07/16 - 07/18 - Blakely Island

We had a great time at Blakely this weekend. Dusty, thank you for bringing over our little motor. I'm sorry we missed you.

Pat, you're right about Twin Bridges. We left Blakely at 7:00 am on Sunday so that we could beat the people and low tide. The retrieval was uneventful. We went into Anacortes for breakfast and anticipated being home early for once. However, the surge brakes kept locking up so that we couldn't tow the trailer. I did everything I could think of, but didn't solve it.
Fortunately there was a young mechanic on call at the Chevron. Ater several hours he discovered and fixed the problem. Someone had backed into trailer hard enough to bend the surge brake housing which restricted the movement of the coupler, thus locking the brakes on. So after our early start, we arrived home at midnight last night.

The weekend was great, but it seems that there is always some excitement and stress during the launch and retrieval phase.
Lyle
 
Sorry to hear that, Lyle. Just when you think you're home by mid-afternoon, the unexpected visits. Glad the mechanic was available.
 
Blakely was a first for me and everything I had heard about what a great group of people the C-Brats are rang true. My brother Dan and nephew Shea were likewise impressed.

It was really something to shake the hands of such legendary figures as Da Nag and Tyboo.

We had a great time including enjoying a famous Snowqualmie Brew - Thanks Pat. Still recovering from the Yakima Cherries. I am going to trying burning them in the Walles- methane burns hot.

Some of you may have heard I lost my Achilles Dinghy in transport along I-405. DOT Incident Response team got the address of a truck that picked it up. With some great help from my local police department they were able to make contact with the driver and arrange for its safe return. I am supposed to met the guy today.

Great ending to a great weekend.
 
I just wanted to thank everyone for such a wonderful weekend. I just want all of you to know how blessed Jeff and I are to have come across such an awesome group of people. I have to admit...TyBoo is right...We thought that this group looked a little sketchy last year at the Seattle Boat Show and Convention. But after completing thorough background checks on all you crazed C-Dory addicts, we have reduced ourselves to admitting that we have found a witty group of twisted nerds with their own individual set of idiocyncricies and felt the we might just be able to fit into this pigeon hole non-standardized group of individuals! Sincerely, it is great to be with such a warm group that is genuine..... Anyone who is willing to sacrafice themselves just to help us have a safe docking has gone way above and beyond. Thanks to all :wink

See you soon :lips Sugar Lips
 
We planned to join you on Blakeley for the first time to see what other kinds of people are in love with that dorky little boat but we didn't quite make it (literally). We left Bellingham and got almost to the south end of Lummi when the old lady (12 yo, 70 hp) informed us in no uncertain terms that it was time to go back. We limped back to Squalicum at 6 mph and have turned her in for a new 4 cycle 70. Such is life. It sounds as if a great time was had by all. We were bringing a fresh blackberry nectarine pie, which we've been forced to eat as a consolation.

Will any of you be in Desolation the weeek of August 1? We could meet a few of you then. Smidgin
 
Hey, Smidgin, thanks for trying to make the party. Glad you got home safely, though. Events like that can sometimes get ugly. Are you getting a 70 Suzuki?
 
With more than a little hesitation, we launched on Friday afternoon at Cornet Bay and were relieved when Brave Heart carried us fearlessly through the dreaded Deception Pass totally without incident.
Had a great time hanging out with all you C-Brats and exploring other islands of the San Juan's. Saturday, on Brock’s venerated say-so, Evelyn and I docked at Jones Island for a picnic lunch and the opportunity to hike the trails in company of a herd of the most docile deer.
Back at Blakely, the Saturday evening feast was topped with a wee dram of a selection of fine Scotch Whiskys, compliments of Jim, our good friend and celebrated baptizer of boats. The 22-year old unfiltered single malt with an unpronounceable name was totally exquisite. But surprisingly, Bell’s, the most affordable spirit in our taste-test, performed well and was a close second best. Feeling mellow we toasted the evening in the Scottish tradition with a hearty, “Slainte Mhath”, (pronounced “Slanche Va”) which like toasts everywhere means Good Health.
Coming back home, about two miles out of Cornet, we encountered a Gam of Orca Whales cavorting all around. Ah! What a sight! But then, more drama as we approached the narrow channel through the Pass. A couple of young fellows with far too much testosterone, running amok aboard SeaDoos, were foolishly challenging the rips. The rips won when one guy capsized and was bobbing around like a meatball in boiling stew, struggling to get back astride his machine. This forced us to momentarily ease-off power and be at the mercy of the raging currents. Fortunately, the lad got aboard his craft and Brave Heart was back underway.
A minus tide in the Bay provided just enough water for our modest boat to slowly approach the ramp and place the wheels of the trailer to the very edge. Couldn't quite float the boat into place but the two of us were able to wade out and lean heavy on the winch to drag her up onto the trailer.
Encountered no mammals along I-5 on the drive back to Gig Harbor.
 
A great time was once again had by in the San Juans by the "CLou" Crew! (Minus some ripped-off crab, two stolen crab pots, & a fender lost in the drink...)

We braved the Straits and our crossings to and from the Islands were fairly uneventful; fog and chop on the way over, and 2-4' seas on the way home. The crossing only took about 1 1/2 hrs each way and we saved big $ for fuel and ferry for truck/boat. Big winds started in the afternoon, so it was a good thing we took off when we did.

We especially enjoyed meeting and being with those special Tyboo girls, Tiffany and Jamie - You two are sure sweeties! We missed the DaveS & Dusty/Les folks tho, they better show next time for sure...

See you all soon - Jon & Cynthia
 
To all you C-Dory folks that made us feel welcome last week-end, thank you so much. We really had a great time meeting so many of you. This whole business of power boating is new to us, so I guess you'd call us nautically challanged. We got a lot of help on the ways of the water and I feel like our learning curve just jumped ahead by a big leap.
A special thanks to TyBoo, Helen O, Blue C and Day Dreamin. We had a great time at Sucia. What a wonderful little Island.
Thanks again to you all, Dale and Rosemary
 
Deb and Don, I think someone counted 22 boats. Not as many as last year, but at least six wanna-C's wanted to but couldn't make it.
 
There were maybe 25 of us C-Brats I think at Blakely (didn't really count), 6 of us went out whale watching. Others went fishing or for different cruises. We headed down the west side of San Juan Island to about the Lime Kiln Lighthouse, got into the whales a little south of there. They were moving north, so we repositioned a couple of times and they kept catching up with us - all in all, a fabulous experience! We understand there were 60 - 80 whales or so. NEXT YEAR ON FILM!!!!


pugetsounder":1zgpj8z8 said:
All those Orca pictures are awesome. Where did you see them? How many boats were up there this time? Looks like another very successful rondezvous.
Click to expand...
 
Even though we missed joining you at Blakely for the gathering (due to a weeks long "boaterhoming", adventure on Lake Roosevelt), I enjoyed reading of the great time that all of you had. Viewing your photos eases the seperation anxiety from all of our "C-Buddies"!
 
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