We are trying to get a marine electronics company to fix our AIS (automatic identification system for marine traffic). We can see and identify other AIS vessels but they can't see us. This will be especially beneficial in the inland rivers after Chicago. The river system can be very narrow and very serpentine with the tow boats hauling up to 90 barges. With AIS, the tow operators can see us around corners and hail us by name to give us instructions on where they would like us to pass.
After a few phone calls to local companies with little success, Alice ran into someone from 'Skipper Bud' working on a boat nearby. Kendrick came over and explained that our Boat US MMSI # (AIS #) could not be programmed in our system and we needed one issued by the FCC. The good news was that our next port of call was Grand Haven where Skipper Bud is based. There was not much going on in Muskegon and weather was going to lock us in for a couple days so we left the dock about 1:00 and headed down the shore to Grand Haven. Alice applied for the FCC license on line and I made a tentative appointment with Skipper Bud for Thursday morning.
 |
| Our view off the stern |
 |
| This glided by our stern |
 |
| sunset |
 |
| The best ice cream just steps from Observer |
We just happened to be placed next to our friends from Vahevala.
 |
| Millie's new best friend, Rory on Vahevala |
 |
| Linda from Vahevala |
We joined them for dinner at a self proclaimed dive bar named Tip a Few Tavern; we had a delicious, inexpensive meal and now Alice wants to move here.
At about 9:30 the town puts on a really cool light show set to music which is the first we've run into on this trip. We had front row seats from our fly bridge.
Comments
Post a Comment