Typhoon Hits Ontario

[The Patriot]

This article appeared in today's New York Times Travel section:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/tr ... ref=travel

[Steve Laume]

I thought you were going to show us a gorgeous picture of someone's new Cape Dory, Typhoon in the Great Lakes.

Whenever I look at any of those lakes I find it very hard to believe they are not the ocean, Steve.

[mike ritenour]

As a local car dealer shouts, HUGE!

Until you've sailed upon the waters of the Great Lakes, you'll never know how really big, beautiful, dangerous, wonderous, busy and at risk they are. Truly one of the natural wonders of the world.

Having just completed a multi-year circumnavigation of the Great Lakes, I can tell you, I'm still breathless at the diversity of sights and sounds and the wonderful people we met along the way.

And to think, with some precautions, you can drink all of it!

Here are some vids of Ed Haley and I "splitting the Golden Horseshoe" (Western end of Lake Ontario) a few weeks ago. We had an awesome fall weekend sailing in an average of 20 to 35 kts of wind during the whole weekend.

In part one we were averaging 6.5 to 7 kts. In part 2 we were averaging 7 to 8.5 kts. Even hit 8.9 for a bit

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8jQ2TwpIJQ
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PmR3pXTAF0

The weather is not always that awesome

I urge everyone to plan a voyage into the Great Lakes. You can come up the Inland WaterWay from Mobile motoring on our Inland Rivers to the Southern end of Lake Michigan.

For our East Coast Fleets its a lovely voyage to New York City and then up the historic Hudson. Then a choice of the Erie or Champlain Canals and walla, your in Lake Ontario, the gateway to an awesome cruising ground. As a bonus, I'm sure your local GLF member will meet you with a cold one!

Rit
p.s. Someone once told me that the Great Lakes Fleet has more coastline than all of the other fleets in the CDSOA combined.
Bet there is! Any takers