Our Manitowoc-to-Ludington Ferry put us back at Harbor View Marina around 7:00 pm. We had enough time to get a quick bite to eat and review weather for the next day. The forecast showed southwest winds with moderate waves. Three footers or greater on the beam would not be comfortable so we planned for another day in harbor.
The mechanic that (thoroughly?) reviewed our cooling system didn’t find anything of consequence but he did top off our coolant. We ran the engine a full four (4) hours in the slip at various RPMs. With no indication of overheating we made plans for departing Wednesday morning (8/4).
We would have enjoyed Grand Haven, known as “The Coast Guard City”, especially with Pete’s past Coast Guard service. It is listed as a Top Ten stop in The Looper’s Companion Guide. It happened to be Coast Guard Week and there were all kinds of activities attracting thousands of boaters. Every marina was booked and we were not hopeful about anchorages. Regrettably, we planned on skipping this area. It was a shorter run to Muskegon so we set our sights on the Safe Harbor Great Lakes (SHGL) Marina on Muskegon Lake. Our cruise was, thankfully, uneventful at 1600 RPM. (7.5 knots = 8.6 mph)
We were directed to a T-dock end with an easy tie up at SHGL Marina. There was a restaurant and pub across the street but we wanted some exercise and to discover the city by way of a wide and scenic bike path that ran along the shore. We cycled east past some abandoned factories and derelict properties, then some well gated and gorgeous townhomes. At about five miles we found downtown Muskegon. The streets were almost barren of traffic, surprising to us on a mid-week afternoon. “Western Avenue,” part of the historic district, appeared to have undergone a recent transformation with wide accessible sidewalks, beautiful brickwork, modern art installations and lots of new plantings of flowers and trees. Public benches and friendly alcoves welcomed visitors to stop and and rest while enjoying the al fresco dining opportunities. Rad Dads’ Tacos was one such rest stop. We met a nice couple while on their patio. She was in real estate and explained some Muskegon history and the renewal efforts by the Muskegon Downtown Development Authority and the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce. He was a descendent of the locally famous Shaw-Walker Furniture Company and shared that his family’s building (one we passed while cycling the bike path) was purchased by a New York developer and is being turned into a multi-use facility called the Watermark Center. We listened as both offered a treasure trove of great information and optimism about the revival of this city. Our take-away: Do not write off this destination port as it proved to be a lively and energetic city with great possibilities!
On Thursday morning we cycled to the USS Silversides Submarine Museum. Silversides is a well-preserved, Gato-class, diesel-electric sub built at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California, and launched in 1941. She played a pivotal role in her 14 patrols in the Pacific. The museum included many other displays of World War II history. After visiting the museum we boarded the submarine. It was difficult to imagine life as a submariner. This navy sub operated with 60 crewmen at a time which meant “hot-bunking”, and unless you were a cook or senior officer, showers were only allowed every 4 or 5 days. A patrol or deployment was 75 days. Her engines are still run several times per year to keep them healthy.
We were getting hungry for lunch so we skipped the tour of the US Coast Guard Cutter McLane, opting for a quick inspection of the Muskegon South Pierhead Lighthouse and then riding Beach Street to The Deck BBQ and Beer. I opted for what I thought would be two small appetizers. When our server asked if I was sharing, I should have gotten the hint. Evidently he was trying to warn me that their portions were large. Instead I shrugged off his question. We were delivered a cookie-sheet sized portion of “Dirty South Nachos” consisting of sweet potato waffle fries, pulled pork, shredded cheddar, mango-pineapple salsa, with BBQ and honey mustard sauce. I paired this with “Trash Can Punch” not knowing the secret ingredient. When I pressed our server, he confessed that it contained Rum. I ate appetizer number two, “Mary’s Ceviche,” and we packed most of the nachos in three takeout boxes for our dinner. We somehow managed to fit them into our handlebar packs and rode the 2.6 miles back to our boat.
Friday was a weather day. We were requested to relocate from the T-head to a slip near the outside edge of the marina. We complied and prepared for a downpour. It cleared up by late afternoon, allowing us to Uber to the downtown one more time. There was a special event: the 5th Annual Muskegon Street Performers! Professional and amateur musicians, youth orchestras, dancers, face painters, balloon artists, street yoga, retail huts, many craft booths and more, for at least six city blocks. We visited Rad Dads’ Tacos again and I then purchased some souvenirs.
I failed to mention that adjacent to our marina was the Lake Express High-Speed Ferry Terminal. This ferry crosses to Milwaukee, WI, in two and a half hours, almost half the time of our Badger Ferry to Manitowoc. This allows the Lake Express to make four trips per day across the lake. Although we were only yards away from this terminal, her comings and goings went almost unnoticed except for the brief departure horn. There were no wakes and no coal dust to blanket our boat.
Saturday morning at 07:00 we departed for Holland, MI. At 09:30, we pushed the RPMs up to 1800. At 10:30 we heard the high temperature alarm. (DRAT!) Once again, we shut of the engine, methodically went through the troubleshooting checklist, and found nothing. We bobbed on Lake Michigan until the engine cooled. Considering our options, we were closer to Holland than turning back. We noticed an inlet to Pigeon Lake. Certainly there were no services there but it offered an opportunity to cool the engine, fix lunch, and troubleshoot further.
The Pigeon Lake channel was short and narrow. We set anchor in the first (the only) available basin. I made lunch while Pete made phone calls. Our ultimate goal was to make Hammond Marina, Indiana, before a planned trip home and where there was a full service boat yard. This marina is an AGLCA sponsor with reasonable long-term storage rates and it is close to Chicago, offers nearby public transportation, and has several mechanics for maintenance needs. We just need the engine to run three more days until we get there.
As we made these arrangements, several other boats came in and anchored in this small area known as the Pigeon River watershed. It seemed as if this is a West Michigan secret! This secluded small lake is protected by taller hills north and south and there were several homes and cabins along the shoreline. It reminded me of our great experience in St. John’s Cove at Drummond Island on the Upper Peninsula.
We pulled anchor after lunch and proceeded to Holland. Pete tried to reach marina staff before our arrival. The connection was intermittent as this was a pretty rural area. We motored passed the Big Red Lighthouse and in to Makatawa Lake, proceeding to the Eldean Shipyard fuel dock. Pete explained our mechanical challenge and we were assigned to the shipyard’s launch well for the weekend. I thought, “Great! They have to deal with us first thing Monday morning!” The marina offered a pool, laundry, great showers, and fully stocked store. If we had to be stuck, it was in a great place!
Holland, MI, is beautiful. It is lush and green with huge hibiscus and hydrangeas, very colorful pansies and petunias, expansive well groomed lawns and mature shade trees. This is where many Dutch settlers ended up in the early part of the 18th century and they brought tulips. In fact, this “Tulip City” celebrates the Tulip Time Festival every May. Millions of them now adorn the gardens and roadsides in springtime. We could still see many tulips at the Windmill Island Gardens.
Holland is home to the H.J. Heinz Pickle Plant, Tiara Yachts, Haworth, Inc. (office furniture manufacturer), and Hope College. Author L. Frank Baum, writer of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, had a summer home here. Elizabeth (Betsy) DeVos, former U.S. Secretary of Education, currently resides here. We cycled by her expansive gated home. We also enjoyed the ambiance of the old downtown.
Another fascinating fact: “The city of Holland is home to the biggest municipally-owned snowmelt system in the U.S. …Excess heat from from the circulating water system of the [Holland Energy Park] plant will be used to expand the downtown snowmelt system…” allowing for ease of auto and pedestrian traffic in the business district. (Reference: Power-Technology.com) Imagine radiant heat under the streets and sidewalks!
Monday morning, bright and early, the mechanics boarded Reverie. Given our history, the lead mechanic focused on impeller issues. He replaced the impeller, noting that the one removed was in good shape, however, he found small pieces of impeller fins from who knows when! Not only that, our heat exchanger evidently had some buildup. We think we have discovered the root of our problems and with their help, resolved them. We again ran the engines for several hours at increasing RPMs and had no issues. We repeated the engine test on Tuesday.
With confidence high, we departed Holland on a Wednesday. We had no engine overheating on our trip to South Haven, on the Black River. The municipal marina was wonderfully close to town and offered great amenities. Our slip was easy to negotiate with three young attendants ready to assist tie up. (Tips are commensurate with aid, and these staff not only tied but flemished the lines. As always, we still ensured a tight and proper tie.)
We walked the town that very afternoon. It was charming for sure, with the expected ice cream and fudge stores, souvenir shops, clothing boutiques and restaurants. We found a well stocked bookstore, a wine tasting room, and a several gift shops. On day two, found the Wednesday Morning Farmer’s Market. We walked to an auto parts store and picked up a handheld infrared temperature gun. It might afford better situational awareness before the engine high temperature alarm sounds. On the way back I lingered at the shops while Pete returned to our boat. About an hour later he sent me a text suggesting a quick return due to a fast-approaching weather front.
The first wave of heavy rainfall hit when I was in a store. (The Olive Cart, with over 300 oils, vinegars, mustards, sauces and seasonings, offered free tastings. I was in heaven!) I then quickly made my way to our boat. We positioned our extra fenders, added lines, and within an hour we were experiencing a dramatic show of lightening, thunder, a deluge of rain and wind gusts up to seventy (70) miles per hour! The bulk of the storm passed in a couple of hours, but the waves from the fetch of Lake Michigan pounded us all night. We checked fenders and lines frequently, often having to reposition the fenders to protect our boat. A number of transient boat captains also aided in securing the unattended boats in this marina.
Thursday, we let the Lake Michigan waves continue to settle and didn’t leave our marina until mid-day. It was a short 24 mile run to West Basin Marina in Benton Harbor. There were four looper boats in this marina. As Reverie’s ambassador, I introduced myself to the crews of SeaBatical, Church Retreat, Boyle-N-Water and Just A Toy. The latter two boats left West Basin early the next morning. Joe and Christine, Christine and Mat, and Pete and I enjoyed cocktail hour on SeaBatical Friday evening. I love meeting other loopers and swapping stories!
On Saturday, we set out for either New Buffalo, Michigan, or Michigan City, Indiana. The destination would be based on calm seas, the stamina of the crew and available space at the marinas. We only made it five miles before a high temperature alarm. Aargh!
We were dumbfounded and beyond frustrated. It was time to stop pushing forward and fall back on PLAN B. Pete called BoatUS, one of our two emergency tow providers, to get us back to port. This time we contacted Pier 33, in St. Joseph. This marina provides service and agreed to allow us a slip for a month. We were able to limp in under our own power with the rescue boat as our escort. I contacted our friends, Colleen and Tony on Lady Kadey, prior to arrival (this was their home port) and they met us at slip #17 to assist with our tie up. Pete met with the service manager to discuss our needs. He recommended that we contact a Caterpillar expert mechanic. We did, on Monday.
Tuesday (8/17) the mechanic from Michigan CAT boarded, and within a few minutes pointed out a cooling pump belt with damage. This was not the only issue but it seems that it would have been an obvious finding that the previous three mechanics had overlooked!
There was no point in getting angry. We had to focus on preparing our boat for the extended stay and pack light for our flight home. Wednesday would be a long day, filled with trains, planes and automobiles.
To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the outcome, not the obstacles.
T. F. Hodge