Friday, August 23, 2019

Aug 21 BACK IN THE USA - Meldrum Bay to De Tour, Michigan



Aug 21
Finally all caught up with posting to the blog now that we're back to getting  decent cell service.

Another longer travel day covering about 6 hours and 50 miles from Meldrum Bay, Ontario, Canada to De Tour Village, Michigan, USA where we checked through customs using a very cool video conferencing app that the US Customs and Border Patrol calls ROAM.  No inspections, no waiting.  Just a couple clicks on the phone, a conference call, a video hook-up so they can see your face and compare it to your passport, a couple basic questions and they send you an approval notification.   Of course, they could always tell you stay on board, they’re sending a customs agent, but I   haven’t heard of that happening to anyone yet.   

Early rise as boats started leaving at first light. Caught the sunrise and was reminded of that old sailors saying about “Red sky in the morning….”
We finally left Meldrum Bay at 7 AM figuring we should get to De Tour by 1PM.  Calm winds as we left but as forecast, they continued gradually building.  Made it a little sloppy the last hour or so but we still made it to De Tour before the stronger afternoon and evening winds arrived.   We even hit our furthest northern point coming around the top of Drummond Island. 46 06.47degrees!
  Sitting on the boat now in the security of a protected marina slip listening to it blow and watching the whitecaps out on the water.  Good Planning!!   De Tour is a pretty small village.  A small IGA grocery, a gas station, and 3 restaurants (best one with a bar  and the blue prints for the Edmund Fitzgerals hanging on the wall is closed on Wednesdays) so we wound up with pizza.    We did see this boat go by in the channel  that is of the same design.



I’ve talked about how clear the waters were in the Georgian Bay and North Channel but once we turned the corner heading towards the USA and Lake Huron proper, we were surprised by the sudden color change.    With the sun shining down it becomes the azure blue color that reminds you more of the Caribbean.   Extremely eye appealing. 


Aug 22

We spent an extra night  in De Tour.  No real reason other than timing our arrival to Charlevoix for Sunday after the weekenders leave.   Not much to do but chores so gave the boat a long overdue  washing and defrosted the freezer.    Had a good batch of loopers here  so of course docktails were in order.  No craft brewery here site but found this  really nice dark beer at the grocery.   Dinner on board.
Journey for Aug 21

1 comment:

  1. Some years ago, in my dad's bass boat we were fishing around Drumond Island. Beautiful day. Then the wind changed. The trip from Drumond to Detour Village was more than I ever want to handle again. My dad had my grandfather lay down in the boat as he labored to keep the small boat headed in the right direction. Toby

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