Michigan to chicago trip help!

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Saturday
We went to the Shed Aquarium, walked around downtown for about 4 hours, and ate some of that famous Chicago PIZZA!!! Then walked down to Navy Pier, and then over to the beach just North of Navy Pier?.Spent an hour there just looking at all the boats anchored off shore/with the city in the background?.wife and I went swimming?

Monroe Harbor from the Sedd

Then for dinner?.well there was no dinner, we were so stuffed from the pizza we drank our dinner. We went back up to Belmont harbor and sat on the break wall and looked out at the lake we concurred to get here?.Then around 9:30 the crew met the wife and I at the harbor to take the boat BACK downtown?..

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Belmont Harbor, Club house in background.

It was dark by 8:45 so we had great views of the city as we ran along the coast down to Navy Pier for the Saturday night Fireworks!

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

The fireworks were great. After, we then proceeded back through the locks and down the Chicago River to see the city at night.

We picked up two extra passengers for this trip, the wife had some friends that live in the city come along.

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

thats all for now!~

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

After going through the Locks we then shot back north to Belmont Harbor and docked and had a few pops on the boat for an hour or two. We then all went to the hotel and called it a night, knowing the next day was the last of our adventure.

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

We had been watching the weather all weekend, it was supposed to rain Saturday, but it ended up being 90 and sunny, and it was supposed to rain Sunday on our ride home, so we opted not to go around the shoreline of lake Michigan and just shoot home Sunday morning. So at 730Am 630AM EST we all met at Belmont, loaded up all our gear and got ready to go?..but of course we had to check where those storms were (Saturday night they said it wouldn?t rain till 12pm. Well when we checked the weather at 630 am we found out that the storm came quicker than expected. There was a storm north of us over the lake, so we checked the weather buoy in that area and it said 1ft seas?.. Where we were there was no rain in sight. After carful weather reading we decided our window of opportunity was now and we needed to get on it. I thought in case of a breakdown I could motor on one engine south towards shore; away from the storm?s path. SO we got in the boat and headed out to the lake. When we got out there we found that it was fairly calm, smoother than when we came. Seas were 1- 1.5 ft, so with that knowledge I opened her up a little more and ran at 42 mph.

how about that...this dumb thing was working again?!

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

As we shot across the lake we watched the storm north of us, all the while checking the weather on a smart phone to see where it was, what the winds were doing, and where it was headed. Exactly 90 mins later we were at the St Joseph light! - (just a note, i noticed how dark these photos came out, it wasn't nearly that dark out there, it looks just horrible, but i think the digital camera had the flash on or something, because it was not dark at all, just overcast...so dont think we went out in a storm, the storm im referencing was 75 miles noth of us and another one 100miles west of Chicago......)

Then someone up above opend up the clouds for us as we crossed!!!

This is a photo of the storm that was north, when we started it was 75 miles north; by the time we were 20miles from mi it was only about 3 miles north of us

BUT we made it! held a steady 42 MPH all the way home. At that point as we were pulling into St Joe's we all felt so proud of our trip. It went perfect!

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Exactly 90 mins later we were at the St Joseph light. And as we were pulling into the dock the lake started to get darker. The storm was just hitting Chicago as we were pulling the boat out.

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Seacrest Out!

this storm was angry at us that we beat it, so it decided it was gonna chase us the rest of the trip. By the time we pulled the boat out and stopped for breakfast the storm was on our tail.

As we shot down I-94 heading across the state that storm followed us the whole way, and yes it did hit us, just as we pulled into our driveway. We sat in the car pondering going out?.thought about just putting another DVD in. But we didn?t, we waited for the storm to die down and we pulled all the gear out of the boat and then waited about 30 mins for the storm to pass. Once it did, we went to the local boat launch and we put her back in the water and took her back to her dock behind the house. As we pulled up to the dock and tied her back up, I took a step back and was surprised that not only did we take this thing across lake Michigan, through the Chicago locks, and past the Sears Tower, but we built this thing and here it sits at its home, as if it had never left for the weekend. I don?t ever think the neighbors noticed it was gone?..
So a perfect trip, crew was perfect, weather was perfect, boat ran perfect, what more could you ask for?
So that?s the Great Chicago adventure. 380 driving miles, 140 boating miles, 120gallons, and a trip we?ll never forget!

Thanks iboats for helping us build the boat; learn how to grease the trailer bearings and how to properly trailer a boat, and reading this thread on our adventure!

-not a bad trip; I even impressed my lady while doing it?.

 

[tdrudd87]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Sounds friggin awesome! Michigan was nice on Sat, my girlfriend and I were up at the Holland beach. I was hoping you made it in Sun before those storms! They were nasty!

Congrats on the sucessful trip!
Terry

 

[J. Howard]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Congrats on your trip -- glad you had a good time. I was out there in my boat on Saturday night with some out of town guests, watching the fireworks as well. I wish I'd thought to hail you on the VHF!

As it happens, my buddies in their Trojan were not out there last week, so it must have been someone else that you saw.

Congrats again on an awesome trip. I'm glad it worked out for you.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Glad to hear the trip went well, sounds like a good time.

Now you should be ready to run all the way up to Isle Royale since the shakedown cruise went so well

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Sounds like a great trip with great documentation and lots of fun.

 

[Dick Sorensen]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

In the Navy, upon return, you'd have heard 'Bravo Zulu'......well done.

 

[JasonCarp]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Congrats on a successful trip. I wouldn't hesitate to run that boat in 4-6 footers that distance. It was made for big water.

Happy boating.

Jason

 

[jserb]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

yay! a comment! Iv seen the number of views go up, but no one talkin! Thanks Jason! i tell you i was really impressed how that boat got up on the waves. It seemed as if it was actually a smoother ride with a little more speed, it just seem to get out of the water and span the crest of the waves...




So now that the trip is done I'm getting ready to plan next years great adventure. Thinkin about the 1000 islands in NY. However if anyone has some ideas let me know, i only have a year to decided where were goin next!



As for the rest of the boating season, we will be doing most of it here on lake Erie, we will be going to Put In Bay OH (36 miles) at the end of the month, ill post those photos, and i think we will make one run up to Lake St Clair (42miles) other than that, just the weekend boating around the island that we live on, no "trips" like Chicago until next year...bank account can only afford one of those a year.....

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

For your trip next year I'd reccomend the Hessel, Cedarville area....Les Cheneaux Islands.

I was just up to the Les Cheneaux Islands last weekend. We had a lot of fun. There are a lot of neat little coves and bays to explore and you are really close to Mackinac Island to get the touristy things if you feel the need. You can also head over to Mackinaw City, Cheboygan or St. Ignace. With your boat you could also head over to the Soo Locks if you wanted.

I'll be posting about our trip soon...with pictures of course.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Michigan to chicago trip help!

Glad to hear the trip went well, sounds like a good time.

Now you should be ready to run all the way up to Isle Royale since the shakedown cruise went so well

Did you see my recommendation?

I agree that the north channel of Lake Huron is worth visiting...gotta watch the limestone boulders the size of volkswagons up there though!

The Manitoulin Island area is pretty nice for summer cruising also, lots of protection when needed in between islands and stuff.