Hello! We are Paul and Karla, recently retired, traveling America's Great Loop.
Our last travel day on 'Current Plan'. She will soon have a new name and new owners.
America's Great Loop has been filled with ups, downs, excitement, boredom, new friends, loneliness, repairs, nature, cities, bugs, sunrises, sunsets, storms, calm, wind, waves, rain, sun. We could go on and on. We did our Loop 'our' way and will always have many memories. Thanks for traveling with us❣️
“Why tiptoe through life to arrive safely at death?” ~ Unknown
Day 237 - our farthest travel day on the Loop! 😲 We went from South Manitou Island Anchorage (Michigan), across Lake Michigan, to Sheboygan Wisconsin. 107 miles and 15 hrs! 🛥️The wind was very low, but it was still "sporty" on the big lake. All the hours of planning and watching the wind and weather paid off for this day of travel. So thankful!
It's hard to find too many interesting things for photos, sorry. Maybe because we are back in the Midwest and it feels like home and things seem familiar.🥰
Day 236 - travel on the beautiful, sometimes ferocious, Lake Michigan. The morning started out very rough at 6:00 AM, but provided a gorgeous sunrise. 70 NM to travel today.
Day 235. Blessings 💞.
I (Karla) was contacted a few days ago that my phone was found. The nice people on this sailboat messaged me, after what sounds like quite a bit of research to find me on Facebook, that they had found my phone! It was not where the Google "Find My Device" had marked it. It was at the trailhead, but in the water. 💦 They are such generous people that they wouldn't take any money to mail the phone back home and said it was exciting to solve the mystery of who owned the phone. Roy Eaton-Little Current, ON on 'Cruisers Net Radio Show' also got involved. The boating community is like no other❣️
Day 233! Wow, time flies! We have been at Mackinaw City, MI for over a week. We had visitors❣️ Our son, Eric, and grandson, Liam and our daughter, Sadie, and her family. So fun to show them the boat, take them for a cruise and just spend time together!
We intended to cast the lines on Friday morning, but the wind and weather are keeping us at the dock. Lake Michigan is not a body of water to fool around with. Weather conditions need to be very calm. Monday looks like the weather should be favorable for travel, so crossed fingers we can get moving again.
Day 225... hot and humid 🥵
While at anchor, we went to the town of Hessel, MI, on the dinghy, for some ice cream and a look around. Very small, cute, town. Then off for a 2 mile hike in the Leupold Nature Preserve. We received help walking from the mosquitoes that were trying to carry us away. 🦟
We decided that you can only jump in the water to cool off so many times before it's time to head to a marina with power for AC. 🆒 So we decided on St Ignace Marina.
The water and wind were so calm that the bugs were horrible on the boat during our passage to the marina! I think this is what helps everyone who lives in the North to start to wrapping their minds around the benefits of winter ...NO BUGS!
We traveled past Mackinac Island. We'll go there next week with our visitors that are coming ❣️
Detour Village, MI. Live music right next to the marina, playing 60s and 70s 🎶🎵, beautiful evening!
Back to The U...S....of... A! Before we crossed back to the United States we stayed at the Blind River Marina for one night. Such an impressive city marina! The Dock Master and Deck Hands were over the top kind and helpful! The marina was in tip top shape. Good job Blind River, Onterio!
Blind River had the world's largest white pine saw mill in the early 1900s. The old relics are right by the marina.
After Blind River we crossed to Drummond Island, MI and went to shore, not much to offer within walking distance from shore so back to the boat for supper. Beautiful clean water in Lake Huron!
Day 217....diving for Karla's cell phone. 📱 We took Gizmo to shore and on the way back it was a bit rough getting the dinghy to the boat, Karla reached over to grab the boat from the dinghy and as we learned a few minutes later, the phone had fallen in. Paul jumped in his scuba gear and looked for it, but no luck.
Good news, Paul said the dive was super fun with lots of cool stuff to see and...we had brought an old cell phone for "just in case". So all is well.
Nope, not the sun set... It's the Moon Rise! 🌝 So beautiful at our anchorage at the Benjamin Islands. ❤️ (Photo courtesy of Paul who braved the zillions of mosquitoes to get the gorgeous image).
Saturday, July 20, Day 213. Little Current, ON. We never thought we'd spend so much time here but they have a great town wall to tie up to during the day and an anchorage, just a mile from town. Nice little town to get provisioning done and letting Gizmo off the boat. Canada has been so impressive in their effort to not have plastic products and their recycling process. A couple items from the grocery store, there were no plastic plates, silverware or straws in the disposable dinnerware aisle.
Day 214... Back to cell service! Nice to be away, but nice to be back!
Such a beautiful evening at anchor. One of the sailboats entertained us.
209 days. I think we're in love.... with Canada ❣️ Our anchorage is so beautiful! We are just 3 miles from Killarney, Ontario. We did a hike to look down on the anchorage then a dinghy ride to check our Killarney. Very small town, but the fish and chips at Herbert Fisheries was worth the ride! They sell fresh fish right off their boat too. Had to try a Caesar - tastes like a bloody Mary and delicious!
Day 206- connected to WiFi in Little Current, Ontario. Technology is great until it isn't! 😭 Spent umpteen hours working with our cell company to make sure our phones work in Canada. They don't...other than a text, no data. Frustrating.
We are loving Canada. Georgian Bay was breathtaking. Now the North Channel is showing to be something we'll try to cement in our memories. The crystal clean water, the rock from what must have been lava at one time... Left in globs.
We made it to the Peterborough Lift lock. The most famous one on the whole canal!
Day 195 and we have traveled through, and conquered, 18 of the 44 locks on the Canadian Trent-Severn Waterway. 2 locks, so far, have been double locks! You go into the lower lock, it lifts you to the level of the gates of the second lock, those gates open, you travel into the second lock. In Canada they open many of the locks by hand, pushing the gates open. There are 2 lock masters at each lock and they are so friendly. Gizmo loved their attention! The locks just amaze us of the engineering marvels they are!
Today is Canada Day! The celebrations are everywhere.
Day 192 - 60 miles traveled and plenty of time to work on boat information and gathering photos, putting the boat out there for sale. We knew this was a one and done adventure. We're hoping someone will want to continue to love 'Current Plan' as much as we have. We finish our Loop in the fall and she'll be ready for new owners.
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Day 190 & 191 - Beaurivage Island Anchorage. Beautiful nature! Along with some paddle boarding, swimming and evening light rain. Perfect❣️
Day 189 - back to the boat! The boat was well protected at Keewaydin State Park Marina. So nice to come back to 'Current Plan' and see she was just as we'd left her.
Tomorrow - Canada! 🇨🇦
Day 188 and Gizmo is getting to go on one last walk-a-bout before a long car ride back to Minnesota! Thank you Keewaydin State Park Marina, Alexandria Bay, NY, for keeping 'Current Plan' safe while we're away from her!
We have been at Keewaydin State Park at Thousand Islands, NY. So amazing all the islands and all the houses built on big and very small islands.
We visited Bolt Castle yesterday. A sad love story of a husband building the castle for his beloved wife. When she unexpectedly passed away, he discontinued the construction and left it as it was. Left for 73 years before the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority bought the island and started to restore and finish it. Google has lots of information about it.
It was a hot day and Paul couldn't resist jumping off the Brewerton, NY City Wall, where we were tied up for the night, with these two young lads❣️
Day 180 - dredging the Erie Canal one scoop at a time! 😵💫
Went through 8 locks yesterday. It was hot and keeping the boat next to the wall in the locks with just the ropes they have hanging down can be a challenge. Thankfully we have a bow thruster that Paul can use to help me (Karla) to keep the boat next to the wall . ☺️
Being entertained by our lock-buddy boat, "I Think I Can", on the "Flight of 5" locks on the Erie Canal. 1st lock yesterday and 9 today. We have many locks in our future. 😁
We're done with salt water on this loop! Starting the Erie Canal today. If all goes well, we will have done 9 locks today.
Woohoo! Gaskets completed and no leaks! 😁
Gaskets came, the new one is on the left...came in multiple pieces.... 🫤
We won't be going anywhere again today. Promised a new one tomorrow on UPS. Hopefully they do a better job of packaging for shipping this time.... 🤞
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Days 221 and 222 at an anchorage at Boot Island near Cedarville, MI. Beautiful turquoise water that was so clean and clear, but a bit chilly. 67°. It felt great because it's warm and humid. Even Gizmo enjoyed getting out in the water via a ride on the paddle board.We went by Dollar Island, quite the interesting property.
Detour Village, MI. Live music right next to the marina, playing 60s and 70s 🎶🎵, beautiful evening!
Day 216 and we're at the beautiful Benjamin Islands. Formed in part from an astroid, so cool! https://craterexplorer.ca/croker-island-complex/. We haven't stern tied in a while, but it is a practice many do here so your boat doesn't swing around and hit a shallow rock. It allows you to anchor in a smaller area because you don't have to have so much scope on your chain. Gizmo enjoyed exploring the blobs of rocks here. So unique.
211 days and Gizmo takes a paddle board ride. 😺
Such a beautiful evening at anchor. One of the sailboats entertained us.
Day 198 -July 5- just leaving our anchorage near Buckhorn, Ontario. We been blessed with great travel weather, though it could be a bit cooler. 🥵 It gets quite stifling when we are down inside the locks. We've done 31 of the 44 locks on the Trent Severn. We may reach The Big Chute Marine Railway tomorrow. Google it! 😉
We made it to the Peterborough Lift lock. The most famous one on the whole canal!
Today is Canada Day! The celebrations are everywhere.
Day 190 - Canada! 🇨🇦 Started the morning with pulling up an anchor full of weeds and cleaning up all the dead mayflies on the back of the flybridge. 🤢 Beautiful day for our short travel to the Canadian Customs Check-In. Only the captain can do the check-in, so Gizmo and I stayed on the boat. After the information was verified we moved to the Gananoque Town Dock and took a walk around town and stopped for a coffee. Then back on the boat to our anchorage at Beaurivage Island.
Day 183 we are crossing Lake Ontario! We had intended to stay at Oswego for 2 nights on the free wall, but a look at the future weather made us decide to head across the big water today. Being on the free walls has allowed us to go for walks, sometimes stopping for a treat at McDonald's! 😁
It was a hot day and Paul couldn't resist jumping off the Brewerton, NY City Wall, where we were tied up for the night, with these two young lads❣️
Day 180 - dredging the Erie Canal one scoop at a time! 😵💫 Went through 8 locks yesterday. It was hot and keeping the boat next to the wall in the locks with just the ropes they have hanging down can be a challenge. Thankfully we have a bow thruster that Paul can use to help me (Karla) to keep the boat next to the wall . ☺️
Day 178 - We've seen so many beautiful things along our journey the last few days! From Ossining, NY to Amsterdam, NY. Now being on the Erie Canal, then to the Oswego Canal and from there the Trent Severn Waterway... Which will keep us very busy going through locks every few miles. 🙂
Being entertained by our lock-buddy boat, "I Think I Can", on the "Flight of 5" locks on the Erie Canal. 1st lock yesterday and 9 today. We have many locks in our future. 😁
Day 175 and we are back traveling the water! Thankful for a talented Captain that can tackle most any project. 🤓 The First Mate is the gopher, tool hander and clean up crew. 😁 We had our last walk and coffee at Ossining, NY, then after the repair was completed we were off the dock. We got to go right by West Point Military Academy! We never knew Upstate New York was so breathtakingly beautiful ❣️
Woohoo! Gaskets completed and no leaks! 😁
Days 167-168 at New York. It was very sobering to see the 911 Memorial and all the things around it in person. 💔 Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty 🗽 brought on feelings of hope. But it makes us think, could we do what our ancestors did to come to America and start a new life? We are very grateful to them! We had Instacart do our provisioning and ended our last day with a beautiful sunset. 🌄 Liberty Landing Marina was $9/ft (x 39ft). 2 nights was all the bank account could spare. 🤑
You can tell this young man, maybe early 20s, has done this many times! Backing in a boat is not the easiest of tasks. Bow and stern thrusters and/or twin engines help a ton. We only have a bow thruster and single engine. We had to back into the spot where the boat with the blue bimini is in to get diesel for only $3/gal! 😁 Thank you Fairbank Tackle.
Day 153 & 154 - We showed the boat, grabbed some groceries and had planned to leave the marina, but ended up staying another night. Paul's laptop screen died completely. He decided on a new tablet to use for the Navionics Navigation software. He needed WiFi to set up the new tablet so we ended up having a Domino's picnic up by the Marina office after hours. A cute little turtle joined us. We were on the water early and had a great travel day on the BIG Chesapeake Bay. There were many big ships anchored, our son suggested that they may be held up because of the bridge collapse. 😞 Something exciting was seeing a bunch of stingrays swimming along!
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