Fast Sailing to Fairport Harbor 9/25

We raised anchor before 7:00 A.M. with hope of better conditions and all omens were positive. A more moderate breeze was blowing, waves 2-3 feet, as we left Kelleys Island sailing toward the rising sun.
We continued sailing toward the sun past Huron, Vermillion, and Rocky River. We saluted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland at about 3:00 P.M. , and conditions soon after began to change. The winds freshened to 20-25 knots out of the west, and before reaching Fairport Harbor the larger waves had built to 7-9 feet. We took them directly on our stern, so Peregrine didn’t rock and roll too much, but as we have rarely seen such conditions before, the last few hours resulted in much exhilaration and a few moments of terror. We screamed into the entrance of Fairport Harbor at 7 knots, flying only a scrap of jib sail with one wave after another crashing on the windward breakwall; we were damp and relieved at the moment and aching in the morning. We had sailed more than 80 miles in 13 hours the most ever for us.