Bayview Yacht Club, Detroit

I ended my last post on Saturday wondering what "the waters" would be like on Sunday and if we would be setting out for the Detroit River Sunday morning. Well we did sail away with 16 - 20 knot winds on our beam and later in the morning on our forward quarter so - a good point of sail - and we were barreling along at over 7 knots, sometimes at or exceeding our 7.3 hull speed. That's the good news. The bad news is that the waves were 4 - 6 six feet and after about the first hour the wind began gusting to 26 knots. It was not the most comfortable ride and keeping the boat on course was difficult for me, at least, when I took my turn at the wheel. I have to say that I was glad to see the entrance to the Detroit river.

Our trip up the Detroit river was not difficult. In spite of the opposing prevailing current, we had wind pushing us for part of the way and even sailed for a while in wider parts of the river. We went right to the top of the river, just before the entrance to Lake St. Clarie and docked on the wall at the Bayview Yacht Club. After all that, we were tuckered out so glad to stay the extra night and give Warren time to do some sail repairs.
 
It so happens that my cousin Helen's son Peter lives just outside of Detroit and works in the city. On the Monday morning, Peter emailed to invite Bob and I and the Goodyears for dinner at his son Brandon's home in Grosse Pointe - a short drive from the club where were staying. It was a nice opportunity to get to know Peter better and to meet and visit with his wife and son Brandon. Sailing trips sometimes deliver surprises of the best kind.

Yesterday morning we went into Lake St. Claire and anchored in a small bay at Metro Beach. It was a short run and we had the afternoon to putter around and relax. We weren't exactly been pushing ourselves, were we? - another day of rest! - but one of Bob's "laundry buddies" (the ladies he got to know while waiting for our wash) told him about how nice it was to anchor at Metro Beach with the added benefit of shortening the run up the St. Claire river today by 3 hours. Today was a tedious and slow, especially after the rain began but we're at the Sarnia Yacht Club tonight and I have to say that we didn't find going up the St. Clarie river against the current all that bad.

We off again tomorrow at 7 pm for either Grand Bend or Bayfield. TBD tomorrow en route!