Where WhimSea Takes Us

Posted by Karen A. Brown

We decided to attempt the trip from Spirit Lake to the Apostle's and back in one weekend just to see if we could make it all the way in two days.

We were up at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday morning and by 5:40 out of the slip and on our way. The sun was already rising and the lake was steaming from its warmth. There were a few fishermen out in the river and a number of deer on its banks having a morning drink.

The GPS told us the trip would be 58.4 miles, as the crow flies, with the Duluth entry being the best exist for a more direct route, so we made the call to ask the bridge to be raised and exited the Duluth entry.

The lake was without wind. She needed more time to warm up from the sun and build wind so we ended up motoring a great deal of the morning before we were able to raise sails. Once the wind came up, we raised sails and began our beat to windward.

The route to the islands is not without its navigational challenges. You have to remember to avoid the leeward side of Eagle and get wind shift from the land if you're to close. This morning we also had a light fog that brought with it moments of calming. All in all, however, it was an exhilarating ride with portions of the trip at a steady 15 degree heel.

After what seemed like forever, Sand island lighthouse was finally in view. We got close enough to take some excellent photos which were unfortunately eaten by a camera that didn't appreciate the cold lake air.

We decided to anchor in Frog Bay on the mainland across from Oak Island where we should be protected from both the expected and the actual wind. We were so tired that we went to bed before the moon or stars came out and missed seeing a full moon on the lake. I guess we'll have to make the trip again.

Sunday morning we were up at dawn (about) and on deck to see how the day was shaping up. We both slept like the dead on our first night on this boat on the hook. It's amazing how quickly you can be lulled to sleep by that gentle rocking and the absolute and complete silence of the lake.

Troy went below and I watched for signs of the morning movement from the shore. After a few moments, I was rewarded by a pair of deer stepping lightly out of the forest to the edge of the water. They took their time picking along the shoreline eating and drinking before disappearing once again into the underbrush. Though I got some good photos, once again the camera took exception to the cold. I guess we'll have to get a better, more durable camera.

After the deer returned to the brush we lifted the anchor and powered out of the islands. The wind was barely starting to waken and it wasn't until we past Sand and were mostly past Eagle before we could hoist the sails.

The return trip was spent sailing downwind so we hadn't any heel but we were flying, touching seven knots (according to the GPS) a number of times. There were large swells as well, making the trip that much more exciting.

We also played with the auto helm on the return trip and learned how that works. It's a wonderful addition to the crew that we named Bob, which allowed us both to enjoy the trip that much more. Troy was so comfortable he even took a nap in the cockpit!