WHITECAP's

SAILING

EXCURSION

Manitowoc, WI to Spring Brook Marina, IL

November 5th, 1999 to Nov 15th, 1999

1. Day 47 - Nov 5, 99 - Having dismantled the transmission, we found the spline on the clutch plate completely chewed off... So today we will have to get the part machined.
2. Day 48 - Nov 6, 99 - Saturday - Time standing still... now parts due to arrive Monday... nothing to do, so to fill in the time, the masts were unstepped because they have to be down to get through Chicago. WHITECAP will cross the rest of Lake Michigan under motor with her masts lying in the gallows again.
3. Day 49 - Nov 7, 99 - Sunday - Decided to rent a car and do a little sightseeing.
4. Day 50 - Nov 8, 99 - Monday - More waiting; no part today.
5. Day 51 - Nov 9, 99 - Tuesday - Part arrived at 11:00 this morning; engine back in place by late afternoon, but not lined up or fastened down yet; that will be tomorrow's project. Hopefully two hops from here to Chicago once we get everything hooked up and bolted down.
6. Day 52 - Nov 10, 99 - Wednesday - Engine all secured and running fine. The mechanic, Fred, says that he's convinced it's working good and "in my opinion everything is back to normal", so tomorrow WHITECAP will slip her mooring lines again and make that dash for Chicago.....weather permitting.
7. Day 53 - Nov 11, 99 - Thursday - WHITECAP is finally on the move again. Left Manitowoc this morning and made Port Washington by nightfall where WHITECAP will rest for the night.
8. Day 54 - Nov 12, 99 - Friday - Up early and on the move again; under way and out in the channel by 06:30 local. Hazy all day but warm (T-shirt weather). Covered about 65 or 70 miles today and pulled into Waukegan, Illinois at 18:30 local...reached the breakwater as I was talking to Mary and friends at the Summerside Yacht Club on the cell phone, but had to go to secure WHITECAP at the dock for the night.
9. Day 55 - Nov 13, 99 - Saturday - Only 20 or so miles from Chicago now...a little further to where WHITECAP has to enter the river system in Chicago, but it looks like today's the day. Arrived in Chicago at 11:30 hrs, beautiful day, the air temp was 80+, and last night it was 58 all night. Picked up a few small things at West Marine, spent 5 hours walking around!!! The members at the Columbia Yacht Club (the old Abby), have been very nice to me, last night there were only about 6 at the bar, I gorged on the shrimp.
10. Day 56 - Nov 14, 99 - Sunday - Cooler and windy today, will start the Sanitary and Barge Canal through the city around 11:00 and since the masts are already down, I will not have to stop for bridges. From here on it is all down hill... Three boats left here on Friday, maybe I can catch them. The Sears Tower in Chicago houses a workforce equal to the population of PEI (around 138,000 people).
11. Day 57 - Nov 15, 99 - Monday - A little colder last night....frost on the deck this morning. Traveled about 25 miles today and am spending the night in Spring Brook Marina, just east of Ottawa, Il.