The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...
- Thread starter JamesTXSD
- Start date
El and Bill
New member
The Welcome Mat is out -- we may be in South Sound when you arrive, but looking forward to seeing you guys soon. We have p.m.'d our cell phone. Safe travels.
Hi El and Bill,
PM right back at ya. It was a pleasure to visit with you. After a LONG day of driving, we are in the marina at Bellingham, and are looking forward to meeting you for breakfast in the morning.
Best wishes,
Jim & Joan
75 degrees feels pretty darn good after the triple digits yesterday! 8)
PM right back at ya. It was a pleasure to visit with you. After a LONG day of driving, we are in the marina at Bellingham, and are looking forward to meeting you for breakfast in the morning.
Best wishes,
Jim & Joan
75 degrees feels pretty darn good after the triple digits yesterday! 8)
Pat Anderson
New member
Welcome back to the Upper Left Coast, Jim and Joan! We are a few miles north at the moment at the Crab(less) Palace in Birch Bay, headed back to Fall City after supper tonight. Are you at the marina all day today, or headed out?
starcrafttom
Active member
welcome back to the west coast. We hope to see you at bellingham. My folks are out in the San Juans right now so if you see their boat feel free to stop by and say high. They were in deer harbor last night. Look for a 44fter Atlantic named "Bratty one" not a name they choose butthey hae not decided what to change it to yet. Theres photos in my ablum. See you in a few weeks.
A cool day here in Bellingham... in many more ways than just the weather. This morning we had breakfast with El and Bill; a real treat to finally meet face to face. Then we were joined by our R-Matey friends, Joe and Ruth. It was not a quiet table with the 6 of us there. :lol:
Then on to the chores: laundry, boat cleaning, and the "truck to boat shuffle". Tonight: supper with Pat and Patty. Tomorrow: at trip to the store for food stuffs and the great local produce. And then we're off again (people seem to think we are, anyway).
This will be a fitting completion to our first year of C-Dory cruising, coming back to the PNW where it all started for us. Thanks, C-Dory friends for making this an adventure.
Tom, we'll look for your folks... I'll remind them that we visited on the dock at Friday Harbor last year.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Then on to the chores: laundry, boat cleaning, and the "truck to boat shuffle". Tonight: supper with Pat and Patty. Tomorrow: at trip to the store for food stuffs and the great local produce. And then we're off again (people seem to think we are, anyway).
This will be a fitting completion to our first year of C-Dory cruising, coming back to the PNW where it all started for us. Thanks, C-Dory friends for making this an adventure.
Tom, we'll look for your folks... I'll remind them that we visited on the dock at Friday Harbor last year.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
starcrafttom
Active member
Mom called today and they are anchored in friday harbour tonight. They saw C-Dancer going into deer harbour yesterday but were not close enough to talk to them.
We had a lovely afternoon/evening with Pat and Patty (Daydream) at the "Crab Palace." I thought that was going to be a restaurant :wink: ... turns out it was even better! Good cooking, nice view, good company... and real red meat! Thanks, you two!
By the time we got back to Bellingham, the sun was setting. We really enjoy the marina here: nice docks, good restaurants, beautiful landscaping, and friendly people; and even prettier when the pink in the sky is reflected in the water as the sun disappears.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
By the time we got back to Bellingham, the sun was setting. We really enjoy the marina here: nice docks, good restaurants, beautiful landscaping, and friendly people; and even prettier when the pink in the sky is reflected in the water as the sun disappears.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Pat Anderson
New member
A pleasant afternoon indeed! We rolled back into Fall City at about 11:30 p.m., could not pass up the opportunity to gas up Daydream with "cheap" ($2.99 / gallon) gas at our usual gas stop at I-5 Exit 208, Baxter was ready to go out for his walk at 5:20 a.m. this morning, so feeling a little sleep-deprived! Looking forward to B'ham and the Gulf Island cruise! Enjoy all those little coves off the beaten path for the next couple of weeks!
Yeah, we love this place. When we came back from Pat and Patty's "Crab Palace" last night, I took this image as we walked back to the boat...
The marina there at Bellingham is our all-time favorite: great price, beautiful landscaping, great docks, friendly people, even nice showers. What more could you ask for? Well, 12 months of great weather would be nice. :wink:
Today was busy; we provisioned this morning and did the "truck to boat shuffle", adding another couple hundred pounds to the boat. Check out time at the marina was 1:00, and we needed all of that. After checking weather one last time, the weasels were calling for seas 2-3 feet. And here's a first: it was actually LESS than that! Usually when they miss it, we seem to get hammered. The winds were 15 and gusty, but the sea state was around 1 foot much of the way across. With the N-NW winds, we decided to try Eagle Bay on Cypress Island... close and should be protected with that wind direction. Imagine my surprise to find that the bay has a dozen or so moorings. And when I asked around, no one seemed to know anything about paying for these moorings. Free is my favorite price! The wind was swirling around the bay, but the water was relatively calm. We picked a mooring close in and tied off. Great view looking back towards the west...
Good thing we got here when we did - within an hour or so, all the mooring were full, and we saw several more boats come into the bay, take a look, and keep on going.
Right now, it was supper and sundowners in the cockpit, and total "kick back" time. Bill and El told us about Olga, so that is on our agenda for tomorrow.
Many thanks to all the C-Brats who have offered suggestions and encouragement with our trip back to the PNW; looking forward to the gathering at Bellingham.
Best wishes,
Jim & Joan
The marina there at Bellingham is our all-time favorite: great price, beautiful landscaping, great docks, friendly people, even nice showers. What more could you ask for? Well, 12 months of great weather would be nice. :wink:
Today was busy; we provisioned this morning and did the "truck to boat shuffle", adding another couple hundred pounds to the boat. Check out time at the marina was 1:00, and we needed all of that. After checking weather one last time, the weasels were calling for seas 2-3 feet. And here's a first: it was actually LESS than that! Usually when they miss it, we seem to get hammered. The winds were 15 and gusty, but the sea state was around 1 foot much of the way across. With the N-NW winds, we decided to try Eagle Bay on Cypress Island... close and should be protected with that wind direction. Imagine my surprise to find that the bay has a dozen or so moorings. And when I asked around, no one seemed to know anything about paying for these moorings. Free is my favorite price! The wind was swirling around the bay, but the water was relatively calm. We picked a mooring close in and tied off. Great view looking back towards the west...
Good thing we got here when we did - within an hour or so, all the mooring were full, and we saw several more boats come into the bay, take a look, and keep on going.
Right now, it was supper and sundowners in the cockpit, and total "kick back" time. Bill and El told us about Olga, so that is on our agenda for tomorrow.
Many thanks to all the C-Brats who have offered suggestions and encouragement with our trip back to the PNW; looking forward to the gathering at Bellingham.
Best wishes,
Jim & Joan
Pat Anderson
New member
Jim - I think there may be a pay station ashore for the buoys - let us know for sure when the ranger visits! We anchored closer in, that is free for sure! There are clams and oysters ashore, and a great hiking trail or two...this is our new favorite place - and you need to read Precious Cargo by Clyde Ford, a murder mystery set in Eagle Harbor, Laurna Jo Jim, can I loan your book to Wild Blue Jim and Joan, El has finished it! And Olga, what can I say, the restaurant about a quarter mile up the road is fantastic. Your CD is ready too!
July 10th
When we left Eagle Harbor, we saw a pod of Orcas on the east side of Rosario Strait...
And then another pod on the western side!
It was a bit lumpy after Rosario, especially coming around the end of Orcas Island, opening to East Sound. Fortunately, we found some space at the dock at Olga; tied off, let Molly walk on some grass, then explored a bit.
It was a warm afternoon, and the Olga Store provided a great ice cream break. Then, the afternoon's entertainment: a group of kids (traveling by dug-out canoe!) used the dock at Olga as a diving platform...
One of the kids said to me, "You wanna jump with us, Mister?"
"That water is too cold for me, kid. The only way I'm jumping in there is if I'm on fire!" :lol: From the sound of it, they were having a lot of fun. One of the adults with them said, "This is their shower today, too." I apologized that our solar shower didn't have enough capacity to go around for their group.
As suggested, we visited the pottery shop and the art gallery... lots of pretty stuff. The rule on the boat is: something in, something out. It has changed the way we shop while traveling. :wink:
Best wishes,
Jim B.
When we left Eagle Harbor, we saw a pod of Orcas on the east side of Rosario Strait...
And then another pod on the western side!
It was a bit lumpy after Rosario, especially coming around the end of Orcas Island, opening to East Sound. Fortunately, we found some space at the dock at Olga; tied off, let Molly walk on some grass, then explored a bit.
It was a warm afternoon, and the Olga Store provided a great ice cream break. Then, the afternoon's entertainment: a group of kids (traveling by dug-out canoe!) used the dock at Olga as a diving platform...
One of the kids said to me, "You wanna jump with us, Mister?"
"That water is too cold for me, kid. The only way I'm jumping in there is if I'm on fire!" :lol: From the sound of it, they were having a lot of fun. One of the adults with them said, "This is their shower today, too." I apologized that our solar shower didn't have enough capacity to go around for their group.
As suggested, we visited the pottery shop and the art gallery... lots of pretty stuff. The rule on the boat is: something in, something out. It has changed the way we shop while traveling. :wink:
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Wednesday, July 11th. I was up early to check weather. After listening to weather radio for 20 minutes, there was still nothing definitive. I walked to the top of the hill where I could see out quite a ways - the water was rough close in, but not bad out a mile or so. We decided to head out.
We had several alternatives for destinations today, all weather dependent. We cruised by Shaw Island, Blind Bay, the Wasp Islands, out into the San Juan Channel and north to Jones Island. Sounds like a lot... it was around 14 miles total. We looked at the south bays on Jones Island and decided to take a look to the north. There was a place on the dock for one boat, so we decided to take it and call it a day early. Jones Island is a state park: campsites on land, several mooring balls, and this dock. We tied off and walked from the north side to the south; it isn’t a big place.
A guy on the dock told us about a baby seal that had been abandoned on the nearby shore. On our way back to the boat, we saw a ranger on his way there. The seal pup was only a few days old, and much bigger than we thought it would be. The seal is now on its way to an animal rescue shelter on another island.
Back at the boat, we got our chairs and took Molly onshore. It was another warm day, and it felt good to sit in the shade and feel the sea breeze.
Later that afternoon, we watched the same kids we saw at Olga jumping off the dock here. They are at a camp and traveling by dug-out canoe... this is as close to a shower as they will get for a few days. And, again, they were having a ball.
It was a very relaxing day. This island is well used; we watched a variety of boats come and go, the big canoe with the kids, and a bevy of kayaks. The sun warmed our solar shower, and we enjoyed the afternoon and evening in our cockpit.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
We had several alternatives for destinations today, all weather dependent. We cruised by Shaw Island, Blind Bay, the Wasp Islands, out into the San Juan Channel and north to Jones Island. Sounds like a lot... it was around 14 miles total. We looked at the south bays on Jones Island and decided to take a look to the north. There was a place on the dock for one boat, so we decided to take it and call it a day early. Jones Island is a state park: campsites on land, several mooring balls, and this dock. We tied off and walked from the north side to the south; it isn’t a big place.
A guy on the dock told us about a baby seal that had been abandoned on the nearby shore. On our way back to the boat, we saw a ranger on his way there. The seal pup was only a few days old, and much bigger than we thought it would be. The seal is now on its way to an animal rescue shelter on another island.
Back at the boat, we got our chairs and took Molly onshore. It was another warm day, and it felt good to sit in the shade and feel the sea breeze.
Later that afternoon, we watched the same kids we saw at Olga jumping off the dock here. They are at a camp and traveling by dug-out canoe... this is as close to a shower as they will get for a few days. And, again, they were having a ball.
It was a very relaxing day. This island is well used; we watched a variety of boats come and go, the big canoe with the kids, and a bevy of kayaks. The sun warmed our solar shower, and we enjoyed the afternoon and evening in our cockpit.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
john schuler
New member
Hope to see you at bellinghan. Kathy may not let me come. I've been out there to much. Still trying to sell Clara, But few calls so far. I sure hope to make the Bellingham group.
:smiled john schuler :smiled
:smiled john schuler :smiled
I like anchoring out... a quiet anchorage, sunrise, and all that that implies. But I have to confess that we really enjoy Roche Harbor. I know there are folks who think it's a snooty place, but we enjoy the amenities, the ambience, and the parade of big boats we see here.
I have no envy when I see boats with their dinghy bigger than our boat. I just think of all the work they (or someone they hire) has to do to keep that up. Or how much per night they are spending to have their boat here so they can stay in a condo. :twisted: I know I'll never be part of that tanned, perfectly quaffed crowed; I'm happy being on our boat... a bit sunburned and pleased that I have a bit of hair to be messy. :wink:
Yeah, I know it's a big corporation that owns it all, and they want to build condos that start at heart-stopping prices. I just hope I'll be able to stop in here once in a while, put Wild Blue in a slip with electricity, water, and (gasp) cable TV, and even be able to wash the salt spay off her pretty lines. I can take the Blonde for lunch and still afford some ice cream afterwards.
Molly loves to walk the docks and roll in the grass at the landing. Here's the gray furry girl on the roof, watching the action...
Which alter should I kneel before?
We don't have big fancy yachts like these in our little corner of the world. We tooled around in the dinghy just to admire the boats and enjoy the boat names. As a non-current pilot, I even enjoy the airplane noise (seaplanes on the water and others at the airport nearby). It's just a busy place and I'm like a kid with sensory overload. Watching big boats move inches from other big boats is better than NASCAR in my book! Even the Fecal Freak makes me laugh.
We've stayed here a couple times before; I play by the rules, make a reservation ahead of time (well, after the first time), and we've never been disappointed.
The Blonde watching TV in the cockpit...
I feel almost decadent. 8)
Best wishes,
Jim B.
I have no envy when I see boats with their dinghy bigger than our boat. I just think of all the work they (or someone they hire) has to do to keep that up. Or how much per night they are spending to have their boat here so they can stay in a condo. :twisted: I know I'll never be part of that tanned, perfectly quaffed crowed; I'm happy being on our boat... a bit sunburned and pleased that I have a bit of hair to be messy. :wink:
Yeah, I know it's a big corporation that owns it all, and they want to build condos that start at heart-stopping prices. I just hope I'll be able to stop in here once in a while, put Wild Blue in a slip with electricity, water, and (gasp) cable TV, and even be able to wash the salt spay off her pretty lines. I can take the Blonde for lunch and still afford some ice cream afterwards.
Molly loves to walk the docks and roll in the grass at the landing. Here's the gray furry girl on the roof, watching the action...
Which alter should I kneel before?
We don't have big fancy yachts like these in our little corner of the world. We tooled around in the dinghy just to admire the boats and enjoy the boat names. As a non-current pilot, I even enjoy the airplane noise (seaplanes on the water and others at the airport nearby). It's just a busy place and I'm like a kid with sensory overload. Watching big boats move inches from other big boats is better than NASCAR in my book! Even the Fecal Freak makes me laugh.
We've stayed here a couple times before; I play by the rules, make a reservation ahead of time (well, after the first time), and we've never been disappointed.
The Blonde watching TV in the cockpit...
I feel almost decadent. 8)
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Jim-
We stopped in Roche Harbor for an overnight last month.
Quite a beautiful place, and on the upscale, too, but I didn't really feel it was that much different than Friday Harbor, Deer Harbor, etc.
Have you and Joan been to the State Park and Resort at Rosario with all the indoor and outdoor pools, etc.?
Joe.
We stopped in Roche Harbor for an overnight last month.
Quite a beautiful place, and on the upscale, too, but I didn't really feel it was that much different than Friday Harbor, Deer Harbor, etc.
Have you and Joan been to the State Park and Resort at Rosario with all the indoor and outdoor pools, etc.?
Joe.
Hi Joe,
We did Friday Harbor and Deer Harbor last year. Enjoyed both, but the ambience at Roche just seems to grab us more. We cruised by Rosario, but didn't spend the night... sounds good in the cruising guides, though. Spendy? After spending the winter in the Keys, the prices here seem downright reasonable. :wink:
Best wishes,
Jim B.
We did Friday Harbor and Deer Harbor last year. Enjoyed both, but the ambience at Roche just seems to grab us more. We cruised by Rosario, but didn't spend the night... sounds good in the cruising guides, though. Spendy? After spending the winter in the Keys, the prices here seem downright reasonable. :wink:
Best wishes,
Jim B.