Happy Thanksgiving!
It is the early wee hours of Thanksgiving Day and as I prepare to spend the day with family, my thoughts reflect on how thankfull I am to have discovered sailing some 5 years ago. Sailing as brought untold richness to our lives every day we are on the water enjoying...
Google Maps Goes Diving
I just discovered this rather interesting feature of Google Maps. It is a way for us winter bound Minnesotans to do a little coral reef exploring from the comforts of our computer screen. There are quite a few different areas of the world you can explore using this...
HMS Bounty Sinks
Tragedy struck yesterday in the early AM when the HMS Bounty floundered and was lost in Hurricane Sandy. As of this morning the Captain, Robin Walbridge, is still missing with one other crew member dead. All of the remaining 14 crew members were rescued from two life...
Ode to Summer
It was a very sad and dreary weekend as we finished preparing our 1976 Islander 28, Aurion, for her her long winter snooze. This year as she sleeps the winter away she is resting near the shores of Lake Pepin so she can dream of summers to be. We had a fabulous summer...
Bon Voyage Ciel Rouge
Our friends at Lake City Marina have sold their beautiful Kirie Elite 30s sailboat to some lucky sailors. We are very happy for them both. Now they have the enviable task of finding a new sailboat. I've been told they have already been out looking. The photo...
Lake Pepin Fall Leaves
A Fall Photo Tour We took Aurion, our Islander 28 sailboat, out for a fall leafing last weekend, and what a beautiful weekend it was! We really lucked out on the weather, sunny skies, warm temperatures and just a bit of wind to get a little sailing in both Saturday...
A 9-year-old Boy Died and Others Were Injured Off Duluth in Lake Superior
Lightning flashed, hail fell and the wind roared as the mostly novice crew aboard a 26-foot boat pulled down the sails and motored for the Minnesota Point sand spit outside Duluth on Saturday evening. Although they were doing everything right under the circumstances,...
Blanding’s Turtle in Chisago County, MN
Long before I started sailing I was a biology nerd. I have been on the lookout for a Blanding's Turtle for about 20 years. I came home from work this afternoon and whom do you suppose was waiting for me in my driveway? So much for safari's into the gnarly bush country...
A New Home for Our Islander 28
Last weekend we made the move to a new marina a little further down the river. Our Islander 28, Aurion is now resting peacefully at Lake City Marina. The marina is owned by the city of Lake City, Mn and has a panoramic view which is unsurpassed on Lake Pepin. Last...
Aurion in Outer Space?
Kinda looks like Aurion is floating through the stars, but quite the opposite. Outer space is peering down on Aurion it seems. I found our beloved Islander 28, with the dingy in tow on Google Maps the other day while poking around trying to figure out where we should...