Northern Goes North

An explanation for the radio silence lately: I took a job up north in Bellingham, Eli hopped a hitch on a deep sea tug to Honolulu and between the two of us there has been little time for writing lately.  Shortly after we moved up here, Eli and a group of dudes headed back south to Oly to pick up Northern and bring her to her new (new) home in Anacortes.  They had entirely too much fun on the way (Nate, we found your hat in the V yesterday and Vince I still have your crockpot) but everyone got here none the worse for wear.  Except our anchor.  Which didn't get here at all.  Anyway.

This one is photo heavy.  As dictated by the Cap'n, because I wasn't there.

We pushed most of this 3/4" thick ice out of the marina--70 by 100 feet--on our way out in the morning.

It was brisk. 

Cold, even.

Floating bird bus on Budd Inlet. 

At first we thought these white things were chunks of foam.  They were not.  They are icebergs, awaiting a very tiny Titanic to capsize.

But all in all a beautiful day for a cruise.

Alpenglow on Rainier in the evening.

Course from Poulsbo to Anacortes

Leaving Poulsbo on day 2, cruising under Agate Pass Bridge at seven a.m.

Looking west at Port Madison, with the Olympics in the background early morning.

Passing Hansville around Point No Point, Eli's hometown.

The very small speck of a person on the beach below the lighthouse is Eli's Dad, Eric.  Hi Eric!

Photos of Northern from the beach.

Perfection.

Through the Port Townsend channel between Quimper peninsula and Indian Island

Heading toward Port Townsend Canal.  Not entirely sure we will fit....

There were about 30 feet on either side of the boat in the channel, and maybe five feet clearance overhead under the bridge to Indian Island.

Rather narrow!

Safely out of the chute, toward PT

Port Townsend from the water.  We'll be back in September for the Wooden Boat Festival!

Fort Worden at Port Townsend.  Eli and I spent many days here at camp in junior high.  In fact, this is where I once loaned him my bicycle and it came back to me with two flat tires and no kickstand because he had jumped it off of a ten foot flight of stairs repeatedly.

Remind me one day to dedicate a post to Eli's insane hobbies.  Like, more insane than this crazy wooden boat thing.

Through the San Juan Islands to the last night in Friday Harbor.

Cattle Point Light on San Juan Island

San Juan Island on the left, Lopez Island on the right, Shaw Island and Mt. Constitution on Orcas Island dead ahead.

The intrepid voyagers from left to right: Nick, Vince, Ryker, Nate and Eli

Looking back south toward the Misty Mountains the Olympic range

Making our way through the San Juan Channel

Approaching Turn Island on the way into Friday Harbor.

Now this is where it all goes south.

Sadly, when the gents dropped anchor in the harbor that night, the anchor just
kept
dropping.

And took all of our cable and half the line with it.  So they rolled into the marina for the night and picked up a diver at the bar (ha! a dive bar!) to go hunting for it the next morning.

This is the dive boat with Ryker and Vince manning the lines, anchor hunting unsuccessfully.  This diver was able to go to about 75 feet and it looks like our anchor is deeper than that.  We are still waiting on someone to find it for us.  My only consolation is that in the meantime it is probably not going anywhere.

The next morning, starting for home past Willow Island.

Blakely Island--love that aqua green.

Looking toward Thatcher pass and the edge of the San Juan archipelago

Burrow's pass into the marina; home at last.