30 foot sailboat, 9 days, 5 port o’ call, 4 people, and 1 bottle of Dramamine

Hutch’s folks have had a sailboat ever since he was a kid; the first was a 14-foot sloop on which they all learned to sail.  Frodo, as he was known, broke free from his mooring one night in a bad storm simultaneously ending his career as a sailor, but starting a new one as beach erosion control.  The second was a 25-foot sloop, Free Energy, who had a memorable moment in heavy seas with Shari, Hutch, Mom & Dad, where both the engine failed and the rudder broke free within minutes of each other – having to be rescued by a passing boat.  The latest and greatest of these boats is the 30-foot sloop, also named Free Energy.  My she’s yar, and as of yet she’s not had any issues like her predecessors.   

We’ve been up frequently enough to get a few overnight and day sails on this boat, but we’ve not had the chance or time during July and August in our previous lives to take a week or two to get a bigger sail under our belts.  So this was long overdue.   Pops is a great skipper, careful and attentive to his crew.  Mom, as first mate, plays the vital role of remembering things that the skipper often forgets.  We learned a lot from them this time around, especially a great respect for the open lake and the way conditions can change from day to day.  We love being reminded that Mother Nature is really in charge, and this serves as one of the motivators of this trip.

Living on board a boat, which “sleeps 6” but comfortable sleeps 4, is cozy and quaint.  Everything has its spot and there’s a fair amount of shuffling stuff around to access storage and setting up the table, the extra bed, etc. -- kind of like trailer living.  We knew that we’d need to get a break from such cozy quarters, so we strapped our sea kayaks to the foredeck, packed up our camping gear in the aft hatch and headed out into the open bay.   

Over nine days and nights we sailed across Grand Traverse Bay, Little Traverse Bay, Lake Charlevoix, and some coastal parts of Lake Michigan.  We experienced weather from dead calm to gale force winds (creating up to 6 foot waves), sun to make you run for shade, and rain that sends you diving for cover.  We had some great days of good winds and spicy sailing and Shari taught mom that just a half of 1 Dramamine helps to “take the edge off” of that spiciness. 

Some memorable moments include:

• Running to “Moomers” for  ice cream 10 minutes before closing.
• Running back the boat for camera to capture one of the most amazing sunsets we’ve ever seen.
• Surfing some good waves on Little Traverse bay in the fiberglass kayak.
• Riding 20 miles in borrowed beach cruisers along the coastal bike path.
• Meeting the inspiration for George Castanzas' parents (remember Seinfeld?) in a great deli in Petosky.
• A few moments of real panic as Hutch got the boat sideways in channel as the draw bridge was opening, heading backward toward the wall just as the engine stalled.
• Learning Shari kills in Gin Rummy – even when she can’t keep her eyes open, and has never played before.
• Cooking with fire and a Dutch oven, pizza and cornbread with chili.
• Making sangria in a Nalgene bottle.
• Being rocked to sleep every night be the gentle motion of the boat.
• Gaining our sea legs and actually feeling unsteady when we were back on land – for a couple of days afterward.
• Getting the chance to spend some great days with our loving and generous parents.  Thanks Mom and Dad!