ten weeks: back in puget sound
Date: August 2, 2016
Time Start: 10 a.m. Time Finish: 2:30 p.m. Cruise From: Coupeville, Whidbey Island Cruise To: Edmonds Marina Engine Hours Start: 534 Engine Hours Finish: 538 Weather/sea conditions: Gray morning, sunny afternoon with breeze, low 60's. It's family day! We are heading to Edmonds where our daughter, Kelda, and two of our grandkids are going to meet us. We are so excited to see them and catch up on summer stories! Leaving the wharf at Coupeville, we note that there is less than a foot of free water under the boat. The tide is still receding, and we will be grounded if we stay any longer! We'll need to remember this about the Coupeville Wharf - be aware of the low tides here. Cool jazz music filled our breakfast hour, now we have the Beach Boys serenading us as we cruise along the shores of Whidbey Island. The water is smooth in Saratoga Passage, but the current slows us. We need to rev up our RPM's to compensate, as we have covered only ten miles in the last hour and a half. Slow going! We continue to have smooth water as we cross from Whidbey to Edmonds. And, the skies have turned blue, with great billowing clouds. |
With the fuel tank filled, holding tank pumped, and NORTH STAR moored on the dock, we have time for a walk. In the park adjoining the marina, we get our first exposure to the summertime craze of "Pokemon Go". The park is filled with people glued to their cell phones, following the clues of the game. A bit crazy! There is a pretty crazy sailboat in the marina, too . . .
And then our kids arrive . . . time for hugs and fun!
We're glowing, and the sunset is on fire!
Date: August 3, 2016
Time Start: 10:30 a.m.
Time Finish: 5:45 p.m.
Cruise From: Edmonds Marina
Cruise To: Penrose Point
Engine Hours Start: 538
Engine Hours Finish: 545
Weather/sea conditions: Cool, gray morning, clearing to sunny skies and mid 70's.
This is the home stretch! We expect to make it into the familiar waters of South Sound today. Again we have smooth water as we leave Edmonds and make our way toward Seattle, where we follow the shoreline of the city. Visiting military ships are along the waterfront for the annual Seafair celebration.
Time Start: 10:30 a.m.
Time Finish: 5:45 p.m.
Cruise From: Edmonds Marina
Cruise To: Penrose Point
Engine Hours Start: 538
Engine Hours Finish: 545
Weather/sea conditions: Cool, gray morning, clearing to sunny skies and mid 70's.
This is the home stretch! We expect to make it into the familiar waters of South Sound today. Again we have smooth water as we leave Edmonds and make our way toward Seattle, where we follow the shoreline of the city. Visiting military ships are along the waterfront for the annual Seafair celebration.
We cross Elliott Bay to West Seattle (where i grew up!) and follow along Alki Beach. All of the condos are new since I lived here. The Alki lighthouse still looks the same.
The wakes from ferries and ships create our only rough water today. Making our way into Colvos Passage along Vashon Island, we see a pod of dolphins. They are so elusive, we get just glimpses of their bodies as they arch out of the water, dark and glistening in the sun, before they are gone. And then, there it is, the landmark of our home waters, Mt. Rainier, barely visible in the haze.
Tacoma and Point Defiance are on our port side, and then the Narrows and bridges lie ahead of us. A five knot flood carries us through. The water looks flat, but is full of swirls.
More dolphins arch as we pass between Fox and McNeil Islands, giving us fleeting glimpses, and then they are gone. We are able to latch onto a buoy at Penrose Point, and it is swim time in 68 degree water. What a setting for a swim! Clear calm water, blue skies, and Mt. Rainier!
We warm up with solar showers and have great surroundings for ending another beautiful day.
Date: August 4, 2016
Time Start: 1:00 p.m.
Time Finish: 4:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Penrose Point
Cruise To: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Engine Hours Start: 545
Engine Hours Finish: 549
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny skies with haze, warm, breeze, low 80's
It's our final day of this summer cruise! These are our final hours on the water. Nine weeks and four days of adventures on NORTH STAR are all coming to an end on a lovely summer day.
Aside from two apparently abandoned sailboats, we are alone on the buoys at Penrose Point. Mt. Rainier is obscured by the morning haze. A breeze is rippling the water, and the tide is receding. We'll linger here for a few hours before making the final leg of the cruise into Olympia.
Heading to shore, we check out the abandoned sailboats before walking the forested trail to the main beach area of the park. A large group of day campers are using the park today, a day that is perfect for exploring the beach at low tide.
Time Start: 1:00 p.m.
Time Finish: 4:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Penrose Point
Cruise To: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Engine Hours Start: 545
Engine Hours Finish: 549
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny skies with haze, warm, breeze, low 80's
It's our final day of this summer cruise! These are our final hours on the water. Nine weeks and four days of adventures on NORTH STAR are all coming to an end on a lovely summer day.
Aside from two apparently abandoned sailboats, we are alone on the buoys at Penrose Point. Mt. Rainier is obscured by the morning haze. A breeze is rippling the water, and the tide is receding. We'll linger here for a few hours before making the final leg of the cruise into Olympia.
Heading to shore, we check out the abandoned sailboats before walking the forested trail to the main beach area of the park. A large group of day campers are using the park today, a day that is perfect for exploring the beach at low tide.
We return to NORTH STAR for final swims. Kelda calls to share the wonderful news that Connor is Seattle Aquarium's Youth Ocean Advocate of the Year! The honor is well deserved, and we are so proud of him!
We have glassy water to skate across as we leave Penrose Point. A surprising sight is a coyote on the beach of McNeil Island. We watch as it chases after foraging herons!
We have glassy water to skate across as we leave Penrose Point. A surprising sight is a coyote on the beach of McNeil Island. We watch as it chases after foraging herons!
Before we know it, we are back in Budd Bay, surrounded by the sights of Olympia, and pulling into our slip at Swantown.
And so it ends, a most stellar and memorable cruise on NORTH STAR. It's time to start the cleanup process to make her ready for our next adventure!