Saturday, September 17, 2011, Sucia Island

We picked up the last available mooring ball in Shallow Bay the previous evening. As we discovered that night, there was a reason it was the last to be selected. The mooring ball is located at the entrance of Shallow Bay and exposed to winds and tides. Gretel II seemed to bang rotate around the mooring all night [Bass: some pilot error on our mooring line technique is definitely a possibility here! The three AM in-the-rain fix helped a little but not much.]. Little sleep was had but the new day dawned and it was another clear, sunny day. We made French- press coffee and enjoyed the morning in the cockpit. Doug rowed over and I jumped in his dinghy for a lesson in setting crab pots in the Pacific Northwest. Growing up I spent many summers on Long Beach Island on the New Jersey shore and I thought fresh crab was a staple in every kid’s summer. But I remember blue claws being far easier to catch in Barnegat Bay. In fact sometimes we just lowered a line with baited hooks in the water and quickly pulled it up with a few stubborn blue claws attached. Crabbing in the PNW is different. Doug and I set 2 pots in deep water, one at about 40 ft and one at about 60 ft. Doug predicted these were too deep but since we were spending the night at Shallow Bay we decided to try our luck.

After Bass and I moved Gretel II to a more protected mooring ball we all headed to shore with lunch and cameras. Doug and Amy showed us a trail along the Northern coast of Sucia to Ewing Cove. This easy three mile loop took us by tide-pools and overhanging sandstone cliffs. The island is populated by hardwoods especially a really beautiful tree, the Madrone or as Doug recalled, Arbutus Menziesii. This tree has unusual bark which sheds revealing a very smooth glistening pale greenish yellow bark underneath. The older bark is a beautiful darker red. Doug owns GardenMakers a landscape design and installation company so his dendrology knowledge is off the hook! And it was nice to explore in unfamiliar territory with a Naturalist!

We reached Ewing Cove and sea kayakers were stretched out in the sun enjoying dry land and lunch. The beach is peppered with big pieces of sun bleached drift wood, perfect for taking in the view. Across the cove on an exposed rocky reef were sea lions and seals. Some were lounging on the rocks others were vying for more space while bellowing at the circling sea birds.

Back on the boats we checked the crab pots. Nada. So Doug tossed them in again right off the bow of Gretel II. In the 15 feet of water Amy could spot crab walking toward the pot. We eventually got one and steamed it in the cockpit of Gretel II. With freshly caught crab, plenty of butter, cold beer and fun friends we proceeded into the evening no doubt making a few of our neighbors jealous!

This was one of those days you always remember in your life.

Pictures:

Video from Day 4 (1 mins 43 seconds) — Caution, graphic crab killing!:

Friday, September 16, Bellingham, WA.

This day started with a visit to the Webb home to see the girls and have breakfast with the family. Doug picked us up at the marina with the best breakfast you will have anywhere, any time. I dream about this breakfast! Originally from Avenue Bread in Fairhaven but now also available at two Avenue Breads in Bellingham, the Eggenue is a poached egg served on a homemade whole wheat English muffin with pesto, mozzarella and prosciutto. That’s my FAVE, the “Italian” but there are many different varieties and they are all outstanding.

Riding our Eggenue highs we said goodbye to Houdie and the girls, shopped for a few last minute items and some ice, and headed to our vessels with plans to meet in the Bay. Our destination was Sucia Island, a state park, about 23 miles from Bellingham. While in Bellingham Bay Bass and I decided to practice “heaving to”. It was not our most successful drill and as we were trying to recover Finch blew by us like they were on their way to Hobart! [Bass: there is definitely something I haven’t figured out yet about backwinding a genny with the cutter rig’s forestay in the way!] After pointing as high as we could across Bellingham Bay [and one “motor assist” to avoid haunted Portage Island], we broad reached up the Hale Passage between Lummi and the mainland, then blasted west across the top of the Rosario Strait at about 6.9 knots. It was an overcast day and in the breeze we donned our foulies. Sailing next to Finch was a beautiful sight!

The popular spot when visiting Sucia is Echo Bay where there are mooring balls, rafting buoys and docks. But we headed for Shallow Bay [west edge of the island] with its great views to the north and west to Canada and the Straight of Georgia and Boundary Pass. It was late evening when we arrived and most mooring balls were taken. Finch and Gretel II picked up the last ones. The bay is guarded by a rocky reef and in the lower tide there were many sea birds perched on the spit all talking and squawking. I have to admit we looked like a travel ad for a sailing vacation!

Bass and I rowed the dinghy to Finch for beers with Doug and Amy. Amy had made a very tasty ceviche which went delightfully with our beverages. We raised a glass to sailing, friends, time-off and to a most excellent day on the water!

Google Earth Tour

Click the link below to download a Google Earth .kmz file that will take you on a fly-by tour of our trip from Bellingham to Sucia:

Pictures:

Video from Day 3 (4 mins 12 seconds):

Thursday, September 15. Cypress Island

This morning was cloudy and the forecast was calling for rain in Bellingham. As we would find out over the next few weeks, the forecast always called for some percentage of rain in Bellingham. We headed Northeast from Cypress, raising the main sail [Bass: with a single reef, as we were somewhat unsure what the conditions were going to be like] and unfurling the genoa. The wind was very consistent beam/broad reach and Gretel ll wanted to run. Our speed ranged from 3- 6 knots [Top speed through the water was 6.5 knots, although that was still only about 5 knots over the ground as I didn’t time the currents that well] and as the early afternoon progressed the weather got snotty. But all was well as I had a new set of foulies purchased previously in the week at West Marine in Seattle. I was grateful for my deck shoes, wool ski cap and gloves. Bass donned his foulies too and we sailed quickly and comfortably for the next several hours. It is 15 miles from Cypress to Bellingham Bay and the entire trip took about three and a half hours.

Bellingham Bay is one of the busiest bays we have experienced. Coast Guard patrol boats are a common site as are commercial fishing vessels. I knew Bass might be nervous about calling Squalicum Marina in Bellingham Bay to secure a slip for the night and navigation within in the bay [and the marina itself!]. But we were assigned a great slip nearest to the marina entrance. A very nice couple from Victoria Island in a San Juan 24 was docked one slip over. They saw us coming in [with about 10-12 knots breeze right on the beam] and offered to help with our docking lines. Bass docked the Baba perfectly. The nice couple complimented Bass on his docking skills adding they were impressed he did not crash the bowsprit into the wooden electrical box. I silently admonished myself for not even looking at the bowsprit as we were docking. As crew I knew I needed to pay closer attention.

[Bass: No silent admonishment required, just a little reality check ;-)    I did, in fact, manage to give the dock box a gentle kiss with the bowsprit… no harm no foul, and looking at the dock box I could see I was not the first to give it a little love. My big mistake was trying to get into an upwind slip so therefore needing some power to make my “move”… should have had bumpers on both sides of the boat and just let ourselves drift down to the downwind pier of the vacant two-wide slip we chose.]

After showers, in the very clean marina bathrooms, Doug, Kate and Judy came down to the Baba for a celebratory cocktail. Judy and Chuck had considered a Baba 40 as a live aboard boat but had never been down below on a Baba. The salon was perfect for entertaining a group and a festive evening [with a beautiful, clearing sunset] was had by all!

Google Earth Tour:

Click the link below to download a Google Earth .kmz file that will take you on a fly-by tour of our sail from Cypress Island to Bellingham:

Pictures:

Video from Day 2 (2 mins 56 seconds):