Day 71 & 72 August 30 and 31, 2022

 Day 71 Tuesday August 30, 2022

Leland Michigan STILL

Lake Michigan travel advice holds true -- avoid any wind direction with a "W" in it and double the wind speed predictions.  Discussion and debate over which is the best source of weather info for the Great Lakes.  Popular aps include Windy, Windfinder, PredictWind, and NOAA.  The secret is to compare them all and hope for some consistency.

The Cottonwood tree stood for over 100 years at the entrance to Fishtown.   The tree stood 100 feet tall with a 20 foot circumference and a 76 inch diameter.  Sixty clones were created by snipping off newly formed buds in 2008.  The tree was taken down in 2011.

Kite surfers have been taking advantage of the wind.  The winds are strong enough to make it rough even inside the marina.  Waves are splashing over the 8 foot breakwall.  

Visit to Grand Traverse Distillery was interesting and fun, although we didn't end up buying anything.  They specialize in rums, vodkas, and some gins. 

Docktails repeated with many loopers in attendance and a couple boaters curious about the loop.  Fun sharing.  Captain's meeting tomorrow to discuss weather and planned travel onward for most boats.

 Beautiful red sky sunset

Day 72 Wednesday August 31, 2022

Walked to Van's Beach to check out the kite surfers and hunt for Leland Blue stone washed onto the beach from the strong waves.  Leland blue stone is the result of the slag produced by the Leland Lake Superior Iron Company which operated over 100 years ago.  I didn't find any blue stone but did find some good looking rocks.

         

The kite surfers were enjoying the windy conditions.

The windy conditions also impact the town of Leland.  Wind routinely requires the channel into the marina to be dredged.  When federal funding for dredging ran out the town found themselves facing a significant impact on the local economy.  The decision was made for the town to purchase their own equipment.  The channel is maintained at 12 feet -- it was only at 3 feet the year they purchased their own dredger.

Captain's meeting with fellow loopers, weather the topic.  Consensus that tomorrow was a "go" day with boats leaving between 6 and 6:30am.  Forecast is for 1-2 foot waves from the south.  Winds will be building in the afternoon so an early departure it is!