We Are On Our Way

Saturday, July 28, 2012

We’ve had a change in plans.  Our original departure date was to be on Monday, July 30, however, after I sent out my last email announcing that we were set up to leave on this trip, my cousin, Fran Boardman and her husband Bob contacted us and told of a gathering that they were having in Chicago in celebration of my Aunt Phyllis Holekamp’s 93^rd birthday.  We decided to leave two days early to join four other cousins.  We had a great time digging up old memories of our childhood adventures.  We spent the night with the Boardman’s and after a great dim sum breakfast hosted by my cousin, Jay Holekamp and his family in the Chinatown section of Chicago, we were again underway toward Superior WI and our jumping off point on Lake Superior. 

Sunday, July 29

We got on the road at about 11:00 and traveled north through northern Illinois and Wisconsin to town of Superior where we hunted down a Wal-Mart and joined about 8 or 9 motor home campers and spent the night.  I am amazed at the urban campgrounds.  As we pulled in, we were greeted by folks at one camper who were sitting on the asphalt in their lawn chairs enjoying the sunset.  We had eaten our evening meal on the road so there was nothing to do but get out our ladder, crawl up into the boat and go to sleep.  The first night in the triangular bed in the bow of the boat is never really restful; however, we were really tired and sleep came quickly.

Monday, July 30



Janine attaching the Antenna



We awoke early eager to get the boat rigged and in the water.  We needed a few last minute items from our local Wal-Mart and decided to wait for their opening in a Perkins Pancake House in Duluth.  Duluth MI is the neighboring big sister city to Superior.  You cross a river that separates the two via an interesting large high bridge that has winding and diverging ramps on either side.  We finally got to the Barker’s Island Marina in Superior at about 9:30 and after some negotiations with the friendly staff, commenced setting up the boat.  The sun was already quite hot and the job which usually took about 2 ½ hours ended up taking about 5 ½.  It seemed that everything that we normally do took twice as long and was twice as hard.  The final blow came when we were just finishing up and reviewing the project when I noticed the antenna, which attaches to the top of the 32 foot mast was laying under the table inside of the cabin.  We had two options; we could disassemble the entire mast and sail rigging and drop the mast again or I could winch Janine to the top of the mast in the boson’s chair.  We were both really tired and hot and didn’t want to go through the whole teardown and resetup process again.  So, truly without any persuasion, Janine volunteered to ride the chair up the mast.  That process actually went off without a hitch and with the antenna firmly attached.  Janine is amazing!  She is a super willing capable first mate.  We dropped the boat and Damn Dink, our faithful dinghy, in the water at around 5:00, got it moored and headed off to Duluth and the Pickwick Restaurant and Pub for a walleye sandwich as recommended by my childhood friend Paul Williams.  We were treated to a window seat that looked over the harbor and out into Lake Superior.  It was a fine way to cap a frustrating launch day!  Back in the boat, we crashed at about 9:00.