The Beginning of Our Great Lake Story

A Month That Felt Like Forever… and a Blink

One month can somehow feel like it takes forever, yet disappear in the blink of an eye at the same time. We spent those weeks in Racine working nonstop—fixing, learning, organizing, provisioning, double-checking every system, and trying our best to ensure Agra2 was ready for the six-week journey home. We knew her inside and out by then. We’d crawled through every locker and examined every nook and cranny, doing everything we could to prepare. The marina tuned the engine, gave Tom some lessons on maintaining it, and we felt as ready as we were ever going to be.

But readiness is funny. On one hand, we were itching to start the adventure. On the other, I wasn’t ready to leave at all. Racine had become a second home. We’d built routines. We’d built friendships. We belonged there in a way I hadn’t expected.

And then suddenly…it was time.

The Day We Finally Left

On June 17, 2024, we set off for the adventure of a lifetime! Finally sailing Agra2 home. Our goal that day: sail from Racine, Wisconsin to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to walk around the board walk and then sail to Port Washington . About 40 nautical miles.

For perspective, the longest day we’d ever done on the Ottawa River with our sweet little Sea Turtle was around 30 nautical miles… and that took us the entire day. This felt big. Bold. A little terrifying. And very, very real.

Lake Michigan rewarded us with kindness. The wind was beautiful. The water behaved. We set the sails, turned on the autopilot, and before long we were making steady, confident miles.

Well… I was making steady miles.

Captain Tom? He took two naps. One in the morning. One in the afternoon. Apparently dreams come with scheduled nap breaks. 😆

Meanwhile, I was at the helm, trying very hard to look brave while quietly panicking inside. This was a new lake. A big lake. A lake with weather systems of its own. I told him he could nap, but only “less than an hour!” because while I could steer, adjusting sails or dealing with anything unexpected still felt far beyond my comfort zone.

Tom felt confident in his abilities, not me.

I felt like I was faking the confidence I desperately hoped would eventually become real.

Pitstop walk along the boardwalk in Milwaukee

Arrival in Port Washington

We arrived at Port Washington right at sunset, sailing into a dreamy, hazy fog that somehow made it all feel even more magical. It was the first lighthouse of our journey, and it became the beginning of what would soon be my complete obsession with port lighthouses.

Port Washington instantly carved out a permanent place in my heart simply for being our first official stop on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

We stayed two nights at Port Washington because June 18th was our 30th wedding anniversary. We spent the day wandering around the neighbourhood, popping into little shops, laughing, eating ice cream after lunch (because why not?), and going out for a lovely dinner together.

Ryleigh having an icecream

It was perfect.

Well…until it wasn’t.

Our First Scare

On the walk back to the marina after dinner, a cart drove up to us and the driver asked, “Are you the Canadians?”

That sentence alone will raise your blood pressure.

Then came the words that dropped my heart straight into my stomach.

“They’ve got your dog at the gatehouse.”

Ryleigh, our anxious, people-fearing, sweet little escape-artist dog, had decided to experience Port Washington on her own terms. Somehow, she had managed to get up the galley steps (which she normally cannot climb), jump off the boat, escape someone trying to help, and bolt. She was terrified. They were chasing. And she was in full panic mode. She ran toward the locked gate, squeezed through a hole in the fence, and took off into the parking lot. A brave young marina staff member managed to grab her, and in her panic, Ryleigh bit her finger. They eventually got a leash on her, and once she was leashed, she was suddenly a perfect little angel again, calmly hanging out at the gatehouse waiting for her humans to return from their romantic anniversary dinner.

Talk about emotional whiplash.

I felt awful. Guilty. Grateful. Embarrassed. Terrified. Relieved. All at once. Seeing that little bandage on the staff member’s finger made my heart bleed.

But Ryleigh was safe. We were safe. And Port Washington became unforgettable for a whole new set of reasons. ⚓💙

---

June 17 & June 18, 2024 Racine, WI ➜ Miwaukee, WI ➜ Port Washington, WI

Port Washington Marina 51 Nautical Miles

72.3 Total NM