Great Lakes

Mackinac Island

After making a couple jokes about cars and drivers in previous episodes, it should come as little surprise that Heather’s destination was Mackinac Island, noted for being completely free of automobiles. However, there are other ways to get around the island, as Erik and Dave soon discover.

Coming ashore meant becoming reacquainted with civilization—for better or worse.

In the sequence’s final episode, it accurately portrays how the artist Kreigh Collins continued working as he plied the water—his mail was forwarded to Post Offices along their route, and Collins continued to send and receive artwork along the way. The episode ends with another blow against the cliche of the pampered life of a sailor.

A nice personal touch to the March 30, 1969 is the name of the Erik’s girlfriend—Judy. Erik and Judy were the names of my parents.

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For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Out of the Storm and into the Steamer Lane

Sailing on the inland seas known as the Great Lakes, weather conditions can change rapidly. I can personally attest to the situation in the February 16, 1969 episode.

It might seem that Jane and Dave have the easier station during the storm, but in rolling waves, being belowdecks is no picnic—it’s much easier to get seasick down below (to which I can also attest).

Sometimes the bathing beauties even showed up in the topper!

Sturdily built, the Marlin’s schooner survives the storm handsomely, though she was 30+ years old. In real life, Heather was a half-size model of a noted schooner designed for polar expeditions.

Bowdoin (left), shown in waters north of the Arctic Circle, and Heather (right), docked in Annapolis, Maryland.
A couple summers back, my brother Brett and I joined my Uncle Kevin on a sailing trip through much of Lake Michigan aboard Kevin’s sloop, Legacy. Though we didn’t reach Mackinac Island, we did make it to Charlevoix.

With the rough weather behind them, Heather and her crew now had to deal with other problems—iron tubs of all sizes.

Continued next week…

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For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.