San Juans, 6/16/12

Who woulda thought a month ago that we’d be swinging on anchor this evening in Shallow Bay, Sucia Island on a 34 foot charter boat? This wasn’t in the plan, so to speak. 

We actually decided about three weeks ago to charter instead of bring Phloe up again with all the accompanying stress that trip carries. By paying just  a little more, we found we could charter a 30 foot sailboat, simply pack the car and go. I was ecstatic at the time when Carmie suggested this and even more when we discovered the boat was available. Little did we know that when we were driving up to Bellingham we would have another bit of windfall: due to a scheduling snafu, the 30 footer wasn’t available so we were given the 34 foot Catalina, the Osprey, instead for the same amount of money.

So here we are after busily packing and getting our stuff in order at home, enjoying some well-deserved sun rays at anchor in Shallow bay. It’s been an incredible day. After a good night’s sleep on board I got up in search of a coffee shop to recharge the Mac and the self. Found Woods Coffee in Bellingham, where I was able to sit and take care of last minute emails over coffee. Then I headed back to the boat to get ready for our first hop over to Sucia. 

Motoring into Bellingham Bay from the Marina, I was excited to get the sails up and moving. It was sprinkling a bit, but I had my foulies and was well protected. The main went up like a champ; a very well practiced sail. But when I began unfurling the genoa, I met our first problem. It was not unfurling past 50%, with the boat headed into the wind. I looked up the forestay and saw that another halyard, which turned out to be a handy alternate, was wrapping up with the sail as it attempted to unfurl. I tried repeatedly to keep the halyard away from the furler by tying it to points further and further away. This was to no avail; the line persisted in wrapping up with the sail. Finally, I tied the line well away and we sailed beautifully with the jenny at 50%. Actually, this turned out to be a was a perfect reefing for the 12-15 knots we had as the boat was quite well balanced making superb headway around the southern end of Pender. Through Hales Passage, on a broad reach with a following sea (flood), we occasionally hit 8knts, 2 knts above hullspeed, and this with a reefed jenny.

Later, as we neared Matia and Sucia, the wind calmed and was now coming off our stern quarter. I decided to try one more time to unfurl the sail. With a mighty tug, I yanked from the clew and whether it was from the angle of the wind on the sail or the new strategy, the genoa loosened and began to unfurl. But as it did so, it began to descend the forestay, and I knew then the halyard had snapped. But how? This to be answered later. I knew I had the other halyard to work with, so after a short bit of motoring with Camie at the wheel, I had cut off the old halyard and secured the alternate. The sail went up fine and we had another enjoyable ride in lighter wind all the way to Sucia.

Not five minutes after the anchor reached the floor of the bay, Gavin was in the kayak and away. He couldn’t wait to make it to shore. Carmie and Rachel followed him later in the raft, leaving me here to write and listen to the wind and the clank of standing rigging. What a gorgeous moment this is.

Later...Watched two bald eagles perched in the trees on the south bank of he bay. Heard the cry and knew to look up. There they were, regal, lording over the place. Even the seagulls kept away. 

I made hamburgers on the old gas bareque I drug from the lazerette and clamped onto the stern stanchion. Delicious after such a day as this. Now, it’s almost bed time and the kids are tucked into their aft cabin. Carmie’s reading in the forward stateroom and Im sitting here at the nav station writing under the red glow of the chart light. Outside the wind of the approaching squall howls through the rigging. We’re rock solid in Osprey, quite safe and sound. I love this feeling. I will sleep tonight with the salmon sky of our sunset lighting my mind and the burly wind of the day in my heart.