Let’s go on another shakedown trip, this time with teens!
Similar and Different
This shakedown trip was similar in some ways and different in other ways than our first one. Both trips included bringing grandsons as crew. The last shakedown trip was with Isaac and Titus. This trip is with their older brothers, Ethan and Judah. The last trip had cooler temps and brisk winds. This time we had hot summer weather and calmer conditions. Both trips were super helpful to gain confidence in our boat and were also a ton of fun!
Weather
It’s Summertime!
Another big difference was the weather. Our first shakedown trip was cooler temps and windy. On this trip, we said “Hello summer in Bayfield!” We had a hot, sunny stretch of weather. We never noticed the absence of cabin fans onboard up until this trip. Let’s add that to the project list before we go south! “Can we put up our wind chute?” I asked Tony. He explained we need some hardware for the attachment point inside the hatch. Add it to the list.
Solar System
Speaking of sunshine, one item of particular attention for this trip was to monitor our charging system. Tony had hooked up all the solar components between shakedown trips and was eager to see how it would all work. We had success on the solar front!
Sand Island
With milder wind conditions than our last shakedown trip, we thought it was ideal to visit the sea caves. With that in mind, our first destination was Sand Island. We anchored in Lighthouse Bay and had the anchorage all to ourselves.
Lighthouse
Before moving to the bay close to the sea caves, we took a hike to see the lighthouse. We arrived too early for a tour, so we headed down near the water to walk around the big rocks near the water’s edge. With our crew motto of safety, fun, and teamwork in mind, Tony & I were trying to figure out the right balance of “safe” and “fun” for this setting. We felt comfortable walking and climbing around on the rocks, but when Judah advanced to jumping from one rock to another, Tony said “Let’s go take that lighthouse tour before Judah gets hurt”. The tour guides arrived and were happy to show us around and share about the history of the light and the area. We were impressed by the volunteer’s extensive knowledge of the light and history of the area. It’s always a treat to go to the top of a light and see the expansive view!
Sea Caves
It’s hard to describe the sea caves. Here’s how the Apostle Island Cruise gives visitors an idea of what to expect.
“The waves of the powerful lake have burrowed deep into layers of sandstone, etching intricate patterns and sweeping arches into sides of islands. Of course, the red sandstone set against the blue water of Lake Superior is particularly striking. The sea caves themselves often are multicolored, with green moss and blue minerals blending together. Nature has created a masterpiece that’s awe-inspiring when seen up close.”
Beach Raft and Swim
After our dinghy exploration among the sea caves, we headed to the beach for a swim. The beach was lined up with colorful kayaks from paddlers taking a break from the sea caves and hiking to the lighthouse. Among the kayaks, the boys spotted what looked like an old section of boardwalk. Thus began a little “Tom Sawyer” rafting.
Oak Island
Our two shakedown trips involved some different islands and some of the same islands. Oak Island is one that we visited on both trips as it’s a great anchorage for south winds.
Gennaker/Plan B
With the forecast for lighter winds, we thought it’d be a good trip to test out our gennaker. But when the day came which we thought would be the best conditions to try it out, the heat from this warm spell had caught up with Tony.
While Tony rested and stayed in the shade, the boys and I made plan B. There’s a fantastic beach close to our marina with sand bars that stretch out a long way into the big lake. Ethan and Judah found a route to walk on the sandbar out, out, out, and then to the right to eventually make it to a nearby sandspit without swimming across any of the deep sections.
By evening, Tony felt much better and ready for an evening campfire and s’mores on the beach.
Menu Planning
Besides the weather, another difference from our last trip was the quantity of food to provision before leaving the dock and heading to the islands. My daughter had given me a heads-up about the appetites of her active young men. I was up to the challenge and loaded up with granola bars, nuts, yogurt, cheese and meat sticks, and crackers….in addition to our meals. I think we kept the boys well-fed onboard!
I was especially excited to use our charcuterie board for the first time during this trip because Ethan is the craftsperson who made it for us.
While onshore, we wanted to bring them to our favorites such as the taco truck, pizza at Many Penny’s, and of course, a stop for ice cream!
On our drive home, when I offered Judah some of my Subway, he said “I’m full”. I was shocked. I asked him to repeat it on video. My lack of tech skills added some humor to the moment because I was thinking audio and didn’t pay attention to the video part. We have a nice scan of my arm and Subway’s booth and table after Judah says “I’m full”.
Bayfield Walk About
Bayfield is an interesting town to explore with its playground (which became a workout area for the boys), maritime museum, restaurants, and shops.
We especially enjoyed looking around the shops featuring items made by local artists. One of those was a woodworker’s store. When I mentioned that our grandson Ethan was also a woodworker, that led to a tour of his shop and a conversation about the shop owners’ projects. Don’t you love it when a simple comment leads to an opportunity to learn from and connect with others?
Ashland Murals and Waterfront Walk
All too soon, it was time for Ethan and Judah to get home and back to work at their summer jobs. We left the marina early enough in the day to swing into Ashland to see some of the murals and walk along the waterfront sidewalk. We’ve seen many of Ashland’s murals when we go there for supplies, but this time we wandered onto other streets and found even more! Ashland’s murals depict different scenes from the town’s current and past. They even have a mural on the tunnel walls that leads under the highway to a waterfront walkway.
Helpful and Fun Shakedown Trips
We’re thankful we could have grandsons come along as crew during both shakedown trips in the Apostles! Blending time spent exploring the islands and shore outings, having some downtime, and testing our boat was the perfect way to help us transition from project mode to cruising life.
We’re almost ready to “throw off the bowlines and sail away from the safe harbor” on our journey to the North Channel. Thanks for following along!
