Day 211 Now in Deer Bay

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We made it to Deer Harbor Marina in short order this morning. We had to judge our departure by several factors. First--currents through the channels. Some times they can get very powerful. Second--the ferries that run up and down the channels. They go a lot faster than us and should really be avoided at all costs.

The first was easy. I checked my computer program so we knew when it was safe to go. The second--the ferries was a visual thing as we had no idea what their schedule was. The computer said the currents would be no problem any time during the late morning to early afternoon. The ferries on the other hand were at both stops that were on our route when we were ready to go. The first was at Blind Bay terminal right across from us. The second was right across the channel at another terminal. Add to that a tug boat was making its way down the channel pulling a load of logs behind it. We hustled ourselves out while the ferries were at their terminals and took off. Got past both. The tug on the other hand had slowed down to avoid the same ferries. We jogged around him and headed out the channel. The ferry that had been stopped right across the channel got under way and took off after us. He's doing 14 knots to our 6.5. Guess who wins that race? He caught up to us before we got to the next channel. Tracy pulled a 180 on the wheel and we waited him out. After he zipped past, we got in line right behind him and let him go on his merry way. He was quickly out of sight as he rounded the next island. We rounded Crane Island and slipped right into Deer Harbor. With the marina at the North end, it was an easy trip. I radioed them and they sent a man down to help us get tied up. I'll never turn down free help. As we have no internet at this marina. I'm using a different program to write this. If it works right, there will be a photo of a float plane that followed us up the bay to the marina. I have to admit, I've been followed into many marinas before, but never by a plane. It's a tad intimidating to have him right on your stern. We were all tied up and set by 12:30.

Now there was no rush to get here, but Tracy had some things she wanted to get baked and made for tomorrows Thanksgiving dinner so we beat an early exit to Blind Bay so she would have plenty of time. She's been baking and cooking all afternoon.

I've been tinkering with a new toy we bought earlier this year that is a separate computer screen that networks with the Acer computer we use below decks. The new toy will show us everything that the computer shows below deck. This new one is a Panasonic Toughbook. Made to take a lot more weather than a normal computer would. I'd gotten it all set up while we were in Colorado but I'd added some network devices since we left and now it won't connect and complete the network that is required.

Where last night we had some of the best internet and cell phone connections we'd had since getting to Washington state, here in Deer Harbor, my cell phone is pretty much dead and the internet connection device we have won't connect at all. That's why I'm using this new program. A distance of 5 miles and we went from great to dead. Go figure. I'll probably subscribe to one of the local internet services that services the island since Verizon doesn't.

As I said in last nights post, I checked the anchor light from the dock. It's dead all right. I checked the connections on the back with my ohm meter and it's getting power so heaven only knows where the problem lies but that is Sea Marines problem. They can track it and replace it. They installed it(twice). The problem for us is where to stay since we don't have an anchor light to show people we are at anchor. I found an old kerosene anchor light that we may have to hoist up into the rigging to make do.

When we pulled in here, one of the other sailors came out to welcome us. Jeff has been all over the world in the last 6 years. He bought his boat in Houston from a couple in their 80's that had been sailing her for over twenty years and finally figured it was time to stop. He's been across the Atlantic to England, Ireland, Scotland then to Spain and Portugal. Over to the Canary Islands and back across the ocean to Trinidad. Finally ending up in the Yucatan, he had his boat trucked to Washington state and has been here for three months. Hearing our problem with the oil pressure switch, he offered to take me to the local marine store to see if they had it in stock. Off we went. No such luck, but I did get a toggle switch that I can turn on and off when we are motoring so the current will flow to the batteries past the oil pressure switch. With the switch "jumped" the pressure gauge on deck showed a pressure of 30lbs instead of the 13 it had read earlier in the trip.

We figure to be here till Friday, maybe Saturday. Not sure yet where to go from there. We'll be checking the charts and books we have purchased about all the islands around us. The weather is supposed to be nice so we will see.