PNW Cruisers

[LeslieTroyer]

good luck on your upcoming cruise - maybe I'll see you - If you are on B I'm probably a ways past you towards the north east side of B. My bride of only 31 yrs & I went out last Sunday and had a fantastic ride. I really enjoy Everett and Possession - but can hardly wait for crab season to be over - my wife likens it to a mine field - there is no way to go out there after dark and not end up with someone's line wrapped around your prop shaft.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

Just looked it up only 11 days till the end of Crab Season in Everett!!! Yeah

 

[Terry Cox]

Just looked it up only 11 days till the end of Crab Season in Everett!!! Yeah

Ditto Leslie. Why the Swinomish Indians drop their pots right smack in the middle of the north channel is beyond me. Really have to pay attention. And not just one or two, but 50+. You have to dodge and weave your way out or in. Then in a few weeks they're gone. Oh well.

 

[Gene S]

Well, its not much of a cruise but I'm on the water for a week. Using up my vacation before I retire in January. I'm still getting used to this boat and learning some seamanship. Started from Tacoma, wanted to get to Port orchard but the wind didn't cooperate so I'm anchored in Rich passage listening to the rain. I'll go there tomorrow then on to Poulsbo.

 

[jssailem]

Poulsbo in Liberty Bay is great. They have a Pastry shop there on main street that will add pounds just looking through the window. If your sailing schedule allows continue up the sound to Port Townsend. Stay at Port Hudson Marina. It is the old Coast Guard station re-purposed. Fun spot with access to the downtown waterfront. Elevated Ice Cream is a popular stop for my crew.
Or duck into to Port Ludlow, about 11 miles shorter on the same side of the sound. Neat little port with a good resort dining room and friendly folks in the Marina.

You have lots of adventures ahead of you.

 

[Terry Cox]

They have a Pastry shop there on main street that will add pounds just looking through the window.

John, you just had to mention that pastry shop. My advice to Gene, as you say, just peer through the window and drool. Nasty stuff in there.

If you have a dinghy to row ashore Liberty Bay is a very nice anchorage, but not much protection in a blow, so keep an eye on the forecast. As you head north, preferably on an ebb, depending upon progress, Kingston is also a nice anchorage with shops, restaurants, etc. and much closer than Port Townsend. A week is not much time in these waters.

 

[jssailem]

True True.... You could spend a lifetime. Vancouver spent a couple of years....

 

[Terry Cox]

Vancouver spent a couple of years....

Do tell? And what were you so enamored with Vancouver about, BC, I'm assuming? It is a very nice town, or should I say a major metropolis. What struck me was the racial diversity...all walks of life.

 

[Terry Cox]

Years ago Minstrel Island Resort used to be a major way point for fisherman heading north or south. Nice government dock, then with all the amenities. RCMP closed the place down several years ago during a drug raid and now it is in a state of slow decay, just a short distance from Lagoon Cove. http://mapcarta.com/24495664

Cutter Cove, across Chatham Channel from Minstrel Island, also a nice anchorage.

Would it not be wonderful a sail to, render your boat at the government dock, and seek respite for weeks or months soaking or basking in the wonders of this very remote area? Just say'n.

 

[Mark Maulden]

Did that June/July...Even stayed a few days at the old Minstrel Is docks (looking for grizzlies that were reported to be there)...didn't see any though

 

[jssailem]

My bad. I should have said Captain George Vancouver spent a couple of years discovering and mapping our Inland waterways. Not the city. We did visit one the city summer for a couple of days. Found a nice place to eat on an island under one of the bridges. Bit touristy of a place. Preferred the time on the island, Victoria, Busch Gardens, and the harbor etc...

 

[Terry Cox]

It was decided at Skipper's night last Wednesday that our cruise plans will include Barkley Sound next season. Of course that was the plan a few seasons ago, but now it is back on. Belle-Vie will be making a later departure as family will be visiting late June for two weeks. So far Friehet, Wassail, Mariposa and Belle-Vie have signed up. Should be a hoot.

http://mapcarta.com/24131860

 

[Terry Cox]

Drove to the boat late last Tuesday, December 20th, with plans to sail over to Eagle Harbor on the east side of Cypress Island for a few days before Christmas. Too late then so Wednesday, December 21, caught the mid day beginning of the ebb out the north end of Swinomish Channel. Very light wind on the nose so motored the way over to one of my favorite mooring balls. What? The Harbor was full of empty mooring balls. Day was nice and comfortably cold. John Lund was unable to rendezvous due to a dental appointment and new crown. I expected to see at least one other silly boater out in the winter cold.

Wallas, the furnace, was on the duration keeping the interior warm. First time I've ever seen (group, school, pod...?) maybe twenty Harbor seals swimming together across Padilla Bay. Usually solo in nature, but never as a group. Thursday a bit uneventful puttering around the boat doing this and that. Then that night an easterly wind arrived howling most of the night, but still no rain. Awoke Friday morning to a light snow and much, much colder.

Headed out early to get some sail time and follow the flood down the channel, which ended around noon. Wind 10-12 out of the north, so spun the genoa out (new furling drum bracket that I made makes a big difference) to fill up my sailing tank. Snow fall sticking and picking up. Wind diminishes a bit but still under sail to Huckleberry Island. Water flat and calm in Padilla Bay so motored the rest of the way. Still snowing upon arriving in Shelter Bay.

All in all a nice winter cruise, filling up the sailing tank, making some plans to head back out after Christmas for a few more days, weather permitting. Again, a nice easy genoa rollup, thanks to the new bracket. Better late than never, I say.

Hope to see some of you PNW sailors out and about. Very quiet time of the year. What few boats I saw were mostly fisherman or crabbers. As I left Eagle Harbor, there was one small trawler at a mooring in Cypress Head, just south of our boat.

 

[Mark Maulden]

Sounds like a nice trip Terry! Our refit is done and can now winter sail except we're watchimg all the snow fun from Hawaii. Its always nice to have Wallas work when you flip that switch!..

 

[Terry Cox]

Sounds like a nice trip Terry! Our refit is done and can now winter sail except we're watchimg all the snow fun from Hawaii. Its always nice to have Wallas work when you flip that switch!..

Hi Mark, whereabouts in Hawaii? Spent two weeks on the Kona Coast several years ago. Nice place to visit. Enjoy your stay and have a safe return.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Patti and Terry Cox. S/V Belle-Vie.

 

[jssailem]

Sounds like a perfectly bonnie time of it, cruising the PNW in a bit of snow.

Awaiting the arrival of the jolly old elf with my 3 year old grandson in Bend OR under 15 inches of snow. Temps last night in the teens. Bottled water in the car froze solid over night, oops.

Perhaps a rendezvous may be possible in the New Year.

Merry Christmas Terry and Mark, and to all SBO sailors.

 

[Terry Cox]

Sounds like a perfectly bonnie time of it, cruising the PNW in a bit of snow.

Awaiting the arrival of the jolly old elf with my 3 year old grandson in Bend OR under 15 inches of snow. Temps last night in the teens. Bottled water in the car froze solid over night, oops.

Perhaps a rendezvous may be possible in the New Year.

Merry Christmas Terry and Mark, and to all SBO sailors.

Hi John, Merry Christmas to and your family and a most Happy and prosperous New Year. That is one of those blessings where you can see the sparkle and wonder in the eyes of a three year old awaiting the arrival of one elf, Santa Claus.

A rendezvous would be great. Let's plan on one. Coupeville is nice, not too far from Everett and good anchorage or the public wharf if you prefer, $$. Good pubs and eateries. Further into Penn Cove is Captain Whidbey Inn. Never been there by boat, but a small dock with sufficient water.

Had my foulies on to keep my core warm, but my leather gloves would get wet and colllddd. Had to rotate pairs, otherwise my fingers would go numb. Should have used one of my several pairs of rubber gloves to keep the wet at bay. Oh well, had a great time of it though.

I'm still in my afterglow over the furling drum bracket that I made. I've struggled with that thing over the years and finally decided to fix it. Got the idea from a H43 that I saw in Friday Harbor a couple of years ago. Easy fabrication, made sense and what a difference in operation. That was my early Santa Claus.

 

[jssailem]

Furling drum bracket sounds great. Pictures

Before I put my sail away I played with the position of the fair leads. The line was not wrapping on the drum correctly. It would wrap then as it filled it jammed.

By adjusting the lead to the drum the line fed up and down correctly. It was a good feeling to see that happen.

I've sailed past Coupeville in route north. Would be a great idea. I'll let you know my schedule. I bought some rubber winter work gloves. Will give them a try.

Till the New Year.

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi John, the article with pictures here that I posted a few months ago: http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=45&aid=100062&mn=42

The first pic is a temporary modification (wood bridge) while we were out cruising last summer. Once I figured out what was going on I made the SS bracket that locks the drum from rotating causing the double line to bind. Why Hunter used this large "U" bolt to secure the drum is beyond me, but a H43 in Friday Harbor that had a SS bar that secured the drum to the chain plate was what gave me the idea.

 

[jssailem]

Clever.