To St. Joseph (Day 29-30)

It’s the sounds of St. Joseph that grab me: trains that run right by the marina, church bells and live music from across the channel, the warning horn of the nearby swing bridge that’s about to open, and the deep honk of a freighter passing by.

I’m writing this post in real-time for a change, vs. a day or two later. It helps to be settled in a marina, with a good WiFi signal. It helps that we are not moving today. And it helps that there’s a strong south wind at my back, whisking away the humidity as I sit at the outdoor covered pavilion.

Under way, it’s the winds and waves that can challenge us. Ashore, it’s the heat and humidity. Weather forecasts warn us again today about “peak high indices of 100 degrees.”

Living on a boat makes one very aware of one’s dependency on A/C. I’m so grateful that Jeff installed an A/C unit on the boat, but it has trouble keeping up with these conditions. And whenever I cook in the little galley…well. I’ve been into fitness all my life, so I’m accustomed to dripping sweat from exertion — but not when I’m hardly moving!

I’m also more aware of my armpits than I ever wanted to be. 😉

I expected this down south, or at my home in Virginia, but not in Michigan. Shortly after we arrived yesterday, I headed for the beach….that white sandy beach that we’ve seen all along this east shore of Lake Michigan…and I stayed in the water a long time.

This is a fabulous marina! Great arrival briefing, free bikes, free laundry, a ride wherever you need to go (I’m sure there are some limits!), daily cleaning of the outdoor grills, etc. And the adjacent train track is more comforting than disruptive, bringing a kind of “old-soul” sound.

About eight other “Looper boats” are in this marina with us. We met a couple from Germany and another from the U.K. – our first international Loopers, I think. I also met my first female skipper. Yay!!

We’re glad to learn we can stay here a 2nd night. I could get reservations for only one night, so we investigated the free wall across the channel for the 2nd night but heard a few stories about what happens there when a freighter passes by or a west wind kicks up. (Boat + steel wall + waves = damage!) We investigated a nearby anchorage, which also serves as a turnaround-basin for the freighters. No thanks! The courteous marina staff found room for us tonight, so we’re staying.

I hope the wind dies down just enough to take out my paddle board again. I took it across the channel last evening, to that free wall, and tied up there. (Most of the stores are on the other side of the channel.) That wall is pretty high. There’s no ladder. I had to hoist myself up. It worked, but…maybe not the best idea. Today, I’ll just take a cruise around instead.