Lots of Sailing Practice

Thursday, July 18 through Tuesday, July 30

We spent one night on the northeast side of  Lumi Island, two nights in Chuckanut Bay which is in Bellingham Bay off the mainland of Washington, one night in Judd Bay, a tiny bay at the end of East Sound on Orcas Island, three nights in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. From those days I remember watching a full moon rising over the water, big and orange then reflecting off the water at the same time. On two different mornings I saw a giant ferry being  swallowed up in the fog. Of course I was watching this from our safely anchored boat in Friday Harbor. We had our friends come for dinner on the boat. One night Lovel and Boyd came, old friends from years ago, when Mike was going to film school and then building our house in Santa Fe. Then another night two old friends who grew up on San Juan Island. a sister and brother, Beth and Joe Hudson. They met Mike in the late seventies in Guatemala. We did a day sail with Joe one day in San Juan  Channel. We had started out in hopes of making Port Townsend but the fog was too thick and hung around too long at the southern end of San Juan Channel. So we enjoyed the nice weather at the northern end of the channel and had a lovely relaxing day sail.

      Well the past twelve days have been full of many opportunities for practicing our sailing and boating skills. Nothing major broke this week, amazing! We fixed a few small things that needed our attention but weren’t urgent. We talked and tried jury rigging a jack line for the next time we are sailing in rough water and strong winds. One evening we practiced setting a second anchor, using the dingy and rowing out to another spot to drop a second anchor. I dropped that heavy 45 pound anchor without going with it over the side of the dinghy. We were then supposed to haul it back into the dinghy but we couldn’t for whatever reason. We rowed back to the boat and hauled it out from there. Quite a bit of work. It makes me tired just thinking about it.

       I am still amazed at how important it is to pay attention to the map, the compass, the wind direction, the water, the land, keeping an eye out for buoys and other boats, all at the same time! The big boats: ferries, barges, tugs towing logs; these all make me nervous. I’ve begun to be able to figure out if we are on a collision course or not, although I need more practice before I can trust my judgement.

      Today is July 29th and we are in Port Townsend since Friday afternoon. We left Friday Harbor around 8:45 in hopes of crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca, famous for its hairy weather, earlier in the day, that way avoiding strong winds and large waves. Luck was with us and we had a sunny day with no fog and only fair winds. We arrived around 2:30. We were tired after the worry of the crossing. The rest of the afternoon was spent napping and reading, then a long walk out through Port Townsend to Point Wilson. It was cold and windy that evening, it felt like early fall in New Mexico.

     On Saturday we did some cleaning on the boat, some maintenance, showers were a joy, we filled water tanks, did a little bit of shopping for some extra docking line, a new outboard fuel tank and fittings (the old ones leaked) and groceries. We were expecting my sister Andy and her husband Jim for dinner and a couple nights stay on the boat with us. Mike discovered a brew pub about a block away from the docks and brought home two growlers of nice dark ale to drink with supper. Another boat owner who also has a Cape George Cutter like ours came by with some information for Mike. He stayed and chatted and had some beer. Andy and Jim arrived and our meal of lentil stew, good bread, and a fresh salad was just about ready for us to sit down to and eat. 

     Sunday dawned gray but cleared up in time for us to do an afternoon sail with Andy and Jim and some young friends from Seattle, Lil and Vince. We ate lunch then had a crazy time getting out of our slip. It was a bit too breezyand luckily Mike anticipated this. He said, if I didn’t have time to jump on the boat, not to worry, he’d pick me up at the fuel dock on his way out of the marina. Consequently I joined the boat at the fueling dock! We had a good sail with winds that got us going at seven knots! Everyone had a chance to help crewing. We never lost our wind the whole three hours we spent in the channel. I find moving through the water with only the wind and the sails very soothing and gratifying all at once. We had dinner out in the cockpit with more good beer from the brew pub nearby. A happy evening.

    Until the next blog everyone,

                         
            Tina