The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...

[JamesTXSD]

Hey Steve,

You've seen Molly... do you think she'd be interested in sharing her food? :lol: As mellow as she is, I do believe she'd kick some sea otter butt before giving up any chow. :cat And while I enjoy seeing wildlife of all kinds, I'd just as soon not have it on the boat with me. Maybe next time we see each other, I'll put catfood on your boat. :twisted:

Maybe I don't get out much, but it seems that more often when I shop at WM, the price rings up higher than what's marked on the shelf. :crook Getting a deal there was kinda fun.

We walked all over town this afternoon; the sculture park was interesting, the luxury condos along the waterfront are nifty ("Show your success"... great motto), but even better: we found some real Cafe du Monde mix for benets. Mmmmm, mmmmm.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[Sawdust]

Jim,

As you rounded Strawberry Point heading south -- hmmm, surprised you couldn't smell the candy corn fresh out of the boiler and the smoked pork butt turning on the roty. No way to contact you and have you turn hard starboard with Wild Blue and cruise on in to our little marina for a visit. We watched you cruise on by. :cry

Rain check??

Dusty

 

[rogerbum]

Jim,

As you rounded Strawberry Point heading south -- hmmm, surprised you couldn't smell the candy corn fresh out of the boiler and the smoked pork butt turning on the roty. No way to contact you and have you turn hard starboard with Wild Blue and cruise on in to our little marina for a visit. We watched you cruise on by. :cry

Rain check??

Dusty

Candy Corn?!! Smoked pork butt!!? Jeeze - I think I'll buy a sticker that says Wild Blue, attach it to my 22 and head up that way. Think I could convince you that I'm Jim and my 22 is really a 25? The eyes are one of the first things to go ya' know... :wink:

 

[JamesTXSD]

Well, dog-gone it, Dusty... friends and fresh smoked pork butt - it doesn't get much better than that! Sorry we didn't connect. We do have to come that general direction to get back to our truck/trailer in Bellingham... I'll be sure to keep the window open so we can follow the good smells!

We usually lose some weight when we're out cruising... between eating lighter and walking more. Somehow, that hasn't been the case for most of the last 4 or 5 months. :wink: Joan is a great cook, and when we've been off the boat there have been so many good options for chow.

Let's stay in touch.

Best wishes,
Jim

 

[oldgrowth]

Jim - How far south are you going to be going? Will you make it to Tacoma or Olympia?
________
Dave

 

[JamesTXSD]

Hi Dave,

We'll be heading back north after today. Sorry we won't see you this time, but it was certainly great to connect with you again in Bellingham. Our intentions are to have the boat back on the trailer before the weekend to start our treck south... and hope to time it so we can avoid the holiday traffic through the cities.

I was up early this morning... heard a low pitched humming sound. I was treated to an up close and personal view of another NCL cruiseship docking... about 150 feet from Wild Blue. Quite striking in the early morning darkness.

Yesterday we heard a similar humming/swishing noise and a ship was there when we got up. I didn't want to miss it this morning. There's quite a bit of hustle and bustle around Pier 66 as passengers come and go later in the day. It's fun to see the excitement on their faces as the incoming bunch gets ready to board.



Walking around downtown Seattle has been entertaining... a truly great city. Our stay here in Bell Harbor Marina has been another interesting experience... "Planes, trains, and automobiles... and ships," is what Joan calls it. There is certainly an energy in this city that you can feel. The experience is different when traveling with a small boat... you can be in a very quiet anchorage one night, then less then 10 miles later be in the heart of the city. We enjoy both.





The PNW has captivated our hearts, but we also feel a pull... we see the leaves turning and notice more birds heading in a southerly direction. We know our time here is getting short. Fall in the Tropical Tip is like getting another three months of summer... 8)

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[Grumpy]

James,
Amen to the fog on Friday. We must have just missed you, we came out of Port Orchard in bright sunlight, about 1000 Hrs intending to go up the outside of Blakely and admire the Seattle skyline. Could just see the tips of the trees on Blake Is. and nothing else so we turned around and joined the rest of our club who were headed to Poulsbo (back in the sunshine)and lots of shops. Met a couple of new C-Brats in Poulsbo and had a great 4 days on the water. Now to get the boat out, unpacked and clean. Will do that later today at Oak Harbor if we dont get led astray by the smell of roast Piggy-Butt !!!

Merv & Kathy

 

[JamesTXSD]

We left Seattle this morning, heading for the locks that separate the salt water of Puget Sound from the fresh water in Lake Union and Lake Washington.

We had to wait for about 45 minutes for the lock to open, then we followed a big ship into the big lock (yes, there is a small lock); 4 little boats... well, two boats bigger than Wild Blue, us, and a small runabout locked through with the big guy. It was another interesting experience.





Once through the lock, we cruised through the ship channel to Lake Union. We pulled up to a courtesy dock as the south end, tied off, and went for lunch. We poked around the area... found The Center for Wooden Boats; plenty of people out there today, enjoying the small, restored, wooden sailboats.





Heading back towards the locks, we saw this...





We locked through with Brock (Bambina) rafted to us. A guy on the boat next to us said, "It looks like Dr. Evil and Mini-Me."

Locking out and then off to find a quiet anchorage for the night.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[JamesTXSD]

We are down to a few days in the PNW. We spent Sunday night at anchor in Blakely Harbor again... what a great quiet anchorage. The boat population had increased by 50% - there were 6 of us anchored there that night.





Monday, we cruised around the west side of Bainbridge Island, ran by Bremerton and then Brownsville (just 'cause the name reminded us of home :wink: ), and then on towards Poulsbo. Before getting to Poulsbo, you pass a Naval Torpedo Range... we felt a "thump" on the side of the hull. You don't suppose... nahhhhh.



We enjoyed a nice Italian meal at an outside table then spent a couple hours walking around, exploring the area. I can testify that the reports of fine pastries were all true. 8)





We spent some time at the kayak dealer there, researching. We are considering a couple single kayaks or perhaps a double. Inflatable. I'm thinking either the AdvancedFrame Convertible (double or single) or two Dragonflys or AdvancedFrames. Something that we can take with us on Wild Blue and also use to paddle the canals and shallows back home. Any thoughts on this subject would be appreciated.

While we were out walking around Poulsbo, an 86' yacht pulled into the marina. We've seen this same boat at Victoria, Seattle, and now Poulsbo. Had we known they were going to be following us around, we could have put Wild Blue on their upper deck, cruised with them, and saved some gas money.





It was interesting watching them pull out this morning... they made it look easy. I did look up the meaning of the name Maranatha; it's a biblical term meaning: too much money.

We are now in Oak Harbor. About two minutes after we pulled in here, we saw another C-Dory heading in. Our friends Joe and Ruth on R-Matey!



I'll let them fill in more details about their arrival. The four of us walked to a nearby Mexican restaurant for supper... fine food, made us feel kinda homesick.

As I'm writing this, the full moon is rising behind the marina...



We'll be heading for Bellingham tomorrow; spend a couple days unloading, repacking and cleaning, and then hit the road.

For you PNW C-Brats that we had the pleasure to meet - thank you so much for making us feel welcome. You are blessed with truly amazing cruising waters here. It has been everything we hoped for. For those who haven't had the pleasure of cruising this area, there is a reason folks who have cruised the world rate the PNW as some of the finest cruising to be had. We'll be back.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[Pat Anderson]

Blakely Harbor is just our absolute favorite overnight spot out of Shilshole, glad you were able to share "our" spot!

We are down to a few days in the PNW. We spent Sunday night at anchor in Blakely Harbor again... what a great quiet anchorage.

 

[Robbi]

We spent some time at the kayak dealer there, researching. We are considering a couple single kayaks or perhaps a double. Inflatable. I'm thinking either the AdvancedFrame Convertible (double or single) or two Dragonflys or AdvancedFrames

[/img]

This is my new Advanced Elements (Frame)Strait Edge kayak. I really like it. It is the best performing inflatable kayak that I have paddled. It's stability allows me to enter and exit off of the swim step. If you buy inflatables, I think that you will like this brand. Robbi

PS It was great to meet you two at Bellingham, and I'm glad that you enjoyed your time crusing in this part of the world. Have a safe trip home and enjoy more summer. By the way, tell all of your friends that this was the most beautiful August in memory around here. It is usually cloudy and rainy! :crook

 

[AstoriaDave]

Jim,

You might also want to check out Folbot's Aleut, a 12-ft aluminum/plastic framed folding boat with a hypalon hull and polyester deck. I'm a longtime user of Folbots (no affiliation except as a satisfied customer), and can vouch for their durability and stability. The Aleut is the easiest to assemble, and the most compact. It can be had in a two-bag option or a one-bagger: 15" x 12" x 54"

I currently own a Cooper and a Kodiak, both higher-end singles, and paddled their double, the Greenland II, for several years, and was very satisfied. The down sides for your use may be twofold: maybe a little more time consuming to set up than an inflatable; and, might not store as compactly. The upsides would be: faster, can't leak, more maneuverable, and, made in the good old USA: Charleston, SC, in fact.

Here is a link to the Aleut: http://www.folbot.com/aleut.html

 

[snal]

This is my new Advanced Elements (Frame)Strait Edge kayak. I really like it. It is the best performing inflatable kayak that I have paddled. It's stability allows me to enter and exit off of the swim step. If you buy inflatables, I think that you will like this brand. Robbi

PS It was great to meet you two at Bellingham, and I'm glad that you enjoyed your time crusing in this part of the world. Have a safe trip home and enjoy more summer. By the way, tell all of your friends that this was the most beautiful August in memory around here. It is usually cloudy and rainy! :crook[/quote]

I'm considering the Straightedge myself, a couple of them. I like the looks of the advanced frame, but the open cockpit of the straightedge would make getting in and out much easier.
We saw a couple of the advanced frames on our last trip to Eleuthera, they seemed to be very well made.
Do you keep yours inflated?...or inflate as needed? I was thinking that we could keep one inflated and stored atop the cabin, the other packed away for when we really want to paddle around and explore. We have several hardshell kayaks, but all of them weigh quite a bit more than the inflatables, and all are solo kayaks.

 

[drjohn71a]

Jim and Joan,

Being sailors, you two really ought to check out the Hobie Mirage Drive "Adventure Island" tri-hull kayak. It is a 17 foot sea kayak with Akas/Amas that just clip in place with shock cords. The Mirage drive pedal system is more efficient than paddling - based upon penguin's wings - and is easily removable. You guys need to test drive one of those before committing.

I have one as a "dinghy" for my TomCat, but use it a lot on it's own since it is so easy to car top. The battened sail is on a 2" carbon fiber, rotating mast and you can reef it just like rolling up a window blind (the battens are angled to meet the mast parallel as you do this). A retractable rudder and floor plug for the drive hole allow you to use it as a sea kayak alone. They have a wheel system that quickly disassembles and stows inside the kayak if you have to do some portage or wind up in shallows.

These Adventure Islands are a hoot in the wind and waves. Some videos..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUKxews21QA&NR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59yRv4UCZJM&NR

When you get back to Texas, you have to test drive one of these!

John

 

[JamesTXSD]

So, Where’s The Camera, Mr. Funt??? Wednesday, August 29th. We’ve seen a variety of marina showers in our travels - some nice, some not so nice. Rarely are they absolutely frustrating. This is the tale of one of those frustrating showers. Normally I wouldn’t talk about such personal experiences, but we’re all close here, right? No photos, as you might expect, and create any mental images at your own peril.

Oak Harbor Marina is a nice place. It is a loooooooong walk from the transient docks to the restroom/showers under the office. "Showers" in this respect, is kind of like "scissors"... there is only one very small shower in the men’s side. I can only assume it is the same in the women’s, although I was close to finding out. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

I did mention “small”, didn’t I? Well, I squeezed into the dressing area (the really small part), got undressed, had my two quarters ready, and discovered that there’s really no place in the shower to put a soap container and a shampoo bottle. Oh, well, there’s the floor.

The shower costs 25¢ for 2 minutes... short, but I appreciate a challenge. Since my Momma didn’t raise no dummies, I had two quarters ready. I put the quarter in... and nothing happened. The knob didn’t “click”, it just spun. Both ways. Cussing and whacking it (my standard repair procedures) didn’t help. “Come on, you piece of (expletive deleted) - I gave you my quarter, now do your part!” It didn’t.

I was working up a pretty good sweat, wrestling with that coin machine. I could see the damn quarter in the slot still... I pulled out my handy sailing knife and moved on to my advanced repair procedure: jiggling it. Yeah, that didn’t work, either.

On to step 3 - giving up. I’m pretty sure there is no Emergency 25¢ Shower Repairman in the Yellow Pages, and fortunately the office didn’t open for another 20 minutes. I say “fortunately”, ‘cause I’m sure the lady in there would have taken one look at me and called the police... something about bedhead and frothing at the mouth that tends to make a person uneasy. I put my skivvies and shorts back on and... the shower started.

I quickly undressed and hopped in the freezing cold shower. I cleverly turned the knob over to hot. Yep, it got real hot, real fast. Sure no problem with that hot water stuff. I quicky shampooed and soaped up. I got the shampoo rinsed out... and the shower quit.

Yeah, that was certainly no “two minutes for a quarter”.

Dripping with soap, I stepped back into the tiny dressing area. The second (aka back up) quarter had gone back into my pocket during the giving-up stage. I thrust my soapy hand into the pocket of my shorts and pulled out another quarter. Some people never learn.

Repeat all of the above, except I’m soapy and naked. I went through all the steps, including giving up. I stepped naked out into the bathroom area and stomped over to a sink to make an attempt at rinsing off. OK, I wasn’t completely naked, I was wearing my Crocs (I told you not to make that mental image!).

The shower started.

I ran like a crazy man back to the stall. Rinsed. Stopped swearing. Counting the seconds to myself. “Ha! I’m rinsed you piece of (expletive deleted)!!!” I’m pretty sure it startled the guy who came in to use the urnal... he left in a big hurry.

I dried off, took my time finishing up with the rest of the cleaing routine, and made the looooooong walk back to the boat. The sun was shining, the cool morning air was warming nicely. Ah, the start to another great day! 8)

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[drjohn71a]

Thanks, Jim......

You just made me appreciate my morning shower more than ever! We really appreciate your "real life" reporting on life in the "slow" lane... the 'wet' lane?... the "soapy" lane?


John

 

[Pat Anderson]

Telling us not to make mental images is really quite useless...I am still rolling around on the Taproom floor laughing my head off!

So, Where’s The Camera, Mr. Funt??? Wednesday, August 29th. We’ve seen a variety of marina showers in our travels - some nice, some not so nice. Rarely are they absolutely frustrating. This is the tale of one of those frustrating showers.

 

[Robbi]

Do you keep yours inflated?...or inflate as needed?

On cruises I will sometimes leave it on the roof inflated, sometimes I leave it in its storage bag tied on the roof. It inflates quickly and I can handle it easily. Robbi

 

[JamesTXSD]

Thanks for the suggestions on the kayaks... and the e-mails regarding my shower adventure. Yes, it was true. We're back in Bellingham, and you'll be happy to know that the showers here at Gate 12 are NICE! :lol: Plenty of room, 5 whole minutes for a buck, and my favorite part: the Blonde and I can use them together.

Regarding the kayaks: while that Hobie Adventure Island looks like major fun, we feel inflatable is going to be a necessity. We want to take it (them) with us on the boat or in the RV.

Regarding the shower; yes, Wild Blue has the stand up head with a shower and hot water. It works great, but when there's a marina facility available, we will generally use that... less humidity in the boat, plus the adventure of "what's next?" And, there's always that concern about pumping your shower overboard when in a marina. Had I known what Oak Harbor had for shower facilities, I certainly would have used the shower in the boat... easy to make that decision when you're soapy and naked and the damn shower won't cooperate.

Joan has bacon and eggs cooking... time to sign off and go take on the day.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[JamesTXSD]

Friday, August 31st. Well, we had a bit of a ruckus here last night. Joan and I were in the middle of a hotly contested game of Yahtzee, when she glanced out the window and said, "That sailboat is coming right at us!"

We both scrambled out of the boat to see what we could do to help. When the guy was nearly right on top of Wild Blue, he hollered, "Move your boat, I need to get in!"

I let him know that there wasn't room (he was trying to put a 40-45' boat in a 35' space) and the space behind us is not open to transient docking (it is reserved for the local excursion boat). He continued at us, at least he was out of gear now.

I said to the guy, "You can't tie up there. There are signs saying "No Moorage" ." He said, "I can't read any signs. Move your boat."

Joan and I got to the water side of the boat. I told the guy, "Stand off and we'll move as close to the next boat as we can."

He hollered, "Move your boat!"

Then he let his boat hit Wild Blue. I was furious! There was an exchange of words, some discussion of parentage... it wasn't pleasant. I was trying to untie our dock lines while Joan was fending off. I said "let" because the guy in the big sailboat did nothing but sit at the helm - he made no attempt to put the boat in reverse, steer, no attempt to fend off. He just sat at the helm saying, "Move your boat."

About that time, an officer from Customs arrived and helped us untie our lines and move the boat forward. Another guy from the dock was helping the other boat. More heated discussion.

Since it was after business hours, I called the marina security. He said to call the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard? No one was hurt, not likely any damage, just a guy out of control. The Coast Guard said to call the Sheriff. This was getting way out of hand.

The police did come... took the names, said there'd be a report on file. I don't know if the guy was intoxicated or just stupid. But he came in with no dock lines ready, no fenders out, and tried to put that big boat in a small space. Canadian registration on the boat, but he said he was from Bellingham. It took nearly a half hour for him to get dock lines tied and the motor turned off after his boat was up to the dock. The whole situation seemed out of control and "off".

I understand the premise of "any port in a storm"... it was breezy and dark; but clear and certainly not stormy. It was the guy and his 13 year old daughter onboard, so the excuse was "no capable hand on the boat to handle lines." It seemed like a major lack of planning or a less than competent skipper to me. No other boats appeared to be having a problem with the conditions... but most were smart enough to plan being in before dark.

I asked the officers if they had done a breathalyzer on the guy... was told that wasn't necessary. A Google search let me find out that the guy is very active in the community and local politics.

So, if you're in the Bellingham area and you come across a dark green hulled sailboat with a canoe stern, named Madrigal I, with a homeport of Prince Rupert, you may want to give him some space. Or take up a collection for boating lessons; maybe we'll have enough left over to rent him some manners.

I think I'm gonna need a nap today.