Leg 14 Port Huron to Detroit (Day 20)

0530-Got up late, set the alarm for 1630 instead of 0430! Will make a quick breakfast, have coffee and leave.

0615-Pulled away from dock and called bridge for a lift to pass. (see bridge lift video)

0630-Passed out of Black River into the St. Clair. Heavy fog!

0800-First ship appeared in the the fog without warning! No sound in the cockpit and no indication of a ship. I inadvertently 
turned if off trying to get rid of the annoying warning alarm which repeatedly sounds as a ship is approaching close.

SHIP JUST APPEARED OUT OF THE FOG!

TOO CLOSE FOR ME!  THE SHIP DID BLOW HIS HORN!

PERSPECTIVE!

Then I noticed the PC AIS was also not displaying properly!  I had to reset the device settings to get it working. Really important in this fog. I set the PC to small scale so I can see a ship a long way off and the cockpit display on close in navigation. They work well together giving me warning of ships approaching.

YOUR STANDARD SUMMER LAKE FRONT COTTAGE
YOU SEE THIS TYPE OF THING ALL ALONG THE SHORE OF THE ST. CLAIR RIVER.

TRUMPETER SWANS WITH TWO BABES

1000-Hazy sun. Fog lifted. 3 ships passed upbound 1 sailboat passed me going the same direction. Current is 2-3 knots which makes my ETA look like closer to 1400 instead of 1600!

UNLOADING COAL AT POWER PLANT

COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTER

 1045-Seagoing ship passed upbound (see video). Still hazy sunshine. OAT 76F. Will be hot in Detroit.  Entering Lake St. Clair. Munched on some cashews with a cold drink.

1130-On Lake St. Clair, fog back! Vis 1/4 mile down to 300 yards. It is up and down.

LARGE FIXED MARKER DAMAGED
NOT SURE IF IT WAS A SHIP OR ICE?

1200-Not much current in the lake. ETA now 1445.

1245-Rolled out the Genoa to get a boost. 8 kt wind on a close reach gives me an extra knot.

1300-Fog lifted again as I approached the Detroit River. 100's of fishing boats out today, all along the river and across the whole lake.  

1400-Power boats, one right after another making an uncomfortable wake.

1430-Arrived at marina but couldn't raise anyone on the radio. Most places have been using 9, not here! I just went into the marina and approached close enough to find out the correct channel and also where I could tie up. The current in the river is so swift I had to crab upwind to get through the harbor entrance. I went back out in the river to get set up with the fender boards and then came back in. Two guys help catch the boat. All went well.

DOWNTOWN DETROIT-SEE LIGHT TO RIGHT,
THAT IS THE MARINA

1445-Docked. Very tired having to con the helm all day in close quarters navigation in heavy fog. Not easy to do lunch so I skipped it.

1600-Made an appetizer of crackers, cream cheese, and jalepeno jelly, served with white wine. Dinner came later and was a simple chicken stew, hot roll, and white wine. Red wine and chocolates for desert.

REPLICA OF THE TAWAS, MI LIGHT AT ENTRANCE TO AU BINS MARINA (TRI-CENTENIAL)

Another long trip tomorrow and then a break at Put-N-Bay, Ohio tomorrow. It is a kind of Mackinaw Island of Lake Erie.

After dinner pics:

DOWNTOWN DETROIT-GM COMPLEX

HARBOR LIGHT AT NIGHT

Stats: Trip 42.58 according to the log but actual distance by GPS was 51.68, so the current saved me 9.1 NM!  Pretty good!  WT 78.2F, Log 7359.8, Max speed 6.26.