June 2, 1999
Sheriff sails Lake Superior
Lifelong dream realized and abundance of beauty discovered
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Jim Palmer discovered an abundance of beauty last summer.
The Blair Township resident discovered the beautiful people and breathtaking scenery that surround Lake Superior as he completed a 3½ month trip around the lake. Sailing 1,300 miles to circumnavigate the lake in a clockwise direction, the culmination of five years of dreaming and planning.
For the Traverse City native, sailing from small town to small town on his trip was like stepping back in time to the small-town society in which he grew up.
"There was an outpouring of generosity from people along the way," said Palmer, who meticulously researched and planned his excursion. "I met real genuine people, they had no pretenses at all and the conversations were very personal. I went to places where total strangers would offer you their car to go buy groceries."
Palmer began planning his trip six years ago as his retirement date neared. A career law enforcement officer for 36 years, he spent 30 of it with the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department. He retired from the force last spring and set out shortly thereafter in his boat, heading north for Lake Superior.
"The trip around Lake Superior was the ultimate experience after leaving a stressful job," said Palmer, who retired as Detective Bureau Captain. "I plan to do another trip, absolutely!"
His first act toward achieving his dream trip was to buy a 30-foot Danish-made motor sailor in 1993. He slowly outfitted it with the equipment he wanted, such as radar, an absolute necessity on the foggy lake traveled by freighters. He also began reading books and maps about the Lake Superior region, studying them closely to plan his route.
"I seriously read up on the lake before I went and talked to people who had sailed there," Palmer said. "You couldn't take a trip like this without research and planning; it wouldn't be smart and would be on the edge of dangerous."
Of course, not all planning turned out as he expected. He packed for cool weather. However, last summer's warm weather kept him in shorts and able to swim in the lake almost every day.
Palmer had a general itinerary of what he wanted to see and where he wanted to go. Along the way he received many tips on must-see places from locals and other boat travelers, which he said enhanced his trip tremendously.
"People would tell me, 'You have to see this,' or 'Stay another day there and hike this trail,' which really helped out," Palmer said. "There is a lot of history and a lot of lore around the lake and the locals know about their area."
Palmer has been sailing most of his life and had previously sailed on Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and the North Channel of Canada. He also has raced in the Chicago to Mackinaw and Port Huron to Mackinaw races. Taking on a trip of such length and duration as this one was mostly a matter of planning for the veteran sailor. He discovered it was no more technically difficult than other jaunts in the past.
Living aboard his boat, going days or weeks at a time without anchoring at a marina, Palmer made sure to bring enough food along. His longest stint between ports was 19 days in a remote portion on the northern shore of Lake Superior, where he explored every inlet and cove between two towns. The periods of isolation did not bother him, however.
"I was alone often but not lonesome," said Palmer, who kept a journal of his travels. "It was a lot of nice, serious quiet time.