| Location: | Lake Erie, Middle Bass to Detroit River |
| 41° 49.633’N 83° 1.117’W | |
| Date: | June 14th, 2020 |
I signed up for this race that starts next week. I think of it as more of a challenge then a race since I don’t expect to really compete. See, I’ve never been a racer; but as a dreamer, I love the idea of long solo passages to exotic destinations. And never having sailed on long trips, I figure that I’m challenging myself to do something I’ve never done before. I’m not sure sailing to Mackinac Island qualifies as exotic. But it is a great destination, it’s the end of The Port Huron to Mackinac Challenge, and I signed up for it, so it’s off to the race.
The trip to the start will only take two days, but I have an exciting reason to head up early as I’m planning on visiting my newborn grandson (and my kids too). So even though I expected 20-25 knots of wind the entire trip and an open Lake Erie, I set off. Wanting to have family time prior to the race was a huge motivator.
I’ve certainly sailed in these wind speeds in the past and I sail solo regularly, but if you’re not familiar with Lake Erie, things get crazy unexpectedly and quickly. And with a northeast blow, the waves tend to get larger and their period is always too short.
The start was blustery; and knowing that I might see some wind and gusts over 30 knots, I triple reefed my main and genoa and set off. Over the course of the next four hours, I was rewarded with a wonderful passage that was quick and entertaining. Seeing waves come up over the deck regularly from the 6-8 foot swell made my heart quicken, but I kept Ventura mostly on her chine and at 7.5 knots the 30 mile trip to the Detroit River went by quickly.
In retrospect, I could have trimmed the sails a bit tighter for speed and would have likely seen 8.5-9 knots, but I imagine the ride would have been less pleasant. And if there’s something that I’m certain as I’m at the beginning of what will be over a 600 mile journey, I want to enjoy it.
Sailing Alone Around the World
Chapter 2 (Season 1, Episode 2)
The second episode of the Ventura Sailing was filmed at this time. I was inspired by Brian and Brady of SV Delos fame to create some “SLOW TV”. So I’ve taken footage from my trips and coupled them with a public domain recording of Joshua Slocum’s “Sailing Solo Around the World”. The story is interesting and the images are simple reminders of my summer’s sailing adventures. If nothing else they help me get through the winter. I hope the same is true for you.
