My son Chance and I sailed across Lake Michigan this past weekend.  It's about 50 NM each way and was quite fun and very tiring.  The winds allowed us to sail a broad reach over to Frankfort, MI an incredibly nice destination.  When you get within site of land there are what appears to be large bluffs which are actually dunes.  As we sailed in with the sun behind us there were hang gliders, powered parachutes and gliders flying over the dunes, complete with light house and perfect port with very nice town.

Our GPS crapped out (dropped one too many times) about 20 miles out on the way over.  We ended up motor sailing even though the wind was blowing 10-15 so that we could be assured of arriving in daylight with time to find the port.  Toward the end the wind piped up and with the genoa up and the keep up we were surfing down some of the waves which had grown to about 6 ft.   Very fun!

We only had enough time to walk the downtown strip, buy another GPS and have a pizza and a couple of beers.  After that we headed back to the boat and Chance was out cold by 7:30 (we had gotten up @3:30am).  I straightened things out for the trip back and was out by 8:30.

We got up at 4:30 and made coffee and reheated boxed soup and a bagel for breakfast.  Made a few PB&Js for lunch and headed out at 6am in time for the sunrise behind the harbor and dunes.  Just spectacular.  The trip back was quick, very wet and wild.  We averaged 5.17 knots close hauled in 20-30knots with 6-8' very short seas.  I can see now why they call them "dodgers", and wished we had one.  The boat sailed fantastically with one or two reefs in and working jib set.  Even in the big gusts she was rarely overpowered.  I could tie off the tiller and close hauled she would sail almost as fast and straight as if I were at the helm.

Chance and I both took Dramamine both ways and were glad for it.  On the way back I forgot to take mine on time and came very, very close to losing it.  Fortunately I was able to take an extra dose and hold it down until my stomach settled down.  I find it the most uncomfortable when the wind dies and the seas are still up.  The erratic motion is the worst.

We were completely exhausted and the boat was a wet soggy mess by the time we got home.  I didn't have the front hatch latched tight and took some water into the V-berth and one big wave hit us broadside and threw up a huge amount of water that found it's way down the companionway (should have had it closed before anyway).

All in all a fantastic trip.  I am so happy to have such a great destination so close at hand.

Bob