Chasing Miles and Chasing Calm

Homeward Bound — Day Eight

We were up bright and early again, still determined to make Mackinac Island by the 26th. Two days. Tight window. Big hopes. We crossed our fingers that the winds, waves, and weather would finally team up and be on our side.

Frankfort appeared like a postcard. Honestly, what a charming harbour. We docked for a few hours, stretched stiff legs, took in the beautiful waterfront, and just breathed for a minute. I loved it instantly. Part of me whispered, “Stay. Slow down. Just enjoy this place.” But the practical, deadline-focused side won out. We cranked the engine and kept going.

One thing Lake Michigan was teaching me quickly: always know your safe havens. Harbours are close together, but storms come in fast. Navionics became my lifeline. Backup plans became my comfort blanket. If I could always see the “next safe place,” I felt like maybe I could do this.

We ended the day in Leland, tired, relieved… and sailing in the dark. I am not a dark-sailing girl. Tom trusted the electronics completely; I trusted my eyes, which could see absolutely nothing. Pulling into an unfamiliar marina in blackness, with a storm rolling in, was anxiety wrapped in adrenaline. We finally slipped into the fuel dock and rode out a very dramatic storm in the safest way we knew how: hunkered down, praying our girl would hold steady.

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When the Boat Says “Nope”

Homeward Bound — Day Nine

Another early morning, hopeful start… until Agra2 decided otherwise.

I put her into reverse and the entire boat shook like it was possessed. Instant shutdown. Heart in throat. We weren’t going anywhere.

Thankfully there was an empty slip right beside the fuel dock, so we muscled the boat in and started problem-solving mode.

I’d noticed huge mass of seaweeds when we entered the marina, so Tom geared up like the hero diver he is and disappeared under the boat. He came back up with handfuls of lake seaweeds; off the propeller, off the rudder… but when we tested the motor again, the violent shaking returned.

Cue the amazing marina staff. They jumped in (in spirit, not in water 😆), guided Tom through checking mounts and bolts, and sure enough, — four engine bolts, three sad missing nuts. Only one was secure. One… not good. Tom tightened what he could, secured what we were able to, and suddenly our girl sounded calm again. That sound? Relief.

It was too late in the day to leave, so we did something we hadn’t done enough of…

We stopped. We rested. We breathed.

Sailing: Serenity Followed by Chaos… Then Serenity Again

By this point, we admitted what both of us already knew in our hearts: we weren’t making it to Mackinac Island on schedule.

And strangely… it felt like relief instead of failure.

We’d been sailing with pressure, constantly racing time, constantly battling weather, constantly telling ourselves, we should be farther by now.  But between storms, broken gear, and an engine threatening mutiny, the message was crystal clear: Lake Michigan wasn’t operating on our timeline. And neither was real sailing life.

So we let go.

From here on out, no more rigid deadlines. No more racing a calendar instead of listening to conditions. Yes, we still had plans, and always backup plans, but we finally decided to sail to the weather, not the schedule.

And somewhere in that choice, the journey started to feel lighter. More intentional. More ours.

Because sometimes the bravest thing isn’t pushing harder. Sometimes it’s learning when to pause… regroup… and trust the adventure to unfold the way it’s meant to. ⚓💙

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June 24 ➜ June 25 , 2024

Manistee, MI ➜ Franfort ➜  Leland

Leland Yacht Harbor

62.2 Nautical Miles

288.6 Total NM