Saturday, September 17, 2011

Where Angels Go....

    Left Erie at 10:45, the plan was for Jeff to arrive with Val's car at 8:00. Jeff explained it this way:
1) Forgot cell phone and had to go back.
2) Took 71 through downtown instead of 271 off 480 (brain fart).
3) Lots of heavy Saturday morning traffic.
4) Construction on all but 12.7 miles of the drive.
5) Couldn't get in the gate at Bay Harbor.
  I think he overslept.

  The lake was perfect for the trip and we were able to set autopilot in Erie and not touch the wheel until we reached Buffalo. This led to us sitting on the bench seat in the pilot house, with Tucker stretched out between us, sipping coffee, with our feet on the captains chair (we turned it backwards), and solving all the problems in the world. At 1:30 I peeled some potatoes and put them, some vegetables, and a roast in the crock pot.

  Everything was going great until 3:00 (where angels go, trouble follows). Jeff's cell phone rang and at the same time our ships radio sounded off on channel 16.
Jeff said "I think that's for you Dick", I thought , why in the hell would somebody  call me on Jeff's phone, then the radio repeated "Captain of Whatever It Takes, Cleveland Ohio, please respond. This is the U.S. Border Patrol". I answered the radio call and Jeff said "Holy Shit, they're right behind us, I can see the guys eyes."  The Border Patrol boat was no more the 30 feet directly behind us in the middle of Lake Erie and I almost shit myself. They instructed me to move to channel 61 then asked the following:

How many people on board?
All US citizens?
Any firearms?
Are we going to Canada?
Have we been to Canada?
What is our destination?
Are any of you friends with Dick West? (I made that up)
After a good scare they wished us well and split.

                                          The bar at the BYC.

                                           Sunset in Buffalo.

                                           The Peace Bridge to Canada tonight.

                                           Buffalo from the harbor.

                                           Jeff said "Don't they get enough power from the falls?"

                                          Just before our visit from the Border Patrol.



  We made the Buffalo Harbor at 6:55 and were docked at the Buffalo Yacht Club by 7:30. My roast came out great and Tucker got the scraps for dessert.

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like fun! I hope you told the Coast Guard guys to check out the blog. Also, that bar at the Buffalo Yacht Club is awesome.

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  2. First big memory on a trip sure to have many. Can't wait to hear more as the trip progresses. Smooth sailing and don't forget to check you 6. Jack

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  3. Awesome pictures! Looking forward to more stories. Tom plans on meeting you sometime around the 29th. Happy sailing!

    ~Donna DeChant

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