Galactica's trip north: Apostle Islands, Lake Superior!!!

June 25, 2012 - Heading To Lake Superior. Destination: Apostle Islands

Distance Sailed: 107 miles
Distance driven: 1900+ miles

Galactica makes a decent camper in camp grounds.  Sibley State Park, Minnesota.

After getting on the road following a late afternoon start out of Brookings South Dakota, we drove until we found a state park in the middle of Minnesota.    Fortunately, the sun stays up longer at this latitude!

We pulled into Sibley State Park which is on Lake Andrew in a large chain of small glacial lakes.   It's a very pretty campground with stone buildings and a stone tower near the shower house. 

It's a small lake with fishing boats and campers.  A large blue sailboat pulling through the campground must have been a unique event.   People were clustered around campfires in their campsites either relaxing or eating dinner.  

It was very gratifying to hear campers exclaim about the boat, stop talking and watch, stand up for a better view and on one leg of the campground loop, children ran along side of the boat as we slowly pulled around looking for a large pull-through site with electricity and no low hanging branches.

Movie Night aboard Galactica!

We decided to take advantage of the electrical pull through sites and treat ourselves to a movie night.

We brought a couple netflix dvd's for this purpose. Marina's are also great for movie night with our shore power hook-up. We conserve and use electricity frugally when on ship batteries out on the water. So this is a luxury.

In the morning, we breakfasted aboard Galactica, showered and hit the road so that we could be on the water before dinner!

We stopped a couple times near Duluth as we first sighted the Lake Superior.  There, we toured a rest area museum and down on the waterfront, a VFW WWII museum.
Finally, we pulled into the parking lot for the Bayfield City Ramp.  We had called ahead and reserved a transient slip at the Apostle Island Marina for this night and later in the week!

This is the city ramp, marina and parking.  Bayfield, WI

We quickly set about rigging Galactica for the water.  Both of us were eager to get onto the water!   With all the rigging changes and shortcuts we've implemented,  Angie sets about taking care of her normal tasks while I put the mast up.    I'm so fortunate that my wife is a very competent sailor and enjoys getting out on the water.

Angie tying Galactica to the dock so that I can pull the trailer out.  Bayfield City Ramp.

Tuesday evening in Bayfield.  Most boats are larger and already on the water so the ramp was mostly to ourselves.  By 7pm, we backed Galactica into Lake Superior.   Angie pulled her off the trailer and secured her to the dock while I pulled the tow beast out and parked it back in the parking lot for the night.

Trailer parked for the evening.  Angie prepping Galactica in the distance...

We  backed Galactica down the narrow channel away from the ramp until a curve where we could spin around and idle out of the city marina and into the channel. 

A quick steam over to the Apostle Island Marina and a call for our slip assignment via the marine radio quickly put us into a slip with time to cook dinner and explore.

Angie grilling dinner on Galactica's Magma.  Apostle Island Marina.  Bayfield.

While I secured extra lines and ran the shore power cable, Angie grilled us dinner!

Angie and myself enjoying the evening meal.

Angie cleaning up before our evening walk on the waterfront.

We cleaned up, secured the boat and then walked over to the shore to pay for our transient slip.  The folks at this marina were great!   The City ramp/parking was expensive with a 3 day limit.  Since we were coming back to this marina by the weekend, they said that they would provide parking in the morning for the trailer and truck!

Galactica snug in her transient slip: C-16.  Apostle Island Marina.  Bayfield, Lake Superior!

In the morning, we breakfasted on Galactica again.  Afterwards, we hiked over to the city marina and brought the truck around.   We down jacked the trailer and left it with another one behind the marina office.   I moved the truck to the marina's parking lot!

It was so cool to have clear water...

We topped off ice, picked up a chart for the Apostle islands and cast off.   As soon as we were out of the harbor and out of the path of the Madeline Island ferry, we raised both sails, shook out the reef from the mainsail and began beating up the east channel.  "beating" means close hauled or pointing as close to the wind as a boat can sail.

Mornings had perfect sailing conditions!  10-15mph  Madeline Island in distance.

We snacked on fresh fruit and crackers and guzzled lots of water!  This is a typical midday meal while we are on the water.

Relaxing as we explored the islands....

Angie was working her way through a stack of books that she brought!   She loves to sail with the boat heeling.  Partly because it's cooler as you feel the wind, partly because its fun and invigorating!   She'll read while kicked back and leave one hand hanging over the side.   If she feels water with her finger tips, then she says that we are finally sailing!

Angie at the helm, close hauled in the east channel...

Another measure we use as a gauge is when we hear things crashing below, sliding over the fiddles due to a good lean.   When there is a crash below, we chuckle and admit that we are finally sailing properly!  We did shatter the last of the Corningware bowls this summer.  We've switched to plastic.

I will post video after I piece them together.  I have video of the black rubber rub rail above the blue hull and below the white deck actually in the water!  We had some fabulous sailing!  Both the fun exhilarating and the laid back relaxing kind!  Great trip!

Winds began picking up in the afternoon 20-25mph which became exhilirating!

In the afternoon, the heatwave which baked the land, caused a major wind 'storm' as the wind would shift and the hot air rush out to the lake.  Though not predicted by NOAA nor the websites, it was blowing 20-25 mph sustained!  Fun!   The winds died down by dinner time.

Playing around while Angie's at the helm.  I like the peaceful solitude of the bow under sail...

We sailed into Quarry Bay on the south side of Stockton Island then around to Presque Isle Bay.   There were two sailboats riding at anchor there.  We pulled in closer to the shore--because with our draft, we could.   We set the anchor and let out appropriate line for our depth.

Galactica's anchor and chain...clear water!

It was neat seeing the line on the bottom.  When the wind shifted, we slowly floated back over the line as pictured above.

There was a storm coming and the temperature had dropped to the 60's.   I had it in my mind that I was going to get pictures of the bottom of the boat from underwater.   I wanted the sun shining so that it would be brighter with a cool affect.   As Angie sat bundled up and calling me chicken for not just jumping in, I waited for a hole in the clouds to blow a shaft of sunlight towards us.

I dove in so that I could take a picture of Galactica's hull...sailing bucket list item...

Let me tell you.  I'm used to warmer waters and that water was very chilly!  We grilled up some chicken on the Magma but ate inside since it was getting colder outside... but not cold enough to chase off the biting black flies.

Grilled chicken, fruit and macaroni.  Dinner inside...it was getting cold outside.

After dinner was cleaned up, we went out on deck to watch the sunset.  With the storm rolling in, we figured the sunset would be pretty.  Another larger sailboat came in to anchor while we were eating.



Watching the sunset....

At anchor, watching the sunset over Presque Isle Bay.

We kept taking pictures... and after each, it would get even more pretty. 

Getting even prettier... Presque Isle Bay.  Lake Superior

Finally, the colors exploded and it was beautiful!  See the next picture!  No photoshop--just nature in her glory over our sailboat!

The sunset just kept getting prettier and prettier...

After that gorgeous explosion of color, the skies turned various shades as the sun dipped to the horizon...

Final glory...fading to twilight.  Presque Isle Bay, Lake Superior from the deck of Galactica.

After relaxing, reading and playing around the next morning, we breakfasted on board.  Angie had switched us to a french press coffee pot to replace my old tin boyscout camping coffee pot.  She doesn't appreciate cowboy coffee...

This year, we started buying coffee in filter packs.  This makes clean up simple and not messy with grounds everywhere using up valuable water!

Quick chart check before getting underway...

We weighed anchor and steamed over to the harbor on Stockton Island.   Small ferry boats bring campers out to stay on the island so there is a nice docking facility.  We tied up to the concrete dock and headed up to the Ranger's office and island museum.

Galactica tied up at the public dock in protected harbor, Presque Isle Bay

There are hiking trails all over this large island along with a couple rustic campgrounds.   In the Ranger's museum, there is a stuffed bear that had been put down because campers kept feeding it.  This makes the bear unafraid of humans and therefore a dangerous liability.

Galactica tied up while we hiked across the island.

We hiked over to Julian Bay on the the big water side of this island. 

Angie on trail across the island.

As soon as we saw the orange/brown sands of Julian bay, we both fell in love with it.   We decided that we'd go back and retrieve Galactica, sail her around to Julian Bay and eat lunch here!

Angie enjoying the gorgeous view of Julian Bay during our hike!

Pictures do not do it justice.   I did hike up the beach after lunch and found a couple driftwood shots to take.  I like framing things so that there are multiple layers of interest.  I do this whenever I remember to...

Driftwood Series: Galactica beached for lunch, Julian Bay on the open water side of Stockton island.

Driftwood Series.  Galactica beached at Julian Bay.

Angie cooling off before lunch.  Julian Bay.

I like the next picture (below) because it's sort of iconic of this trip.  Galactica, which normally sails in Ozark hill and prairie lakes of Missouri, is in a completely different world! 

Angie enjoying the view of Lake Superior from Julian Bay. 

Angie was gazing out to the really big waters of Lake Superior, Galactic was beached with her hook out on the unique orange sandy beach! 

Incidentally, one of the simple modifications which turned out to be a tremendously successful improvement was the anchor bracket I installed on the bow pulpit railing right before leaving Missouri.   Previously, our Anchor was stored in the anchor locker on the fore deck along with its 150' of line and 4' of chain.  When I replaced the 4' chain with a 24' chain, the locker was really difficult to stow the anchor.  Now, with the anchor on the railing, there is room for its line,  the spare 150' line with its 30' chain and even the big 32' forward dock line!   I no longer dread doing the anchor, its easy and fun now!

Sailing on the big water!  Lake Superior, east of Stockton Island!

Afterwards, we set sail.  We decided to sail out onto big water and then around the islands back down to Quarry Bay for the night.

Angie cooling off in the heat during a run to big water ( I left the bimini furled)

I didn't raise the bimini and it got hot because when you sail with the wind (at your backs), you actually don't feel the wind so it feels hotter and you have the sensation that you are not moving even if the Garmin says you're sailing at more than 6 knots.

Galactica sailing wing on wing in a soldier's wind (running with wind from behind) to big water!

I'm used to beating to windward no matter what direction we sail at home due to the fluky wind currents.  I'm not as skilled sailing with the wind on a run, wing on wing.   This time, I rigged a preventer on the mainsail so that I just had to worry about keeping the foresail filled.

352 ft. deep, 62 degree (F) water and 5 knots on a broad reach around Stockton Island!

The deepest water we sailed on read 402 feet.   It's 352' deep in the picture above.   The fastest we sailed this trip was 6.9 knots on Lewis and Clark lake in South Dakota and 6.6 knots on Lake Superior!

Galactica at public dock in Quarry Bay, Stockton Island.

We tied up to the public dock in Quarry Bay so that we could explore.   I did come across a non-poisonous snake sunning itself on a trail and bloated with some small critter that it ate.

Moon above Galactica at Quarry Bay public dock.

I didn't realize the moon was in this picture until I got home.

A group of kayakers relaxing near Galactica at Quarry Bay.

There were a couple groups of kayakers camping on this island.   They sat out on the dock talking near Galactica while we were there.

Galactica waiting to anchor out for the night, Quarry Bay.

We took our time in the morning,  relaxing and reading.  I went on one more short hike and then we set sail intending on sailing up around Manitou and Rocky islands. 

At one point, we were in a race with a larger charter sailboat named DragonFly.   We enjoyed this and video'd it since we were actually sailing faster than the charter boat.  I assumed it was a charter since it wasn't being handled well and should have walked away from us.  

We sail with a Beneteau named DragonFly in Missouri.  It's an extremely fast boat that can out sail Galactica using only one of it's massive sails.  So, out sailing a different DragonFly was fun for Angie and I.

Relaxing after we beat another sailboat in a little race until they changed tacks.

The winds slowly began picking up in the afternoon.  Today, it was downright fierce.  Sustained 25 mph winds with gusts over 30.   We turned back to beat down the west channel in this vicious wind before we made it to Rocky Island.

Hermit Island.  The winds picked up to a sustained 25mph with gusts over 30.

We furled the foresail every few tacks as the winds grew fierce!

It was an incredibly exhilarating sail!   I find that I can hold Galactica steady if I stand when sailing in winds such as these--even though I was standing on the inside hull above the seat!!!

Angie reading while close hauled in strong winds--her favorite way to sail!

We ended up putting our life jackets on when the wind became uber-strong.   I quit taking pictures for the final several hours as we beat mercilessly into this wind.  At one point, I had the full mainsail up but nearly all of the Genoa furled and had to motor-sail through some tacks because our headway was not fast enough for the rudders to bite and turn us.

We got to the marina and called for a slip.   The wind was still strong, even in this marina's protected harbor.  I have video of the wind literally whistling through the masts in the marina.

Two sailors came running to the C dock when they realized I was coming in and intending to dock in the wind storm.  Angie does a great job setting fenders and dock lines and riding the bow as we come in.   In a desperate maneuver that I call a forward/reverse hole shot, I was able to put the boat into the slip and spin it gently along side, step off and secure the aft while Angie handed the forward line to them.  They were very impressed and said they figured it was going to be ugly--especially when I gun the engine forward then backwards while caddy-wampus coming into the slip in the wind. 

In reality, it was an intuitive act of sheer desperation as we were about to broadside another boat and the dock--I was only able to do it because the port side of the slip was not occupied. :)

Back at Bayfield.  Maggie's pink restaurant.  Great food and atmosphere!

We showered at the marina's very nice facilities then went shopping in the quaint, picturesque town of  Bayfield.   We asked around to sailors and locals alike; hands down, everyone said eat at Maggie's restaurant.   We did and it was wonderful with too much food.  The building is pink.  You cannot miss it.

Ralaxing at the marina after shopping, eating and exploring Bayfield!

We enjoyed another movie night while at the marina on our final night on Lake Superior.  In the morning we grabbed the truck and trailer and drove back to the city ramp where we left it again.

We walked back into Bayfield and had a wonderful breakfast with decent coffee.  We also bought bread that they make here.  The restaurant is called 'the Egg Toss Bakery Cafe'.   Worth visiting.

Breakfast at the Egg Toss Bakery Cafe -- Worth it!

After breakfast,  we cleaned up and left the marina on our final sail.  A short 4 mile leg down to Long Island.   This island is more of a natural break water for Chequamegon Bay.   It has an interesting history all the way back to being a sacred island for local Indian tribes.

Galactica, final landfall on the end of Long Island, south of Bayfield.

It's fun steaming past the sailboats anchored away from shore in deeper water and beaching Galactica directly.  The last several hundred feet were extremely shallow--about 2 foot deep.  We lifted all of her fins and raise the motor so that the prop was barely in the water!

We hiked down the beach for a while then set sail back to the Bayfield city ramp where we de-rigged and got back onto the road, heading south.

We hiked along the beaches of Long Island.

Interesting 'still life' picture on the beach of Long Island, Lake Superior.

Driftwood Series:  Angie as we prepare to shove off and return back to the ramp.

We camped in a Walmart parking lot in the middle of Iowa.  The next day, we stopped at Truman State in northern Missouri to visit our middle son and help him out.

It was a great trip!

1900+miles towed.  All in all, I highly recommend sailing the Apostles in Lake Superior!

I will post links to videos as I edit and publish them:

The final note.  I'm changing the main picture on this blog from the one below, which has been in use since I started it.   This one is looking at Galactica at my cousin's dock at a place I grew up going to.  He's older now and has just sold his place so I'm using a new picture.  Also looking at Galactica through trees -- this time at Stockton Island, Lake Superior.

This is the old webpage title picture.