Run down to Vermilion, Ohio -- and some time off for land activities

Monday, July 3 -- Wyandotte, MI to Vermilion, OH (72 miles)

We got up early for a timely start for the run down the mouth of the Detroit River and across the western end of Lake Erie to Vermilion, Ohio so that we could have time in the afternoon for chores. We left at nine and were docked at the Vermilion Yacht Club just after 1:30 as planned. VYC is a special destination for John, as this was their home port when his family boated during his childhood. The place is still as charming as ever. We will be docked here for the next two weeks while we go off on various land adventures.

We saw a couple interesting sights along the way. The first was a freighter running upbound empty in the Livingston Channel near the mouth of the Detroit River -- the 730-foot CSL Tadoussac, built in 1969 in Collingwood, Ontario. It was fun to see a freighter go by close, but we paid for it by having to deal with a much more serious stern wake than the Captain expected. The issue was that the freighter's stern wake pushing north against a two-and-a-half mph current running south created nasty square waves. The Captain should have planned on that in advance, not figured it out after the fact. But no harm was done, except to the Captain's ego and the first mate's poise. The first mate was not happy. 

The Detroit Light is a few miles out in the lake at the end of the dredged channel. It looks like it could use some a paint job. The lake was dead calm when we started out, but had developed a moderate chop out of the west by the time we reached Vermilion. 

We saw about half a dozen Canadian commercial fishing boats scattered among the many reefs and small islands east of Pelee Island and north of the Bass Islands (and north of the border). We saw a few net flags and floats on the American side of the border, but no boats. 

When approaching Vermilion from the lake boaters usually take aim at the distinctive ball on the water tower. The lighthouse near the beach at the right is a replica of the one that was built in 1877 and removed in 1929.

There will be no more blog postings for the next ten days or so, as we'll be visiting family and friends ashore in northern Ohio and Indiana. We hope to get in a few day trips in the Lake Erie islands during this time. We'll start out again for points eastwards on July 16 or 17.