september adventure: sucia
Date: September 14, 2020
Time Start: 9:25 a.m.
Time Finish: 3 p.m.
Cruise From: Watmough Bay, Lopez Island
Cruise To: Fossil Bay, Sucia Island
Engine Hours Start: 1223
Engine Hours Finish: 1229
Weather/sea conditions: Haze of fog and smoke, calm, mid 50's, and some rain
It's another repeat of the smoke filled skies, and a heavy mist limits visibility as the effects of the fires continue. The west coast is suffering! With a pretty full holding tank, we decide to head to Friday Harbor. These are our final views of Watmough Bay and Boulder Island. Imagine the blue skies and views we would have without the smoke!
Time Start: 9:25 a.m.
Time Finish: 3 p.m.
Cruise From: Watmough Bay, Lopez Island
Cruise To: Fossil Bay, Sucia Island
Engine Hours Start: 1223
Engine Hours Finish: 1229
Weather/sea conditions: Haze of fog and smoke, calm, mid 50's, and some rain
It's another repeat of the smoke filled skies, and a heavy mist limits visibility as the effects of the fires continue. The west coast is suffering! With a pretty full holding tank, we decide to head to Friday Harbor. These are our final views of Watmough Bay and Boulder Island. Imagine the blue skies and views we would have without the smoke!
We round the southern end of Lopez, passing small islets and headlands that would be wonderful to see on a better day. Today, they are shadows.
In San Juan Channel between Lopez and San Juan Island there are several small rock islets that are habitat for birds and marine mammals. We slow along Whale Rocks for a look. Cormorants and gulls seem to get along just fine with a whole lot of enormous sea lions.
Cormorants swim on the tide rips created by the islet. We assume they are feeding on nutrients brought to the surface by the turbulence.
With the thick skies, we are happy to have radar on our Ranger Tug. It is needed today. Luckily, boat traffic hardly exists. The captain is using all of his electronics to keep tabs on what might be out there, and we are sending our route signals to our family!
Friday Harbor is one bustling place. We decide it isn't where we want to be and quickly take care of our tasks.
We continue to Sucia and happily find a comfortable spot on the dock in Fossil Bay. This is more our style! And rain begins to fall. We hope it will clear some of the smoke out of the air.
Date: September 15, 2020
Fossil Bay, Sucia, layover day
Weather: Warmer and humid with some sun shining through the haze!
Fossil Bay, Sucia, layover day
Weather: Warmer and humid with some sun shining through the haze!
We almost feel like celebrating! We have a glimpse of sun breaking through this morning. The gulls seem to be excited, too, flying excitedly under that strange yellow object in the sky.
Dan has an office meeting to attend via cell phone, so I take advantage of time for a solo morning walk. It is so nice to have some sun, even though it is mixed with hazy periods. There are a few tent campers in Fossil Bay, and some have arrived by kayak. Along my route I enjoy signs of fall. A leaf with a face torn in it reminds me of walking trails in Conover Cove in the Canadian Gulf Islands, where someone used similar leaves as trail markers. And of course it isn't Sucia without a visit to the iconic mushroom rock, a sandstone formation that has been eroded by wind and water over the years. Eroded sandstone as well as colorful madrona trees with their peeling bark are hallmarks of this beautiful island.
A couple of boat tasks: 1. Refill the fresh water tank. We didn't do it at Friday Harbor yesterday because it was so busy there. We carry two spare seven gallon jugs (from REI) that fit perfectly under the V-berth. They also fit nicely on the side of the boat for filling the tank. 2. We have Luci lanterns for some fun and colorful night lighting and also a string of clear lights that need solar charging. Onto the deck they go, along with our solar shower that is a backup to the boat shower and handy for rinsing off on days when we an actually go for a swim. So far no swims on this cruise!
Dan is ready for some "off the boat" time, too. For the first time on this cruise, the kayak gets inflated, and off he goes to enjoy the shoreline views of Fossil Bay. The sculpted sandstone always amazes us.
The temperature reaches a balmy 67 degrees today. Salmon fillets get pulled from the freezer for cooking on the grill. Greek salads complete the meal. Unfortunately, there is too much smoke in the air to make dining in the cockpit inviting. We dine inside. And evening brings rain once again.
Date: September 16, 2020
Fossil Bay and Ewing Cove, Sucia, layover day
Weather: Smoke and haze, N.W. winds
Our day begins in Fossil Bay with a walk under hazy skies. Even on this socked in day, there is a quiet kind of beauty as we take in views from the bluff and then explore the beach.
Date: September 16, 2020
Fossil Bay and Ewing Cove, Sucia, layover day
Weather: Smoke and haze, N.W. winds
Our day begins in Fossil Bay with a walk under hazy skies. Even on this socked in day, there is a quiet kind of beauty as we take in views from the bluff and then explore the beach.
Ready for a change of scenery and a look at a different part of Sucia, we leave the Fossil Bay dock and find a mooring buoy in Ewing Cove. With N.W. winds blowing, we have a major exercise in grabbing that buoy! What is the saying, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again! Well, we d0, and finally have success!
Ewing Cove is a super spot to view the eroded sandstone shorelines of Sucia. Sadly, the smokey skies continue to be heavy, and the sun is but a small red spot in the sky today.
Ewing Cove is a super spot to view the eroded sandstone shorelines of Sucia. Sadly, the smokey skies continue to be heavy, and the sun is but a small red spot in the sky today.