Day 2

Friday Harbor.  Got in about 430 this afternoon, just in time cause the inside of the breakwater filled up within 15 minutes of our arrival.  Big weekend here, their opening day and a big yacht club event plus Anacortes charters has a big gathering here before heading north.
Sunny and warm now, was cool and cloudy with light rain earlier.  Saw our first whale, a single gray whale off the South end of Camano Island.  Not very active but River was excited.
Will walk up after we eat to see my folks.  We have not told them we brought River with us.
I teach a SAR management class all day tomorrow and half a day Sunday.  So this part of the trip is a business write off.

Day 1.
Left Pourt Orchard at 1 pm, arrived at Langly at around 5. Easy cruise up till the Edmonds ferry, wind picked up and started taking spray over the bow from 20 mph winds out of the North. Getting No Debt alongside prior to docking was a bit of a challenge but managed without adding any new scratches to the freshly repaired hull.
Walked up to town with River for dinner at the Pizza place.  Got back before it started raining.
The past week has been busy with all the last minute details to finish, shopping and loading the boat with 4 months worth of supplies. You would think we were going to a third world country for God sakes. I made at least five trips to the boat with full truck loads of food, clothing, parts, extra oil, coolant and booze.  This morning before leaving I had the fire suppression system checked and recertified, stored what I thought was the final truck load of stuff before going home to pick up Chris.. Well she had a another truck load of stuff waiting to load up.  Have no idea where I stored most of the stuff so we will spend the next month searching for things we know we brought along.
Things we did in preparation for this trip:
hauled the boat in September, new bottom paint and repaired 8 years of dings and scratches on the hull.
Replaced all zincs, filters and fluids,
Cleaned the fuel tanks and polished the fuel
Replaced the refrigerator
Replaced the freezer
Cleaned the rugs
Replaced the Mattress on the bed
Replaced a starting Battery
Added another 12 volt freezer unit
Stripped and repainted No Debt
Replaced the motor on No Debt
Put a new fuel tank in No Debt
Got my Captains license (100 ton Master)

It's better not to know what that all cost.

less than a week

So were getting close to shoving off for the third time, Cruising to Alaska on Miner's Debt.
We have repaired the hull damage from 8 years of wear and tear, painted the bottom, cleaned the fuel tanks, changed filters, replaced the refrigerator and freezer and cleaned it of it's winter grime, repainted No Debt the fishing boat and replaced the motor and had the inflatable repaired.  I have made multiple trips to load supplies and food, top off the fuel and check out all systems and were almost there.  We will head north with River to visit my folks in Friday Harbor.  I teach a SAR class for San Juan County Sat and Sunday next week.  Becky and Chloe will join us by ferryboat to see the folks then head home with River.  We join the rest of the flotilla heading north on Monday the 2nd.  We should take about three weeks to reach Ketchikan.  Hoping for blue sky and fair winds and abundant fish, shrimp and crab. 

Getting ready for the third time

Were getting ready for our third trip north to Alaska.  This time were going with 6 other boats, of course Glen and Liz again on Magic Moment and with my wifes brother and his wife on Nelsea.  I have been getting the Miners Debt ready as well as both small boats.  The dinghy was in for warranty work and just got it back yesterday.  The fishing boat, No Debt got a new paint job and motor.  Launch it today to make sure all is working.  Need to replace refrigerator, freezer and bed mattress before we go.  then load up with provisions clothing and all the crabbing and fishing gear. 
Not much time and still lots to do.