We left Pugh Marina on Wednesday night around 10:30 PM. Many people asked us why we were taking an all night trip across Lake Michigan for our first passage. The reasoning is pretty straight forward. We are en route to Muskegon, MI. It's about 70 miles across the lake and we planned on making 5.5-6 mph, so it will take us about 12 per the plan to get there. Allowing for some contingencies, and some buffer, if we want to get in with good light, we needed to leave and sail all night.
I'll be honest with you, tonight was not the ideal sailing conditions that we would have liked, so we are using the auxiliary diesel to help us along a bit. But as I sit here in the glow of the instruments listening to the diesel hum, I can't help but feel at ease. This is where I was meant to be. I have my beautiful wife resting down below and we are meeting my parents in Michigan to pick up the boy. Life doesn't get any better.
It has been a long road to get here and we wouldn't have been able to without all of the love and support from all of our friends and family. The list is too long, but a few people do deserve special mentions for the extra help they gave us over the last month to help get us that last inch. My mom and dad and Ann's mom watched the boy for a couple of weeks so that we could get the condo renter ready. Sara and Allen drove up to Racine on their day off to help us rig sails and get some last minute provisions. They are also helping to shuttle our car back to our parents house for safe keeping.
To anyone who is dreaming of going cruising, just remember that there is always going to be something to try to stop you. If this is your dream, go for it! It's far from easy, but the best things in life are worth working for and sacrificing for.
One more note about leaving what has been our summer home for the last several years, the crew at Pugh Marina also deserve an honorable mention. I cannot recommend their services enough. Bill is a fair man and Stevie D can work miracles. We will also miss all of our friends at Reefpoint Marina. It was our second home for several years and the friends we made there felt like family.
