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Day 239

8/1/2010

9 Comments

 
Daily Stats
Start: 7:30 AM - St. Ignas, MI
Finish 4:00 PM - Naubinway, MI (3 miles east)
Time: 8:30 hours
Daily dist: 31 miles
Total dist: 4500+
Companions: Lisa joined me on the water for about two hours
Weather: Calm and partly cloudy becoming mostly clear w/ south wind 10 mph.
Notes: Reached northern most point of the trip.
With only about 72 miles to go between St. Ignas and Manistique, where I have to be in three days, I could have plotted three 24 mile days. However, the light and variable winds I had for most of the day were not predicted to stay around. Instead the forecast is showing south and southwest winds up to 10 mph for the next two days which will be blowing right in my face as the shore bends to the southwest. With that in mind, I figured I’d put in a few extra miles today to shorten the distance I’d have to travel in the wind over the next two.

Picture
The very favorable weather in store today allowed me to take my time a bit this morning and enjoy a nice meal of eggs, sausage, and toast with the Bassett family who afterward came to the shore to see me off this morning.


Only about fifteen minutes into the day I caught a glimpse of a yellow kayak headed toward me from a bay to my right. Over the last two weeks I’d been corresponding with Lisa who lives in the Detroit area and has a cabin north of St. Ignas. We had hatched a plan to try to meet up on the water today so I was on the lookout for other kayaks but didn’t expect to see her so soon. It was great though as Lisa was pleasant company for the two hours she paddled with me before she had to drop off and return back to her car that was waiting at a park behind us. She didn’t leave, however, before she had a chance to give me a huge bag of dried Michigan cherries that she thought would be an appropriate gift for someone paddling a big chunk of Michigan. If you’ve never tried dried cherries before they‘re worth a shot, they are amazing.

Picture
Interestingly, eight and a half hours and thirty one miles of paddling put me at what I determined will be the northernmost point I will visit on this trip. Just like I did down on Low Key in Florida last February, I preserved the moment with a photograph and by taking a leaf of a nearby plant. This time it’s a sprig from a hearty little cedar tree growing amongst the rocks on a wind blown point of land that juts into the lake. After crawling my way north for the last five months (the exception being Lake Erie of course) I will now be on a south and southwest track pretty much all the way to the finish line. Now if only the wind would cooperate and stop blowing from the south and southwest.

Picture
Northernmost Point of the trip

Original phone in update - posted by Jake's brother Luke

Today Jake reached the northern most part of the trip.  He enjoyed a day of calm weather but the wind has already started building from the south.  Jake is expecting two days of headwinds as he heads to Manistique by Tuesday where he will see his Mommy and Daddy for the first time since December 5th.
9 Comments
Jenny
8/1/2010 11:11:59 pm

ETA Fox River ? I want to be here when you arrive ! Lydia and I are getting very excited !
Jenny

Reply
Lyn Stachovak
8/2/2010 01:03:44 am

See you tomorrow! Dad and I can hardly wait. We love you - paddle safe!!!!!

Mom

Reply
Deborah
8/2/2010 04:34:22 am

Hurrah! over (or should I say under) a big milemarker - the Mighty Mac!

Ed & I were kayaking this weekend w friends in beautiful Little Traverse Bay. We thought of you often & how you would make the crossing into Lake Michigan. Had work and other necessities not intruded we might have tried to connect w. you on the water.

Now you'll enjoy miles of sugar sand shoreline and turquoise waters along the north shore of that Lake. I saw so much of it coming back from Grand Marais, MI when I approached the Bridge via Hwy 2.
Made me wanna stop & get a hull wet!

Enjoy your time w. your family and remember... whitefish is not just for dinner anymore '-)



Reply
Deborah
8/2/2010 05:45:34 am

Even tho I'm a transplanted Yooper I finally had my first taste of whitefish last week. We drove to the U P to check out campsites for our reunion with Jake and decided we had to try it. Wonderful and I highly recomend it to anyone who hasn't tried it. The picture of the meal you made for Jake inspired us to give it a try. Our meal wasn't as tastefully presented however, but it was still good.

Mom (Lyn)

Reply
Lyn Stachovak
8/2/2010 05:46:41 am

OK... Deborah, I honestly don't know what just happened there with my post? Sorry about that...

Lyn

Reply
Tootie
8/2/2010 09:53:41 am

Lyn, it couldn't be that you are excited to see Jake is it? Have a safe trip up there and enjoy your time together. Hi to David

Reply
Lyn Stachovak
8/2/2010 10:00:16 am

I am excited and I know we'll have a great time. I have enough food packed to feed an army - then again, I'll be feeding an army of Jake so maybe I don't have enough food? Oh well, I have the beer and wine so we'll be just fine.

Lyn

Reply
Ed
8/2/2010 11:09:41 am

Congrats on reaching the Big Bridge.

I know you will enjoy seeing family and friends again!

This weekend, Deborah and I met up with a two other couples to paddle on Little Traverse Bay, Harbor Springs, MI. Both Deborah and I were able to share our meeting with you. There are allot of folks watching your progress and wish you well.



Reply
Tootie
8/3/2010 05:12:44 am

Hello, Jake and Mom and Dad

Hope you had a nice couple of days of paddling and that the folks made it ok. Have a nice time together. Your Mom says she has lots of food so eat hearty! Say hi to the folks for me.

Reply



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