BRAZO - North Channel 2009

C-batical · Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:07 pm Post subject:

Trailered to Spanish and am now moored and the Spanish Municiple Marina. Launched in the rain, however, the dock greeters are all are looking forward to it clearing up tomorrow. Be careful coming across 17B & 17 as there are lots of troopers.

Have a safe trip.

Best regards,

BRAZO · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 9:26 am Post subject:

wavy and widy this morning. tied up nicely in rock island. hope that winds calm down later today. plan on getting in a training run around the island 5.2miles.

Not For Hire · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 4:05 pm Post subject:

Hi Robert, Hi Rollie,

I have docked and anchored at Rock Island. Manistique has high docks and you go thru a tunnel (under road) to get to downtown. There is a small harbor of refuge at Naubinway with bathrooms. If you made it all the way to St. Ignace it has a deluxe harbor with nice floating docks. Farther west Escanaba, Gladstone and Fayette are all nicer than Manistique as harbors go. Not to say Manistique wouldn't be the nicest harbor in say Ohio. Wink

I don't have time for boating until later in September. Then I may follow you guys to the North Channel or I may return to the Soo or I may go South?

I do plan on a few days salmon fishing at end of Aug. but overall not near enough boating this summer.

Have a great trip.

Mark

BRAZO · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 9:57 pm Post subject:

thanks mark, appreciate the info. i made my way from rock island to manistique this afternoon. the ride went from calm to bumpy to 3-4 foot waves on the nose. never a concern, just got a bit tired of the wash machine. that was my first open water lake michigan run. took about 2.5 hrs.

manistique will be my place to call home until friday when the wife and kids show up with the truck and trailer.

this cdory 22 is a great boat loved experimenting with the waves/speed/tabs/permatrim.

couple days to relax.

ps typing on mini keyboard sorry about caps/grammer/spelling

C-batical · Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:49 am Post subject:

Hi Mark & Robert,

Yesterday it was sunny but very windy gusts blowing out of the west at 30 mph plus; even the sailboaters stayed in port to wait it out. Today looks a little better, partly cloudy with 15- 20 mph winds. I think today we are going to explore several of the habors and islands in the general area. The unseasonable wind and rain seem to be on everyone's mind. Mark, I am sorry to hear that you are staying so busy. Our days up in the St. Mary's at the Soo seem so long ago. Since then we at least spent a few days at Indian River. Over the weekend of July 29 we plan to be in Ludington if we can get a spot at the Harbor View Marina.

Robert have a safe crossing. Considering the conditions here I know it has been a very bumpy ride.

Best regards,

Not For Hire · Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:51 am Post subject:

Robert,
If you want to boat a day while waiting, you could explore the Beaver Island archipelago. The harbor at St. James has nice shower house, etc, high docks, cheap state prices. Expensive island gas available at commercial marina to the west (also in St. James harbor, the only real harbor in this island group). Great history and museum, etc in town. To the north and on your way are Squaw, Whiskey, Garden and Hog island. Squaw has a lighthouse you can visit, will have to wade or dinghy ashore as beach is rocky. The passage between Garden and Hog island is nice, very clear water, lots of rocks to look at. Garden Island is shaped like a backwards C. There is a little island in the arms of the C that you can circumnavigate. I have overnighted in the C before, very protected, save your track in case it is foggy in the AM. Good bass fishing in early July, will be lakers around at this time. Wish I was going with you guys.

Mark

BRAZO · Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 10:33 am Post subject:

even though mark is correct, manistique marina is not on par with most michigan marinas - i'm enjoying the nobody here environment. plan is to just hangout today and explore the town. winds are down from yesterday but still more than forecasted.

mark, thanks for the info on beaver island - happens to be one of our favorite stops = at least for a couple days. i need to make sure i'm on the mainland on thursday, so i'm going to stay in port - would love to hop across to beaver thu.

BRAZO · Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:57 pm Post subject:

well, tonight the family will make their way from madison,wi to manistique,mi. in the morning we will head out for thr 5 hour drive to spanish river marina to launch the boat.

i have stayed in manistique the last 3 days and have enjoyed the quiet marina and nice little town. i was not expecting much of the town, but really have liked it.

not sure where we will anchor tomorrow night, but it will be some nice little cove someplace up there.

C-batical · Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:58 pm Post subject:

Robert,
Spanish Municiple Marina is very nice and accomodating. You may want to spend your first night there. It has been very windy during the afternoon,. Mornings, and evenings have been pretty calm. We have enjoyed the area immensely. Spent this afternoon in a beautiful cove north of Johns Island north of Murdock Island in the Whalesback Channel. Yesterday we were in the Benjamin Islands and returned in 3-4 foot seas. Friday is supposed to the best day of the week as far as weather is concerned. Unfortunately, we will probably miss you we plan to leave around noon , or a little after, and trailer down to Hessel, MI for the antique boat show on Saturday.

Have a safe trip

Best regards,
Rollie

BRAZO · Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:16 pm Post subject:

hi rollie,

thanks for the info. sorry we will miss you up there, but have a great time at the wood boat show. that is something i would like to get to.

the wind has just been non stop this summer. hoping we can splash and go tomorrow, but if not it sounds like spanish marina will bw nice.

probably will see you on the road on our way up. i apprecaite the information that you have passed along and i am sure we will cross paths on the great lakes.

have a nice trip.

Robert H. Wilkinson · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:36 am Post subject: Brazo - North Channel 2009

Hi Brazo - Thanks for this account as well! I am currently on lay off so I have found time to go through some of these old posts looking for Canadian content!

Actually - truth be told , I saw that you had 24 replies to this thread and I thought ,,, if I post the 25th --- Da Nag will put 1 of those little blinky things beside another great Canadian tale!! Laughing

Regards, Rob