We tied up at the linear dock where Hasse had suggested (hoping to have the bow into the wind to bend on our new sails). Then we headed up to the sail loft and picked up our sails. Carol was out at a meeting so we just brought the sails "home" and headed to town for some shopping. When we got back it was still blowing like stink so we decided to try for first thing in the morning.
We needed some groceries (mostly produce) so went looking for a grocery store. We also needed a few bits for the boat and found a West Marine. But the really important stop was for some bits for the guitar. And boy did we hit the jackpot there. After a couple of tries at the "wrong" stores we found the guitar player's heaven. People sitting around jamming, every kind of string instrument you could imagine, and all the toys we were looking for. The only problem was the hour walk each way.. oh well, exercise is good for people our age.
Hasse showed up at the boat right on schedule at 8:00AM. And wouldn't you know it, the weather was perfect as well - a slight breeze coming from our stern. We bought 2 new sails for passage - a storm jib and a drifter (totally opposite ends of the wind spectrum). We bent the drifter on first. What a beautiful sail!! It inflated immediately in the light breeze - just exactly what it is suppose to do. We played with the running rigging options and how to marry it in with our existing rig structure and called it *perfect*.
 |
| Hasse checking the set |
 |
| Mike and Hasse |
 |
| Drifter |
We got a few shots of the Pt Wilson lighthouse as we left Port Townsend
We went over to the cafe at the Pt Hudson marina for lunch - nice little resort type burger place. Then we headed out for Lopez island. Once again we had very little wind so it was more motoring. We did get a great shot of Mt Baker through the haze.
About half way between Port Townsend and Lopez island there is a couple of small "rocks" that we call Poop (well, not really that word, but we will keep it PG here) Island. Every time we have gone past this rock it has always been covered with black birds and there "fertilizer". It is quite a sight.
The first night we spent on Lopez was in Mackaye Harbor. It is a fairly large inlet on the southern end of Lopez island. We have stayed there before and liked it. But it is still too early in the year for Mackaye - it is open to the south west so we saw rollers on our beam with 10 to 15 knots of wind all night. So we moved to Hunter Bay the next day.
Hunter Bay is on the east side of Lopez and has excellent protection form everything but north east wind. Furthermore, the entrance is a narrow pass that helps keep the fetch to a very dull roar. So we spent several days there - mostly grey and rainy. We pretty much just hunkered down, watched movies, read, and played a lot of music. Being the holiday weekend it was pretty busy - boats coming and going everyday.
One morning I was having my coffee in the cockpit and noticed what looked like a shark fine, no it was black, maybe a whale fin, no it is too shallow. What the heck is that!? Turns out it was a seal holding his flippers out of the water for some reason. He just drifted along closer and closer playing with his fins sticking up out of the water. Craziest thing I have ever seen (well, maybe not "the" craziest...).
Finally it was time to up anchor and head to Anacortes to pick up our whisker pole. We are waiting for the rigger and then we are going to beat feet out of here back to Hunter Bay to try and beat the 15 to 25 knot winds that are forecast for today. Then who knows what...
No comments:
Post a Comment