Written by Eldor from Motu iti's log
Day 12
Destination: Roche Harbor, San Juan Island, U.S.A. ( n48 36.57 w123 09.21).
Cloudy, sunny afternoon, seas 1-3 ft, wind south 10-18 kts, beam reach all the way good wind and good current. Eleven 1/2 miles in 1 hr 45 minutes including motoring out of and into harbors. What a ride!!! I saw a long stretch at 8 1/2 kts on my GPS and 9kts for a few seconds.
Most of this was in Haro Strait where we were supposed to be looking for whales, maybe we'll see them next time.
Same routine clearing customs as entering Canada except this time I dealt with a real person face to face, very friendly and she had family ties in Tx.
Roche Harbor is the playground of the MicroSoft millionaires. The marina is full of huge yachts, both sail and motor. There were 4 new motor yachts for sale at the docks, the least expensive was $900,000 and the others up to $3.8 million. We all squatted down on the dock and had an impromptu pot luck picnic and felt like the richest ones there.
(Dorothy-- I was at the helm as we motored into the harbor. I throttled back to allow kayaks to pass in front of us when all of a sudden, I heard a roar and a seaplane landed RIGHT beside us!! Not the normal happening on a lake. It gets your attention.)
Day 13
Destination: Blakely Island Marina ( n48 35.14 w122 49.04 ).
Cloudy morning sunny afternoon, seas 1-2 ft, wind south 0-15 kts. Sailed some, motored some, sailed some, motored some. Finally gave up and motored in. All went well until the approach to Peavine Pass where the marina entrance is. My motoring speed is usually 4.5 kts but the current was coming out of the pass so fast I was down to less then 1 kt.
We are now down to 7 boats and this is our last night together so everyone empties their ice boxes and we have a pot luck last supper. Most of it got cleaned up but no one really cared about the food, we just enjoyed being together and we knew it would be a long time before we got together again .
Day 14
Sunny, seas 0-1 ft, wind south 0-10
Destination: Cap Sante Marina, Anacortas, Wa.
Sailed off and on motored off and on derigged the boat in the water and had it put back on trailer.
It's not trade wind sailing but it can be challenging and invigorating
you will not sail in bathing suits and don't forget your foul weather gear. It is beautiful, clear water and green islands everywhere, and everyone you meet in the marinas are very friendly.
We met all of the Montgomery people on the Internet and they are all as friendly as our friends in the AYC, SKPS, and Calvary. It was an experience we will remember forever.
Eldor and Dorothy
Monday, July 6, 2009
Motu iti's log (part 3)
Written by Eldor from Motu iti's log
Day 11
Destination: Port Sidney, Vancouver Island, B.C. ( n48 39.12 w123 23.53 ).
Light rain on departure, moderate rain all the way, 1ft seas, wind calm.
We had some excitement today! While motoring down the Sansum Narrows we entered a whirlpool which violently threw first to starboard about 10 ft then back to port then all was calm again. Later just before entering Johns Pass the outboard sputtered again, I killed the motor and refueled from my reserves, in very tranquil conditions, started the engine and continued into Johns Pass. The tidal current was at 4-5kts with us, the channel was only 50 ft wide with boulders on each side and a whirlpool in the center, it was white knuckles for a minute and it was all over. One of our friends called on VHF and said it was better to be lucky then good and I replied I had that all planned. If the engine had sputtered a minute later I would have decorated the rocks with fiberglass.
Sidney is a beautiful city, part Victorian and part modern. There is an old building just crammed with used boat parts. If there is anything you need for a boat and you have the time to look you could find there.
The whole fleet, now down to 8 boats , had dinner in a Greek restaurant which I would recommend to anyone.
Day 11
Destination: Port Sidney, Vancouver Island, B.C. ( n48 39.12 w123 23.53 ).
Light rain on departure, moderate rain all the way, 1ft seas, wind calm.
We had some excitement today! While motoring down the Sansum Narrows we entered a whirlpool which violently threw first to starboard about 10 ft then back to port then all was calm again. Later just before entering Johns Pass the outboard sputtered again, I killed the motor and refueled from my reserves, in very tranquil conditions, started the engine and continued into Johns Pass. The tidal current was at 4-5kts with us, the channel was only 50 ft wide with boulders on each side and a whirlpool in the center, it was white knuckles for a minute and it was all over. One of our friends called on VHF and said it was better to be lucky then good and I replied I had that all planned. If the engine had sputtered a minute later I would have decorated the rocks with fiberglass.
Sidney is a beautiful city, part Victorian and part modern. There is an old building just crammed with used boat parts. If there is anything you need for a boat and you have the time to look you could find there.
The whole fleet, now down to 8 boats , had dinner in a Greek restaurant which I would recommend to anyone.
Motu iti's Log (part 2)
Written by Eldor from Motu iti's log
Day 6
Prevost Harbor to Poets Cove, South Pender Island, B.C. (n48 44.82 w123 13.79).
Clear morning cloudy afternoon, brief afternoon shower wind light and variable, seas 1ft. A short hop but had to motor all the way, stopped at the edge of Boundary Pass to let a freighter go by. Only the captain was allowed to leave the boat to clear customs which was done by telephone outside the customs building on the dock.
Poet's Cove is a very upscale resort and there was a Jeaneau rendezvous going on. Our little M17 was assigned a slip between a Jeaneau 49 and Jeaneau 36. I told the boat girl I didn't want to be tied up beside trailer trash but they didn't have another open slip.
The night was very quite despite the big boys having a big catered meal with beer and wine on the dock just in front of us.
Day 7
Destination : Ganges Harbor, Salt Spring Island, B.C. (n48 50.05 w123 27.24).
Cloudy skys, 1ft seas, wind light and variable. Motored all the way.
Our fleet was now down to 9 boats since several had to leave after 1 week due to work or personal commitments. Ganges is a neat little town that has a big Farmers Market every Sat. We visited many of the displays, had lots of free samples, and even bought some local cheese and smoked salmon.
Day 8
Destination: Montague Harbor, Galiano Island, (n48 53.75 w123 24.00).
Cloudy morning, clear afternoon, 1ft. seas, Wind south 10-15. Fantastic sailing under beautiful blue skys with green islands everywhere you looked.
Several of the group took a bus ride to a pub on top of a hill overlooking the anchorage but we grilled steaks on the boat and got to bed before dark.
Made all of my GPS waypoints.
Day 9
Destination: Conover Cove, Wallace Island. B.C.
Cloudy morning clear skys afternoon 1ft seas wind calm. Motored all the way.
In the 1930's and 1940's there was a resort now abandoned but some of the buildings are still there. One of the old cabins is just FULL of hand made signs left by cruisers. Signs were mostly driftwood and had boats name, crewnames, home port, and date. We also left one. This cove had a very narrow, shallow entrance to a government dock. Some of the boats found out just how shallow but made it in without damage and the dock was just big enough for all our fleet and there was noone else there.
Day 10
Destination: Birdseye cove marina Maple Bay, Vancouver Island, B.C. (n48 47.92 w123 35.98)
Clear skys 1ft seas wind south 0-15 kts. Sailed 1/2 way motored 1/2 way Dorothy slept all the way. Fantastic sailing while wind was blowing.
Very good restaurant on the hill overlooking the marina.
Day 6
Prevost Harbor to Poets Cove, South Pender Island, B.C. (n48 44.82 w123 13.79).
Clear morning cloudy afternoon, brief afternoon shower wind light and variable, seas 1ft. A short hop but had to motor all the way, stopped at the edge of Boundary Pass to let a freighter go by. Only the captain was allowed to leave the boat to clear customs which was done by telephone outside the customs building on the dock.
Poet's Cove is a very upscale resort and there was a Jeaneau rendezvous going on. Our little M17 was assigned a slip between a Jeaneau 49 and Jeaneau 36. I told the boat girl I didn't want to be tied up beside trailer trash but they didn't have another open slip.
The night was very quite despite the big boys having a big catered meal with beer and wine on the dock just in front of us.
Day 7
Destination : Ganges Harbor, Salt Spring Island, B.C. (n48 50.05 w123 27.24).
Cloudy skys, 1ft seas, wind light and variable. Motored all the way.
Our fleet was now down to 9 boats since several had to leave after 1 week due to work or personal commitments. Ganges is a neat little town that has a big Farmers Market every Sat. We visited many of the displays, had lots of free samples, and even bought some local cheese and smoked salmon.
Day 8
Destination: Montague Harbor, Galiano Island, (n48 53.75 w123 24.00).
Cloudy morning, clear afternoon, 1ft. seas, Wind south 10-15. Fantastic sailing under beautiful blue skys with green islands everywhere you looked.
Several of the group took a bus ride to a pub on top of a hill overlooking the anchorage but we grilled steaks on the boat and got to bed before dark.
Made all of my GPS waypoints.
Day 9
Destination: Conover Cove, Wallace Island. B.C.
Cloudy morning clear skys afternoon 1ft seas wind calm. Motored all the way.
In the 1930's and 1940's there was a resort now abandoned but some of the buildings are still there. One of the old cabins is just FULL of hand made signs left by cruisers. Signs were mostly driftwood and had boats name, crewnames, home port, and date. We also left one. This cove had a very narrow, shallow entrance to a government dock. Some of the boats found out just how shallow but made it in without damage and the dock was just big enough for all our fleet and there was noone else there.
Day 10
Destination: Birdseye cove marina Maple Bay, Vancouver Island, B.C. (n48 47.92 w123 35.98)
Clear skys 1ft seas wind south 0-15 kts. Sailed 1/2 way motored 1/2 way Dorothy slept all the way. Fantastic sailing while wind was blowing.
Very good restaurant on the hill overlooking the marina.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Motu iti's log
Written by Eldor on July 1 from Motu iti's log
Hello Sailors
Ten A.M. 06-14-09 departed Cap Sante Marina, Anacortas, Wa. ( n48 24.51 w122 38.52). We had a fleet of 5 Montgomery 23's, 2 M15's and 9 M17's and another M17 from Canada Would briefly join us at Friday Harbor. While in the marina conditions appeared to favor a working jib and reefed main but we no more then motored past the breakwater and the wind decreased so I hoisted a full main. We had clouds and fog with 4-5 miles visibility on departure and about 10-12kt s wind which made for very relaxed sailing the 1st few hrs.
Later in the Rosario Straits the wind increased to S 15-18 kts with a south flowing current of 2-3 kts and we were still showing over the ground speed of 6-7 kts. You can imagine the water was very rough but we were the third boat to reach the Blakely Island Marina (n48 35.14 w122 49.04). I had borrowed a semi-balanced rudder, with the understanding I would buy it if it improved the handling of my boat and after this 1st leg there was no doubt I was going to buy it.
Day 2
Blakely Island to Blind Bay, Shaw Island
( n48 34.87 w122 56.38).
Just to kill time we sailed to the north end of West Sound of Orcas Island. The wind was light southerly and I was glad I had changed to my 150% genoa. Coming back south the wind increased to 15kts and just like 2 years ago our fixed keel boat pointed so much higher then anyone else we overtook 7 of the other boats that had a head start on us.
Our leader, Larry. has sailed the islands many times and studies the tides and currents to determine the routes and departure times and does a very good job of it.
All of the San Juans are beautiful with green vegetation everywhere.
I was having a problem understanding my GPS, finally got a lesson and was still having trouble when I realized I hadn't calibrated the compass after the last time I changed batteries. After calibrating it finally started making sense.
Day 3 ( if this is Tue. our destination must be Friday Harbor on San Juan Island). (n48 32 48 w123 00.78).
Clear to partly cloudy, Seas 1ft wind 5-15 kts, Great sailing after the wind came up.
Friday Harbor is a nice little seaport town where you can get almost anything. We went to West Marine, The grocery store, several souvenir shops and restaurants. It was good to stretch our legs after anchoring out in Blind Bay.
Day 4 Friday Harbor to Garrison Bay (n48 35.19 w123 09.49). Wind s 15kts wave s 1-3 ft clear to partly cloudy. Had a wonderful 5 mile wing on wing run then a beam reach to Barren Island where we had to start the motor to work our way south thru some narrow passes, past Roche Harbor to Garrison Bay.
On the east side of Garrison Bay is English Camp, a National Historic Park Staffed mostly by volunteers. Last winter while we were in the Rio Grande Valley we meet a couple who told us they were going to work there this summer so we hitch a dingy ride to the camp and visited with them. It was good to renew friendships after only having lunch with them once.
Had to drop the anchor 3 times before it held.
Day 5
Destination Prevost Harbor, Stuart Island (n48 41.20 w123 11.93). Clear morning overcast afternoon, wind south 0-18 kts. The 1st group to leave went south thru Mosquito Pass but came back in because of fog on Haro Strait , while they waited for the fog to clear we motored up to Roche Harbor to get more groceries, you can't store much on a 17 ft boat.
After provisioning we motored north around Battleship Island and west into Haro Strait where we meet up with the rest of the fleet. At first the water was very smooth but with about 3ft rolling waves. Later the current was out of the north and the wind was out of the south and it got very rough. After motoring around the NW end of Stuart Island I ran out of gas in my little 1 gal internal tank and the water was still too rough to refill with reserve fuel so I pulled up the sails and sailed into Prevost Harbor. I attempted to sail up to the State Park dock where the rest of the fleet was tied up but the wind was fluky they finally sent a friend out in his little inflatable with a 2hp outboard to pull us in. Didn't work but the water was smooth enough so I could transfer fuel and motor in.
Day 6
Destination Poet's Cove, South Pender Island,B.C.
Hello Sailors
Ten A.M. 06-14-09 departed Cap Sante Marina, Anacortas, Wa. ( n48 24.51 w122 38.52). We had a fleet of 5 Montgomery 23's, 2 M15's and 9 M17's and another M17 from Canada Would briefly join us at Friday Harbor. While in the marina conditions appeared to favor a working jib and reefed main but we no more then motored past the breakwater and the wind decreased so I hoisted a full main. We had clouds and fog with 4-5 miles visibility on departure and about 10-12kt s wind which made for very relaxed sailing the 1st few hrs.
Later in the Rosario Straits the wind increased to S 15-18 kts with a south flowing current of 2-3 kts and we were still showing over the ground speed of 6-7 kts. You can imagine the water was very rough but we were the third boat to reach the Blakely Island Marina (n48 35.14 w122 49.04). I had borrowed a semi-balanced rudder, with the understanding I would buy it if it improved the handling of my boat and after this 1st leg there was no doubt I was going to buy it.
Day 2
Blakely Island to Blind Bay, Shaw Island
( n48 34.87 w122 56.38).
Just to kill time we sailed to the north end of West Sound of Orcas Island. The wind was light southerly and I was glad I had changed to my 150% genoa. Coming back south the wind increased to 15kts and just like 2 years ago our fixed keel boat pointed so much higher then anyone else we overtook 7 of the other boats that had a head start on us.
Our leader, Larry. has sailed the islands many times and studies the tides and currents to determine the routes and departure times and does a very good job of it.
All of the San Juans are beautiful with green vegetation everywhere.
I was having a problem understanding my GPS, finally got a lesson and was still having trouble when I realized I hadn't calibrated the compass after the last time I changed batteries. After calibrating it finally started making sense.
Day 3 ( if this is Tue. our destination must be Friday Harbor on San Juan Island). (n48 32 48 w123 00.78).
Clear to partly cloudy, Seas 1ft wind 5-15 kts, Great sailing after the wind came up.
Friday Harbor is a nice little seaport town where you can get almost anything. We went to West Marine, The grocery store, several souvenir shops and restaurants. It was good to stretch our legs after anchoring out in Blind Bay.
Day 4 Friday Harbor to Garrison Bay (n48 35.19 w123 09.49). Wind s 15kts wave s 1-3 ft clear to partly cloudy. Had a wonderful 5 mile wing on wing run then a beam reach to Barren Island where we had to start the motor to work our way south thru some narrow passes, past Roche Harbor to Garrison Bay.
On the east side of Garrison Bay is English Camp, a National Historic Park Staffed mostly by volunteers. Last winter while we were in the Rio Grande Valley we meet a couple who told us they were going to work there this summer so we hitch a dingy ride to the camp and visited with them. It was good to renew friendships after only having lunch with them once.
Had to drop the anchor 3 times before it held.
Day 5
Destination Prevost Harbor, Stuart Island (n48 41.20 w123 11.93). Clear morning overcast afternoon, wind south 0-18 kts. The 1st group to leave went south thru Mosquito Pass but came back in because of fog on Haro Strait , while they waited for the fog to clear we motored up to Roche Harbor to get more groceries, you can't store much on a 17 ft boat.
After provisioning we motored north around Battleship Island and west into Haro Strait where we meet up with the rest of the fleet. At first the water was very smooth but with about 3ft rolling waves. Later the current was out of the north and the wind was out of the south and it got very rough. After motoring around the NW end of Stuart Island I ran out of gas in my little 1 gal internal tank and the water was still too rough to refill with reserve fuel so I pulled up the sails and sailed into Prevost Harbor. I attempted to sail up to the State Park dock where the rest of the fleet was tied up but the wind was fluky they finally sent a friend out in his little inflatable with a 2hp outboard to pull us in. Didn't work but the water was smooth enough so I could transfer fuel and motor in.
Day 6
Destination Poet's Cove, South Pender Island,B.C.
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