Day 17 – Tied up in Washington Island

• Steve Goldman
• 09-07-2023
• 1 Comment

We are safely tied up in Washington Island. The day started out with some actual sailing for at least 2 hours. Then the wind started to shift and we had to motor sail again. As we got close to Porte de Morte, the wind was on our nose 17-19 knots and that Green Bay (Go Bears!) chop started.

We had to duck a few of the ferries that run between the Peninsula and the Island. After a recommendation from the folks we met in Menominee, we changed where we are tied up to a very quaint little Marina named Island Outpost.

I was very proud when I called in to get some help from the deck hands / owners, he asked how comfortable are you with docking the boat and I was able to reply “very comfortable”. The reason he asked was they used a docking maneuver that I have not tried before. We came in and threw them a bow line and they spun the boat around. It wasn’t easy in the wind, but very satisfying when we got it to work.

Once on the island, Steve the owner let us know that we could use the car they have and the keys are it. Of course, it would be hard to steal. I had to lean on my IT background, yes I was in IT. Oh so many years ago (2 months). Had to reboot their WI-FI repeater to get WI-FI working.

There was a big event on the island today. There was a baseball game (Championship?) between Sister Bay and Washington Island. The ferry has been loading cars for the last several hours.

I also learned some things about the passage between Door County and Washington Island. They do not let it freeze over anymore and they keep the ferries running all year round. In the past they did let it freeze over and they had an ice road until a vehicle with an entire basketball team fell through the ice all all the players perished.

They have a single cable that connects the island to the peninsula for power, internet,etc. Somehow the cable has been severed twice. Anchors?

First settlers were Icelandic, followed closely by the Irish. Of course there were Native Americans first. There are around 750 year round residents who must be hardy souls.

Tomorrow we were going to cross Lake Michigan, but based on the winds today and the forecast that might not work out. Tuesday looks better (a little).

Might rent mopeds tomorrow, we shall see.