About Us

Les and Diana in Israel 2009

We started cruising Lake Michigan in the summer of 1999 and in the ensuing seasons had traveled to most ports.  We began our cruising adventures with a 1993 44 Sea Ray Sundancer.

44 Sundancer in Charlevoix Michigan circa 2004

We replaced the 44 in May of 2006 with a new 48 Sundancer. 

2006 48 Sundancer in Chicago

In 2008, our then 7 month old Labrador Retriever, Kodi, joined the crew.  Our favorite cruising grounds are found in northern Lake Michigan on Little and Grand Travis Bays.  We particularly love Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, Petosky and Traverse City.  Typically, we cruise in June and September (to avoid the summer heat).  Our favorite route is Chicago to Port  Washington (120 miles) where we refuel with the cheapest diesel on the lake and then cross to Frankfort (120 miles) on the diagonal - weather, of course, permitting - which we define as a calm lake with waves less than one foot.  Then from Frankfort to any of our favorite spots.  With favorable weather we arrive in two days leaving the remainder of our three week vacation in our favorite places.

Les has passed the courses and tests for a Master 50 ton Merchant Marine license, holds a private pilot license with an instrument rating, an insurance license and a Certified Financial Planner credential.  He retired from The Warranty Group on March 31, 2010 after 38 years.

Diana retired from Argonne National Labs in 2000 after 10 years working on site enhancement projects for the Office of the Laboratory Director. She worked extensively on projects for the Advanced Photo Source.  Before that she worked at Virginia Frank Child Development Center, part of Jewish Family Services. Diana holds a Bachelors Degree from DePaul and Masters Degree in Child Development from Loyola's Erickson Institute.

Kodi was born on October 6, 2007 and came to us on December 2, 2007.

"How am I going to get downstairs?" 

She is now a 58 pound (literally on the far light side of the weight range) yellow Labrador Retriever with a dark coat.  Kodi loves adults, kids and dogs and gets along with everybody.  She is well trained and has the ability to execute 117 commands involving over 175 words with solid reliability.  However, one command, "come," seems to elude her especially outside.  Off leash (which is very seldom these days) she marauds for food and has been known to steal food from picnickers, children, adults (sometimes right out of their hands) and even from police cars (when the cops aren't looking).

Kodi watching us from the bridge of the 48 Sundancer

We embarked on a Great Loop adventure in October of 2010 and completed it some 23 months later in September 2012 having covered 6,150 miles.  We sold the 48 Sundancer in the fall of 2012 and contracted to build an Outer Reef 63 Motoryacht in late November 2012.  Construction was completed on December 20, 2013.  The boat was shipped to the United States on a yacht transport arriving in Port Everglades on February 2, 2014.  Commissioning was completed on February 10, 2014.  Our plan is to cruise the East Coast from Sarasota Florida to Maine for the next few years.