Onward to Canada eh!
Another motor was in store prior to the arrival of our guests and the festivities of the Fourth of July. Our house and lawn would end up looking like an overfull backpackers hostel and a tent campground. So many folks were coming, that we needed one last time on the calm waters to relax prior to entertaining for 5 days.
We left the marina and headed into the North Channel towards Basswood Island, which is the closest Island to the mainland. We had a nice leisurely cruise and circumnavigated Basswood Island. Our first!
I was having such a great time that Barb had to remind me after passing the Northern tip of Basswood to take a 90’degree port turn to head south else we wind up in Canada! Thank goodness for my trusty first mate!
A quite sail.
After a 6 day lull, we finally hoisted the sails! Joining Barb, Captain Scott and myself were my brother and sister. The sail was wonderful.
We went into the South Channel and heaved-to above the Lucerne shipwreck. The water was somewhat choppy above the wreck and we were unable to catch a glimpse of her. After about four hours on the Lake it was time to sail back to the Marina. It turned out to be a memorable first sail on the Egress and left us looking forward to 2016!
Note: The Apostle Islands area is littered with Shipwrecks, these wrecks make for great cold water diving and viewing from above when the water is calm. For those visiting without your own boat, you can take a glass bottomed ride out to some of the wrecks with the Apostle Islands Cruise Service.
One final motor, and a night on the Egress.
After removing the sails and putting them away, and since we were preparing to un-step the mast the following day, we motored one final time with Barbs parents. We went to show them the lighthouse on Long Island, we probably could have gotten much closer, however we didn’t want to get to close, as our depth gauge has never functioned. (Another item to the list!)
After heading into the Marina, another sailboat (most likely rented) that was ahead of us coming into the marina docked in our slip! Guess it was payback for my first multiple slip docking fiasco.
Barb and I came down later to the boat to spend our first night on the Egress. The two sailboats in the slips next to us were filled with teenage girls and a heck of a sound system. Lovely! We spent the evening locked down below sharing a bottle of wine and playing cribbage. Good thing too, as the mosquitos were horrendous!
Un-stepping the mast and saying goodbye.
After saying good-bye to all our guest on the morning of July 8th, 2015, it was time for Barb and I to head to the Marina to say good-bye to the Egress and see her mast un-stepped. Since her mast had not been un-stepped in many years it was recommended that we do just that. Overall her mast was in good shape. Standing rigging looked just fine. Her halyards need to be replaced and we will have the guys take care of that over the winter.
We will be back in May of 2016 to add a flag halyard, a new windex and change out all lights to LED’s. We will also add a new wind vane and new VHF antenna and cable. It was already hard to leave the Island when returning to Colorado. It was twice as hard leaving this time. But we had much to look forward to in the refit of the Egress. It was going to be a long winter though.
End of what I did on my 2015 summer vacation (part 4)
Mad Island Sailing - Adventures of the S/V Egress 
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