Johann Duenhoelter

Epilogue December 2010 The Marilsnick had made it; captain and crew were elated. There had been highlights and “lowlights” during our journey. The highlights were the 18-hour crossing of the Gulf of Mexico at night, the crossing of Lake Okeechobee, the endless but beautiful Intracoastal Waterway, my vacation onboard when Skip and Barb ran the boat, the entering of New York Harbor with my siblings, the vacation on land at the cottage of cousin Marianne Duenhoelter and the scenic wild Georgian Bay and Northern Channel, the camaraderie with other Loopers and finally returning to Dog River after having completed the Loop. The “lowlights” were the accident in St. Augustine at the Bridge of Lions and the two groundings. Problems, which I had to overcome were an unexplained weight loss of twenty pounds, which according to my ... read more

Mackinaw City, MI Municipal Marina August 14, 2010 Mackinaw City only has a population of 800 or so people. During the summer it is crowded with tourists. The townspeople have made the best of its location as an access to Mackinac Island. The island has been a tourist attraction since the days of the Fort, which ended in the 1880s. Three ferry companies in Mackinaw City seem to do a brisk business. On the main street of town one tourist shop crowds the next one. In the evening there is live music from a stage not far from my dock attracting the crowds. The most interesting attractions are a retired icebreaker a few yards away from my dock and the replica of the old fort somewhat out of town.. The Fort on Mackinac Island is worth ... read more

Joliet, IL City Dock along the Illinois River September 1, 2010 The days in Chicago were busy. Saturday night was party time at dock F. There were mostly smaller boats and sailboats which stayed in their slips so that the crews could party together. Strangers offered food to me but I was tired and turned in early. At around 11 PM someone knocked on my door. I had fallen asleep but could not overhear the loud knock. People across from my slip wanted me to join their party and offered a piece of birthday pie. In my undies I had opened the door so they understood that I was beyond partying. However I accepted the cake and went back to bed. The next night Horst’s daughter invited us to a party at one of her girlfriend’s ... read more

Interlude in Blind Bay, near Parry Sound, Ontario July 24 - August 2, 2010 We spent a wonderful ten relaxing days at the cottage of my cousin Marianne and her husband Herbert Koenig in a little bay that ends blindly as the name indicates. We learned a bit about the “cottage culture”, which plays such a great role in this part of Ontario. Just like the thousands of cottages we had seen on the Trent-Severn Waterway the Koenig’s cottage was located right on the water’s edge and was built on rocks. Their only access was by boat. So they had to get out of their car near a little dock where about a dozen other cars were parked, pack all their belongings into a small motorboat and ride for about ten minutes across Blind Bay before ... read more

July 6, 2010 Schenectady Yacht Club Schenectady, NY The journey goes on. The Marilsnick has been underway now for almost four months. Finally I am beginning to relax. With a familiar crew the adrenaline I put out during docking definitely has decreased. Yesterday was our last day on the Hudson River. The green banks floating by us for hours and hours were not boring but relaxing. A gentle breeze from the bow made the temperature, which was in the nineties tolerable. The trip from the marina in Rondout Creek to Coeymans was comfortable except for docking. I had to accomplish it by going against the stream, stern in and into a very narrow space. Fortunately I had good help.. In Coeymans, a village obviously founded by Dutch immigrants, a wonderful mechanic checked the Marilsnick’s electric system ... read more