The ZiggyCam will be live for the month long trip. With the exception of when anchored after dark (i.e. saving battery usage rather than broadcast a cam feed of the dark) or during a rare lack of cellphone signal the cam will be live 24/7 along with the chat room even miles offshore. The soft goal this year is to hit Mackinac Island and round Drummond Island at the top of Lake Huron before heading back home to Detroit.
The morning was rain free with a strong west wind. The marine report called for big waves and 25 knot gusts. Tawas Bay is 
56 miles down the coast with harrisville as a half way point fall back plan.
Jane was still manning the v-berth up front after a spirited session with a handful of Lemon Drops at the bar the night before. This left me single handed for the first few hours of the sail.
I threw out the fore sail as soon as I left the marina at 11:30 am and the big wind grabbed us and away we went at full speed. I had to sail 10 miles out of Thunder Bay before I could swing south giving land a large berth to stay off the shoals.
I was easily running 8 knots downwind much of the day. The waves picked up to 10 foot rollers all afternoon. I was hitting elevens surfing down the fronts of the waves.
Jane eventually crawled out of her cocoon fuzzy and rested in time to see Harrisville slide by. The water settled down as we rounded into Saginaw Bay and the winds calmed down.
We fired up the motor to help the sail make up the lost speed as the wind settled and arrived in East Tawas at 10 pm.
Jane had wisely left her car at the marine a week before so we jumped in it and went to her house for the night. After 3 weeks of sailing it felt good to crash out in something not floating for a change.