I've owned my current boat for nine years and until a couple of weeks ago never had a photo of it under sail. Thanks to Heart's Desire, I now have several.

I met the crew of Heart's Desire at the state dock at Presque Isle, Michigan while waiting for a gale to blow through. Presque Isle is the only natural harbor located on the Lake Huron coastline of Michigan's lower peninsula. It is one of my favorite stops in all of Michigan -- a beautiful location with a well protected anchorage. However, we chose to stay at the state dock on this trip because of the weather forecast. Heart's Desire, a 45' Morgan, anchored out. High winds hit about midnight and continued throughout the night. Heart's Desire dragged anchor and spent seven hours motoring in circles until daylight and diminishing winds allowed them to safely enter the state dock.

Heart's Desire is owned by a 64 year-old Minnesota couple. Twenty years ago they had purchased the boat in Florida and, along with their two young children, sailed it from there to Minnesota. Having recently retired, they were on their way back to Florida, planning to make it their new home and live aboard. Their daughter, Cate, and a family friend were accompanying them as crew. Cate is an aspiring Hollywood scriptwriter and decided to film a documentary about the trip -- Following Heart's Desire@FollowingHD film.

We left Presque Isle about a half-hour before Heart's Desire. It is a faster boat (just about every sailboat is faster than mine) and, when it caught up, Cate took some photos of Honu under sail. Late last week she emailed several to me from a marina on the Erie Canal and reported they were heading down the Hudson River to New York.