| Two years ago in May 2008 I learned how to sail. | | | | wagons pulled by horses. |
| I thought it was not going to be the coolest thing | | | | The race is the largest fresh water boat race in |
| but I decided to give it a shot anyways. The main | | | | the world. I have lived in the Chicago area for my |
| reason I did it is because my best friend's dad | | | | whole life and really had no idea how big Lake |
| and grandpa bought a beautiful 42 foot boat called | | | | Michigan really was until I sailed the entire thing; it |
| the Siren Song. They wanted to do the Mackinac | | | | takes days. Racing on the great lakes can be a |
| Island race which is a race from Chicago to | | | | rush, especially when the wind starts blowing hard |
| Mackinac Island. | | | | at two in the morning and the rain starts pouring |
| Mackinac Island (pronounced Mak-in-aw) is an | | | | down. |
| amazing place in north Michigan, a place where | | | | I was so inexperienced in sailing on the way to |
| you can only reach by boat or airplane. The only | | | | Mackinac Island I really was not much help, but |
| automobiles allowed on the island are emergency | | | | once I got there that was more than enough |
| vehicles, and in the winter snowmobiles are | | | | training than I needed to know exactly what I |
| allowed because it is a great destination for a | | | | was doing; I wanted to sail the boat back by |
| snowmobile trip when the water freezes. | | | | myself. I was able to raise and lower the jib, |
| Otherwise you get around by bike, walking or | | | | without instruction I could execute a jibe or a |
| horseback. The garbage trucks and taxis are both | | | | tack, and so much more. |