september: north to the rendezvous
We managed just a quick overnight cruise to McMicken Island in August that we didn't manage to get posted in our boating adventures. The final month of summer became family time for us, sharing good times with kids and grandkids. Now, we are back on the water, aboard our Ranger Tug NORTH STAR, hoping to spend the month of September exploring more of our wonderful Salish Seas. The first leg of our voyage will take us to the annual Ranger Tug Rendezvous, and from there we will be following an open agenda, seeing where the weather, our whims, and serendipity take us. NORTH STAR is ready, fully provisioned, and so are we.
Date: September 4, 2017
Time Start: 6:40 a.m.
Time Finish: 12:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown, Olympia
Cruise To: Blake Island State Park
Engine Hours Start: 683
Engine Hours Finish: 689
Weather/sea conditions: Clear, hot, and humid, upper 80's.
We get an early start on this Labor Day holiday, leaving as the sun rises over our slip at Swantown, excited to be headed to the annual Rendezvous at Roche Harbor. Olympia is quiet, the annual Harbor Days festivities featuring tug boat races finished yesterday, and we have glassy water to cross as we leave Olympia behind.
Date: September 4, 2017
Time Start: 6:40 a.m.
Time Finish: 12:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Swantown, Olympia
Cruise To: Blake Island State Park
Engine Hours Start: 683
Engine Hours Finish: 689
Weather/sea conditions: Clear, hot, and humid, upper 80's.
We get an early start on this Labor Day holiday, leaving as the sun rises over our slip at Swantown, excited to be headed to the annual Rendezvous at Roche Harbor. Olympia is quiet, the annual Harbor Days festivities featuring tug boat races finished yesterday, and we have glassy water to cross as we leave Olympia behind.
Before we know it, we pass little Eagle Island, make our way through the Narrows, and find a buoy at Blake Island State Park. Dan has a new tool that is supposed to make grabbing the ring of the buoy a sinch, and gives it a test. It is a challenge, more practice is needed, and after a few attempts we are successfully moored.
Our day started early. Nap time! And then, when we arise, we find a visitor has joined us to nap on our swim step. A young seal pup is aboard, giving us a sleepy look before going back to napping. After a good hour, off it goes, back into the water. We think it just needed a good safe place to nap as the beach is busy today with boaters enjoying the holiday.
Our day started early. Nap time! And then, when we arise, we find a visitor has joined us to nap on our swim step. A young seal pup is aboard, giving us a sleepy look before going back to napping. After a good hour, off it goes, back into the water. We think it just needed a good safe place to nap as the beach is busy today with boaters enjoying the holiday.
The skies grow hazy with smoke from forest fires, muting the sun and creating an other worldly sunset.
Date: September 5, 2017
Time Start: 7:30 a.m.
Time Finish: 2 p.m.
Cruise From: Blake Island
Cruise To: Port Townsend
Engine Hours Start: 689
Engine Hours Finish: 695
Weather/sea conditions: Smokey skies with ash falling, red sun.
Ashes, ashes everywhere! Covering the decks, sifting into the cabin . . . swirls of ashes on the water. Gray skies, a red sun. All from wildfires in Eastern Washington. Fires are raging all over the west as a result of an extremely dry summer. It is eerie to see the skyline of Seattle through the smokey haze. Dan leaves his ashy footprints on the deck of NORTH STAR when he releases our buoy lines.
Time Start: 7:30 a.m.
Time Finish: 2 p.m.
Cruise From: Blake Island
Cruise To: Port Townsend
Engine Hours Start: 689
Engine Hours Finish: 695
Weather/sea conditions: Smokey skies with ash falling, red sun.
Ashes, ashes everywhere! Covering the decks, sifting into the cabin . . . swirls of ashes on the water. Gray skies, a red sun. All from wildfires in Eastern Washington. Fires are raging all over the west as a result of an extremely dry summer. It is eerie to see the skyline of Seattle through the smokey haze. Dan leaves his ashy footprints on the deck of NORTH STAR when he releases our buoy lines.
We make a fuel stop at Kingston, and the attendant lets us use the hose to rinse off the ash that has accumulated. It is sticky stuff. An owner of a C-Dory comes to chat with us, along with his beautiful dog. What a nice surprise to hear that he reads and enjoys our blog and hopes to have a Ranger Tug someday! We will be looking for you on the water, Pat!
Continuing towards Port Townsend, a well armed Coast Guard vessel comes alongside NORTH STAR. We are asked to clear a path for a submarine and escort vessel being moved to Bangor. Yes, Sir! We give them room.
Continuing towards Port Townsend, a well armed Coast Guard vessel comes alongside NORTH STAR. We are asked to clear a path for a submarine and escort vessel being moved to Bangor. Yes, Sir! We give them room.
There is plenty of dock space available at the Point Hudson Marina in Port Townsend on this dreary day. Luckily there is plenty to see and do in this inviting town. The buildings around the marina date from World
War II and were part of a Navy installation. Right next to the marina is the Center for Wooden Boats, and preparations are under way for the upcoming Wooden Boat Festival on the weekend.
War II and were part of a Navy installation. Right next to the marina is the Center for Wooden Boats, and preparations are under way for the upcoming Wooden Boat Festival on the weekend.
We are delighted to see the historic schooner Adenturess on the docks. Seems like we run into her fairly often, and she is always a joy to see close up.
The historic downtown of Port Townsend dates to the late 1800's and is filled with interesting shops, lots of tourists, and even a group of locals protesting the latest actions of our incumbent president. It is a colorful place to visit on this gray day.
This eerie day ends with the fires still burning. What will tomorrow be like?
Date: September 6, 2017
Time Start: 6:30 a.m.
Time Finish: 12:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Port Townsend
Cruise To: Roche Harbor, San Juan Island
Engine Hours Start: 695
Engine Hours Finish: 701
Weather/sea conditions: Smokey! Calm water.
We cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca in a haze of smoke and morning fog - smog! The sun is alien looking, a red dot in the sky. Sadly, the fires continue. Yesterday, Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge became threatened by the flames, the result of kids playing with firecrackers.
Visibility on the water is poor, the sea and sky blending into one. We use all of our navigational tools and our eyes to watch for boat traffic, but it is pretty quiet in this gray world this morning
Date: September 6, 2017
Time Start: 6:30 a.m.
Time Finish: 12:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Port Townsend
Cruise To: Roche Harbor, San Juan Island
Engine Hours Start: 695
Engine Hours Finish: 701
Weather/sea conditions: Smokey! Calm water.
We cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca in a haze of smoke and morning fog - smog! The sun is alien looking, a red dot in the sky. Sadly, the fires continue. Yesterday, Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge became threatened by the flames, the result of kids playing with firecrackers.
Visibility on the water is poor, the sea and sky blending into one. We use all of our navigational tools and our eyes to watch for boat traffic, but it is pretty quiet in this gray world this morning
As we turn into Roche Harbor, the quiet comes to an abrupt end. Ranger Tugs and Cutwaters are arriving for the Rendezvous in a continual stream, all wanting slip assignments and attempting to find their way to the docks. Luckily, things are well organized, and the crew of Roche Harbor does an outstanding job of getting us all docked. Someone is there to assist with our docking, someone arrives to collect our moorage fees, and we are set! Let the fun begin!
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