The Last Sail of the Year

[Gary Wyngarden]

December 30, 2001. Forty-eight degrees forty minutes North. The temperature about forty five. The sky a bright blue with thin high clouds. To the North, the snow covered Coastal Range in British Columbia. To the East, the snow covered North Cascades. To the South, the snow covered Olympics. In the clear air, they all seem close enough to touch.We're sailing at the North end of San Juan channel between Jones and Speiden Islands. The wind is blowing from the Northeast between fifteen and twenty knots. Seas of three feet with whitecaps. With one reef in the main, Shibumi is heeled over not quite to the lee rail and powering through the waves (thank God for the spray dodger) at seven knots. What a way to end the sailing year!! )Gary WyngardenS/V Shibumi H335

 

[NH]

How do you do that?

How did you post your message? Sattalite phone? Internet Cafe? Cell-phone?I'm trying to find a way to stay in contact when we go up to Desolation Sound next summer..If the weather cooperates we'll be on Lake Union, wathcing the fireworks from the Space Needle..

 

[Gary Wyngarden]

To NH

NH,It's a writing contrivance. We were out on the boat yesterday but I posted my message today from my office but wrote it in the present tense.We can access the internet from the boat using our laptop, cell phone and a data coupler. But we were in Desolation for three weeks last summer and it was unreliable. We were only able to get internet access off land lines up there for some reason.Hope you enjoy the fireworks tonight. The weather up here is thick fog and no wind. What a difference a day makes.Happy New Year!Gary WyngardenS/V Shibumi H335

 

[NH]

I see!

OK Gary, so you are on a land-line. Yes, I've been researching, cell is not reliable up there in Desolation. Analog service might be better..I'm making a list of internet cafe's and other places to connect by phone. If you know of any on the way up and at Desolation, please advise...Enjoy the new year!-Neal.