Tuesday, 30 September 2025: Menominee

Looks like we need to reschedule haul-out for Winward.

What a day!  The engine was overheating before we got to the gas dock. We got that figured out and got halfway to the river and the engine quit. Justin was able to get the anchor set before we hit the beach but we were dead in the water. We called the Coast Guard. Since they were coming from Sturgeon Bay, we waited for several hours while it got darker, colder, and more choppy.

They weren’t able to take our boat to Harbor Town (they aren’t supposed to operate in the river);  we are tied off on the wall behind Marinette Fuel and Dock (on the little island across from you).  It is very exposed and on a nasty wall. Not ideal. 

It was harrowing.  I wasn’t ever really afraid for my life because we were so close to shore.  We’d already taken most of the stuff off the boat for the winter so the only life jackets we had on board were those square cushions that can also serve as flotation.  When Justin asked me if I knew how to use that cushion I knew he was worried.  He might have said he was just making sure we were prepared.  If we’d hit the bottom, we would have need to jump. Before the knock-down.  That water was really cold.  Sure we were only 100 ft from shore, but this is the Great Lakes and that water is stinking cold.  

Now, we need to get towed from this wall to Harbor Town — maybe 500 yards.  Looking for anybody available with a fishing boat?  Is there a tow service through any of the marinas?  

We should have been at the dock before 5pm. Instead, it’s was 10:25 when we are about half way back to Green Bay. 

Hats off to the good folks at the Coast Guard.  They were professional, polite and competent.  Sure, it was a long wait for them to arrive, yes, we lost a winch off the boat when they tried to raft the two boats together and yes, they left us at an unfortunate spot, but, they came and we are safe.  I did have to laugh… when the boats were finally secured together so they could tow us, side-by-side, one of the crew asked me if I felt confident transferring from our boat to theirs.  I replied, “no, not at all.  I don’t feel confident standing much less springing from boat to the next.”  We transferred; we are fine.