Holding On to Hope While Everything Is Rocking
- Nicole
- Jun 21, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 8
Fog, Rain, and a Captain Who Went On Break
Homeward Bound — Day Three
We left Port Washington with calm waters, gentle winds, and the kind of confidence you only have when things are going too well. Lake Michigan was kind, the sail was peaceful, and the miles slipped by quietly beneath the keel… right up until we reached Sheboygan.
That’s when the fog rolled in like a drama queen and the skies decided it was a great moment to dump rain on us. Thankfully, our full enclosure showed up like an MVP and kept us dry while we slipped into the harbour.
Autopilot, Loneliness, and a Captain Sunbathing
One thing we’d already noticed by Day Three: sailing on Lake Michigan is shockingly different than the Ottawa River. Back home, you’re constantly aware of other boats. Here? Hours passed with nothing but open water and the sound of Agra2 cutting through it. Beautiful? Absolutely. Weirdly unsettling? Yes… just a bit.
Apparently, the Captain took this as an opportunity to award himself a break and stretched out on deck like he was at an all-inclusive resort. Meanwhile, thank goodness for autopilot. I may need to renegotiate the Captain's contract. 😉
Goodbye Fridge, Hello Ice Age
Because nothing can ever be too easy, our fridge decided it was DONE with this adventure. Just… poof. No more. Tom tried everything he could think of, but nope. So now we were officially living the “buy ice every day and pray your food doesn’t spoil” lifestyle.
Romantic sailing life, right? 😂
Man Overboard… Kind Of
Then came the big gasp moment of the day.
Tom was standing on the swim platform adjusting the dinghy when—splash!—he took an unexpected Lake Michigan swim… with his cell phone in his pocket. My heart stopped for a second, then restarted when I realized he was totally fine.
His phone? Not so fortunate. It gave up life immediately without even pretending to try. S o now we added “figure out how to replace a drowned cellphone while traveling” to our growing adventure to-do list.
Crossing the Big Blue
Homeward Bound — Day Four
If there was one part of this journey that lived rent-free in my anxiety brain from the beginning, it was crossing Lake Michigan. This would be our first time sailing with no land in sight. No shoreline to comfort me. Just endless, open water. We planned carefully, sailing north to Sheboygan so we could cross at a narrower section. Smart move… emotionally terrifying.
Thirteen Hours, Eighty-Five Nautical Miles, and Way Too Many Waves
The crossing was 85 nautical miles. Thirteen long hours.
And it was not gentle.
We saw 4–6 foot waves most of the way. Four feet was “okayish.” Six feet felt like the lake was personally testing my will to live. We didn’t yet know how to handle big waves efficiently, so we ended up rocking side-to-side while also slamming head-on into water walls. Not exactly dreamy sailing.
My motion sickness was raging. I could barely eat or drink. I felt useless and guilty and overwhelmed all at once.
And then, as if my nerves needed more convincing that this lake had it out for us…
My poor Agra2 was falling apart. The cabin was making its own kind of music with the rattling from the waves. Occasionally there was a big bang of something being knocked out of its space. At one point part of the mainsail broke where stitching came loose. Tom jerry-rigged it so there wouldn’t be further damage. So many things were going wrong or breaking that I felt like Agra2 was never going to get us home.
Is it too late to turn around?
Two Seasick Girls and One Safe Little Haven
The only place I felt remotely okay was perched in the companionway with a folding chair wedged in tight like a safety cocoon. Ryleigh joined me immediately, glued to my side under a blanket, both of us silently agreeing we absolutely did not sign up for this particular roller coaster.
We didn’t vomit though. Honestly? That felt like a victory worth celebrating. Many crossing Lake Michigan haven't been so lucky.
A Soft Landing After a Hard Day
Eventually, the waves calmed, the sky softened, and evening wrapped us in warm light as Ludington harbour finally came into view. I don’t think I’ve ever been so grateful to see land in my life.
We made it. Exhausted. Shaken. Proud. Stronger than when we left shore that morning.
Lake Michigan threw us a test—and we passed. ⚓💙
June 19,2024 Port Washington, WI ➜ Sheboyagan, WI
Harbour Centre Marina
35.5 Nautical Miles
143.3 Total NM
June 20 ➜ June 23, 2024
Sheboyagan, WI ➜ Ludington, MI
Anchored
58.1 Nautical Miles
201.4 Total NM
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