t much to look at, but it was a calm spot and was somewhat sheltered from the wind.  That was where we dropped anchor and fed ourselves. 

That first morning the crew of the Genius enjoyed a hardy breakfast of eggs, hash browns, and sausage patties.  With coffee of course; that just wouldn’t be civilized.  The highlight of the morning came as I finished preparing the sausage patties and announced, “I………..t’s Sausage Time!”  This was met with hysterical laughter.

“You homo,” Mike said, laughing.

“What the fuck man,” Tim said looking at me and also laughing.  “We’re on a small boat with three guys, there is no such thing as ‘sausage time’ on this boat.”

“I see your point,” I replied, realizing the gross error of my impromptu announcement.  I too was also laughing.  I would be hounded the rest of the voyage with reminders of my vocal miscarriage.  So it was on the Genius; no one was safe.

After breakfast everything was cleaned and stowed away so the genius could make way.  We had been very aware of the weather.  The wind had continued to build and the waves were increasing in size.  By the end of our meal the Genius had started to rock to and fro, the cove no longer providing much cover from the elements. 

“There’s no way we can sail against this, or even motor,” Tim said, in considering our options.  “The winds too strong, it will just carry us with it.”  Mike and I agreed with his synopsis of the situation.

“We could move over to the east side of the island and anchor there,” Mike suggested.  That was a good idea, because we certainly couldn’t stay where we were for much longer.   Mike had lived on a sailboat in Alaska and knew we had to find a more secure location.

We had pulled out the map of the Apostle Islands and were quickly running out of options.  The only other possibility was Stockton Island five miles due east of us.  The wind would blow us straight to it. 

Tim, Mike, and I deliberated on the matter and finally chose Stockton Island because it had camp sites and a sheltered marina.  The east side of Oak Island didn’t have so much as a pier and or a palace to land.  At least by what we could determine studying the map.

Wind & Waves

We weighed anchor and set out to run the channel down to Stockton Island.  If we missed it, the wind would carry us straight out into the middle of Lake Superior.  As soon as we cleared the cove the wind started to buffer us hard.  Tim was only using his storm jib and no main.  He had suffered a loss of confidence due to the mast incident and didn’t trust his boat.  However, even with just the storm jib, the genius made 8 knots according to my GPS and went as fast as 8.5 knots during the crossing. 

The waves were immense, maybe the biggest I’d seen on the lake; easily pushing ten feet.  Good thing we were going with them.  Tim was right, there was no way we could alter course, fighting these conditions would be futile.

Mike looking on

Tim had insisted on lifejackets as soon as we started out.  That was the first time he had ever given the order since I had been sailing with him.  It was a good decision, we were putting ourselves at the mercy of the elements and the conditions warranted extra caution.

It was a wild ride.  The Genius was being driven hard down the channel and many times surfed down the face of a wave.  It was a dead run, which was good.  If we had been on a reach the Genius would have healed and we would be taking water.  As it was we were getting plenty wet. 

At one point Tim said, “Wave.”  Right as it hit the side of the boat behind Mike and I, drenching us both.

“Thanks for the warning,” I remarked, looking at Tim.

“No problem, what are friends for,” Tim replied.

“You think you might be able to give a little more warning next time?!” I said to him.

“No.”

“Asshole,” I said, just stating the obvious.  We all laughed.

That was the only time before or since that I’ve experienced waves breaking over the sides of the cockpit on the Genius; she rides pretty high, so they were big. 

Tim, Mike, and I were all very aware of our situation.  However, at no time did we feel that the boat was in dire jeopardy, or else we wouldn’t have attempted the crossing in the first place.  We kept seated and stayed in the cockpit not daring to venture onto the deck to adjust anything.  Tim kept a firm grip on the tiller and was exerting himself to maintain control.  This definitely was no pleasure cruise.

About half way down the channel towards Stockton Island the jib sheets were let go due to the stain the sail was putting on the mast; or perhaps they came undone and none of us caught them in time.  Either way, Tim had been concerned that the mast wouldn’t hold after the prior day’s events, so that eased his mind.  The jib was just left to flutter in the wind; no one was going to attempt to wrestle with it, which would have required one of us to venture onto the bow to do so. 

The sheet was acting like a bull whip and was even snapping.  It eventually worked itself into a massive undoable knot which Tim still keeps as a memento of the occasion.  Even without the jib, the Genius was doing 6.5 knots.  We would find out later that the wind had been blowing at 45 to 50 miles an hour with gusts as high as 65 miles an hour.

There were other boats out on the lake that day, but not many.  And those that were, were getting hammered.  We saw another sailboat trying to make for Bayfield but they weren’t making any headway.  Perhaps, they were even loosing ground.  It was too hard to tell from our position and we had our own problems.  The Genius was doing her best to loose the crew.

Stockton Island came up fast and we started looking for a safe haven.  We could see the marina but it was windward side of the island and was taking the brunt of the gale.  It might prove difficult to navigate through the break wall in these winds, so we searched for another option.  Finally, we spotted a cove, and it was oriented in such a direction that it would provide decent cover.

Apparently, other mariners had the same opinion.  As we approached we could see other sailboats taking refuge in the cove.  The Genius motored in and made her bid for a decent anchorage.  The boat was maneuvered to the leeward side of the cove and within thirty feet of the beach.  Fortunately, with her shallow draft, the Genius was able to move much closer to the beach than bigger boats.  So, we were able to secure a good spot that otherwise would have already been claimed.  The anchor was dropped and the crew breathed a sigh of relief.

Tune in next time for high jinx on Stockton Island…………