Adventures In Reach
Member
I'm curious if anyone has suggestions about how to improve this for using my hammock as a backup sail/spinnaker. I'm mainly concerned about being able to depower from the cockpit. Thanks!
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
Ah, the Apostle Islands... you lucky dawg! I once delivered a load to a warehouse in Ashland, WI, right there on the shore of Lake Superior, and I thought how cool it would be to sail out there to those islands. Turned out the warehouse worked a deal with my company to load my wagon in the morning, so the manager gave me permission to camp out right there behind the warehouse. It was actually quite pretty, with a green lawn, some trees by shore, and a nice sandy beach a stone's throw away. My truck was empty by midday, so I grabbed shorts and a beach towel and took a swim in the lake, lol. Locals told me the water would be cold, even in summer, but that wasn't the case in the shallows, it was like bathwater, aye?
After my swim, I donned some fresh clothing and took a walking tour of Ashland, which is a very nice little town. There's a splendid boardwalk which follows the shoreline, and I wound up at the Hotel Chequamegon (I totally botched the pronunciation at first, lol). Cool place, I had a few beers in the bar and checked out the historic photos on the walls, kinda like a 'Hall of History.' Walked back toward my truck and stopped at another bar, this time a dive bar, and some locals there told me they had a powerboat and they'd gladly run out to the Apostle Islands if I threw in some beer, money for fuel, etc. Gave me their phone number in case I found an opportunity to go the next day, but the warehouse personnel were too efficient and my truck was loaded pronto, so I left town for my next destination.
Never did make it back to Ashland, more's the pity, but I have fond memories of that burg, and I had a good time swimming in the lake... no worries over 2-ton Great Whites either, lol. I'll hafta dig up some photos of Ashland, I know I have some in my scrapbooks. Nice place, if I ever decide to live near Lake Superior, I'll be somewhere on shore between the Apostle Islands and Pictured Rocks. Very pretty coastline there, at least what I saw of it... I know it gets heller cold during the winter, but the late May day and night I spent there along the shore could not have been better, as far as weather goes. So I'm JEALOUS once again, AIR, lol. Have a good time in the Apostle Islands, they looked very nice from my vantage point in Ashland. Hey, beats Compton, North Philly or the Lower Bronx, that's for sure! I don't think there are as many drive-by shootings either, lol...
Edit: I lucked out and found the pics pronto, as much of the scrapbook collection dealt with earlier years. I didn't bother removing the photos from this particular scrapbook, I figured you'd be able to see the trail of my little Ashland adventure, lol. I forgot about that old fort, or replica fort, whatever it was... and that railway pier was a regular feat of engineering, lol. One shot shows where my truck was parked in the dock---it stayed there overnight until it was loaded in the morning, but you can see how nicely situated it was, right there on the shoreline... almost like my own private campground, complete with sandy beach, lol. You can also see the Hotel Chequamegon in a couple shots, and a nice little marina complete with boat hoist, aye? Here ya go:
View attachment 47176 View attachment 47177 View attachment 47178 View attachment 47179 View attachment 47180 View attachment 47181 View attachment 47182 View attachment 47183
Pretty cool place, almost like a vacation destination in its own right, with the Apostle Islands within sight (though ya can't really see 'em in these photos). Meh, I still remember the views, awesome little town with friendly inhabitants... oh, yeah, that first shot shows some of the nautical decor in that burg, I liked that one lakefront home with the ship's wheel out front, probably belonged to some retired sea captain, lol. Cheers!!!