Tuesday, July 29, 2025, Port Huron

We have reservations for three nights in Port Huron. It looks like the major heat will be gone before we get to lower Michigan and Ohio. Cousin Marty only has 110 power at the dock so I don't think we can run the air conditioners so I do hope the heat is gone. 

The weather forecast for today is still good for travel to Port Huron. Sunday still looks like the one good travel day on Lake Erie. I sure hope it remains that way. 

We pulled out of Harbor Beach a few minutes past 7:00. We are 10 miles into the trip now and the conditions are perfect. Winds light a 1.7 knots from the North, There are some following leftover seas letting us surf downwind on the bigger ones, although the sea is starting to flatten out. 

Harbor Beach Lighthouse

Navigation on today's cruise is almost as easy as the cruise to Harbor Beach. Although there is one course change that needed to be done at green buoy 3. I've already executed that maneuver successfully, so now it's a straight 47 mile shot to Port Huron. Annie will be doing all the work. 

Green buoy 3. Sorry - not much to photograph on today's trip!

By the time we reached Port Sanilac the swells had increased in size even though the wind was just about 2 knots. I was running the motor at low rpms, but our speed would go into the 9's when we caught a wave just right. We would be in the 7's when we were not surfing. We were maintaining my goal of 8.0 knots overall. During the last 10 miles at sea we were really surfing - Surf City! It was fun, unless you happened to be Kerry's stomach. I saw the Bluewater Bridge when we were about 13 miles out. That bridge is a major milestone, whether you are coming or going under it. About 1:30 our incoming wake crossed over the one we made leaving in mid June.

My navigation app said we would arrive at Port Huron at 1:55. The bridge only opens on the half hour and the hour. I sped up Annie's engine to give us a little cushion, If you miss the opening you have to tread water (so to speak) for 1/2 hour.  The app did not know that our speed would go up to 13.0 knots while we went under the Bluewater Bridge. So, we made it there 15 minutes early and did have to wait a little while for the 2:00 opening. We waited in front of the Port Huron Yacht Club

Port Huron Yacht Club

Waiting for the Military Street Bridge opening at 2:00. The first of two bridges on the way to the marina.

We stopped for fuel and a pumpout before going to our dock. The attendant only put in 40 gallons then said it was full. I asked him to double check and then he added 17 gallons more. This time we used 2.8 gallons an hour. We used 5.8 gallons an hour when we were crossing the Straits. It took us 7 hours to travel the 55.6 miles. Overall speed was 7.8 knots because of the waiting and docking. We averaged 8.0 on the water. We hit 13 knots going under the bridge with the strong current. We've gone 699 miles to date. 

It was really hot when we finished tying up at our dock. On went the air conditioners and we had our arrival rum and coke sitting inside. We had a nice call with the Orros while relaxing with our drinks. They are planning to go to Tobermory tomorrow if the weather cooperates. The forecast looks like it's right on the edge of go no/go. 

We decided to go to Senor Tequila for dinner. We were hungry so we went there about 4:30. We had a delicious dinner and powerful margaritas. We had a Texas fajita dinner (steak, chicken and shrimp) with the Jose option that added sausage and another meat. And the option cost $.15 less than the regular. We each had 1 1/2 margaritas. Peter will be jealous when he learns that I had a full view of the excellent hardware store from my seat.

Back at Annie, we tried to watch television and I tried to work on the blog. It was impossible as the margaritas completely wiped us out.  I must have fallen asleep at the computer because this morning I had a full page of r's typed. I remember Kerry saying that we should go to bed. I know it was before 8:00 PM when we said adios!