Why I am old fashioned...

Today was lesson in boating for all the crew. "Whatever It Takes" is equipped with some really smart electronics: radar, Sirius XM weather, depth sounder alarm, auto pilot, and electronic charts with aid to navigation. As we were approaching the mouth of the Detroit River we checked our electronic chart to identify the channel needed to get up the river. WHOOPS, the only channel with enough depth goes up the Canadian side of the river (this is one big river with scattered islands and shoals). Our electronic charts are not programed for any Canadian waters, not only that, but there were two channels, one down-bound and one up-bound which crisscrossed as we traveled up the river. 

We were still a few miles out when we discovered the issue. I had my paper charts out before we left this morning (not really expecting to need them) and started identifying the track we would have to take. In ten minutes we had charted our course and identified the markers as we passed them, confirming our location. Chuck spent most of the trip up the Detroit River as our navigator and did a great job. The crew agrees being "old fashioned" can come in pretty handy when new technology lets you down.

We arrived on the south end of Lake St Clair at 2:30 and docked at the Gregory Boat Yard. Tonight's meal was venison roast and gravy with scalloped potatoes (from scratch) and butter bread. Did you know you can thicken gravy with Aunt Jemima's pancake mix if you don't have any flour?

We had a little rough seas this morning.

The seas settled down when we reached the Detroit River. The new furniture rode well in rough seas, Denny and I spent most of the ride across Lake Erie in the new stern cabin.

 



Downtown Detroit and the bridge to Canada.

Three great deck hands.

The Canadian side of the Detroit River.

The U.S. side of the Detroit River.

Glad we didn't go up the down-bound channel !!

Chuck, the navigator, working his magic.

View from our marina tonight.

An old "woodie" in this Marina.