september cruise: san juans
Date: September 9, 2015
Time Start: 11:15 a.m.
Time Finish: 2:50 p.m.
Cruise From: Cap Sante Marina, Anacortes
Cruise To: Rosario Resort, Orcas Island
Engine Hours Start: 307
Engine Hours Finish: 310
Weather/sea conditons: Light morning fog, the sunny blue skies, calm, low 70's, gorgeous day
We can hear the fog horn blowing on Guemes Channel as fog drifts by us this morning. Otherwise, we have sunny blue skies and it should be a lovely day. Dan takes his bike to the store while I walk in the marina, enjoying the action of the fishing boats today (cleaning nets seems to be the chore of the day!), the flowers, the fog rolling by in drifts. I see "Cascadia" on the docks and stop by, but Anne is not around
Time Start: 11:15 a.m.
Time Finish: 2:50 p.m.
Cruise From: Cap Sante Marina, Anacortes
Cruise To: Rosario Resort, Orcas Island
Engine Hours Start: 307
Engine Hours Finish: 310
Weather/sea conditons: Light morning fog, the sunny blue skies, calm, low 70's, gorgeous day
We can hear the fog horn blowing on Guemes Channel as fog drifts by us this morning. Otherwise, we have sunny blue skies and it should be a lovely day. Dan takes his bike to the store while I walk in the marina, enjoying the action of the fishing boats today (cleaning nets seems to be the chore of the day!), the flowers, the fog rolling by in drifts. I see "Cascadia" on the docks and stop by, but Anne is not around
There is still a bit of fog as we leave Cap Sante and head toward Guemes. Refinery ships rise out of the fog.
The rock face on the S.E. point of Guemes Island is a nesting site for cormorants. We follow along the side of the cliffs as we head toward the north end of the island. What a scenic area! Right beside the cliff face the water is over a hundred feet deep and quite clear today.
It's a gorgeous day for cruising, with inviting islands and waters surrounding us. How about your very own islet? What a dream! The water sparkles, the skies are clear, we have great visibility, the air is so fresh.
We pass Leiberhaven Resort on Orcas, stirring up memories of a great family time we had there a year ago with all of our kids and grandkids. Birds, lots of gulls, are gathered on floats of kelp. Offshore rocks attract them, too, along with cormorants.
And we arrive at Rosario! Kelda and kids greet us and help us dock. We are right next to the grounds of the beautiful Moran estate. Kelda and kids are in a nearby condo (which happens to be luxurious, fitting for this place!).
The kids have their bikes with them. The volleyball court gets tested as well as the pool. We have dinner. And then, the shuffleboard court gets discovered. The game gets played in a whole new way!
What will we all do tomorrow??
Date: September 10, 2015
Time Start: 10:45 a.m
Time Finish: 4:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Rosario Resort
Engine Hours Start: 310
Engine Hours Finish: 313
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny! Breezy and low 70's.
It looks like we have a super day ahead! The family loads for a cruise to nearby Lopez Island and Spencer Spit. A picnic is packed. The kids all take boat handling lessons with Grandpa as we cruise along.
Date: September 10, 2015
Time Start: 10:45 a.m
Time Finish: 4:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Rosario Resort
Engine Hours Start: 310
Engine Hours Finish: 313
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny! Breezy and low 70's.
It looks like we have a super day ahead! The family loads for a cruise to nearby Lopez Island and Spencer Spit. A picnic is packed. The kids all take boat handling lessons with Grandpa as we cruise along.
With Connor's help, we tie up to a buoy off Spencer Spit, and he takes us all to shore in the dinghy. Everyone is already hungry, so lunch is first!
We have lots of time to explore the spit, build forts, relax.
Connor has the helm for the return to Rosario! A good north wind is blowing. We manage to find a few seals along the way. We get back to Rosario in time for afternoon swims in the pool.
And then a surprise! Our friends Marcus and Jorge are on the dock! We are so happy to see them, they are old "tugnut" friends who have moved on to other boats. Now they are aboard their beautiful new red Beneteau, and we enjoy a visit with them on their fly bridge. We like the view from up high, looking down on our boat in the marina! Their new boat is "Relativity".
Dinner is at the Cascade Bay Grill right beside the marina. Food is great! And again the kids head to the shuffleboard court. They love their version of the game!
Date: September 11, 2015
Rosario Resort
Weather: Sunny, warm, breezes all day
We are spending the day on shore with leisure time for beach combing, bike riding, etc. We pile in the SUV and head to the nature trail at Obstruction Pass State Park. It takes us down to several campsites above a nice beach. There are two mooring buoys offshore. Annike falls on the trail, but some TLC and then the beach lead to a speedy recovery.
Date: September 11, 2015
Rosario Resort
Weather: Sunny, warm, breezes all day
We are spending the day on shore with leisure time for beach combing, bike riding, etc. We pile in the SUV and head to the nature trail at Obstruction Pass State Park. It takes us down to several campsites above a nice beach. There are two mooring buoys offshore. Annike falls on the trail, but some TLC and then the beach lead to a speedy recovery.
We make a stop in the great little town of Eastsound for sandwiches and the chance to restock groceries in North Star. Then, back at the resort, we attend the afternoon organ concert in the historic Moran mansion. It has been a busy and fun day. We top it off with another dinner at the Cascade Bay Grill. Games continue until dark with this energetic crowd!
Date: September 12, 2015
Time Start: 11:15 a.m.
Time Finish: 2:40 p.m.
Cruise From: Rosario (Orcas Island)
Cruise To: Shallow Bay, Sucia
Engine Hours Start: 313
Engine Hours Finish: 316
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny day, low 70's, breeze, then calm at Sucia
We have a relaxing morning with our family, and then we say goodbye. They are headed home for the start of school. We are continuing our cruise until the end of the month and are headed to Sucia.
Time Start: 11:15 a.m.
Time Finish: 2:40 p.m.
Cruise From: Rosario (Orcas Island)
Cruise To: Shallow Bay, Sucia
Engine Hours Start: 313
Engine Hours Finish: 316
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny day, low 70's, breeze, then calm at Sucia
We have a relaxing morning with our family, and then we say goodbye. They are headed home for the start of school. We are continuing our cruise until the end of the month and are headed to Sucia.
We wave goodbye and head around the south end of Orcas to the west shoreline and on around to the President Channel between Orcas and Waldron, making our way to Sucia.
No complaints about cruising on this gorgeous day! There are hundreds of gulls floating on the rips off of Sucia's Shallow Bay. We tie to the only remaining buoy there. What a lovely spot!
We go ashore and walk the Lawson Bluff trail. It is stunning on this clear day. Feathers in the trail make us wonder what happened. Did an eagle have a meal here? Gulls have left their mark on many of the rocks.
Back on the beach of Shallow Bay, we relax and wade along the tide line, making our way to the China Caves. Fucus and grasses floating in to shore look like works of art.
Another Ranger Tug, "Tug Time", has arrived. We learn it is a charter out of Bellingham. We grill salmon in the cockpit. The sun stays bright and warm until it sets, filling the sky with glorious colors that reflect on the water.
We tuck into the cabin as the temperatures drop. About 20 boats are anchored in Shallow Bay tonight, and the campsites on shore are filled with kayakers. Summer hasn't ended for the boating crowd!
Date: September 13, 2015
Shallow Bay, Sucia
Weather: Scattered clouds, westerly winds, low 70's, calm afternoon with lots of sun
We wake up at 6 a.m. We are rocking and rolling and the dinghy is banging against the hull. Dan gets up to adjust the lines. The predicted westerlies have arrived and we are getting lots of wave activity here in Shallow Bay. All of the other boats are pitching and rolling, too. There is a light scattering of clouds, but it looks to be a good day. By mid morning, we decide to move to a calmer spot in the bay when a buoy becomes available. It makes a big difference!
Date: September 13, 2015
Shallow Bay, Sucia
Weather: Scattered clouds, westerly winds, low 70's, calm afternoon with lots of sun
We wake up at 6 a.m. We are rocking and rolling and the dinghy is banging against the hull. Dan gets up to adjust the lines. The predicted westerlies have arrived and we are getting lots of wave activity here in Shallow Bay. All of the other boats are pitching and rolling, too. There is a light scattering of clouds, but it looks to be a good day. By mid morning, we decide to move to a calmer spot in the bay when a buoy becomes available. It makes a big difference!
A walk on the trails takes us to Echo Bay and then Fossil Bay. We have great views of Mt. Baker from Echo Bay. We pass the facilities for the park rangers. There are new information kiosks at Fossil Bay. Nice job!
Dan once again walks to Lawson Bluff while I enjoy the sounds of the waves and the gulls from our cockpit, soaring up the warmth of the sun.
Late afternoon is gorgeous and peaceful. There are only three boats in the bay and a few kayakers camping on shore. The weekend crowd has left, and the winds have died. We have some dramatic skies tonight.