september cruise: Stuart island
Date: September 21, 2015
Time Start: 9:50 a.m.
Time Finish: 11:35 a.m.
Cruise From: Sidney, B.C. (Canada)
Cruise To: Reid Harbor, Stuart Island (U.S.A.)
Engine Hours Start: 327
Engine Hours Finish: 329
Weather/sea conditions: Lots of sun and blue skies, calm, great afternoon, 70's
Oh, what a beautiful morning! There is plenty of sunshine with just a few scattered clouds, and it is calm in Port Sidney Marina as we leave to head to U.S. waters. It is a great day for a scenic cruise through the islets across from Sidney. We make our call for customs clearance, and before we know it we are at the park dock in Reid Harbor next to Stuart Island.
Time Start: 9:50 a.m.
Time Finish: 11:35 a.m.
Cruise From: Sidney, B.C. (Canada)
Cruise To: Reid Harbor, Stuart Island (U.S.A.)
Engine Hours Start: 327
Engine Hours Finish: 329
Weather/sea conditions: Lots of sun and blue skies, calm, great afternoon, 70's
Oh, what a beautiful morning! There is plenty of sunshine with just a few scattered clouds, and it is calm in Port Sidney Marina as we leave to head to U.S. waters. It is a great day for a scenic cruise through the islets across from Sidney. We make our call for customs clearance, and before we know it we are at the park dock in Reid Harbor next to Stuart Island.
We have a beautiful Grand Banks next to us from Gig Harbor. She has been owned by the family for over 20 years. The daughter of the owners, her husband, and their five year old son are aboard. We learn the boat was damaged in a marina fire a few years ago. Dan was part of the team making environmental assessments at the marina before repairs and rebuilding were carried out. This boat has been repaired and looks fabulous.
The afternoon is perfect for shore walks. We cross on the short trail to Prevost Harbor where another dock provides park access. We especially enjoy time on the high bluffs where there are good views of Reid Harbor.
The afternoon is perfect for shore walks. We cross on the short trail to Prevost Harbor where another dock provides park access. We especially enjoy time on the high bluffs where there are good views of Reid Harbor.
The friendly ranger arrives to perform a daily test of the water supply. An otter is swimming and fishing along the rocky bluff, and the seagulls are harassing it to no end. They keep playing chicken, landing right in the area where the otter is hanging out, daring the otter to chase them away. Kingfishers can be heard as they dart between the trees. Late afternoon is a good time to row the dinghy and enjoy the beauty of Reid Harbor. The reflections in the water are stunning.
A half moon lights the sky tonight.
Date: September 22, 2015
Reid Harbor, Stuart Island
Weather: Sunny, mid 60's, an absolutely perfect early fall day
It's only in the mid 40's when we wake up, the chilliest morning of the cruise to date. Dan turns on the Webasto heater, and soon the cabin is toasty warm. North Star is covered with dew. The sun is coming up over the bluff and skies are absolutely clear. It is looking like another wonderful day for us. And what a day it turns out to be!
We fix a picnic lunch and load the rucksack, ready to take the park trail to the top of the bluff and then on through the forest to the Stuart Island school. The school is now closed, but parts of it are open as a museum, sharing the history of both the school and of the island. T shirts and postcards are for sale on an honor system. Visitors can take the items they want and then mail in their payment once they get home. We choose a pirate T shirt that Dan can wear to our Rendezvous later this week. No, his isn't purple! The shirts are all sorted by size and by print and kept in a treasure chest!
Date: September 22, 2015
Reid Harbor, Stuart Island
Weather: Sunny, mid 60's, an absolutely perfect early fall day
It's only in the mid 40's when we wake up, the chilliest morning of the cruise to date. Dan turns on the Webasto heater, and soon the cabin is toasty warm. North Star is covered with dew. The sun is coming up over the bluff and skies are absolutely clear. It is looking like another wonderful day for us. And what a day it turns out to be!
We fix a picnic lunch and load the rucksack, ready to take the park trail to the top of the bluff and then on through the forest to the Stuart Island school. The school is now closed, but parts of it are open as a museum, sharing the history of both the school and of the island. T shirts and postcards are for sale on an honor system. Visitors can take the items they want and then mail in their payment once they get home. We choose a pirate T shirt that Dan can wear to our Rendezvous later this week. No, his isn't purple! The shirts are all sorted by size and by print and kept in a treasure chest!
From the school, we pick up the county road, following it to Turn Point Lighthouse. We are meeting others as we walk - a father and his daughter who are on a kayaking excursion and enjoying time together before the daughter heads back to college, two hilarious old sailors from Victoria, and an island resident who leaves for the winter months. There are a few homes along the way, the scenery is rural and fun. We pass the "airport" that is essentially a strip of grass long enough for small planes to land and take off. The school road intersects with the road that goes to Prevost Harbor in one direction and to the lighthouse in the opposite direction.
Arriving at the lighthouse, we chat with a crew of workers who are doing restoration work. Several volunteers are also at the site, bringing in furnishings for restoring the house to its historical state (the lighthouse dates from 1893). We enjoy touring the grounds, and then have our picnic in the most scenic setting, right next to the lighthouse and looking down on swirling beds of kelp. In the distance are the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island in Canada. We have great visibility on this clear day.
We watch as ships make their way past the lighthouse in the waters of Boundary Pass.
And then, spouts! The whales are arriving! Orcas! Lots of them, it takes an hour or more for the pod to pass right in front of us. All eyes are on the water! We take some photos, never sure of where to point the camera. It is easier to just enjoy these magnificent animals. There is a graceful rhythm to their swimming. We can hear them exhale as they break the surface. There are no words to describe the wonder, the awe, of being witness to this spectacle. A whale research vessel is close to the whales, while a few other boats pretty much keep their distance. As the whales leave and head to Canadian waters, several boats are following them.
We take some last looks at the grounds of the lighthouse before heading back on the road. The outhouse is all decked out in 1890's style! We also take time to stop at a few points along the high bluffs to enjoy the views on this spectacular day.
Dan visits the public pier at Prevost Harbor while I go ahead to the school to spend a little more time looking at the historical exhibits. The school dates from 1904, and two of the buildings are original.
By the time we return to North Star, we have walked a good five miles! We savor the late afternoon, visit with the ranger once again, and go for rows as the sun drops. Eagles are soaring overhead. The seagulls are playing their chicken game with the otter. As I drift in the dinghy, an otter all but bumps into me. It suddenly sees me and does a fast disappearance act. There are swirling schools of little purple fish just below the surface, probably good food for both the gulls and the otters. Again, the moon is bright. What an absolutely perfect day this has been!
Date: September 23, 2015
Time Start: Noon
Time Finish: 12:45
Cruise From: Reid Harbor, Stuart Island
Cruise To: Roche Harbor, San Juan Island
Engine Hours Start: 329
Engine Hours Finish: 330
Weather/Sea conditions: Breeze, hazy blue skies
It's the first day of fall! Our dock neighbors for the past couple of days on the Grand Banks leave. They have been fun, and their young son is just adorable. He was so busy fishing and playing on the docks and playing with their golden retriever.
Today we make the short crossing to Roche Harbor, joining up with a whole armada of Ranger Tugs and Cutwater boats for the annual rendezvous. After cleanup and chores on North Star, we are on our way. We can already hear boats checking in on our VHF radio. We feel like royalty as we cruise along the fairway toward our assigned slip. We are getting lots of friendly waves from our fellow Tugnuts on the docks. We are excited and ready for the fun to begin!
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