Ohio. The Mainland.

We left Erie, PA, (Monday, 6/28) before sunrise and before any other boats left the marina. Pete loves to be out on the water at dawn to witness the sunrise. I’m willing to sacrifice my leisurely morning cup of coffee to share these quiet intimate moments with the man I love.

We’ve developed a departure routine that barely requires any words. We know our tasks and carry them out with minimal conversation. We are able to keep our voices low with the use of our SENA (SPH10) headsets. Pete will load our route onto the chart plotter (if he didn’t already do this the night before). He’ll crank the engine and then assist me with water and electric disconnect. I’ll free the lines and be Pete’s lower deck lookout as we quietly motor out of a marina. Lastly, I bring up the fenders and tidy the lines before joining Pete on the upper helm to experience the brisk cool air and the hum of our diesel motor moving us towards another exciting adventure.

Our 6.5-hour journey took us to Geneva State Park Marina, Ohio. The next-door property was The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake, a posh resort and spa, and beyond that were several blocks of touristy shops, bars, and cafés that we discovered on our bicycles. Our only stop was the Old Firehouse Winery for a late lunch. Their sampler flight of wines helped us decide on two bottles for boat provisions.

When we returned to Reverie a few new friends had motored in. By early evening several loopers were aligned along the Transient Wall. Pete launched the drone to capture our string of water chariots.

Next stop – Cleveland. This marina was directly behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We enjoyed two days exploring the city, the museums (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Great Lakes Science Center), the West Side Market and restaurants. I wish we could have stayed another day.

We moved on to Sandusky to a large marina and met two wonderful Harbor Hosts. Don and Jan Fisher (Gold Loopers 2019) knew we were coming days ago. They advertised their services in our member Forum and Pete reached out for assistance to help courier our new windlass to this marina. Jan keenly followed our movement via the Nebo Tracker and while in route, checked to see if we needed any other provisions. Since we were low on BBQ propane, they made an extra stop to help us stockpile several small cans. They shared some highlights from their trip around the Loop and offered many recommendations on where we might want to stop on the Great Lakes. What would we do without these AGLCA Ambassadors!

There was one feature at this marina we could have done without, namely the Lake Erie Water Snakes. These non-venomous, docile reptiles typically slithered off the docks as humans approached. Some, however, seemed unafraid and didn’t budge. They were once endangered due to “unregulated killing and loss of habitat.” Thanks to Kristin Stanford, PhD, and her Recovery Plan they are now thriving in the western Lake Erie region. It’s really an interesting story!

Pete found a water snake in our dinghy. The snake was at the stern end. When Pete startled him he dove under the false floor. The bow is where the gas tank is stored, under the bow seat. There is a channel from the bow to the stern for the gas line. Pete opened up the bow seat, removed the gas tank, snugged the bow end up on the davit and hosed water into the gas line channel. I was at the lowered stern end with a boat hook to assist the snake’s departure. In less than ten seconds, the snake exited the channel and made his way off our dinghy! 

The install of our new windlass was initiated before the long holiday weekend, but the discovery of some water intrusion into the pulpit core complicated the process. “Seth” needed to first repair this by reaming out some rotted wood and filling the void with epoxy. Curing the epoxy would require extending our stay until Tuesday, 7/6. In the meantime, we bicycled the gorgeous waterfront, found a terrific winery, cleaned the boat, did our laundry, reprovisioned and enjoyed more than a dozen fireworks displays all around Sandusky Bay from our fly bridge deck.

We are learning to embrace the moment, to not sweat the small stuff, to count our blessings and to let this journey unfold as fate allows. Our attitudes have softened around where we want to be and when.

That being said, we anticipate some friends and family connections in the next two months. We will make more frequent contacts as we travel through Lake Huron and into Lake Michigan.

Next adventure: Ohio’s Islands.