Wednesday, June 22, 2022.

Trip: 39.15. GPS log 218nm

We woke at 0556; No dew outside. Wind from 250 degreeat 8.4 knots at the boat. 81F. Though the A/C didn’t run last night, having the fan for air movement worked well. The only rain I see on the radar is in Iowa so I’m confident that it won’t rain today. Both Ashtabula and Erie show 15% chance of rain starting at 1pm into the evening. The sky is mostly clear with a few high clouds W of here. We made preparations for departure wanting to make the 7 pm bridge opening.

Engine started at 0647. Cast off 0650 with the wind pushing us towards the dock. I can’t find horn so hailed the Ashtabula bridge tender in the radio instead for 7am bridge opening. Just so you know, I have since found the horn and know where it belongs. This is still a new boat for us so I don’t always know where things are.

We went through the bridge 0703. I cut up cheese for lunch as I can’t find the bread Phil thought he brought.

0712. TWS 19-21kts from 270 degrees

Phil and I earlier had a conversation about whether to go today or not. He’s concerned that the winds are higher than we’d like, but they will be from the north tomorrow (bigger waves) and light after that which means we would have to motor. We are going downwind which makes it doable and if it’s too much, we will go to Conneaut harbor. It turns out that it wasn’t as bad as Phil thought it would be, so we passed Conneaut when we got close.

0718 let the head sail in the harbor. 0720 we exit the harbor. Engine off 0723.

Wind is from 192 deg at u18-20 kts almost dead downwind. Waves <2ft with whitecaps. The motion of the boat isn’t bad until we get a bigger one, and the boat goes side to side following the wave. The Boat speed is 5.7kts ETA about 2pm to Presque Isle outer WP (waypoint).

We’re riding north of the rum line to Presque Isle waypoint (WP) but we can’t sail there directly or the headsail will flap around downwind.

0753. Compass course is 50deg, GPS course 60deg. Wind 18.5 G to 22 at times. Wind angle between 160-170 depending on where the boat is on a wave.

0826 . We tightened the headsail, but speed decreased to 5.14kts, we let out the jib sheet and now back up to 5.3-5.5 knots. Wind 18 kts. @170 deg wind angle. DTW (distance to waypoint) is 25nm. Phil went down for a nap.

0939 TWS 13.7-15.7 kts. Boat speed 5.32 kts wind angle 161 degrees had to bring in head sail a little as started flapping. DTW 20.66 nm. ETA about 130 pm

1000 Phil woke from nap. He went down before we passed Conneaut. DTW 17.69 nm. My turn for a nap so Phil is on watch.

1050 Phil turned on engine as boat speed 3.8 kts and rolled up the headsail. Phil was trying to sail so he didn’t wake me, but the wind kept decreasing to 10kts, making it impossible to keep the head sail full even though he went up 30degrees. The wind speed continued to go down to 8 kts. I did notice he turned on the engine, but I went back to sleep. For the readers who aren’t sailors, when you are sailing any direction except downwind, the boat speed is additive to the wind speed, making it easier to go faster. When you are sailing downwind, there is no addition to the wind speed, which is why we’ve gone these past couple days with the higher wind speeds.

1110 TWS 12.-13.5. @160 deg. BTW 65 deg true. DTW 12.52. ETA 120pm. I woke from a nap.

With the lighter winds, the biting flies are out. The flies bite by spitting acid on our skin and suck up the juices. It warm outside, but I put on long sleeves and covered my legs to protect myself. Phil is already covered. Thankfully the wind picked up more so this was not a terrible biting flies experience like others we have had in the past.

1113am. Phil changed course 40 degrees to get back close to the rumb line to get back on course. He had gone north 30 degrees earlier trying to keep the headsail filled.

1147am. Minus 5 degr on the course as I was concerned we were going to get too close to the north shore of Presque Isle.

Lunch was leftover linguine for me and for Phil, cheese and crackers, banana

1220pm I noticed that boat speed was 5.4kts asked Phil if the, boat could faster. Phil increased throttle and now going 6.07 knots with the engine softer sounding. But gradually it decrease below 5.9 kts. Waves <1.5 ft fewer white caps. Motion of the boat is kinder. We are coming up to the base of Presque Isle. Hoping to see the Ferris Wheel over the tops of the trees but alas, with it being slightly hazy, I could see it. We’re finding that when we increase the throttle to above 6 knots, then it gradually slows down to 5.84 kts repeatedly.

1306. Passed Erie lighthouse. TWS 16.3 at 178 deg. Boat speed 6.18 – 5.89 knots . Phil investigated and found a bungee cord that our friend must have used just for this situation. He put the bungee cord to help hold the throttle in place so now our speed is more consistent. Even though the wind is higher, we decided to keep motoring as we’re going downwind, we don’t have the mainsail raised and soon will be going around the tip of Presque Isle when we be heading directly into the wind.

Rounding tip of Presque Isle. TWS 16.3. 114 deg from boat. Once we have rounded, we’ll be in protected waters, expecting less waves. By 1334, we were in protected waters heading for the channel markers. The protected waters didn’t last long, as we’re entering the channel, the wind picked up to 18 gusting to low 20’s. I had to zip the window in the dodger closed at the bottom to prevent spray from splashing on us. This is when it’s nice to have a dodger instead of putting on foul weather gear. 145pm we passed the Erie Harbor Pierhead light and it was calm for a while. To the north of the light were many small to mid size power boats anchored and people swimming and on the beach, just like at the coast guard beach at home.

Phil called Woverine Marina on the phone. They have reserved A9 for us. We were still going upwind when I had to go to set up the dock lines and fenders. Phil turned the boat around so we were going downwind, which made ii much easier and drier for me to set us up. When I was almost done, he spun around again, we were behind a building so in calmer water and the marina was RIGHT THERE. The wind was still blowing hard and we found the dock when the dock man stood on the dock to catch our lines.

Docked 215pm. Engine Off 220pm

It wasn’t a pretty docking. There wasn’t a lot of room for turning and the wind was blowing us off the dock and towards the bow part of the dock. The guy grabbed the stern line and the bow was drifting towards the boat to starboard of us. Phil jumped off and grabbed the bow line so we didn’t hit the other boat. I jumped off and grabbed the spring line to prevent forward movement. The boat is ok, we’re ok to it ended well after all. We’re here right next to the Bayfront Convention Center and the Sheraton Hotel. We’re positioned so that the wind is blowing in through the companionway hatch and out the fore hatch keeping us cool enough we didn’t turn on the A/C.

We went to the marina office, got the keys for the gate and showers and signed in. We’ll be here for two nights.

We rested and relaxed on the boat. I was working on knitting my Daintylion summer top made of blue 85% cotton and 15% silk top both when we were sailing and also at rest. I’m working on the body which is stockinette stitch while working in the round, it’s all knitting which doesn’t require much concentration. I brought another sweater project with me for a special person which does require a lot of concentration in case these is an opportunity to work on that.

About 5 pm, we decided to take a walk to get some groceries we thought we had brought, but didn’t. Turns out there is the Erie Food Co-op, a high-end grocery store a half mile walk away right next to Perry Park. Gannon University is at the shirt western end of the Park and there are high-end apartments in the building above the grocery store. We were able to find what we needed. I spoke to the young guy about the place. They have been open 3-4 months. Unfortunately they aren’t doing as well as they had hoped but are in it for the long haul. The marina office doesn’t know they are there, though he was aware of the group of 7 restaurants next door. Too bad they didn’t have flyers I could bring to the marina office. I hope that the grocery store stays in business though it will likely be a long time before we return on a boat.

After we got home about 730pm, we had a easy dinner. I cooked the first swish chard from my garden, mushrooms, salmon cooked in the microwave, and a package of precooked Jasmine rice heated in the microwave. Phil did dishes.

While I’m typing the blog, Phil walked around the marina looking at the boats. It’s cool enough that we haven’t turned on the A/C. Now for more time to relax and take a bird bath to get rid of the stickies.

Tomorrow we stay here. We will go to the Maritime Museum and see the Brig Niagara. We’ll see what else happens.