Lyn's Log, 20th September 2007
Southern Lake Michigan

Chicago, Illinois.
N42º52', W87º37'
16,638 miles.

After five days in Sheboygan, on 14th September it was time to leave. The winds were nearly at gale force, but blowing offshore so we thought we could cope with it. We were the only boat out. Our next stop was at Port Washington where we had to drop the anchor right in the harbour entrance as the engine overheated. The hosepipe from the engine to the hot water tank had leaked all the cooling water from the engine. We taped it up and tied alongside a dock so high we had to strap our ladder to its side to climb out of the yacht. The next day we sailed to Milwaukee telephoning a marina to locate where we might be able to purchase a new hose. We found the place centrally situated just through the bridge from the outer harbour. We were allowed to tie up here only long enough to purchase the hose and fit it. Before we left, a guy named John came to chat to us, seeing that we had come from England. He suggested that we go to the South Shore Yacht Club and get a dock space there.

By the time we got to the yacht club, John was there to greet us along with the dock master. While mooring up, some more people came along who said they had seen us down town and were interested in our travels. So we retreated to the club bar for a pleasant evening with them and meeting a few other members of the club. The weather forecast for the next day was still reasonable but there were to be strong southerly winds for the days following, which would prevent us making any further progress south. So next morning we set out again. By early evening we entered the Kenosha river leading up to Kenosha Yacht Club. Another yacht was just mooring alongside the wall but the club looked shut down. Craig and Mark helped us with our lines and then we all went out to dinner. They had only come into Kenosha for dinner and then were off to Winthrop Harbour where they kept the yacht, just six miles down the coast.

During the night the wind blew up and waves kept surging up the river causing us to slew back and forth, up and down against the wood clad wall harbour wall. The ropes kept on snatching. The corner of a dodger was caught by a mooring line breaking the cord holding it in place, and shards of wood were being torn off the wall. At three in the morning, unable to sleep and worried about damage, we anchored in the middle of the river. First thing next morning, as it was still blowing very strong from the south we thought it would be best to move to the nearby marina. We had to go back out into Lake Michigan and around the outer wall of the marina, where the entrance faced south. The seas were very rough in the narrow entrance with the breaking waves. As we approached, we realised how shallow the entrance was. Our situation was very dangerous. We were facing rocks dead ahead and had to make a sharp right-hand turn to enter the marina. There was little room to spare and as I turned a wave broke under us and we broached way out of control. I heard the prop rev as it came out of the water and Sentinel went right over on her side. I do not know if we hit the bottom. It all happened very quickly and then we were through the entrance into calm water and safe. I was the most scared I have been on this voyage.

Kenosha, our last stop in Wisconsin, was a town of contrasts. There were older streets here and there, but a vast area along the waterfront was being redeveloped with new condominiums and gardens. The public museum, right by the marina, had some lovely Chinese carved ivory (pic).

On Wednesday 19th September we rose early with good weather to sail the forty miles to Chicago. We could see the tops of the skyscrapers almost from the start, and gradually more of the downtown came into view. It was dusk when we reached the harbour, and then we wondered what to do. We had heard that the marinas were very expensive, and many didn't accept visitors. Before us was Monroe Harbour, with thousands and thousands of yachts on moorings, right in the heart of downtown Chicago, and so it was not long before we joined them, just as we had done in New York. There's more about our stay in Chicago .