forty days: blake island
Date: June 16, 2022
Time Start: 10 a.m.
Time Finish: 3:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Cruise To: Blake Island Marine State Park
Engine Hours Start: 1381
Engine Hours Finish: 1386
Weather/sea conditions: Gray, cool, calm, with some clearing, 60's
We're doing it! A long cruise! We have almost six weeks to spend on the water with no itinerary in mind except to make our way north to the San Juan Islands and cross the border (hooray, hello Canada!) for the first time in a couple of years to visit some of the wonderful Gulf Islands. Let's hope for some summer weather after what has felt like the longest winter ever. NORTH STAR is loaded with our provisions, and we are so ready!
Off we go, cruising out of our marina, the bow pointed in the only direction we can go from Olympia, north! We follow "Four Captains", a 90 foot vessel, into Budd Bay in calm water and under partly cloudy skies. It's a nice day to cruise as the sky reflects on the smooth surface of the water.
Time Start: 10 a.m.
Time Finish: 3:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown Marina, Olympia
Cruise To: Blake Island Marine State Park
Engine Hours Start: 1381
Engine Hours Finish: 1386
Weather/sea conditions: Gray, cool, calm, with some clearing, 60's
We're doing it! A long cruise! We have almost six weeks to spend on the water with no itinerary in mind except to make our way north to the San Juan Islands and cross the border (hooray, hello Canada!) for the first time in a couple of years to visit some of the wonderful Gulf Islands. Let's hope for some summer weather after what has felt like the longest winter ever. NORTH STAR is loaded with our provisions, and we are so ready!
Off we go, cruising out of our marina, the bow pointed in the only direction we can go from Olympia, north! We follow "Four Captains", a 90 foot vessel, into Budd Bay in calm water and under partly cloudy skies. It's a nice day to cruise as the sky reflects on the smooth surface of the water.
A sailboat suddenly changes course and cuts across our bow. And, a lot of debris is floating in the water, including logs. We have had a series of extreme low tides this past week, along with a "super" full moon, the Strawberry Moon of June. As a result, the tides washed tons of material off of the beaches. It's important to be vigilant!
The twin Narrows bridges are now behind us, and Point Defiance is on the horizon. We have left our home waters of South Sound. North we go!
After weaving through a maze of drift logs in Colvos Passage, Captain Dan does a super job of docking at Blake Island. Look at the tight spot he squeezed NORTH STAR into! Three cheers for thrusters, and three cheers for Dan and some helping hands from the dock! One of the helpers is Mike, the dock host for the week, here from Gig Harbor with his wife on their American Tug "Eirinn Rose". Dan gets a well deserved feather in his hat thanks to the local geese!
Tillicum Village is now closed for good, a victim of both the pandemic and aging facilities in need of costly repairs. It is different not to see the Argosy cruise boats arriving and leaving with guests for the salmon dinners and festivities that occurred here for decades.
The afternoon is gorgeous, and it is time to visit the beach.
Dinner is in the cockpit, followed by the usual chats on the docks. We meet a couple from Seattle and as is so often the case we find we have a lot in common. She and I both grew up in the same part of Seattle, have June birthdays, and is my age. They are here for a mini rendezvous of sailboats, so they will move to be with their group tomorrow. Daylight lingers, followed by our first sunset of the cruise. It's been a good day!
Date: June 17, 2022
Blake island layover day
Weather: Gray, cool, windy, mid 50's, rain all afternoon
A 29 ft. Ranger Tug, "Salty Dawg", is docked behind us with the grandfather, his two sons, and their kids aboard for a Father's Day weekend tradition of camping out without the moms along. Fun to see! We have a low tide, a minus 3.3, and head up the steep ramp to the beach to explore. The algae is colorful and rocks covered with algae, barnacles, and anemones are plentiful. Sometimes we see small barnacles attached to larger ones. And prints in the sand tell us who or what has been visiting the beach. Looks like geese, herons,and raccoons like it here. As usual, we take our share of photos.
Blake island layover day
Weather: Gray, cool, windy, mid 50's, rain all afternoon
A 29 ft. Ranger Tug, "Salty Dawg", is docked behind us with the grandfather, his two sons, and their kids aboard for a Father's Day weekend tradition of camping out without the moms along. Fun to see! We have a low tide, a minus 3.3, and head up the steep ramp to the beach to explore. The algae is colorful and rocks covered with algae, barnacles, and anemones are plentiful. Sometimes we see small barnacles attached to larger ones. And prints in the sand tell us who or what has been visiting the beach. Looks like geese, herons,and raccoons like it here. As usual, we take our share of photos.
Across the water is the faint skyline of Seattle. We are so close to a major city here on Blake Island, but enjoying a beach pretty much all to ourselves. Then, the raindrops start falling on our heads. It's time to tuck into NORTH STAR for a wet afternoon. Luckily for us, we moved the boat to a spot with power this morning. We aren't getting enough solar power to do the job of keeping our fridge and small freezer both running on this dark day.
As the rain continues to fall, a large sailboat arrives and docks next to us carrying a crowd of people. As everyone emerges from the boat, we realize that this is a wedding party. Our hearts go out to them! We can't imagine how they must feel, having hoped for a summer day for an outdoor wedding on Blake Island. Everything needed for the occasion gets unloaded and toted to shore. Many aren't dressed for rain.
The good news is that they have one of the park shelters with a large fire pit and several picnic tables reserved. And, best of all, the rain stops in time for an outdoor ceremony. Whew!
Meanwhile, we take an evening walk along one of the island paths, and take time to look at the empty Tillicum Village building.
Meanwhile, we take an evening walk along one of the island paths, and take time to look at the empty Tillicum Village building.
|
|
|
|
The day isn't over! Cub scouts arrive along with their dads for a camp out. Everything they need, including plenty of firewood, is unloaded on our dock. They have a ways to go hauling their gear to the group camping site. Some items get left untended, and the dock raccoons quickly make an appearance, ready to check out what kinds of yummy food might be there for them. Pesky critters!
It's time for us to tuck in for the evening and enjoy our portable heater. We're glad we aren't camping!
Date: June 18, 2022
Blake Island layover day
Weather: Cool, cloudy, windy, low 60's, minus 2.4 tide, evening shower
It's a mellow Saturday at Blake Island as we take our usual walks on the trails and beach. And we meet a couple of dogs with character. What hairstyles they have! They are Parti Poodles, purebreds, French dogs, guard dogs. One recently attacked a deer and would have taken it down if the owners hadn't intervened...
Date: June 18, 2022
Blake Island layover day
Weather: Cool, cloudy, windy, low 60's, minus 2.4 tide, evening shower
It's a mellow Saturday at Blake Island as we take our usual walks on the trails and beach. And we meet a couple of dogs with character. What hairstyles they have! They are Parti Poodles, purebreds, French dogs, guard dogs. One recently attacked a deer and would have taken it down if the owners hadn't intervened...
|
|
We also take more time to explore the exterior of the buildings of Tillicum Village. We have never been to the back of the longhouse before. It is huge! In addition to the longhouse, there is a big outdoor space behind it enclosed by a fence. There is plenty of room here for large groups or audiences to gather. It is sad to see it all deteriorating. Hopefully someone will step forward to repair and reopen this historic facility.
|
|
