forty days: sucia
Date: June 22, 2022
Time Start: 10:25 a.m.
Time Finish: 2:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Watmough Bay, Lopez Island
Cruise To: Fossil Bay, Sucia
Engine Hours Start: 1396
Engine Hours Finish: 1401
Weather/sea conditions: Beautiful day, sun, S.W. winds to 15 knots at Lopez, calm afternoon, upper 60's
Good morning, sunshine! The wind continues to whistle over the boat as we have breakfast (fresh strawberry, yogurt and granola parfaits, toasted English muffins, coffee), and the boat rocks non-stop. We watch as three eagles soar over us and the nearby trees, a stunning sight against the blue sky. We're leaving this behind to cruise to our next destination, Sucia.
Time Start: 10:25 a.m.
Time Finish: 2:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Watmough Bay, Lopez Island
Cruise To: Fossil Bay, Sucia
Engine Hours Start: 1396
Engine Hours Finish: 1401
Weather/sea conditions: Beautiful day, sun, S.W. winds to 15 knots at Lopez, calm afternoon, upper 60's
Good morning, sunshine! The wind continues to whistle over the boat as we have breakfast (fresh strawberry, yogurt and granola parfaits, toasted English muffins, coffee), and the boat rocks non-stop. We watch as three eagles soar over us and the nearby trees, a stunning sight against the blue sky. We're leaving this behind to cruise to our next destination, Sucia.
We cruise up the east side of Lopez, beautiful! Lopez Pass, Center Island, Decatur, etc. The cruise is absolutely scenic!
We pass Jones Island, noting that the dock and all buoys are full. What will we find at Sucia? On we go, let's find out! More nice cruising, also the need to continue looking out for drift logs, and then we are on the dock in Fossil Bay. Now that was easy! Plenty of space!
Leg stretching time, and the mushroom rocks are beckoning. Love the eroded sandstone of these formations! If there is an icon for Sucia, the mushroom rocks are near the top of our list.
Fucus algae lines the edge of the water. It is full of motion.
We do a double take when we see a new boat moored on the dock just in front of us. It's a Ranger Tug 43, the first time we have seen one while cruising, and is just four months off of the assembly line. Unlike most Ranger Tugs, it is all white. We meet the family aboard, from Bellingham, boat is named "Ahava". They are in the shake down, learning phase of using the boat, and like us, are coping with how to use their battery power. Boat challenges are universal!
The summer evening is wonderful with long daylight hours and plenty of time to enjoy the water in Fossil Bay.
Date: June 23, 2022
Sucia layover day in Fossil Bay
Weather: Sunny, nice breeze, low 60's
We take advantage of being on the dock at Sucia to do a deep cleaning under the overhead hatches of NORTH STAR. Even when closed, they manage to collect plenty of grime and grow a layer of green. Now they are ready to look good when we open them on summer days. Chores done, it's time to walk. First stop is the inner and original dock of Fossil Bay and then along the trail toward Echo Bay, dipping into the marshy area where park facilities are located.
Sucia layover day in Fossil Bay
Weather: Sunny, nice breeze, low 60's
We take advantage of being on the dock at Sucia to do a deep cleaning under the overhead hatches of NORTH STAR. Even when closed, they manage to collect plenty of grime and grow a layer of green. Now they are ready to look good when we open them on summer days. Chores done, it's time to walk. First stop is the inner and original dock of Fossil Bay and then along the trail toward Echo Bay, dipping into the marshy area where park facilities are located.
Uphill and downhill through the forest, and then we are on the beach of Echo Bay with views toward the Cascade Mountains and Mt. Baker.
It's a short walk from Echo Bay across the island to the south end of Shallow Bay. The trail takes us high above the water as we follow the shoreline toward Fox Cove and then along the road back to the dock in Fossil Bay. There are some steep spots!
What's for dinner? Grilled salmon, Greek salads, pumpkin bread. And tonight, the stars are out, nice and bright.
Date: June 24, 2022
Sucia layover day in Fossil Bay
Weather: Sun!
The captain has a bit of real work to do this morning while I enjoy a leisurely walk to Fox Cove (mushroom rocks!) and up the bluff with views of the outer beaches below Ev Henry Point. The tide is low, a couple of boats are grounded. The park workers are here, as they are every day. They do a great job of maintaining this beautiful island. Yesterday, all of the outhouses got pressure washed. Today, it looks like grass is on their agenda. For me, it's a relaxing morning.
Sucia layover day in Fossil Bay
Weather: Sun!
The captain has a bit of real work to do this morning while I enjoy a leisurely walk to Fox Cove (mushroom rocks!) and up the bluff with views of the outer beaches below Ev Henry Point. The tide is low, a couple of boats are grounded. The park workers are here, as they are every day. They do a great job of maintaining this beautiful island. Yesterday, all of the outhouses got pressure washed. Today, it looks like grass is on their agenda. For me, it's a relaxing morning.
Life is bustling back on he dock. The usual changes in the neighborhood have happened, with boats leaving and others arriving. And, water taxis bring in groups of people, some visiting for just a few hours, and others toting lots of gear ashore for camping.
We're ready for a dinghy ride to check out the shorelines of Fossil Bay. We especially enjoy the kelp beds growing beneath Ev Henry Point.
It's the rock formations on the east side of Fossil Bay that catch our interest. From sculpted sandstone to uplifting and tilting of rocks to large fissures and cracks, there is a lot to take in and wonder about.
Evening is perfect for a walk. The campgrounds are full on this Friday night!
Date: June 25, 2022
Sucia layover day in Echo Bay
Weather: Sunny, N.E. wind, mid 70's
It's the end of our three day limit to stay on the dock of Fossil Bay. We take the short cruise around the bend to Echo Bay for a different view of Sucia. It's another perfect day, although windy, and we drop our anchor with plenty of rode out as all of the buoys and line ties are full on this first weekend of summer. We swing on our anchor with every gust of wind, and it is blustery. The captain decides to pull the anchor and move NORTH STAR closer to shore for more protection from the wind. YES! Good move! Lunchtime.
Sucia layover day in Echo Bay
Weather: Sunny, N.E. wind, mid 70's
It's the end of our three day limit to stay on the dock of Fossil Bay. We take the short cruise around the bend to Echo Bay for a different view of Sucia. It's another perfect day, although windy, and we drop our anchor with plenty of rode out as all of the buoys and line ties are full on this first weekend of summer. We swing on our anchor with every gust of wind, and it is blustery. The captain decides to pull the anchor and move NORTH STAR closer to shore for more protection from the wind. YES! Good move! Lunchtime.
And then shore time. We once again cross from Echo Bay to the north end of Shallow Bay, hiking along a high cliff that ends at the China caves.
The Shallow Bay beach is busy with people sunbathing, picnicking, swimming, tossing frisbees, etc. The Waikiki of Sucia!
We take the easier walk back to Echo Bay, along a road. With the warmest day of summer so far, Dan inflates our kayak and tries it out. Yes, it still floats. We ease into a lovely evening and night. Boat masts are lit across the bay, and stars are out.
Note: in spite of plenty of sunshine to charge the solar panel, we have had to shut down the fridge and small freezer at night, three nights in a row now. We have never experienced this loss of power before. Not good! A problem we need to solve.
Return to Boat Days Index
Continue to Next Entry
Return to Boat Days Index
Continue to Next Entry