penrose point state park
Date: May 31, 2019
Time Start: 4:30 p.m.
Time Finish: 7:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown, Olympia
Cruise To: Penrose Point State Park
Engine Hours Start: 960
Engine Hours Finish: 963
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny, upper 70's, light breeze
It's Friday afternoon, and conditions are perfect for a cruise. We are on our way for two nights at Penrose Point, one of our wonderful South Sound destinations. We usually see very little boat traffic in Budd Bay, so it is a surprise to have first a barge loaded with logs and then two commercial tugs waiting just off of Gull Harbor. It doesn't take long to discover the reason for the tugs. A log carrier, Naruto Strait, rounds the bend at Boston Harbor, heading for the docks of the Port of Olympia to pick up a load of prime Pacific Northwest timber. The tugs will escort the ship.
Time Start: 4:30 p.m.
Time Finish: 7:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown, Olympia
Cruise To: Penrose Point State Park
Engine Hours Start: 960
Engine Hours Finish: 963
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny, upper 70's, light breeze
It's Friday afternoon, and conditions are perfect for a cruise. We are on our way for two nights at Penrose Point, one of our wonderful South Sound destinations. We usually see very little boat traffic in Budd Bay, so it is a surprise to have first a barge loaded with logs and then two commercial tugs waiting just off of Gull Harbor. It doesn't take long to discover the reason for the tugs. A log carrier, Naruto Strait, rounds the bend at Boston Harbor, heading for the docks of the Port of Olympia to pick up a load of prime Pacific Northwest timber. The tugs will escort the ship.
A couple of seals frolic near us as we slow to let the traffic pass by.
The water couldn't be more beautiful as we pass McNeil Island and tiny Pitt Island, our wake creating artful swirls on the glassy water.
And there it is, Penrose Point. We round the point into Mayo Cove and let NORTH STAR drift to a buoy for an easy mooring. Mt. Rainier faintly shows in the distance. We have a neighbor, a Cutwater, on another buoy. Our dinghy gets dropped, and we are ready to enjoy the evening.
Date: June 1, 2019
Layover day at Penrose Point
Weather: Cool breeze in morning, clearing to sunshine and 80 degrees.
Just like in the song, June is busting out all over at Penrose Point today. The low tide exposes a long spit paralleling the shore of Mayo Cove. The Captain makes a visit to the shore facilities. Looks like they are still getting ready for the season and haven't opened the store or cafe yet. And you can bet that one unlucky boater won't be enjoying the water this year.
Layover day at Penrose Point
Weather: Cool breeze in morning, clearing to sunshine and 80 degrees.
Just like in the song, June is busting out all over at Penrose Point today. The low tide exposes a long spit paralleling the shore of Mayo Cove. The Captain makes a visit to the shore facilities. Looks like they are still getting ready for the season and haven't opened the store or cafe yet. And you can bet that one unlucky boater won't be enjoying the water this year.
We relish a mellow day aboard NORTH STAR. Once again, evening time brings calm water and a lovely time for rowing.
Boat sunsets, what more can we say, they are special!
Date: June 2, 2019
Time Start: 3 p.m.
Time Finish: 5 p.m.
Cruise From: Penrose Point
Cruise To: Squaxin Island
Weather/sea conditions: Cooler, 70 degree day, breezy, hazy clouds, choppy afternoon with whitecaps
It's lucky Monday for us, no one has to be at an office today! We wait for the low tide, wanting to explore the spit that becomes exposed once again. (See August 9, 2018 post, Summer! Edmonds, Penrose Point, and Home.) And wouldn't you know it, just like on our last visit, we have a cormorant perching on a nearby buoy. Love these majestic looking birds!
Date: June 2, 2019
Time Start: 3 p.m.
Time Finish: 5 p.m.
Cruise From: Penrose Point
Cruise To: Squaxin Island
Weather/sea conditions: Cooler, 70 degree day, breezy, hazy clouds, choppy afternoon with whitecaps
It's lucky Monday for us, no one has to be at an office today! We wait for the low tide, wanting to explore the spit that becomes exposed once again. (See August 9, 2018 post, Summer! Edmonds, Penrose Point, and Home.) And wouldn't you know it, just like on our last visit, we have a cormorant perching on a nearby buoy. Love these majestic looking birds!
Here we are once again, enjoying what gets exposed at low tide at Penrose Point. We aren't the only ones taking advantage of walking this spit. The green color of the algae is almost electric!
We have a final lunch aboard before leaving. We watch as the tide very quickly hides the spit once again, and we are amazed to see three kids wade and swim the length of the spit. That water is beyond cold! BRR!
Mt. Rainier looks hazily at us from afar as we retrace our path south, once again cutting between little Pitt Island and McNeil Island. The winds are increasing, as is the chop on the water, and we soon have salt spray over the bow of NORTH STAR. What a change from our quiet waters of three days ago!
Mt. Rainier looks hazily at us from afar as we retrace our path south, once again cutting between little Pitt Island and McNeil Island. The winds are increasing, as is the chop on the water, and we soon have salt spray over the bow of NORTH STAR. What a change from our quiet waters of three days ago!
So often we spy sea lions resting on a buoy, and the one near Anderson Island is no exception. These marine mammals just love to relax and sun themselves on these rocking markers. A telephoto lens comes in handy to try and capture them from a distance. It is a challenge, with the boat and the buoy and the sea lions all in motion!
Our anchor gets dropped alongside Squaxin Island for one more night aboard. We like a spot near the former state park. The island is now totally tribal, so going ashore is no longer an option. We swing peacefully on our anchor rode, the only ones here for the night.
Date: June 3, 2019
Time Start: 11:50 a.m.
Time Finish: 1:45 p.m.
Engine Hours Start: 966
Engine Hours Finish: 967
Weather/sea conditions: Partly cloudy, cooler, breezes
Morning is quiet except for the arrival of tribal boats ferrying workers to shore to tend to shellfish beds at low tide. We are in no hurry, taking our time (boating does that to us!) before raising the anchor for the last leg home to Swantown. The cruise is short, but we still make a stop along the way to drift and soak up our surroundings while we have our lunch.
As we near Olympia's forested Priest Point Park, our mouths drop at the sight of a mega yacht at anchor. It is the Triton, a 165 foot long vessel, too large for any of the docks in Olympia! We have never seen pleasure craft of this size visit our town, other than the special visitors such as the Virginia V for our Harbor Days celebration.
Date: June 3, 2019
Time Start: 11:50 a.m.
Time Finish: 1:45 p.m.
Engine Hours Start: 966
Engine Hours Finish: 967
Weather/sea conditions: Partly cloudy, cooler, breezes
Morning is quiet except for the arrival of tribal boats ferrying workers to shore to tend to shellfish beds at low tide. We are in no hurry, taking our time (boating does that to us!) before raising the anchor for the last leg home to Swantown. The cruise is short, but we still make a stop along the way to drift and soak up our surroundings while we have our lunch.
As we near Olympia's forested Priest Point Park, our mouths drop at the sight of a mega yacht at anchor. It is the Triton, a 165 foot long vessel, too large for any of the docks in Olympia! We have never seen pleasure craft of this size visit our town, other than the special visitors such as the Virginia V for our Harbor Days celebration.
And here is our lovely yacht, safely returned to her slip at Swantown. It's been a mellow mini cruise on our mini yacht, NORTH STAR. At just 27 feet long, she continues to meet all of our cruising needs and gives us countless hours of pleasure.