Friday (yesterday morning) transiting the Ballard Locks and saw the F/V Wizard berthed in Salmon Bay! Monty was onboard! Video of me “Locking thru”:(9) days until the longest day of the year in Seattle! Solstice is soon! Note: Hawaii has (2) longest days.

I used to live on a sailboat an easy rock throw from there. The Northwestern would also be there off season. The Saga and CM used to tie up right across on the north side and the Time Bandit was usually at Fisherman's Warf. It was the first of the boats that I saw because it was hauled out at the same time as our sailboat.

The boats look a lot smaller in person than they do on TV

aftCG wrote:I used to live on a sailboat an easy rock throw from there. The Northwestern would also be there off season. The Saga and CM used to tie up right across on the north side and the Time Bandit was usually at Fisherman's Warf. It was the first of the boats that I saw because it was hauled out at the same time as our sailboat.

The boats look a lot smaller in person than they do on TV

Very interesting! I’m hauling out at Canal Boat Yard for a quick inspection before heading down the coast to Oregon. Did you use CSR, Salmon or Canal yards?

I love the fact that we are in fresh water. Amazing locking through to the ocean!

Eh, you're making me remember stuff from another lifetime. We used to haul every two years for bottom paint and zincs. Most of the time we used Salmon Bay but also CSR (I seem to recall they had more than one location).

Yes, being able to transition from fresh to salt water and back usually kills whatever grows on the hull when you're tied up for long periods of time. In fact where I now live in Steilacoom it is obvious why it became the first town (and library, jail, church etc) in the state. It has a salt water bay with significant fresh water (I hesitate to call it a river) running into it. It would have been possible to bring a wood hull sailing ship into the bay, dam it off and float it in fresh water for a while. And at the lower tides the boat could be beached and hull scraped. No hoists needed (or available since you're on the other side of the world).

I had more fun going through the locks in my 18' kayak than in a 44k lb, 52' single screw sailboat with no thruster. 36' and below would be a breeze.

Getting ready for offshore…

North Seattle is really friendly. It’s like Alaska and BC but, no Grizzly Bears. Seaplanes all day long too. I was welcomed at the Canal yard by an Australian, Hawaiian and a Bulgarian team who treated my little ship with great respect. She is in great shape, the commissioning was done by CSR however. This place has a lot of talent and a very good work ethic. I’m lucky.

That thing looks fast. And yes a steady stream of Beavers starts at about 8:05 every morning. It never got old for me.

The body of water you’re referring to is Salmon Bay, not Salomon. I lived aboard on my old Tollycraft in 3 different marinas there over 5 years.

During that time I was still flying those beavers, (mostly otters actually) it was a great setup.

Thank you for pointing to my misspelling(s)!

Have any of you folks spent the night anchored at Apple Tree Cove? I might need a rest before the Strait of Juan De Fuca.

I noticed Point Wilson gets up to a 7.0kt Ebb on occasion.

We always dropped the hook at Kingston or Pt Townsend before crossing the Straits. And yes Salmon Bay, I didn't catch that before.

aftCG wrote:We always dropped the hook at Kingston or Pt Townsend before crossing the Straits. And yes Salmon Bay, I didn't catch that before.

That’s what my local buddy advised me. Thank you for confirming! I flew my amphibious seaplane here several times and really loved it.

Port Angeles KCLM has a great FBO with courtesy car etc…
2017-JUNE:

After flying an amphibious seaplane several times through the PNW, I’m glad to also have an opportunity to sail the waterways. Good to be North again for the start of Summer! There is snow on Mount Olympus

JUNE-2015
NOTE: Shaker Siphon


TODAY:
NOTE: Fred Myers’s auxiliary fuel can STC

Cruised the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Anchored tonight in Neah Bay

8GCBC wrote:Cruised the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Anchored tonight in Neah Bay

Looks like you overnighted at Protection Island?

hotrod180 wrote:

8GCBC wrote:Cruised the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Anchored tonight in Neah Bay

Looks like you overnighted at Protection Island?

Yes. Nice windward shore on south side of island.

Now:

Helly Hansen makes very nice gear to fish and relax. I finally own a set after many years of wanting (very $$$). But, you only live once, enjoy the ride…



Neah Bay on Fourth of July, 2022. Anchored in 30’ +/- 15’ tide & (2) knots current:

Summer is gone, fall is here. Below, video of me sailing for the first time in the PNW in July…Definitely, a whole new world compared to the South Pacific!

Get your PFD, and clip in the safety harness:

First time on a sailboat exposed to snow, hail and ice (thank God I was in a slip with the diesel heater!).

The proposed delivery of this sailboat to Hawaii has been an adventure worthwhile (still along way to go, but no rush) . So many “cool” experiences on the journey. I missed the weather window and decided to winter on the Oregon coast. I have skis for https://willamettepass.com/ and a nice 4x4.

(20) days until winter solstice

2022.12:21:48:00UTC will be the longest and darkest night of the year! ALOHA!

Violent gale this morning:



Feels similar, today on the coast, to Hurricane Iniki (September 5, 1992) which I rode out in
Keehi Lagoon, Oahu. Luckily, Iniki just swiped us but, unfortunately destroyed the windward side Kauai. My neighbor sank, very sad.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Iniki

Yesterday at Sand Island boat ramp, Mary and I were having some trouble loading our fishing boat on the trailer. During this time DNLR enforcement officers were training on jet skis and one of the instructors walked over and asked if we needed any assistance in a very polite manner. The instructor’s name is Terry Ahue, a founding member of the Da Hui and co-inventor of Jet Ski rescue techniques dating back over 44 years in Makaha.

This would be analogous to Chuck Yeager offering to help me do primary maneuvers for a BFR. I was totally blown away and he helped us get the boat secured. We then talked about the Eddie and how his team rode the massive waves rescuing some of the best big wave watermen on the planet.

Hawaii Water Patrol basically set the standards for near shore rescue worldwide. Being an aviation SAR guy in Hawaii, it was truly an honor to meet Terry and find him so helpful.

Interview and history of Terry Ahue:

Windward Boats completed a re-power in just two days! Being engineless really feels strange when you live in the islands. I feel free again! Windward Boats is awesome.

Time to start provisioning for a Molokai fishing trip…