Detours, Giants, and Coming Home (Almost)
- Nicole
- Jul 6, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 8
Detour for A Tiny Taste of Superior
Homeward Bound — Day 17
Today wasn’t about heading straight home. Because honestly, how can you have a Great Lakes Adventure without at least touching Lake Superior? So we left the beauty of St. Ignace behind and followed the St. Marys River north, trading “homebound urgency” for bragging rights.
When we planned this adventure, I’d read about a free place to dock along an old coal pier on Lime Island, the same spot that once fueled giant cargo ships. Free dockage and absolutely no anchoring required? Yes please, sign me up. Future-me can deal with my anchoring trust issues; present-me was thrilled.
What we found felt like stumbling onto a secret. Quiet. Historic. A place with stories lingering in the air. One of those unexpected stops that makes you think, Yep… this whole crazy journey really is amazing; storms, broken things, nerves and all.
Dancing With the Giants
Homeward Bound Day 18
Today we got up close and personal with the “big kids.”
We’ve shared the water with cargo ships before, but cruising the St. Marys River puts you right beside them in a way that feels different. The channel narrows, bends sneak up on you, and suddenly there’s this massive steel city sliding past your little floating home. And instead of fear? I loved it.
There was something strangely joyful about it: like being a kid on the 401 again, trying to get every truck driver to honk. The size, the power, the precision… it was mesmerizing. I couldn’t even fit them into one photo frame, which mildly annoyed my inner photographer, but wow was it worth being that close.
Riding the River With the Big Kids
We weren’t able to sail most of the St. Marys River, so we motored right alongside the giants. This turned Tom into a kid in a candy store, constantly popping down to the nav station to check the AIS. To be fair—it was necessary. These ships could move fast, and the last thing anyone wants is a cargo ship sniffing our rudder. Watching the AIS also helped us know when to slow down around tight bends if one of the big boys was creeping through the same turn. It was part safety, part strategy, and part pure fascination… and honestly, I loved watching him light up over it and looked forward to meeting our next giant.
Sault Ste. Marie: Almost Home
Arriving in Sault Ste. Marie felt like crossing an invisible line. We’re not home yet, but being back in Canadian waters wrapped me in that familiar sense of belonging.
Knowing I could rent a car and be home in nine hours was wild… especially when it will still take us another month by sailboat. Part of me aches to be home tomorrow. The other part knows this is likely a once-in-a-lifetime voyage. Life is “lifey,” plans change, and chances like this don’t always come again. So I’m choosing to savour it.
Customs, Comforts, and a Familiar Face
After months of worrying, researching, triple-checking paperwork, and rewriting documents over and over… importing Agra2 into Canada was shockingly smooth. All that stress paid off, and just like that, Agra2 was now Canadian with us.
And then came something even better, family.
Tom’s niece Erin lives in Sault Ste. Marie, and it had been years since we’d last seen her. She became our very first guest aboard Agra2, and it was exactly what our heart sneeded. Laughing, reconnecting, sharing stories, and finally enjoying the space we dreamed of when we chose a bigger boat.
This boat isn’t just about sailing far and wide. It’s about sharing the journey. And for the first time, we really got to feel that.
Reflection: Close Enough to Taste Home
This stretch of the journey reminded me that “home” isn’t always a place. Sometimes it’s crossing a border. Sometimes it’s breathing familiar air. Sometimes it’s a family hug.
And sometimes, it’s simply knowing you could go home today… but choosing to keep going anyway.
Because our story isn’t finished yet. ⚓💙
July 3, 2024
St Ignace Island, MI ➜ Lime Island, MI
Wall
48 Nautical Miles
421.6 Total NM
July 4, 2024
Lime Island, MI ➜ Sault Sainte Marie
Roberta Bondar Marina
31.2 Nautical Miles
452.8 Total NM
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