Toledo Beach Cruiser Training Run

A critical component of our training for the Michigan Challenge was the inclusion of a long paddle at least every other week. We estimated that in order to complete the Challenge, we would have to be able to paddle 43 miles per day. Training involved (a) evaluating the conditions and asking ourselves "if this were the Challenge, would we go out in this?", and (b) increasing the distance we would do in a day to 43 miles to prove to ourselves we were capable.

The forecast was ENE winds 10 to 15 kts and 2 to 4 ft wave heights with maximum of 5 ft. This is a serious forecast in a canoe, so we considered it with caution and determined that "the door was open" in the words of Watertribe challenger Warren Richey (aka Sharkchow). We would give it a go. This would be an adventure! We put on our dry suits and packed up the canoe (with emergency camping supplies just in case) and paddled south with the goal of reaching Luna Pier before turning back. We had plenty of flotation strapped into the canoe, and had practiced capsize recovery.

Waves started as 1 to 3 footers with the occasional 4 footer.

As we headed south, the winds seemed favorable and the waves manageable, so we stopped at Pt. Mouillee to rig up the sail and and outriggers. The downwind sail toward Sterling (near Monroe) was fun and the waves did indeed build to 2-4 ft on the way down. After 20 miles of paddling/sailing in a downwind run on these building seas, we decided we needed a breather before turning north. We headed into shore at Toledo Beach, where we paddled into a harbor and yacht club. Folks at the yacht club invited us ashore to make a pit stop, and friendly Leslie kept offering us a ride home. As we took a break for about an hour, we listened to the surf crashing on the beach and considered taking Leslie up on her offer. But nobody said it would be easy being an adventurer... We put the dry suits back on and headed north.

Heading back north past Monroe

Heading upwind in this sea state was a challenge indeed. By the time we reached Sterling State Park, it was clear that we would be finishing the trip in the dark if we continued. The wind had increased to 18 kt with higher gusts. We had one reef in the sail, and the leeward ama was being pressed under at times. We needed another reef, but I had not yet sewed one in at that time. We were glad we had packed for a potential campout. We headed in to the channel just south of the park and surfed the waves in. At one point, Mark clocked us at 9.3 kts while surfing down a wave. Just as we were entering the channel, the rudder linkage broke, but luckily we pulled it out from broaching and entered the calm waters of the channel. We found a campsite, cooked some dinner, and crawled in the tent, relieved to be off the water. In the morning, the seas had calmed quite a bit, and we enjoyed our 10-mile paddle home. 

Leaving Sterling State Park under much calmer conditions than the previous evening.

All in all, it was a great and exciting trip, but we were happy to finish. For the first time, we saw waves that blocked our horizon, and we managed. We decided, however, that in the future, this is the kind of weather that we'd rather "be prepared to get stuck out in" than "head out into."