Anybody ever sailed from western Lake Erie to Mackinaw? I would like to plan a cruise and have several questions: How long did it take? (How far) Are there any interesting waypoints to plan along the way? Are there any web sites that would help my planning? Any other advice/comments? Thanks. Bill Wehmer
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Ed Schenck
Not much help.
I thought you would have had some good responses by now Bill. I am interested in doing the same and have talked with people on my dock who have done it. The only part that I remember is regarding the currents in the Detroit river. The advice was to watch your depth and stay as close to shore as possible. A fellow that I know took his "new" H37C from Lorain to Green Bay with a stopover at Mackinaw. E-mail me for his address. Are there any good cruising guides for St. Clair and Michigan? Ed schencked@bfusa.com
I thought you would have had some good responses by now Bill. I am interested in doing the same and have talked with people on my dock who have done it. The only part that I remember is regarding the currents in the Detroit river. The advice was to watch your depth and stay as close to shore as possible. A fellow that I know took his "new" H37C from Lorain to Green Bay with a stopover at Mackinaw. E-mail me for his address. Are there any good cruising guides for St. Clair and Michigan? Ed schencked@bfusa.com
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Tom Ehmke
Bill, Lake Erie to Mackinaw
Bill, I've made a similar cruise. I have twice sailed from Port Clinton, Ohio to Drummond Island at the west end of the North Channel. It took seven days the first time and six days the second time. First day was a long one both times, 15-16 hrs. from Put-In-Bay to the south end of Lake St. Clair. We docked at a marina at the northern end of the Detroit River. From there 10-12 hrs. to Port Huron at the southern end of Lake Huron near the entrance to the St. Clair River where we stayed at the municipal marina. This was no doubt the most grueling part of the cruise as we were motor-sailing upstream through both rivers and through Lake St. Clair. With a boat speed of 5.50-6k, little wind to help with sailing and an opposing current of 3-4k, there were times when people pushing strollers on the Windsor, Ontario side of the Detroit River were moving faster than we were. But it is a good time to enjoy the scenery and the freighter traffic that passes by. Once we got into Lake Huron the pleasureable part of the cruise began. Our first stop was Harbor Beach. That leg was app. 55 mi. Next leg was from Harbor Beach across the outside of Saginaw Bay to Harrisville, app.70 mi. From there to Presque Isle, app.50 mi. We started from Presque Isle on the 6th day, but ran into thunderstorms almost immediately, so we ran back into the harbor at Presque Isle and waited out the storm. That changed our plans, so on that afternoon we sailed to Rogers City, app. 25 mi. arriving in time for an afternoon band concert and some more thunderstorms at around dusk. The following morning we sailed from Rogers City to Whitney Bay on the southern end of Drummond at the entrance of the Detour Channel. Distance for the crossing was app.40 mi. The second cruise was basically a repeat of the first because of the distances we planned to sail and the ports which were within our reach. On the second cruise we took one less day because we encountered no bad weather. I hope to do it again, and had planned to do it this summer sailing the Ontario coastline instead of the Michigan coastline, but my crew has an aging parent who needed his attention, and my wife would sink the boat before she would allow me to do that trip single-handed at this time. We are planning on next summer for the trip if the sailing gods (and Goddesses, if you catch my drift) permit. The return trip was basically the same until we reached the St. Clair River. Now, downbound, we motored at 9 k and got all the way from Harrisville to the northern end of Lake St.Clair where we found a quiet backwater on Walpole Island. Next day we sailed all the way home to Port Clinton, cutting a whole day off our cruise. If you'd like to discuss the particulars of the cruise, e-mail me at tomclaud@wcnet.org. I can dig out my old logs and give you some more information about ports of refuge, costs of dockage, beautiful places we visited, and other stuff that I may recall. Tom tooth'n'nail ODay 272
Bill, I've made a similar cruise. I have twice sailed from Port Clinton, Ohio to Drummond Island at the west end of the North Channel. It took seven days the first time and six days the second time. First day was a long one both times, 15-16 hrs. from Put-In-Bay to the south end of Lake St. Clair. We docked at a marina at the northern end of the Detroit River. From there 10-12 hrs. to Port Huron at the southern end of Lake Huron near the entrance to the St. Clair River where we stayed at the municipal marina. This was no doubt the most grueling part of the cruise as we were motor-sailing upstream through both rivers and through Lake St. Clair. With a boat speed of 5.50-6k, little wind to help with sailing and an opposing current of 3-4k, there were times when people pushing strollers on the Windsor, Ontario side of the Detroit River were moving faster than we were. But it is a good time to enjoy the scenery and the freighter traffic that passes by. Once we got into Lake Huron the pleasureable part of the cruise began. Our first stop was Harbor Beach. That leg was app. 55 mi. Next leg was from Harbor Beach across the outside of Saginaw Bay to Harrisville, app.70 mi. From there to Presque Isle, app.50 mi. We started from Presque Isle on the 6th day, but ran into thunderstorms almost immediately, so we ran back into the harbor at Presque Isle and waited out the storm. That changed our plans, so on that afternoon we sailed to Rogers City, app. 25 mi. arriving in time for an afternoon band concert and some more thunderstorms at around dusk. The following morning we sailed from Rogers City to Whitney Bay on the southern end of Drummond at the entrance of the Detour Channel. Distance for the crossing was app.40 mi. The second cruise was basically a repeat of the first because of the distances we planned to sail and the ports which were within our reach. On the second cruise we took one less day because we encountered no bad weather. I hope to do it again, and had planned to do it this summer sailing the Ontario coastline instead of the Michigan coastline, but my crew has an aging parent who needed his attention, and my wife would sink the boat before she would allow me to do that trip single-handed at this time. We are planning on next summer for the trip if the sailing gods (and Goddesses, if you catch my drift) permit. The return trip was basically the same until we reached the St. Clair River. Now, downbound, we motored at 9 k and got all the way from Harrisville to the northern end of Lake St.Clair where we found a quiet backwater on Walpole Island. Next day we sailed all the way home to Port Clinton, cutting a whole day off our cruise. If you'd like to discuss the particulars of the cruise, e-mail me at tomclaud@wcnet.org. I can dig out my old logs and give you some more information about ports of refuge, costs of dockage, beautiful places we visited, and other stuff that I may recall. Tom tooth'n'nail ODay 272
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Bill Murray
drop me a note
The previous post is a good basic plan but there are many other possibilities and this is a great cruising area with more good places to go than you will ever do in one (or even 5-6) trips. I have been cruising this route (other than the west parts of Erie) for over forty years. email me and I'll do all I can to help. Bill Murray H29.5 Good Faith
The previous post is a good basic plan but there are many other possibilities and this is a great cruising area with more good places to go than you will ever do in one (or even 5-6) trips. I have been cruising this route (other than the west parts of Erie) for over forty years. email me and I'll do all I can to help. Bill Murray H29.5 Good Faith
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Howard Levine
"Fellow West-enders" Tom?
Hello all and Tom, I'm also sailing out of Catawba Island on an O'Day 37 "Freewill" Four boats have just left our marina for a trip up river. They are planning to make Tobermory which is pretty close to Mackinaw. I could give you details of their trip but not until two weeks have past when they return. Anyways, Tom i see a few 272's around my marina and i see you psoted on here once in a while, i was wondering are you close to me, (Herls) come have a beer and chat about O'Days? howie Freewill@nlc.net
Hello all and Tom, I'm also sailing out of Catawba Island on an O'Day 37 "Freewill" Four boats have just left our marina for a trip up river. They are planning to make Tobermory which is pretty close to Mackinaw. I could give you details of their trip but not until two weeks have past when they return. Anyways, Tom i see a few 272's around my marina and i see you psoted on here once in a while, i was wondering are you close to me, (Herls) come have a beer and chat about O'Days? howie Freewill@nlc.net
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Tom Ehmke
Howie, we've shared a few lines here at ODO
Howie, As I recall you and I have corresponded at ODO.com early this spring or late winter. Don't recall the gist of it, but I do recall that you were bringing your boat to West Harbor from somewhere else. Did you have some sort of adventure doing it? As you can tell, I'm clearing the cobwebs as I go here. I think we did some e-mail too. I dock at Harbor Park which is just south of Herl's. I docked at NEPort for a couple years before switching to Harbor Park. I store the boat there too. By all means, if schedules permit, let's get together. My wife and I enjoy the anchorage on the north end of Kelley's Island as long as the wind isn't coming from anywhere northerly. It's a great place to swim and relax if you anchor close to the east end where is isn't crowded. My e-mail address is tomclaud@wcnet.org. Give me a shout when you are up that way and I'll try to get in touch. I'm a teacher and free for the summer, but it's starting to wind down really fast now. Tom
Howie, As I recall you and I have corresponded at ODO.com early this spring or late winter. Don't recall the gist of it, but I do recall that you were bringing your boat to West Harbor from somewhere else. Did you have some sort of adventure doing it? As you can tell, I'm clearing the cobwebs as I go here. I think we did some e-mail too. I dock at Harbor Park which is just south of Herl's. I docked at NEPort for a couple years before switching to Harbor Park. I store the boat there too. By all means, if schedules permit, let's get together. My wife and I enjoy the anchorage on the north end of Kelley's Island as long as the wind isn't coming from anywhere northerly. It's a great place to swim and relax if you anchor close to the east end where is isn't crowded. My e-mail address is tomclaud@wcnet.org. Give me a shout when you are up that way and I'll try to get in touch. I'm a teacher and free for the summer, but it's starting to wind down really fast now. Tom
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