Stuck in Hammond IN

At Racine, we saw another boat just like ours -
48' CHB Seamaster. I estimate that there are only about
a dozen Seamasters and this is the 5th one we've seen

Weathered in at the absolute southern end of Lake Michigan, while the lake gets the last laugh.

We spent 2 nights in Racine WI and were too tired to even leave the marina.  But going through the Racine visitors guide, it seems to be a well-rounded city.  First, I note that it is the headquarters of SC Johnson (a family company), and its HQ building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  Wright was a Wisconsin native & had close ties to the SC Johnson family, so there are several buildings/homes designed by Wright in the area.  Racine is also the HQ of Twin Disc power transmissions, so my boat transmissions must have felt all warm & fuzzy being so close to where they were born.

We had a one-day weather window on Monday, so we left Racine at sunrise for the 72 mile trip past Chicago to Hammond IN.  The lake was nice and calm, the best conditions we’ve had in the 5 days on the lake.  It was a blissfully uneventful travel day, so calm that we let “Otto the Pilot” drive most of the day.

The Chicago skyline was covered in fog & haze.

The seagulls started following the boat, which we haven’t seen happen for a couple months.  Then I looked up at the canvas which covers our flybridge, and saw the shadows of two webbed feet.  A stupid gull had actually landed right on top of the canvas.  I tapped the bottom of its feet, and all it did was take a couple steps forward.  I finally had to pound its feet before he (or she) decided to fly away.

We made Hammond Marina with no problem & topped off our fuel tanks.  Fuel is expensive in Illinois since they charge road tax on marine fuel, so the legislature can pay for all its bad habits.  This marina is just across the border in Indiana, right next to the Calumet River, which we will take to begin the inland journey.  We must take this route because our boat is too tall to take the Chicago River with its fixed bridges.  Even so, the lowest fixed bridge on the Cal-Sag Canal will give us only about 12” clearance (if the locks are maintaining normal pool levels).

And then the strong cold front came through.  Yesterday, winds were north at 30 mph, gusting to 40, and waves on the lake were 8-10’ with occasional 13’.  And there’s just a small breakwall between the lake and our marina.  I have 12 dock lines on the boat now, and it’s still rockin’ & rollin’ in the slip.  We started getting seasick on the boat & had to go ashore just to get away from the jerky motion.  Forecast for the next 3 days is for the wind to die to only 20-25 mph and waves decrease to 5-8’.  Yes, we will be glad to get off Lake Michigan.

So we’ll take our Dramamine & try do get some boat chores done while we plan our escape, I mean our departure!