So, we are going to the lake that the Ojibwe call Gitche Gumee, which means big sea or huge water. Here’s a few facts:

• Lake Superior contains 10% of the planet’s fresh surface water.
• It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area.
• It covers 82,000 sq km (31,700 sq mi) with an average depth of 147 metres or 483 feet.
• The deepest point in the lake is 405 metres or 1,333 feet.
• There have been about 350 shipwrecks  recorded in Lake Superior and Lake Superior is known to never give up her dead.
• Some of the world’s oldest rocks, formed 2.7 billion years ago can be found on the Ontario shore
• The lake rarely freezes over completely. The average temp of the Lake is  2 C.

Why are we doing this trip?  It is on Andy’s bucket list, as he was born on the north shore of Lake Superior.  We had a sampling of the Lake in 2019, when we went as far as Marathon on the Canadian shore. 

Andy called the Border patrol agent at 6:00a.m., and we made an appointment to meet them at George Kemp marina at 7:15.  So Andy started the engines at 6:50, and we left Canada and entered the state of Michigan in the  U.S.A.  The border patrol person looked at our passports, asked some questions about the boat.  He said I could keep my garden, but in future no plants can be brought into the U.S.A. I was happy about this as I have several cherry tomatoes that are getting quite big. After the patrol agent left, Andy called the lockmaster to request locking.  He replied that the McArthur  lock was ready, so we hustled over there, and immediately  got the green light,  entered the lock and two lines were thrown down to us.  We were joined by a work boat.

  We were out of the lock by 8:00, and then followed the channel markers to leave the Soo.  The winds were light, as were the waves, as we were sheltered in the channel.  Once we got into Whitefish bay, the waves increased, as did the wind.  Around noon we made it to Whitefish Point harbour, The area can only be described as rustic—wooden docks with cleats and posts, and not in great repair.  Many of the eight slips were occupied by fishing boats—we tied up in slip 5.  We are now in the U.P. Upper Peninsula of Michigan. 

In the afternoon, we walked about a mile to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.  We walked around the grounds, and checked out the lighthouse keeper’s house.  The lighthouse at this location has been operating since 1861, one of the oldest lighthouses on Lake Superior. We also watched a video on the Edmond Fitzgerald sinking, which we both found to be very interesting. The Edmond Fitzgerald wreck was found  about 17 miles from Whitefish point. More than 300 ships have sunk in Lake Superior, more than 100 near  Whitefish Bay, or along  the shipwreck coast, which runs from whitefish point to grand Marais.  In  the museum Shipwreck gallery, there was the stories for more than a dozen ships and their fate.  The original Edmund Fitzgerald bell is also on display here. We were told that more than 100,00 people visit this site each year.

We left Whitefish point at 7:45, waves didn’t seem to be too bad, until we turned past the point, and started following the shipwreck coast.  Waves were about 2 foot plus, but it was the swells that kept hitting us, that were torture.  The depth running a few miles out from shore, varied from 60 feet to 300 feet, and with the wind blowing, we were both freezing.   

After a few hours of the swells hitting the boat,  the Admiral and her morning coffee parted ways.  We arrived in Grand Marais, 6 hours after departing, and had gone 52 miles.  We tied up at the Burt Township Marina, and relaxed.  For supper we walked into Grand Marais and stopped at the Lake Superior Brewing company,  I had a Blueberry wheat beer and Andy tried the Granite Brown.  Very good as was the  food. We met the crew on the R/V David Boyd, shipwreck museum  research boat back at the marina, as they had come in from Copper Harbour, where they had been doing some diving at a wreck site.  Interesting Marina, they also have a fish cleaning station here, and boat launch, which starts getting busy before 6am.

On Friday morning, we got up and learned that a small craft warning was being issued for our area, and that rain would start in the early afternoon.  We decided to leave immediately, staying close to shore, where the waves would be in the 2 foot range.  We passed by the Grand Sable dunes, that ran for miles outside of Grand Marais, we then went by the au sable light station, which was built in 1874 and is 86 feet tall.  After a couple  hours we could see the beginning of the Pictured rocks. These rocks are brilliantly colored sandstone, cliffs, sea caves as well as beaches. 

We  travelled along the east side of Grand Island, and were sheltered a little from the winds.  We arrived at Bayshore Marina in Munising at 11:15, and happily tied up.  At the marina there are a number of tour boats, some taking people to the pictured rocks, or glass bottom boats that take you on a shipwreck tour.  Busy place.   By 2:00, the rain had started, the wind picked up and thick fog rolled in so that Grand Island was no longer visible.  In the evening, we added an additional line to the boat, as the wind was continuing to increase.

In the morning, it was very calm, and we contemplated leaving, however we had read that Munising harbour is very sheltered because of the size of Grand Island, and it can give a false sense of what the conditions are on the lake.  We decided to stay put for the day, and walked up to the dollar store, which was nearby looking for some provisions. Andy worked on some of his wood projects, and I did some cleaning.

During the morning a small craft warning was issued that expires Sunday morning at 10AM. Northwest winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts to 30 Kt (>55Km/hr) and waves of 5 to 8 feet are  expected, as well a Beach warning was issued – dangerous swimming conditions are expected due to high wave action and strong rip currents.  We may have missed this weather- if we had left at 6AM  but I’m glad we didn’t find out.  The sun shone for most of the morning, and winds in the harbour were light. We had a squall go through at 2 pm, and followed by some fog.  The winds started to pick up around 5PM and blew all night.  We put all our fenders on the starboard side of the boat, to keep us from banging into the dock.  With the wind howling, and the continuous banging, neither of us slept much.

There was a Marathon going on in Munising on Sunday morning, and the start and finish line was at the marina, so we saw lots of people participating.  Around 2 pm, when the waves had died down, we left the dock and went about 5 miles to Murray Bay near Grand Island and anchored.  It was relatively calm, except for when the tour boats came by  to look at a shipwreck which was near Muskrat point.  The sun was shining and we had very little wind.  I decided because of all the beating that our fenders had taken over night, that I should likely pump them up and changed their covers.

In the morning, we woke up to single digit temperature—very cool on the boat, as our hull is in water that is likely in the single digits as well. We had a peaceful night.  The lake was calm, and we departed for Marquette at 8 am.  I crocheted a couple of poppies enroute.  We arrived at Cinder Pond marina at 12:30 and tied up, having gone 39 miles.  I did some laundry and then we walked to the Marquette Coop to buy a few things, enroute, we met a couple, who actually gave us a ride to the store, so we only had to walk the mile back.   Andy called the next marina to book a slip for tomorrow, and to find out the depth, as we had read that it was prone to silting in.  The person he talked to couldn’t answer either of those questions, we will likely take our chances and go there early in the morning, as the winds are supposed to pick up near noon. We want to keep moving as getting a slip during the July 4th holiday weekend, will be next to impossible. Lake Superior’s weather/waves have not been to our liking– hope we get more weather like we had today! Happy Canada Day Everyone!