Houghton to Eagle Harbor

Day 14, August 12

We had a marvelous day of sailing today.  We awoke early and left the marina for the other side of the waterway so that we could enjoy one more of Suomi’s wonderful breakfasts.  I opted for sausage gravy and biscuits while Janine went back to the Pannakukka. 

Entrance Light Keweenaw Waterway

Back at the boat, we headed back west up the water way and the open lake.  There was significant wind blowing from the west so I put a single reef in the mainsail assuming that it would help calm things down in the open waters.  Once in the lake, I realized that the wind coming down the waterway must have been channeled because it was significantly calmer on the lake.  We swung the boat on a northeast heading with a goal of Eagle Harbor.  Our distance today would only be about 27 miles. 

Flying the Spinnaker

With the main and jib pulling us along, we were making about 4.5 mph.  It was a pleasant ride with waves between 1 to 3 feet.  About 2 miles into our trip, I decided that this was just the kind of wind our spinnaker was designed for.  We had never really flown this sail so our launch and setting of the sail was really shaky, BUT, we got it up and after a while, it was drawing as designed.  It was stable enough that we finally cleated it down and flew it for the rest of the trip.  We figure that it sailed for a total of 24 miles.  It may have even increased our speed a bit. 

The entire trip was really pleasant.  We had been warned that this part of the trip was especially difficult because of the high winds and strong wave action, however, we have learned to watch our weather forecasts and there will be mild weather in all of these locations. 

The trip up the Keweenaw Peninsula is an interesting historical trek through the early years of the copper rush/logging industries.  Before the gold rush of California, copper was discovered in this area and fortunes were made in mining, smelting and shipping.  In time, the price of copper drove the industry elsewhere and left ruins scattered all over the peninsula.  But nature has done her work and most of the scars are not obvious for a distance.  It is still a very beautiful country. 

Rocks in Eagle Harbor

Eagle Harbor, our destination, is a nice enclosed cove that protects boaters from wave action from all directions.  However it is one of the remnants of the past with submerged cribs that await the unwary boater.  The entrance is extremely narrow and passage is quite hazardous.  The charts and tour books warn to follow a set of range markers that, when aligned, mark the safe passage.  We had no trouble in our passage but understand that it is not to be attempted at night or in fog.

Once inside, there was absolutely no wave action, however, we were still subject to the winds that drove us down the lake.   We dropped our anchor and watched as it settled onto the bottom 12 feet below.  The lake waters are crystal clear. 



Sunset in Eagle Harbor



We had grilled our dinner on our little charcoal grill and settled down to some serious reading and listening to music on our Sirrius radio.  We watched as a group of seven Red Breasted Mergansers cruised about looking under water for fish.  We also had the pleasure of watching a bald eagle flying in and landing in a tree about 100 yards from our mooring.  To top it off, the sunset was really beautiful.  Oh, the joys of sailing!