The forecast for yesterday was for thunder storms and 15 to 25 knot winds across the straits we were headed out for. In preparation, we hoisted the mainsail before we even left Reid Harbor to mark the line that raises it where the different reef points are. When the winds get really blowing, you have to reduce how much of your mainsail is up so you lower it by different amounts till she rides easier in the wind. Our mainsail has three different levels of reefs so we marked the line for each level. This way, when the wind really gets blowing, we will know how much line it takes to raise the sail to each level. As the tide was changing early in the afternoon, we made sure everything was stowed during the morning and got ready to leave about 1300 hours. We made a quick stop at the pump out dock--and it was literally that. With no electricity, we had to hand pump it out.
OK, now we are all set. Another sailboat is heading into the bay with all their sails down and looking like they had had a great sail so out we went ready for a great day in the wind. HAH!!! Not a breathe of air!!! It was calm as calm can be calm. So on we went powered by our trusty Ford Lehman engine. We saw lots of sailboats. Many with their sails up--must have been dreaming of wind or praying for it cause there sure wasn't any. Others like us with no sails up were just motoring along trying to get somewhere and not just sit waiting for what may not come.
About an hour after leaving Reid, we looked back and they were getting clobbered with rain. We'd left in nice sunny weather and that's about all we had the entire way to Sucia. It clouded up a bit later but thankfully no rain came our way.
We got here about 1600 hours and got Puff, this time with Dragon(our motor), ready to go ashore to check in. We've really got the system down so it's no longer a hassle getting our dingy off the deck. With an 8 foot long pole attached at one end to the mast and the other to the spinnaker halyard(pulls the spinnaker up), we attach a set of block and tackle to the end and clip it to the dingy and up and over the lifelines she goes. Slick as a whistle.
Once in the water and our motor lowered from deck and attached, off we went for shore to check in. As we approached shore, I made sure to tilt the motor so we didn't damage the prop--about the last thing you want to do. We coasted ashore and Tracy jumped out and pulled us in. I walked up the beach and grabbed a log for us to tie up to as there were no stones anywhere around and with the tide coming in, we didn't want Puff to drift out from shore. We'd pulled her quite a ways up the beach but by the time we returned--maybe 30 minutes--she was floating in the water. The tide moves quickly up here. We'll have to plan our trips ashore to make sure we don't have a problem getting Puff back to the water. If the tide is going out and we beach her, by the time we got back, she could be quite a ways from the water and she's not a light piece of equipment to try and move around.
We got checked in at the park kiosk and went for a short hike. We needed to get settled in at our new haven so we took off for Zephyr.
The top left picture is Reid Harbor. A picture of Puff and her companion Dragon tied to the stern. The shoreline of Echo Bay on Sucia Island. Plus a picture of a floating dock of sorts. Post coming out of the water with line with rings attached to tie up to. That's how we are set up for today. There are two of these in this harbor and we're at one of them. We don't understand why they set them up this way instead of an actual floating dock like at Reid Harbor. It requires the same amount of space. Don't forget, if you click on the pictures they get bigger.
Being so early in the season, we only have one other boat in our harbor and we have seen no one else on the island so far nor heard anyone. We expect to go ashore today and do some hiking. The weather is supposed to be nice. I guess time will tell.
I hope you have been clicking on the links we have on our site taking you to Wind Dancer and Sand Piper. Wind Dancer is in New Zealand and is having to replace their engine. Sand Piper is now in the US Virgins Islands. Back in the US for the first time in several years. Both are a good read.
As far as us, we are on a shakedown cruise as well as heading North as far as we can. If nothing breaks, we will be up there till early July before heading back to Port Townsend--no not Sea Marine--to install a new Hydrovane wind autopilot system before we head South for Mexico to arrive there in November. It's hurricane season up till then and we'd rather miss them if at all possible.
Oh, yeah, we're located at 48 45.599N 122.54.439W for you google earth fans.
2 comments:
That is great to hear. Vancouver Island is beautiful on the inside.
Good luck and good winds to you guys.
Dave in Idaho
Love getting the info to track you via google maps. We too retired last year at about the same time....wish we had done something exciting....your livestyle seems so much more fun than ours....Good luck to you!!!
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