June 22 – 28, 2013 with a complimentary sleep aboard the evening of June 21st.

Islands within our cruising range;

• The Manitou Islands National Park
• “The Irish Virgin Islands” – Beaver Island, High Island and Garden Island
• Mackinac Island
• St. Helena Island
• The Les Cheneaux Islands – 36 island chain
• Power (Marian), Gull and/or Holy Island
• The Islands of Door County Wisconsin

Highlights include;

• Hiking & Kayaking
• Visiting island towns
• Wine tasting and fresh local whitefish
• Serene anchorages & full service marinas
• The support of an experienced, local captain on a lead boat along the way

Join Us By;

• Booking a cabin on a Captained boat
• Taking an ASA course
• Chartering a boat – bareboat or with captain
• Taking your own boat

These events are for intermediate to advanced skill levels as the passages are longer and we’ll be sailing at night at least once. ASA 104, 105 and 106 certifications will be offered as well.

Pricing

Bareboat – regular 7-day bareboat charter rates apply.  Visit the “fleet & rates” webpage.  Available for qualified sailors.

Captained Charter on Private Boat – regular 7-day bareboat charter rate plus $1525 captain fee.  Open to anyone.  A friendly, USCG licensed captain will be on board and you can be as active (or inactive) as you like.

Double Cabin on Shared Boat – $1295 per person based on double occupancy ($2590 total) for a private cabin on a captained boat.  Single rates may be available, call the office for details.

ASA and Sailing Instruction – $1195 per student.  ASA certifications are offered at an additional fee for each level and include text books, study guides, testing, certification and ASA membership.  You can also just go along for the instruction without the ASA certifications.  The ASA courses offered are:

• ASA 104 Intermediate Coastal Cruising (Bareboat Certification) $100
• ASA 105 Coastal Navigation ($250)
• ASA 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising ($150)

Bring Your Own Boat – Join in on just part of the event or for the entire event.  Powerboats or Sailboats, everyone is welcome!

Call or email us today for Unsalted Island Hopping!  231-941-0525  baybreeze@bbyc.com

Come on by booth 158 to enter to win and to check out some gear.

The Great Lakes consists of 35,000 islands.

So we decided to design a t-shirt.  And it should be noted that this tagline, “Not all Islands are in the Caribbean” was first said by Unsalted Sailing fan and customer Greg VanLaere who graciously gave us permission to turn it into a t-shirt design.

The price is $24.  It’s a 100% ring-spun, pre-washed cotton t-shirt.  This means it’s soft.

These are at the printer and will start shipping the first part of December!

Again, this design, along with all Unsalted Sailing merchandise is sold through Snoloha…not too to worry, Snoloha has been accepting online orders for years and has all the security mumbo jumbo in place.  Why Snoloha?  Read our story and it’ll make more sense.

Get yours here…or get one as a Christmas gift!

Oh yea…SHIPPING IS FREE!

We started the research by…you guessed it, Googling “Great Lakes Pirates”.  What did we learn?  Trent Sandusky has a great article “Great Lakes Piracy: Pirates Thrived on the Great Lakes Long After Their Golden Age”.

We learned about Roaring Dan Seavy on Wikipedia.  We also learned that Great Lakes Distillery has a rum inspired by Seavy, Roaring Dan’s Rum, which features pure Wisconsin maple syrup.

And we even ordered a book from Amazon, “Pirates of the Great Lakes” by Greg Haggart.

As we continue our research and learn more about the history of pirates on the Great Lakes, we’ve started thinking about possible Unsalted Sailing t-shirt designs.

As Trent Sandusky writes, when you think of the stock pirate adventure  “You’re probably imagining this scene somewhere off the coast of Panama or Jamaica. But let’s take ourselves out of piracy’s “golden age” and place these seaman at the beginning of the 1900′s. Then let’s say the distant shoreline isn’t covered with white sand and palm trees, but with jagged red-rock cliffs and towering pines. And what’s in the pirates’ cargo hold? It isn’t chests full of gold coin–this pirate ship is packed with barrels of deer meat, raw timber or illegal liquor. To top it off: it’s snowing.”

So to honor these unsalted Great Lakes pirates and their barrels of deer meat:

That’s right, this will not be a printed magazine.  Nope.  Instead we will be digital only — perfect for your computer, tablet or smart phone.  There are plenty of GREAT printed boating magazine out there already, and we don’t want any piece of that.

So here’s the deal:

We are looking at a January inaugural issue, in time for Chicago Strictly Sail.  And if you’d like to contribute, we’d love to have you.  There’s no money in it…but there will be Unsalted Sailing gear and discounts in it (depending on contribution amount).  This is how our ‘Ambassador Program’ is evolving.

What are we looking for?

Stories.  Photos.  Recipes.  Local Knowledge.  Music.  Boat Drinks.  Favorite Anchorages.  Boat Bars.

SO if you have a knack for story telling, capturing photos, interviewing or whipping up dinner in a cramped galley…send your idea to rod@snoloha.com

I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to my mailbox going back to being filled with bills…instead of bills and all those damn election materials.  It’ll be nice when election season is over, and we can get past the interviews with politicians who can’t seem to simply answer a question.

So when a  sun-filled northern Michigan fall football Saturday came around, with the opportunity to spend part of the day on the water sailing, it seemed like the perfect time for some election-season escapism.

Mother Nature decided not to give us any winds, but that wasn’t going to keep us off the water.  Instead, we dropped anchor and enjoyed a couple hours ‘on the hook’…relaxing, telling dumb stories, laughing, and appreciating the crystal clear waters of West Grand Traverse Bay and the surrounding canvas of autumn trees.

Yes, we are very fortunate to live so close to the water with ability to go for a sail or just enjoy time on the hook.  But whether you live in a waterfront town or in the middle of nowhere…there’s always an opportunity to ‘turn it all off’ and escape for awhile.  Research shows that it’s healthy.  And by ‘research’ I mean that I’m pretty sure based on my own opinions.  And by ‘healthy’, I mean it’s gotta be good for you in some way.

As I’m writing this, I’m listening to Swim Skinny sing “On the Hook”:

“I’m on the hook, My anchors down
There are blue skies all around
I’m on the hook, My sails are bound
I ain’t lost and I ain’t found
And when the sun comes out tomorrow, It’ll be a brand new day
And if lord comes to take me, I’ll just look at him and say
I’m on the hook”

Trop Rock music and Unsalted Sailing go together like Dos Equis and “The Most Interesting Man in the World” (Sharks have a week dedicated to him.)

Over the summer, I was introduced to Swim Skinny, a singer / songwriter based out of the Great Lakes State of Indiana. Though he has been labeled “Trop Rock”, Swim Skinny calls it “Americana”. Either way, I highly recommend checking out his new album “Naked & Wet”.

There are tracks that rival anything you’ve heard by Buffett and Chesney, including some with this great Islandy Snoloha feel, mixed in with a few ‘innocently naughty’ tracks that make a grown man (or woman) smile, along with beautifully written acoustic tunes. “Too Drunk to See Jimmy” is a fun song that resonates with anyone who has been to a Buffett concert.

Go here for a complete track list, and to listen and purchase

Of course it wouldn’t be complete without a few boat inspired tracks, such as On the Hook, and Boat in the Harbor.

“I’m on the hook, My anchors down
There are blue skies all around
I’m on the hook, My sails are bound
I ain’t lost and I ain’t found
And when the sun comes out tomorrow, It’ll be a brand new day
And if lord comes to take me, I’ll just look at him and say
I’m on the hook”

I bought ‘em all…but you must listen to:

• Resume
• Ocean Blue
• Booyah
• Back to Belize
• On The Hook
• Beachnik Hippie
• That’s What She Said
• Too Drunk to See Jimmy
• Boat in the Harbor

Stops at Elk Rapids, Charlevoix, Suttons Bay, Bowers Harbor, Power Island, Northport and more.  Activities include reception cook-out, wine tasting, presentations by Jack Klang, guided nature hikes and the “Twisted Sheet Regatta”.

There are still a few boats available!

Contact Bay Breeze for more information.

And a HUGE thanks to the Unsalted Flotilla Sponsors:

Tom is also an avid sailor, and has been enjoying time on the water on his 23′ O’Day “Sabbatical” with Thor, his service dog.  Tom is also a paralyzed veteran. He was paralyzed from the waist down in 1997.  He is the first paraplegic in the world to compete in the sport of luge, raced on the Para-Olympic World Cup ski circuit and preformed ski jumps with the Flying Ace All-stars into the pool at the Utah Olympic Park.

Tom is currently a motivational speaker, writer, inventor, business owner and head coach of the US Adaptive Luge Team. His next big adventure is to sail a 30 foot Sail Boat through the North West Passage.

We are proud to call Tom a friend and excited to be involved in his next initiative…arranging a flotilla from Muskegon to Milwaukee, beginning Friday August 10th.

Details are still being worked out, but so far:

All boats must be 23 to 26 feet long and have basic equipment (Marine radio, lights, compass, charts, anchor and life jackets, Radar reflectors and dinghy’s are optional but suggested).

There will be an awards party upon arrival in Milwaukee – nothing serious, all fun — think “oldest crew”, “worst boat name”, “best boat name”, etc.

There will be a free clinic on Saturday August 4th at 12 noon to help you be ready for this adventure. All boats must have a safety inspection (FREE) before the trip. A representative from Torresen Marine will be on hand to help with equipment and service if you need it.

The trip is free but we are asking for donations to help support the Adaptive Luge Team at Muskegon State Park (Non Profit) or to help fund a new ADA approved dock at the Marina. You can also help raise money by getting people to sponsor you by the mile (68 miles each way).

Please contact Tom Hernon at 616.666.4796, www.back2sports.net or at Unsalted Sailings facebook page.