@blackhawks81H

1 year ago

(Long ass comment warning) When I lived on Beaver island, I used to go island hopping in a 17 foot Bayliner Capri with a 90 horse, less than reliable outboard on it.. The bowrider variant no less.. 😂. In weather it had ABSOLUTELY no business whatsoever being out in open water. Not to toot my own horn.. But I grew up around boats, on boats. I'm pretty damn good with the things. But man, I'm pretty sure it was down to sheer luck and that invincibility(stupidity) of youth, that I somehow managed to not send that thing to the bottom of Lake Michigan on many occasions. It's true what they say, the worst trouble finds you when you're close to home... We went out to the whole archipelago, all the lights, over to cross village one time with extra fuel tanks on board.. North and south Fox.. The close to home incident however.. Was the night I was so skilled (stupid, I was stupid.) Me and a buddy made the crossing from Garden to Beaver.. Which is like 2 miles closest point to closest point.. But our route was Maybe 3-4 miles, long way around in order to avoid those damn giant rocks. From Northcut to st James harbor. Midnight... Moonless night. 6 footers in the open channel. Spotlight to see the waves... Trip that normally took 15-20 minutes TOPS.. Took us 4 hours. Working that throttle the whole time while my buddy called out the waves. Just to avoid burying the open bow into the back of one, or worse, getting run over and surfing one from astern.. Almost a guaranteed capsize. God I prayed for a zodiac the whole way across... Found religion about 7 times. That was the night I finally learned my lesson and stopped doing really stupid stuff with an utterly inappropriate boat. Could have, probably should have ended up in disaster. If the already sketchy engine, or ridiculously oversized bilge pump I had installed had failed... Or That wind had picked up even a tiny bit more while we were fighting the waves and the current in the channel... Our names would likely be on that memorial out by the lighthouse. But somehow we made it. My knuckles were still white the next morning when I woke up for work. Even seeing you do this in a Zodiac, which is infinitely more capable/appropriate for the task, was giving me flashbacks. But yeah, to make a long story even longer. Given something like a zodiac. I'd love to make a trip like this these days. I love this channel because you totally get that thing so many people don't these days.. That feeling of adventure... The sheer awe, and almost religious experience of insignificance you get being alone in a small boat in the middle of that big old lake. It's like 90 percent preparation, 10 percent fate. Those lakes will get you if let your guard down.. Hell the Carl D Bradley lies nearly 300 feet down near the Beavers.. And she was 600+ foot long. Was just back on Beaver last week and am working on moving back as soon as I can... There's really no place quite like it. Love the content.. You're the only person out there doing this kinda stuff in the area I called home for so long and hope to again sooner rather than later. If I ever see that zodiac while I'm on the island I'm buying you a beer at the Beachcomber for sure. 🍺

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