Jarrell cove overnight cruise
It's time for a Monday escape! The tide is low (-2.6) and seagulls, herons and crows are busily feasting on the exposed shellfish and other marine life on the beaches as we head out from Swantown. Low tide makes it easy to see why we should follow the marked channel going and coming from Swantown, the shorelines are shallow and extend far out into Budd Bay from the Port Peninsula and along the Priest Point Park area.
Today we have clear blue skies except for a fringe of billowing white clouds over the silhouetted Olympics. The water is calm, with just a bit of a ripple. Traffic is light (hardly any!). It is a perfect day for cruising.
We cruise past Boston Harbor, then make our way along the shores of Hope, Squaxin, and Harstine Islands to beautiful Jarrell Cove. The tide is still somewhat low as we tie up to the innermost dock.
Today we have clear blue skies except for a fringe of billowing white clouds over the silhouetted Olympics. The water is calm, with just a bit of a ripple. Traffic is light (hardly any!). It is a perfect day for cruising.
We cruise past Boston Harbor, then make our way along the shores of Hope, Squaxin, and Harstine Islands to beautiful Jarrell Cove. The tide is still somewhat low as we tie up to the innermost dock.
The bird boxes along the dock and on pilings are busy with nesting tree swallows. The clouds add drama as they billow high in the sky, looking almost like thunderheads in spots. The afternoon is warm, mid 70's.
The clouds are all but gone by evening. It is warm enough for dinner in the cockpit and a row in the dinghy. The tide is now high, reaching the base of the trees. An eagle soars overhead, and the sky fills with the tree swallows darting through the air in search of their final meal of the day. The minute the sun drops behind the trees, they are gone.
The breeze picks up, and we move to the warmth of the cabin of NORTH STAR. It has been a stellar day.
Date: May 19, 2015
Time start: 5:00 p.m.
Time finish: 8:25 p.m.
Cruise from: Jarrell Cove Marine State Park
Cruise to: Swantown Marina
Engine hours start: 137
Engine hours finish: 139
Weather: Gray morning, 50's, clearing to 70, breezy with wind waves & choppy water
The day dawns gray. We take time for a leisurely breakfast followed by a walk along the forested trails of Jarrell Cove. We take in the signs of spring as we walk. There is lots of new growth on the plants. Bright green leaves, flowers, even the beginnings of fruits catch our eyes. The forest is green and lush, with ferns and salal growing taller than the two of us, and the tree canopy towers high above our heads.
Date: May 19, 2015
Time start: 5:00 p.m.
Time finish: 8:25 p.m.
Cruise from: Jarrell Cove Marine State Park
Cruise to: Swantown Marina
Engine hours start: 137
Engine hours finish: 139
Weather: Gray morning, 50's, clearing to 70, breezy with wind waves & choppy water
The day dawns gray. We take time for a leisurely breakfast followed by a walk along the forested trails of Jarrell Cove. We take in the signs of spring as we walk. There is lots of new growth on the plants. Bright green leaves, flowers, even the beginnings of fruits catch our eyes. The forest is green and lush, with ferns and salal growing taller than the two of us, and the tree canopy towers high above our heads.
We meet up with the campground host who tells us stories and shares some of the history of Jarrell Cove as we stand in the orchard of what was once a farm. The fruit trees are a favorite of the deer. He shows us his special find, an old bottle that is now part of the root system of one of the trees.
The tides are low and the ramp back to NORTH STAR is steep. It is time for the birds of Jarrell Cove to feast as the muddy shores expose marine life and the shallow waters make it easier to catch fish. The herons wade, a kingfisher hovers and then does a dive bomb to retrieve a fish. The gulls, crows and swallows are busily gathering their meals, too. Even a seal is lazily grazing. At one point, we count seven herons near us.
As I row in the cove, I watch a beautiful female merganser as it preens and rests on one of the mooring buoys.
We may be the only people on the dock, but we are surrounded by life! The sounds of birds fill the air, the clouds have vanished, the sun is warming us, there is a gentle breeze. We linger here through the afternoon.
Dan decides to try to view the zincs on the prop and the thrusters by using his underwater camera attached to a boathook. This doesn't work, he will have to take a swim or hire a diver to do the job, but not today.
Dan decides to try to view the zincs on the prop and the thrusters by using his underwater camera attached to a boathook. This doesn't work, he will have to take a swim or hire a diver to do the job, but not today.
It's time to cruise home. We make a stop at Hope Island for dinner aboard. It is quiet here, too, until a tug and barge pass by on their way to Hammersly Inlet and Shelton.
We pull into Swantown with just enough daylight left for securing NORTH STAR in her slip. How great to have the lingering light we get this time of year! And how great to have a quiet cruise at the beginning of the week. It has been stellar!
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