september: langley and kingston
Date: September 25, 2017
Time Start: 11:15 a.m.
Time Finish: 5 p.m.
Cruise From: Cap Sante, Anacortes
Cruise To: Langley, Whidbey Island
Engine Hours Start: 719
Engine Hours Finish: 725
Weather/sea conditions: Showers in morning, calm, partly cloudy p.m., 60's
A morning rain shower, a walk to Safeway for lattes and produce, a full water tank, and we are ready to continue our leisurely cruise toward home. It is a photogenic morning on the Cap Sante docks, the commercial boats looking so much more interesting than the pleasure boats. On one of the docks, the gulls have left sea urchin tests behind from their foraging.
Time Start: 11:15 a.m.
Time Finish: 5 p.m.
Cruise From: Cap Sante, Anacortes
Cruise To: Langley, Whidbey Island
Engine Hours Start: 719
Engine Hours Finish: 725
Weather/sea conditions: Showers in morning, calm, partly cloudy p.m., 60's
A morning rain shower, a walk to Safeway for lattes and produce, a full water tank, and we are ready to continue our leisurely cruise toward home. It is a photogenic morning on the Cap Sante docks, the commercial boats looking so much more interesting than the pleasure boats. On one of the docks, the gulls have left sea urchin tests behind from their foraging.
We leave Cap Sante, heading to the Swinomish Channel. There have been recent closures of the waterway due to work being done on the swinging railroad bridge, but it is open today. The water is absolutely calm as we make our way in Fidalgo and Padilla Bays, past the refinery and to the Twin Bridges and entrance to the channel.
Next up is scenic LaConner.
In Skagit Bay, long rafts of logs are being tended by a small tug. Tribal boats are out in force to tend to crab pots, zipping by us and giving us their wakes. There are crab pots by the hundreds it seems off of Camano Island, too. And then, off in the distance, whales! Two or three are moving north at a good pace just off of Camas Beach. We watch them pass but don't attempt any photos from our distance.
We find space for NORTH STAR inside the breakwater at Langley. We are ready to stretch our legs with a walk up the hill, through the town, and along the waterfront.
We enjoy evening at the marina and dinner aboard.
Date: September 26, 2017
Time Start: 12:45 p.m
Time Finish: 3:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Langley, Whidbey Island
Cruise To: Kingston
Engine Hours Start: 725
Engine Hours Finish: 728
Weather/sea conditions: Fog, then clear and sunny, upper 60's
Gulls are getting fed bread crumbs by a young girl on the dock on this foggy morning. We are heading up the hill to Useless Bay Coffee in the town of Langley. What a great way to start our day, enjoying Langley at a leisurely pace. See video below.
Time Start: 12:45 p.m
Time Finish: 3:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Langley, Whidbey Island
Cruise To: Kingston
Engine Hours Start: 725
Engine Hours Finish: 728
Weather/sea conditions: Fog, then clear and sunny, upper 60's
Gulls are getting fed bread crumbs by a young girl on the dock on this foggy morning. We are heading up the hill to Useless Bay Coffee in the town of Langley. What a great way to start our day, enjoying Langley at a leisurely pace. See video below.
We can't resist the glass pumpkins at Firehouse Glass, along with a piece from the clearance bin. We admire all of the colorful glass. Dan especially likes some of the wall mounts. The Star Store turns out to be a shopping mecca for both dry goods and groceries. Fresh fish for our dinner and a new spatula for the galley of NORTH STAR go in our bag. We need to return for a shopping spree sometime as the clothing is both beautiful and fashionable! We find historical signs in an alleyway that catch our eye. They blend old and new photos into one, with the old portion in black and white and the today portion in color. Very clever.
The fog is lifting, giving us another beautiful day on the water. We linger in the marina, taking photos and chatting with Duncan, the harbor master, about plans for potential changes to the marina (improvements to meet needs of growing numbers of boaters). Dan drops the goPro to take look at the sea stars along the edges of the docks and whatever else is underwater.
The fog is in just a few drifts when we leave. The Cascades are outlined against the blue sky. We take Saratoga Passage to Possession Head, then cross Admirality Inlet and continue to the marina tucked behind the Kingston ferry landing. Cormorants galore are on the pilings that guide the ferries.
The Kingston Marina is undergoing major upgrades. A construction project at the marina building, new roofs on the boathouses, and changes to the boat launch are all happening at once.
Our afternoon walk takes us through the shoreside park, along the marina, up into the main part of town,and back down to the ferry dock. Dan can't resist a treat. When the ferry pulls out, we can see Mt. Rainier.
Night in the marina is clear, calm, and quiet.