Summer Cruise Aboard "Jubilacion" 2017

The weather window has closed.  The forecast is for winds 15 to 20 knots out of the southwest.  So, we’re pulling the anchor in the dark again, hoping to get as far as Port Madison before it gets ugly.  The wind is only blowing about 5 knots as we leave Port Hadlock.  We’re hopeful that maybe the forecasters got it wrong.

 

 

However, as soon as we got through the Port Townsend Canal we could see the dark line on the horizon, indicating wind up ahead.  When we got to that dark line, we knew we were not going to make it to Port Madison.  By now, we’d be lucky to make it to Apple Tree Cove, where we holed up last year.

The closer we got to Point No Point, the uglier the seas became.  By now, the wind was gusting to 35 knots out of the southeast.  We were headed right into breaking seas.  Al tried to hug the coastline, hoping to get into some lee.  But there just wasn’t any protection.  We slogged on, eventually getting around Point No Point, only to be faced with more ugly seas.

We pounded to weather for what seemed like forever before finally making Apple Tree Cove.  Then the wind dropped to 25 knots.  We decided to try to make Port Madison, a much more comfortable anchorage than Apple Tree Cove.

We eventually made Port Madison and anchored just outside the inner anchorage, where we could look out and see the conditions onto Puget Sound, just in case the wind dropped enough for us to make Elliott Bay today.  By the time we finished dinner the wind had dropped to 15 knots and the seas had flattened considerably.   So, we pulled the anchor and headed for our slip in Elliott Bay, only 7 miles away.  We lucked out, and the wind continued to drop.  In an hour, we were tied up in our slip.  Home.

It’s good to be home, but we’re already looking forward to next year’s cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we listened to the weather forecast last night, we learned that there was a one-day weather window for getting across Johnstone Strait.  If we’re lucky and the forecast is accurate, we hope to make it all the way to Port Hadlock today — 72 miles.

It’s still dark when we pull the anchor at 0630 hrs this morning.  The sea is absolutely flat calm, and we can see for miles.  You don’t get great traveling conditions like this very often this time of year.  The only fly in the ointment is that military operations, using live ammunition, are scheduled for today in the Whiskey Quebec Small Arms Test Range off Whidbey Island.  It took us awhile to figure out where Whiskey Quebec was, since it isn’t indicated as such on the chart.  Al called the Coast Guard and found that in order to avoid being blown up, we’d have to set a course close to Smith Island, on the west side of the shipping lane, until we got close to Partridge Point.  Luckily, it was a Neap Tide, so there weren’t any ugly tide rips off Point Wilson.

The weather held all the way across Johnstone Strait and as far as Port Hadlock, where we anchored for the night.  It had been a long day, but the weather was so great, that it was actually very pleasant.  However, the autopilot seems to be acting up.  We’ll have to have that checked when we get to Seattle.

 

 

 

 

 

Dodd Narrows wasn’t slack until 0900 hrs this morning, so we didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to leave this morning.  The weather report is good, so we’ll probably get to Montague Harbour, where we’ll spend a few days waiting for a weather window for Johnstone Strait.

Traveling conditions were great, as forecast, and we had an easy trip to Montague.

 

 

Once again the forecast is promising light winds.  So, again, we pulled the anchor and headed for Nanaimo.   Fortunately, this time the forecast was spot on.  There wasn’t even a ripple on the water all the way across Georgia Strait.  By 1030 hrs, we were tied up at the dock in Nanaimo.

The WiFi turned out to be pretty fast, so I was able to upload almost all of my blog posts.

While Al got a taxi to the marine hardware store to pick up a new set of spare hoses for our generator, I walked over to the Port Place Mall to pick up a few groceries and a couple of those delicious Fresh Slice Pizzas for our dinner.   By the time I got back to the boat, Al had the wine poured and some veggies going, and the nearby evening street entertainer, who happened to be outstanding on the keyboard, had started his first set.  The temperature outside was in the low seventies, the sunset was beautiful…. doesn’t get much better than this.

 

 

 

We spent our time at False Bay watching the wind and rain.  Every time the wind died down a bit we’d think maybe we should head for Nanaimo.  But, the lulls didn’t last very long.  During one such lull, we pulled the anchor and went out to check it out.  Before we’d gone a mile, the wind picked up and the seas started getting ugly… not good.  So, we wisely turned around and headed back to False Bay.

 

 

We got an early start this morning, hoping to make Nanaimo before dark.  The sun wasn’t quite up when we pulled the anchor and headed out into Lewis Channel.

 

 

It was another picture perfect traveling day — flat seas and no fog.  The weather forecast is for light winds in Georgia Strait.  So, when we got to Savary Island, we decided to set a strait course for Nanaimo, and headed out into Georgia Strait, along the west side of Texada Island. 

We didn’t get very far before the wind and seas started building.  By the time we got to the north end of Lasqueti Island, we had 25 knots on the nose, and sloppy seas.  At that point we were at least 3 hours from Nanaimo.  So, we decided to head into False Bay, just past the north end of Lasqueti, where we anchored for the night.  We’d never been into False Bay, so this was our chance to check it out. 

False Bay is the main settlement on Lasqueti.  The settlement consists of several houses, a public wharf and float, and a ferry that runs to French Creek on Vancouver Island.  We found the anchorage to be comfortable, but next time we’ll probably check out Scottie’s Cove, at the northeast side of Lasqueti, which would probably be less busy.

 

 

The sun was out this morning.  A seagull was perched on top of some old pilings nearby, soaking up the early morning rays.

 

 

 

 

I spotted a couple of Common Mergansers fishing along the shore.

 

 

Today, we’ll be going through a few more serious rapids, where timing is everything.  We’ve got to hit them as close to slack as possible.  So, after checking the tide tables and doing our calculations,  we determined that we couldn’t leave before 0930 hrs.  Sounds good to me.

When we got to Dent Raids, however, we were early.  “Better early than late, Al said.”  But, we’d have to wait for slack, so we found a cove nearby where we could cool our heels.  Al turned off the engines and we waited for the current to slow down.  When the current got down to about 2 knots, Al fired up the engines and we headed through Dent.  Piece of cake.  Gillard and the Yuculta Rapids were smooth going also.    We’d made it through all the rapids without rocking the boat.  I spotted these Sea Lions basking on the rocks at Gillard.

 

 

 

Once through Yuculta, we only had a 3-hour run to Squirrel Cove where we anchored for the night.

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve decided to just go as far as Sandy’s Cove in Cordero Channel today.  That way we only have to worry about timing slack tide at Whirlpool and Green Point Rapids.  This will take a lot of anxiety out of timing the rapids at Dent, Gillard and Yuculta tomorrow. 

Whirlpool was a piece of cake, even though we were 30 minutes early for slack.  Green Point Rapids was also easy going.  Our plan worked perfectly.  We made Sandy’s Cove, just passed Green Point Rapids, in Cordero Channel,  in a couple of hours,  running in calm, flat water… just a pleasant little jaunt. 

We always enjoy Forward Harbour, and this year was no exception.  I was able to get in a couple of paddles and had a few photo ops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were enjoying the sunset on our first night, when I spotted a bear on the beach turning rocks.

 

 

 

 

 

On one of my morning paddles,  I spotted this Blue Heron fishing along the shore. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. . . and, this American Robin.

 

 

On the lowest tide one morning, I spotted three Minks.  Unfortunately,  this was the only one to stay still long enough for me to get his picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This tug with a log boom just outside Forward Harbour was waiting for slack tide at Whirlpool Rapids.

 

 

At low tide I looked for Sea Stars.  I noticed there weren’t any bright purple or pink SeaStars, but I did find colorful Bat stars.

 

 

 

All the other Sea Stars were pretty dull in comparison.

 

 

I saw lots of clams and crabs.

 

 

 

Early mornings have turned chilly.  This fall colored leaf I found floating on the water was just one more reminder that summer is over.  Sad.

 

 

 

 

 

After waiting out the bad weather, we finally have another weather window.  So, just before daybreak, we are on our way down Johnstone Strait.  We hope to get as far as Forward Harbour, but you never know with Johnstone Strait. 

 

The seas are calm when we leave, and once again, miracle of miracles,  there is no fog.   I put in alternate courses for several anchorages along the way, just in case the wind kicked up, but conditions were so good we didn’t have to use them.  We had a great trip all the way down Johnstone Strait and up Sunderland Channel, and arrived at Forward Harbour by 1330 hrs.