Brig Niagara and Schooner Denis Sullivan Sail Presque Isle Bay

Upon returning to Presque Isle Bay late this afternoon after an exhilarating sail on the lake (15-20 knot winds!), I was greeted by an unusual sight of two magnificent tall ships under sail. Wisconsin's flagship, the Denis Sullivan, and the brig Niagara were tacking back and forth across the bay. The Sullivan, the world's only re-creation of a Great Lakes schooner, is visiting the Port of Erie for a break on the voyage to her winter home in Florida. She is a 137-foot schooner built in 2000 and is licensed as an educational sailing and scientific research vessel, homeported in Milwaukee. Notice the shortened rig on the Niagara. Her royal and t'gallant masts have been removed in preparation for her annual de-rigging for the winter season.

Idyllic Sail on a Saturday Afternoon

Here's a short video clip I shot on board Moonbeam this past Saturday afternoon looking aft from the cabin. A beautifully crisp fall day with a good 15 knot easterly breeze and waves in the 2-4 foot range. After rounding the outer bouy, I took a reach on a 330 degree heading and flew like the breeze for a couple hours before heading back. The ghost of Davy Jones is NOT at the helm - I have an auto pilot that comes in handy on long passages. If not for the press of real life, I could have kept on going all the way to Canada! They say that owning a sailboat is 80% work and 20% pleasure - I can well agree as I think of scrapping away every flake of bottom paint over the fall, winter and early spring two years ago, but that 20% on days like these makes it all worth it!

"Moonbeam" At Rest

Here's Moonbeam docked at the Port Dover Yacht Club during my recent passage. PDYC is a great place to spend a night or two in this charming town on Lake Erie's north shore. The folks are friendly, welcoming, and, if you happen to be there on a Wednesday night, you can chow down a delicious supper that's served to all members and guests for a nominal price. If your homeport is Erie and you're a sailor, don't forget to pay a visit to Bridge Yachts in town - chock full of sailing hardware and boating supplies that are hard to come by in marine-supply-store-challenged Erie, PA. Over the next few postings, I'll give you a little tour of my favorite stop on the north coast.

Long Point Light

Here's a photo I took of Long Point Light on the way to Port Dover. The tip of Long Point Peninsula sticks about 25 miles out into Lake Erie. Over the years, so many ships and lives were being lost in those waters that a light was finally constructed to alert mariners of the treacherous shoals and sandbars surrounding the area. The present light was built in 1916 and has stood as a silent sentinel on that lonely peninsula for over 90 years. It is the third light at the site, replacing structures built in 1833 and 1843 respectively. It stands one hundred and two feet tall and its light is visible across the lake to Erie.

On the passage across the lake to Dover, Long Point is an important waypoint. Once you pass the light, you alter course to port and you're on your way to Dover! You have to give it a wide berth since there's a hidden sandbar that extends eastward several hundred yards. If you're not careful, you can easily run aground. I stay a mile or so off the point where I have plenty of depth under my keel.

Welcome Aboard

Wecome to my blog. As a "vintage" American who has not quite kept up with technology, please accept my apologies in advance for any lack of computer savvy. Still, I thought creating a blog would be a fun way to share my passion for boats, the water, and in particular sailing. I am the proud owner of a 1983 O'Day 30 that I purchased two years ago at Georgtown, MD on the upper Chesapeake. This is the fifth sailboat I have owned, the prior ones being 14, 19, 25, and 28 feet respectively. Residing in Erie, PA is a great place to sail given its protected location on the lake, easy access to marina facilities, and several yacht clubs and marinas. The Great Lakes offer a huge cruising ground with a myriad of interesting places to visit, including big cities, small villages and picturesque anchorages. Over the last several years, I have been exploring the eastern half of Lake Erie and would like to extend my range larger each season. So join me on my own voyage of discovery. Granted it's limited in scope, with no dramatic circumnavigations in mind. Still, for most real people those adventures are the stuff of daydreaming and great reading. I find the anticipation of preparing for a cruise and visiting a port hitherto unknown to me just as satisfying and rewarding, and much more within reach. As Teddy Rossevelt once said, "Keep your eyes on the stars, but your feet on the ground." Who knows, maybe I'll make that trip to Tahiti yet!