First Lake Crossing; Chicago to ? Western Mi

[ChicagoNewport27]

Can you connect your Garmin to a computer via USB or serial cable?

If USB, you can just copy+paste the track information out of its file system onto your computer, and upload directly to Google Earth.

If it's serial (and you don't have the appropriate cable), do a search online, there are a lot of smart people out there who are selling serial to usb cables for tasks just like this.

If it is some sort of serial cable and you do have the cable, you might be able to access the files on your Garmin and drag them onto your computer, and upload manually to Google Earth.

Also, if you can connect in any way to your computer, you might try the HomePort software, it may not need the unlock code like the old software did.

[Barquito]

Nice trip description. I bought a boat out of Crowley's last summer, and sailed it up to Milwaukee. Never sailed on Lake Michigan before. We ended up motoring the whole first day into a small-craft-advisory north wind. I about sh*t my pants when we first got out into the Calumet harbor, and could see spray blasting over the sea-wall.

I am going to try to get up to Door County this summer. I figure on about a 24 hour sail up from Milwaukee.

[sailortjk1]

Barq,
That sounds about right. A quick check shows Milwaukee's Main Fairway Entrance to Sturgeon Bay is 109 Miles. At 5 knots average that is 21h49'.
Its about another 8 miles through the ship canal and across Sturgeon Bay into Green Bay. I highly recommend stopping in Egg Harbor and Fish Creek. Egg Harbor has brand new docks as of last year,

[headcaseracer]

Seebee, Paladin and I are planning on bringing a boat back from Chicago and thought about stopping in New Buffalo, but we sit 6' deep. Will be we able to get in following the directions you gave? How about transient slips that are deep enough? Thank you in advance.

[EJO]

I think you'll have trouble, I know Mich.City isn't deep enough, South haven & Saugatuck and farther north the municipals and transient slips are deep enough and available, St.Joseph/Benton Harbor is iffy also.

[headcaseracer]

The final destination is South Haven, but it's an untested boat. We wanted a halfway stop to make changes/repairs if needed. New Buffalo is halfway so that's where we wanted to stop. I'll investigate further. Thank you much.

[EJO]

Headcaseracer you picked a good final destination. I understand you want to follow the coast instead of just crossing. So if the reason is for "untested" keep your plans and try to get into any harbor you might need. Safety first and if you have "trouble" I'm sure any harbor will do it's best to accommodate you.
Have a safe trip and please contact me when you get to SH.

[Paladin27]

I'm sure you'll see him EJO, he'll be at Slip Away Cove, so you'll have to pass him every time you head out from RNYC. ;-)

[EJO]

Paladin
I might not see him if I have to slip at All Seasons if the depth at RNYC doesn't get any better.
Couldn't get in RNYC last year and this year looks worse even if they dredged.
I don't know if the Cove is deep enough for 6ft.

[sailortjk1]

I don't know about you guys, but the lake level seemed to jump up about 6 - 8 inches over the weekend. Nothing official, just an observation.