May Day at Jarrell Cove
Date: May 1, 2016
Time Start: 12:15 p.m.
Time Finish: 2:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown, Olympia
Cruise To: Jarrell Cove Marine State Park, Harstine Island
Engine Hours Start: 372
Engine Hours Finish: 374
Weather/Sea Conditions: Sunny, clear skies, calm, mid 70's, beautiful
May Day! No, this is not a distress call, but it is the first of May and a beautiful day for a cruise. With clear blue skies, a light breeze, and scenic mountains still white with snow, it's another stunning day to be on the waters of South Sound.
NORTH STAR has been cleaned from top to bottom and all systems checked. We are ready for some fun. Others aren't so lucky and are still doing chores in the marina as we head out. We notice a lot more pleasure boats are out today to enjoy the sunshine, and the Olympics really stand out as we cruise. We follow along Cooper Point, pass between Hope and Squaxin Islands, and make our way up the western shore of Harstine Island to Jarrell Cove.
Time Start: 12:15 p.m.
Time Finish: 2:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown, Olympia
Cruise To: Jarrell Cove Marine State Park, Harstine Island
Engine Hours Start: 372
Engine Hours Finish: 374
Weather/Sea Conditions: Sunny, clear skies, calm, mid 70's, beautiful
May Day! No, this is not a distress call, but it is the first of May and a beautiful day for a cruise. With clear blue skies, a light breeze, and scenic mountains still white with snow, it's another stunning day to be on the waters of South Sound.
NORTH STAR has been cleaned from top to bottom and all systems checked. We are ready for some fun. Others aren't so lucky and are still doing chores in the marina as we head out. We notice a lot more pleasure boats are out today to enjoy the sunshine, and the Olympics really stand out as we cruise. We follow along Cooper Point, pass between Hope and Squaxin Islands, and make our way up the western shore of Harstine Island to Jarrell Cove.
We are surprised to find the main dock at Jarrell Cove completely empty! We have our choice of dock space and opt for our favorite spot where we have a view from the cockpit of NORTH STAR looking into a lovely finger of the cove.
Jarrell Cove has a park host. For the month of May it is Bill Arensmeyer. He drops by to check on us and we learn that he is from Steamboat Island, was our state botanist at the time of the eruption of Mount St. Helens, and has put together a guide book to the wildflowers at Mt. St. Helens. As an aside, he often can be found helping out at the curry stand at our Olympia Farmers Market. He is a busy guy, keeping his retirement years full and fulfilling.
The afternoon passes all too quickly, and we are ready to toast this wonderful May Day with happy hour and a picnic dinner (cold chicken, potato salad and watermelon) in the cockpit. Evening is beautiful and calm, the tide has receded, and it is a great time to row and take photos. Swallows fill the air, a heron stalks the shore, and from the trees an osprey swoops down to the cove and makes a splash as it dives for fish.
We linger on the docks in the warm evening air and discover several starfish clinging to the dock pilings, along with a few kelp crabs. We are thrilled to see the starfish, still hoping for recovery from the wasting disease that decimated their populations a year ago.
In the quiet of the evening, Jarrell Cove is filled with life. Twilight lingers before stars fill the clear sky.
Date: May 2, 2016
Time Start: 4:30 p.m.
Time Finish: 7:10 p.m.
Cruise From: Jarrell Cove Marine State Park
Cruise To: Swantown, Olympia
Engine hours start: 375
Engine hours finish: 377
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny day, upper 80's (we record a high of 89!); wind, clouds and water chop building in late afternoon
Morning is peaceful and quiet. The sun is out, skies clear and blue, and birds are singing. An otter swims by, and, as usual, a heron stalks the shoreline.
Date: May 2, 2016
Time Start: 4:30 p.m.
Time Finish: 7:10 p.m.
Cruise From: Jarrell Cove Marine State Park
Cruise To: Swantown, Olympia
Engine hours start: 375
Engine hours finish: 377
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny day, upper 80's (we record a high of 89!); wind, clouds and water chop building in late afternoon
Morning is peaceful and quiet. The sun is out, skies clear and blue, and birds are singing. An otter swims by, and, as usual, a heron stalks the shoreline.
It's my turn for a dinghy row, and it is almost spiritual to be on the glassy, mirrored water. I stop by the bird nest boxes atop old pilings and watch as purple martins enter and leave, but they are too quick for a photo. I, too, am being watched. Otters pop their heads up out of the water to check on me.
Back on the dock, we have tree swallows showing off their beautiful coloration.
And back on NORTH STAR, the resident biologist is experimenting with his new toy. Dan put together an underwater ROV over the winter and is learning how to operate it. He uses a joystick or the laptop to control the ROV, and the laptop screen shows what the camera is viewing. The built in camera can take photos. Guess you could call it an underwater drone!
I take a shore walk and visit with our park hosts, Bill and Cheryl, and get a peek at his new wildflower guide. Then we do a little detail work on NORTH STAR to remove pollen that has made its way into crevises. This has been a heavy pollen year, and it is sticky stuff to remove.
The winds pick up, clouds are starting to build, as is a chop on the water. It is time for us to head for home. Instead of the mountains and calm water dominating our view as they did yesterday, we enjoy the clouds and patterns the winds make on the water.
The winds pick up, clouds are starting to build, as is a chop on the water. It is time for us to head for home. Instead of the mountains and calm water dominating our view as they did yesterday, we enjoy the clouds and patterns the winds make on the water.
As we enter Budd Bay, sailboats are well heeled over, enjoying the strong winds. Cormorants greet us from the channel markers as we near Swantown, and then we are home.
But there is more to come on this spectacular day! We have supper in the cockpit before unloading our gear and giving NORTH STAR a rinse. And then, we have a colorful sunset to enjoy from the marina as the sun drops behind the hills of Olympia.
And then, there is icing on the cake. What is that strange line in the sky? The sun catches a jet stream, turning it florescent. I think we could follow that line to the stars!
And, so, another stellar cruise on NORTH STAR comes to a beautiful end.
Back to BOAT DAYS Index Page
Continue to next entry
Back to BOAT DAYS Index Page
Continue to next entry