Well!. Well!. Was that a great trip or what? July 11-July 27, 2014. From South and Central Puget Sound to Princess Louisa Inlet, Chatterbox Falls and back again. For Ruth and me it was a great personal accomplishment. We have owned four sailboats the past 31 years and this past 16 days was the most time we had ever had on any of the boats with one exception. In 1984 we planned to sail our Columbia 8.7 from Newport, RI to Jacksonville, Fl. We had two boys 2 1/2 years old and 15 months old and Ruth was 5 months pregnant. Three weeks later we left the boat in Beaufort NC and had it skippered the rest of the way to Jacksonville, Fl., where I began another sea tour. Anyhow deployments and work limited time on boats to weekends or a very rare one week excursion.
Again I want to thank Bob and Kris Ridenour for the planning and guidance provided for this wonderful outing. The crossing of the strait of Juan de Fuca, anchorages in the San Juans, customs at Bedwell, the Marlow Hunter Rendezvous at Ganges with Lawrence and Kim of Specialty Yachts, the trip through Dodd Narrows, Nanaimo, the STRAIT OF GEORGIA, Chatterbox falls, the return, and a final hurrah at Port Ludlow with the Signature All Fleet Rendezvous will provide sea stories for years to come. And as all sailors know, all sea stories are absolutely true with no embellishments whatsoever. The trip I know increased each sailor's self confidence and confidence in their boat.
Feel free to comment on the voyage with suggestions for our next voyage using the experiences of this voyage as a baseline. Our next hosted event is Poulsbo September 5-7. Be thinking about what we would like to do next year. It doesn't have to be two weeks, it doesn't have to be north. What do we want?
Ruth and I enjoy each and every one of you and are thrilled to be part of such a really fine group of persons. We thank you for a truly wonderful "epic voyage".
Mike and Ruth
HAPS Fleet Co-Captains 2014
Again I want to thank Bob and Kris Ridenour for the planning and guidance provided for this wonderful outing. The crossing of the strait of Juan de Fuca, anchorages in the San Juans, customs at Bedwell, the Marlow Hunter Rendezvous at Ganges with Lawrence and Kim of Specialty Yachts, the trip through Dodd Narrows, Nanaimo, the STRAIT OF GEORGIA, Chatterbox falls, the return, and a final hurrah at Port Ludlow with the Signature All Fleet Rendezvous will provide sea stories for years to come. And as all sailors know, all sea stories are absolutely true with no embellishments whatsoever. The trip I know increased each sailor's self confidence and confidence in their boat.
Feel free to comment on the voyage with suggestions for our next voyage using the experiences of this voyage as a baseline. Our next hosted event is Poulsbo September 5-7. Be thinking about what we would like to do next year. It doesn't have to be two weeks, it doesn't have to be north. What do we want?
Ruth and I enjoy each and every one of you and are thrilled to be part of such a really fine group of persons. We thank you for a truly wonderful "epic voyage".
Mike and Ruth
HAPS Fleet Co-Captains 2014