Port McNeil

We're in Port McNeil today, resumptionly and laundry while Jeff gets a blood draw.
Last night we stayed in double Bay on Hanson Island.  Very nice spot, just a bit exposed to weather and wind.
Lots of fog every morning for the last 5 days.  But sun In the afternoon.
First cast yesterday and I had a pink on but I lost him. Caught another later on but no real action.  Tried various options but nothing biting.  Others are catching big kings and coho but not us.
We will keep trying
Spent two nights anchored behind Bond island, I ran into Done Workin there and talked to Gary and Jan for a while.
We went out exploring in No Debt and watched a half dozen eagles as other fished over a school of herring.  Saw porpoise, seals, visited I an old abandoned First Nations village then went out into Blackfish Sound where a gray whale promptly surfaced 100 feet away.

We made it to Nanaimo on the 6th and breezed thru customs.  met up with Fran and Jeff and then Kenny Spiker and cyndie came in and tied across the dock from us.  they came all the way from Seattle in 12 hours.
We're at Gorge Harbor today a after an uneventful crossing of the Straits go Georgia.  Stayed at Henrey Bay on north end of Denman Is last night. Sunny and warm enough to go swimming.  Fran And Jeff were with us and we took them on a tour of the tide flats and sandy spit.
Love this place.
Limited connectivity up here So no photos to send yet.  Will post a bunch later.
On thru Dent rapids tomorrow and Shoal Bay or Forward Harbor tomorrow. Then were in the Broughtons our destination.  Will meet up with Fran and Jeff again the following day.  They are going via Seymour Narrows and have to be In Port McNeil on the 10th.

Arrived in Friday Harbor on the 4th and got a side tie on the outside of the outer breakwater, the only available spot, a bit exposed to boat waves but a Perfect spot for viewing the fireworks in the bay.
Decided to stay a second night and take dinner to my parents before we head north.  While away from the boat some but head came by leaving a huge wake that really rocked us according to witnesses.  Bad enough that our 17 foot fishing boat No Debt, tied alongside did a couple thousand dollars in damage to the fiberglass on the big boat as it bounced against the side of the big boat.  The fenders that were there got bounced up and into the little boat so they did no good to keep the two boats apart.  Unfortunately no one saw the boat that caused the extreme wave so no recourse for repairs,  looks really bad but nothing that will affect the trip just my attitude.  Cannot believe anyone with any sense would leave a wake like that inside a harbor.idiots.

The voyage begins

July 3, 2014
We came down to the boat last night with another full load of stuff.  That's three trips with full loads of stuff.  Freezer is full, refer not.  Chris is going shopping this morning for fresh vegies and fruit.  I need to wash down the boat one final time and run over and fill the gas cans for the dinghy.
We're floating pretty low, not as bad as the Alaska journey last year.  We were in Juneau Alaska last 4th of July.
We have 5 vessels on the big boat.  2 kayaks, a rowing sailing dinghy, the inflatable RIB and the fishing boat were towing.  Lots of toys, we look like a circus caravan.
We will be in Poulsbo tonight with RHYC for the fireworks display, usually a good show.  Then off to Friday Harbor where I hope we can find a spot to anchor for their fireworks show.  The docks will be full.

8/22 & 23/13

Nanaimo

Got the last slot on the breakwater at Nanaimo YC after an uneventful transit of the Straits of Georgia.  That's Georgia, Queen Charlotte, Johnston and Dixon plus Yuklata, Dent, Green Point, Whirlpool rapids, all behind us without any drama or excitement.  All that is left is Dodd Narrows and Juan De Fuca.  Really an amazing run of great weather and near perfect conditions for crossing some really big and potentially scary waters.  The only issues were fog and with AIS, Radar and GPS Fog is not a huge concern. 

We had dinner last night at the Dinghy Dock Pub with Pete and Linda, our last night together.  They are headed home and were hanging out for a couple more days. 

Chris and Linda walked the town yesterday and I worked on some small projects that I had planned on doing sometime during this trip.  It just took me till now to find the time. 

Weather has been very summerish.  Hot during the day with warm evenings. Fortunately there has been a good breeze to keep it comfortable.  

Should have dropped the crab pot off the NYC dock.  This morning they were pulling decent sized crab up after only 30 minutes of soaking.  Will try it next time were there.

If your not familiar with Nanaimo use caution transiting the channel, there is a well known boat eating reef called Oregon Rock in the center of the channel just west of the NYC docks.  Stay in the marked channel between the green markers and the Island.   They have now put red marker buoys next to the island so it is much easier to identify which side of the green markers you should be on.  (Between the red and Green regardless of the direction of travel.)

We were in the channel southbound with the green on our starboard and had a 30-foot sailboat headed right for us on our side of the channel.  There was no traffic around him that would have prevented him from moving right in the channel so we could pass port to port.  I was just five feet off the day marker and he was giving me no room to move away, I finally had to turn hard left in front of him to avoid clipping the day marker with No Debt which tows wide to the left.  I missed destroying No Debt by just inches then swerved back left to avoid the sailboat, which never varied his course an inch.  I passed him port to port with 10 feet to spare.  I yelled at him as he went by, Nicely, telling him next time to try giving me a little more room, and he looked up and said, Oh, OK!  Like he had not a clue that I was even there or that I had restricted room to maneuver.  Clueless Idiot # 3!

We departed this morning at 1100 to catch slack current at Dodd by 1230.  We were there in plenty of time and swept through on a 3 knot current. 

Will probably stop at Montague Harbor tonight.  Then head in to Friday Harbor on the 24^th.

It’s our 39^th Anniversary today.  

8/24/13

Stopped at Montague Harbor yesterday and dropped anchor since all the mooring buoy's were taken.  Spent a quiet evening reading and exploring the harbor.  

8/25 &26/13

Friday Harbor.  Grabbed a spot on the outer breakwater, no power and a bit exposed to harbor wavers, but secure.  We cleared customs without any issues.  Wandered around town, it never changes.  Mom and dad decided to come in for dinner so we met them at the chinese restaurant and had a pleasant meal with them.  they looked pretty good considering what their health issues. 

Went out to the house and visited for a while on the 26th.  Again nothing changes, they have no interest in coming off island so no point in discussing it.

8/27/13
Crossed straits today on flat calm waters before the forecast 25 to 30 knots winds built.  Began to get windy about an hour out of Port Townsend and took the first spray of water on the fly bridge of the entire trip.  We docked at Ft Flagler for the night and the wind quickly increased to 30 + out of the SE.  It created quite a rough ride for a while with the 2 foot waves hitting us broadside at the dock.  I had to move No Debt to the other side of the dock it was so rough.  We did fine but it blew hard enough that one of the mooring buoys broke loose and floated to the dock.   Worst wind storm of the entire trip.

8/28/13
Uneventful run home today.  110 days, 3130 miles, 16 days of rain and one wind storm.  Not bad.  Good to be home.