First solo trip!
Hello family and friends!
I left work yesterday afternoon at 5 and pointed the rental car north and drove until I was only about 100 miles from Neverland. After 4 hours sleep at the rest area (not great sleep as you can imagine) I drove the last bit to the marina and unloaded supplies. I then had to drive the rental 15 minutes and take an Uber back before I could fire up the engine and say my goodbyes to the nice marina folk here in Grand River.
I did a short 1 hour warm up before stopping at Mentor Yacht Club for diesel. I filled up, putting 46 gallons in the port tank and 23 gallons in the starboard. So currently with both tanks full that is 150 gallons of diesel.
I left the Mentor dock and headed due west, my goal was Kelley’s Island where there is reported to be a good anchorage.
All was well until about 2 hours from the anchorage, when Erie decided to get rowdy. Although skies were clear, seas started rising…REALLY rising..to the point they rivaled what we saw on the Atlantic. Suddenly, solo on a 50 year old trawler in high seas with land no where in sight didn’t seem like one of my best ideas.
Finally, FINALLY..as the sun set below the horizon, I reached the anchorage ..only..it was still churning just as bad as the open water. With the sun almost down and a fear that I may be having alternator issues, I anchored as close to the state park wall as possible. It seems to be holding, and I’ve turned on my anchor alarm. I’m hoping to get some rest and head out before daylight.
FYI, I am writing this but have no cell service, so I’ll upload in the morning.
