Mike and Beth's Adventures

  It was a gray, overcast and drizzly day for our Chicago departure .  As we cruised through town on the Chicago River, the tops of the buildings disappeared in the clouds.  A left turn took us into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.  This was built over a hundred years ago to prevent Chicago River from carrying sewage and garbage into Lake Michigan, the source of Chicago's drinking water.  The 1900's solution was to build a canal to reverse the flow of the Chicago River so it flowed in reverse and it's waters would eventually end up in the Gulf of Mexico.  To accomplish this, a 28 mile canal was dug to connect the Chicago River to the Illinois River, which connected with the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico.  Quite a replumbing job!  Not sure the people downstream were thrilled if they knew about it. To insure the Chicago River remained isolated from Lake Michigan, a lock was build at the mouth of the river to further protect...

The Great Lakes & Georgian Bay Great Lakes Information Waterway Guide Great Lakes Water Levels Lake Michigan Information Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Lake Michigan Boating 2022 Harbor Operations and Fee Schedule Canada Massasauga Provincial Park Park Locator Canada, Lockage & Moorage Permits Canadian Notice to Mariners Canadian Water Levels Website Canadian Water Levels Website (Mobile) Marine Weather - Canada North Channel Weather Forecast Eastern Lake Ontario Weather Forecast Georgian Bay Weather Forecast Northern Lake Huron Lake Huron and the North Channel The North Channel Boating Lake Huron & the North Channel Boating the North Channel Lake Huron Cruising and Navigation Information Rideau Canal Amazing Places to Visit on the Rideau Canal - Ottawa to Kingston | The Planet D Georgian Bay Georgian Bay Georgian Bay Islands National Park Georgian Bay 2009 4 Must Know Tips for Cruising Georgian Bay Trent-Severn Waterway Trent-Severn Waterway National Park Boatin...

Two Army Surplus Landing Craft at our  May 30th, 2022 We exited Chesapeake Bay today.  We hated to bid it adieu.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time exploring it's nooks and crannies.  There are so many, it would take a lifetime to explore them all.  We visited the spots we hoped to see. We saw Portsmouth and Norfolk with their shipyards and vibrant waterfronts.  We also enjoyed Deltaville and the Solomons.  Two places that anyone who loves boats has to have on their list.  Next up was St. Michaels, a large dose of colonial, mixed with traditional shipbuilding, and enhanced with good food and beverage with cute BnB's.  This was followed with a week long stay at Chesapeake Beach to visit family and friends.  So great to enjoy each others company.  From there we explored Chestertown and stumbled into a large community event with fireworks and a re-enactment of the Chestertown Tea Party.  The bay definitely put it's best foot forward....

Erie Canal Locks between Waterford and Oswego Erie Canal Information Canal information from the NYS Canal Corporation  Profile and Mileage Table – New York State Canal System Marinas and Public Docks Erie Canal Maps Navigating the Erie Canal Features (bridges, Locks, etc.) along the eastern portion of the Erie Canal are listed by mileage. Travels with Tug44 - Erie Canal Travels with Tug 44 - Oswego Canal New York State Wineries Accessible by Water (3rd Ed. – June 2014) Hudson River Information Hudson River Guide 2015.pdf (hrbyca.org) A good source of current information on the Hudson is a monthly free magazine called "Boating on the Hudson" published by Beacon Publishing Corp. in Verplanck, NY.  Their web site is: www.boatingonthehudson.com/ A free pocket guide listing restaurants, lodging, and planned activities.  www.experiencethehudsonvalley.com Additional Hudson River Resources Travels with Tug 44 - Hudson River Additional  Great Loop Cruise Planning Information...

In 1792, George Vancouver, British Royal Navy,  ventured into Hood Canal in longboats. He left his ships, the  Discovery  and  Chatham , in nearby Port Townsend. Vancouver and his crew journeyed as far as the mouth of the Skokomish River, near the present day town of Union, where Menzies, his botanist, was amazed by the rich vegetation as well as the natural beauty of the area. He wrote in his journal, “here the arm was hemmed in by lofty Mountains on one side and low flat country of considerable extent on the other.” We also have been captivated by the beauty of Hood Canal.  There are no large towns, so it looks much the same today as it did when initially explored.  Its beauty continues to be defined by the clear blue skies, blue water and lush green forests descending all the way to the water.  The Fjord, which is often more than 500 feet deep, separates the Kitsap Peninsula from the Olympic  Peninsula.  The towering mountains of the Olymp...

This week we are starting an exploration of the Hood Canal area of the Puget Sound.  We departed Everett Marina Monday morning Previously we had torn down the carburetor, on the outboard for our dinghy, for a good cleaning.  We were looking forward to trying it on this trip, to insure it was working as expected. Weather was good as we left Everett and got better as we entered the Hood Canal.  Beth shared that it reminded her of the fjords we saw in Norway.  Once we rounded Foulweather Bluff, the water was glass smooth thanks to the protection of the tree covered hills on both sides.  The water depths were consistently 300 feet or deeper.   This probably explains why the US Navy has a major submarine base located here.  We here not able to get close, but through binoculars could see both missile boats and attack subs at the docks.   Pleasant Harbor is located in a quiet cove about 23 nautical miles south from the entrance to Hood Canal....