Fright Night

Michigan is fabulous!  Except for Lake Michigan which is a fickle, excuse my language, Bitch!  We left Frankfort yesterday and got into Portage Lake early.  A good place to anchor for the night.  It started out well.  Very calm, light winds, protected water.  We went for a dinghy ride around the small lake.  Returned to the boat for dinner and a beautiful sunset.

In the light of day maybe the dark horizon should have been a clue, but it's been there many times with 'nada'

Should have known better.  Complacency set in.  We thought our one anchor had a tight hold seas calm, wind non existent, so we crashed early only to be pulled out of our sleep at 3am when the rain started.  No biggie, close the open port lights, it was a gentle rain.  

Well.....3:30 am was a different story, winds howling, time to check our position. 

Then all hell broke loose.

We had drifted over 300 yards ....NOT GOOD....in case I didn't tell you before, Lake Michigan Lakes are very deep, to anchor you must get very close to the shore.

We had anchored about 500 yards off of a couple of boat hoists.....getting our bearings with visuals on shore, only to find we had drifted about 150 feet away from them.... in the dark, wind howling, rain pelting......Every boaters worst nightmare crashing into another boat....the other being crashing into a rock seawall....you get my drift...these are the things we hope will never happen.

                                 This is 500 yards imagine being 150 feet

We ran up to the bridge, started the engines and like a smooth operating machine under great duress, who under extreme pressure managed to get the anchor up, repositioned, and put two anchors down thanks to the Captain. I must add that I did not blind either one of us with my use of our handheld spotlight, a skill I am still learning! 

Of course by now it was 4am and there was nothing to do but wait the storm out.   Gary got not one wink of sleep from then on and I tried to sleep for an hour.  Our plan had been to set off early and get to Ludington.  

We did leave at 7am for Ludington but pulled in at Manistee at 9 am for an encroaching storm. Stayed there until 12:30 and checking FOUR weather apps. things looked OK for heading to Ludington.   Seas were fairly calm for about an hour when again....all hell broke loose. 20 Knot SW winds and 4 to 5 foot seas

Suffice it to say when we reached Luddington 3 hours later we were never so glad to see a Lighthouse.  It was a nasty day on a snotty Lake Michigan.

24 hours to be remembered!   Not with fondness  :-)

City of Milwaukee...Manistee

A lighthouse we passed don't ask me which one..I was having a hard time hanging on. Actually I was astounded the photo wasn't a total blur!

We are now anchored in front on the Dow Chemical Plant in Ludington, hopefully safe and sound.

Tie A Knot.....over and out