Sunday, August 31, 2014

Joining Two Giants - Lake Erie to Lake Huron

We motored into the swift, opposing current on the Detroit River on August 10, 2014 amidst heavy boating traffic; freighters and (mostly power) pleasure craft.
We attempted to drop anchor at Boblo Island in an area that our guidebook listed as the river's "only" anchorage.  A shallow and very weedy bottom coupled with a great amount of power boat wake saw us changing plans and anchoring just outside the shipping lane channel in front of cottages, beside red buoy 22. 
After dark, one of the cottage owners yelled to us that we were anchored in an unsafe location.  We anxiously assessed his comments:  open to west (yes, but wind not forecasted to turn that way) and heavy freighter traffic could be expected (we were in 14 feet of water behind a stoney point - too shallow for freighters).  We decided it was safer for us to stay where we were rather than attempt to move on in the dark but we had a restless night as we didn't take his comments lightly.
It took us one week to make our way through the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River to Lake Huron.
During that week the weather was so horrific we actually took refuge in Windsor's municipal marina for 3 days.  This was a first for us as we've never found it necessary to go into a marina due to weather in the entire time we've been underway.  We endured days of strong winds and thunderstorms but while anchored behind Peche Island (off Windsor, south end of Lake St. Clair), when we heard the coast guard broadcast a warning of gale force winds and thunderstorms for the next 24 hours we finally said enough was enough and took shelter in the marina. 
We motor-sailed along many stretches of the lake and rivers to compensate for the current; averaging 2.9 knots as we enjoyed the sights along the way: rows of pastel coloured homes at Harsen's Island, power plants, ferries crossing, private docks, cottages and water skiers.



We dropped anchor (for what would be our last time during this trip) behind Stag Island, in the St. Clair River, 7 miles south of Lake Huron.  Sea Star spent the night shuddering as she faced into the 3 knot current with the wind blowing on her from behind.

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