Macatawa, MI Macatawa Bay Yacht Club 9/7-10-1-2016
We got underway at daylight in between shower bursts… As predicted, the further south we went the sun peaked out and the showers lessened…We decided to run 9+ knots since we had app. 72 nautical miles to go…
It was so surreal not having Lily to take care of and under our feet as we took off…It didn’t start off too badly until we got close to little Sable Lighthouse and then the chop and wind picked up with 3-5' waves cresting to 7’, Pearl Two decided to quit and headed into Pentwater while we continued on…The lake would smooth out for awhile, then, build up again…through the rain and mist we could still see more dunes along the shoreline.
By the time we reached Macatawa the rain had started up again…making it hard for Mike to see from up on the flybridge… God Love, Bill Walsh, Mike’s sailboat friend and the captain of Whitecap. He hailed Joe, Macatawa's Bay Yacht Club DockMaster, so he and Bill helped us dock with the winds blowing and rain pouring…We were all soaked! After getting us tied up, Bill went back to his house to dry off…returning for us at 6 for dinner at his house with Chef Barbara cooking. YUM!
Within a half an hour of docking the sun came out and it’s beautiful here. The Walsh’s gave us enough time that Captain Mike could grab a quick nap & shower…Can’t beat friends like that who understand the stress of long hours boating!!!
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| Macatawa Bay Yacht Club |
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| Love the new upper deck they put on with the remodel! |
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| They had two separate boat races going on, the ladies and the model boats...fun!!!
It was so good to see Barbara and Bill again, not to mention having a wonderful homemade meal courtesy of Barbara!!! Delicious!!! After our rocking & rolling yesterday both Mike and I were still rocking even at their house…it’s a really funny feeling!!!
 Enjoying an after dinner drink and watching the sunset from the upper deck |
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| Sunset our first night here |
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| Think she is called Big Red, at the entrance to Macatawa Bay |
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| Her sister lighthouse |
This morning Bill was nice enough to deliver all our goodies & mail, then come back to get Mike to make a Costco run. I couldn’t go with them since I was still taking apart our tiny refrigerator and cleaning it section by section…(There was a distinct, unpleasant smell emanating from it…UGH!) I spent at least a half an hour in yoga positions that I didn’t think I was capable of executing using my favorite instrument, a Q-Tip or in this case, loads of them…trying to clean out a drain hole…Barbara W suggested that I take a small amount of clorox & hot water and pour down the drain hole after it’s though Q-Tip clean out.That’s helped a lot! We are terrified that if we can get the refrigerator pulled out to clean around the back of it, we might not get it back in again…YIKES! Our instinct tells us there is mold in back of the refrigerator…
AH, YES…the joys of owning a boats come in all sizes, shapes & dilemmas!!!
Added our new mattress pad topper to our bed, so I will be able to try it out tonight while Mike is on Whitecap. Can't wait!!!
Thanks to Barbara, I was able to get a pedicure & manicure today…BLISS! Doing it yourself is just not as wonderful! Since Mike was with the rest of the crew, delivering Whitecap to Grand Haven, I had a relaxing afternoon to myself. Barbara picked me up later and we caught up with them all in Grand Haven. Another darling town! Barb & I took about 45 minutes for a quick shopping spree before joining them at Portobello’s for dinner with the crew. It was a delightful meal with an excellent duo playing songs we all loved…It was hard to leave, but Barbara and I needed to get back and the crew needed their sleep.
Today dawned overcast and mild, but with good winds predicted for later…sadly along with those good winds come some possible storms. Barbara and I made it to the Farmer’s Market and did some other shopping before she delivered me back to the boat to await Whitecap’s return.
As I’m writing this blog, Moondance is rolling at the dock and there are whitecaps in the bay. Meaning that the race teams are all getting a bit more than they bargained for…
Hopefully, they will start coming in anytime now…
As I’m writing this blog, Moondance is rolling at the dock and there are whitecaps in the bay. Meaning that the race teams are all getting a bit more than they bargained for…
Hopefully, they will start coming in anytime now…
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| When I see boats returning like this, I'm really starting to get worried
I went up on the flybridge to watch for Whitecaps return…it was still sprinkling and the winds definitely weren’t settling down. As I watched I got more and more nervous, as I saw boat after boat coming in with damaged sails or their sails already down and they were motoring in…not a good sign either! Finally, I saw her & realized her mainsail was shredded and her jeanty or fore sail wasn’t swinging normally either. OMGosh!
winds-waves-batter-boats-dangerous-conditions-in-effect |
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| Todd is hanging out in front since he is Mr. Agile |
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Bill, Whitecap's captain is bringing them home
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| Trying to get the sails down and off the boat to dry out...Mike is trying to pull the boat in |
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| Carting off the torn sail which will have to be replaced |
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| Bill with the Whitecap crew getting it secured and cleaned up |
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| Despite the lightweight material, those foresails are heavy and awkward |
Drying out Mike's rain gear on our Flybridge
One boat lost all their rigging and when it came down two people got hurt with one sent to the hospital…Thankfully, no serious long term damage to the people…
Marcy Lubbers Beyer shared these photos from Encore the boat her son was on during the Anchorage Cup race...Look at the one boat missing all its rigging...Incredible!
Bob Johnson added 2 new photos.
The Anchorage Cup Race this weekend carried some of the most demanding weather I have seen on Lake Michigan in 42 years of sailing.. our youth crew was SUPERB!!! I had my doubts we could make the Harbor mouth successfully, but, did so.. all crew safe!!!
We only tore one panel in an old #3... the humbling aspect is a very successful Hunter 45 that jibed after crossing the finish and lost her rig... mainsail, roller furling, boom, and mast.. no one hurt thankfully...
Our crew was superb and now they have their first "bar story"..... just have to wait 5 - 8 years to tell them.. in a bar..
Mike said he's not sure he'll race again on another sailboat...
(I’m thinking it’s like women after delivery, that memory changes over time… :-)
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| Barbara and Bill at the Anchorage Cup Affair after the Race |
They stopped in to see our boat the next morning with their other two darling young men, Quentin and Keegan.
So some of the FL Harbor Tower gang is all here, we are calling it the Big Chill Weekend. Bernie and Mary Gerlach, who live across the state and Rosemary and Dan Haemmerle who live in Springfield, OH. arrived. They are part of our FL family of stupendous neighbors and friends!!! Had a fantastic time! First for a drink at the Walsh’s beautiful Macatawa Bay Yacht Club. (Thanks to Bill we are docked there for the next 3 weeks.)
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| Enjoying the view over the Bay |
Here is the Big Chill Crew: Mary, Rosemary, Me, Barbara, Dan, Bill, Mike and Bernie
Then, off to the Walsh’s house with drinks & fabulous appetizers, courtesy of Bernie and Mary including Mary’s fantastic fresh garlic bread. Followed by an incredible melt in your mouth steak dinner with veggies, mushrooms and salad. As if that wasn’t enough, a fresh baked homemade cherry pie. YUMMY!!!
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| The guys helping Bill cook the steaks while solving the world's issues |
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| Barbara was the Hostess with the Mostest and had it all organized and ready to go! |
Another fun day with the women taking off for a bit of shopping therapy in downtown Holland, while the men enjoyed a boat ride on Lake Macatawa…followed by lunch at Phil’s in Saugatauk. Delicious!
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| Lunch at Phil's |
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| Did I mention we did a bit more shopping after lunch??? |
We had more of Mary’s yummy appetizers and Bill and Barbara’s drinks before heading out to the Boatwerks for dinner by the lake…
What a perfect ending to a wonderful day with friends…We even heard from Rosemarie and Dan that they had safely made it home, but not before stopping at Mary’s Chocolates in West Liberty on their way…
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| This kind of moments with friends are what wonderful memories are all about! |
(They brought Barbara and Bill some and we all got to sample…incredible good!!!)
After seeing Mary and Bernie off and mailing a package out to our son and his wife, we got ready to meet more of our Burnt Store friends for lunch. Judy and Larry Livingston, who bought our other condo in HT II and Anne and Pat Mc Colgan, one of my dragon boat sisters and the Livingston's buddies.
We are feeling so humble that once again people have driven so far to come see us…
Catching up with friends along the way has truly been one of the highlights for us…I can’t say that enough!!! We went back to Boatwerks for lunch. Love that place!!! For Judy and Larry it was close to Hope College where their granddaughter started this year. Perfect!
So fun to catch up on FL news and what was going in their lives too…We are all looking forward to our times in FL later this year...
Mike and I are getting excited about leaving this Thursday for Colorado for the Bun's wedding this weekend. From there we will fly to San Diego to see our kids and their new daughter and our first grandchild, Ella...
We have to say we have loved our grand dogs, Cali Bear and Houdini, but having a grandchild is beyond exciting!!!
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| Mike, Larry & Judy and Pat & Anne onboard Moondance |
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| Mike, Larry, Pat, Anne, Me and Judy |
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| One of the former Chris Craft Factories...love those boats but don't want to own one...Way too Much Work! |
Catching up with friends along the way has truly been one of the highlights for us…I can’t say that enough!!! We went back to Boatwerks for lunch. Love that place!!! For Judy and Larry it was close to Hope College where their granddaughter started this year. Perfect!
So fun to catch up on FL news and what was going in their lives too…We are all looking forward to our times in FL later this year...
Mike and I are getting excited about leaving this Thursday for Colorado for the Bun's wedding this weekend. From there we will fly to San Diego to see our kids and their new daughter and our first grandchild, Ella...
We have to say we have loved our grand dogs, Cali Bear and Houdini, but having a grandchild is beyond exciting!!!
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| Look out Ella...Nonni and PaPa will be there soon!!! |
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