Cruising the San Juans again

[David Patterson]

I've been asked to post photos of CLOUD GIRL's interior. Below are two, looking forward and aft in the cabin. She was on her trailer in Colorado at the time, in the winter, with work in progress. Sorry they are so dark. They are idealized representations, since very little of her cruising gear was aboard. A small space, nominally 8x10, but really about 7x9. Surprisingly adequate, I have found, after spending 12 of the last 16 months aboard her, especially when I can open the hatch and be outdoors. I have also included a chart photo of the central San Juan Channel area. Required to go ashore often for tasks to conclude shore business, in recent months, I have utilized a triangle that includes Friday Harbor (Fridayville some say) to the west, Fisherman Bay (Fish Bay to some of the locals) to the south east, and my favorite anchorage for southerlies, Parks Bay to the north. No going ashore in Parks, for it is a biological preserve. The challenge I give myself is to negotiate it all by sail, which requires careful planning for currents and winds. And patience, which I have gained. Note the depths, the dogleg in the channel, and imagine the tidal currents that might get set up with twice a day reversals in the tides, which range up to 12 feet. The eastern end of Juan de Fuca Strait is a few miles to the south on this chart (San Juan Channel chart #18434). The San Juan Islands are basically the tops of flooded mountains, gouged deeply by the glaciers that melted 10 to 15 millennia ago. "Erratics," granite boulders carried by the glaciers down from Canada, can be easily found on the islands. When the weight of the ice was gone, the mountains rose. I have seen a minke whale at that central gps point, Stellar sea lions up the channel, and a California sea lion outside of Friday Harbor, among other wildlife (harbor seals, harbor porpoises, etc.). Orcas (killer whales) don't often come among the islands, but are often spotted out in Haro Strait, sometimes in Rosario Strait. Most Americans aren't much aware of the San Juans. A national treasure, I believe. But then, I'm clearly biased by now. (The chart page photo is from Maptech's San Juan Islands chart book, an extremely useful companion.)

[David Patterson]

A good galley arrangement is essential for extended cruising. A previous owner made some valuable modifications to my 25D, including moving the sink from beneath the bridge deck, putting in a fine propane stove, and setting up a functional 12 or 13 inch wide fold-down table forward of the stove. Three meals a day every day month after month requires functionality. A plastic cutting board goes over the sink. The steps fold up for 4" extra standing room. There was space, under the top counter-level step, for me to mount an out-of-the-way teak paper towel holder. (Empty in this photo.) One valuable feature is a foot pump for fresh water, making many galley tasks two-handed for ease. I switched it from a salt water seacock and probably wouldn't go back. While I think about having a CD28, to extend my cruising range, I may not be able to leave this very likable galley behind.

[David Patterson]

Two photos of drift logs and deadheads. On the beach are bleached logs, there for some time, and a couple of smaller dark ones loosened by a higher tide somewhere, and recently brought ashore here. Nothing in the photo to show relative size, but the thicker ones are above three feet in diameter. A good lookout is valuable after an unusually high tide here, as I've mentioned before. The deadheads are examples of logs that have one water-logged end grounded, the other still afloat. These particular ones are always visible as the tides rise and fall. They are in about 2.5 fathoms in the photo. Out of the way, back in this cove, yet one can get an idea of what might be floating vertically out in the waters. Often one will be reported on VHF 16 in such-and-such a pass or channel. Through the green grass in the center is a well-used otter trail, to and from the water. Watching river otters eat fish is entertaining. They act as though they have overly hot food in their mouths.

[David Patterson]

A couple of photos of a highly unique, even eccentric, home-built single-hander's boat of 27 to 30 feet. Since I'm harbor-bound for a coming Force 7 northerly, after which I will slip CLOUD GIRL for a few months, I'm indulging in studying other boats. This one is on the hook next to me for the coming wind, though I first saw it at the courtesy dock of the Port of Friday Harbor. Lightly stayed mast. No forestay. He sets his jib flying free, saying the leach is more of an issue than the luff, making running difficult. He can tack 60* into the wind, and must tack downwind on broad reaches. He is considering a junk rig in the future. One foot draft, so I assume a board of some sort. Looking at the way he has his jib secured, he might have a way to release it from the cockpit. How would you like to have to go forward on her in a stiff wind and rough water? He is down from Alaska, headed I'm not sure where. I haven't gotten her name or hailing port. I imagine looking at her that she was built to handle a possible rollover. Her shape reminds me of the European wooden shoe, 'sabot' in French, I think. In fact the word 'sabotage' comes from early factory workers dropping a wooden shoe into the machinery gears, as a way to get rest, or leverage for better working conditions.

[David Patterson]

While the West Coast is a lee shore for the prevailing westerly winds off of the (anything but!) Pacific Ocean, the sunsets are at least a partial compensation. The first photo is of the clouds seemingly aflame at sunset, over San Juan Island. Little CLOUD GIRL is now docked for a few months, looking sturdy but worn after eight full months cruising and on the hook. She feels strangely motionless with her dock and spring lines holding her in place, in a slip at the Port of Friday Harbor Marina. Glancing out of the port light to see another boat only a few feet away, I can be surprised, flashing on getting rammed in an anchorage, until I recall where I am. Except for half hour stops for each Canadian and US customs, she hasn't been at a dock since March 1st. I've also included a photo of a cabin detail. I don't know if it is a standard feature or not, as mine is the only 25D I've ever been aboard. The wooden backing plaque was in place. I added the hooks. Doing something similar with any cabin light would be simple. Extremely utilitarian spot, out of the way and near the heater, for drying wet gloves, hats, washcloths, and any damp item. The last photo, if I get these in order, is of similarly useful hooks positioned under the boat's moveable cabin table. (That semi-circle of drilled holes is a builder's error, I think.) These are positioned so as not to catch on a diner's clothes. They have worked so far. Great place to dry foul weather gear. Another spot is from the forward hatch mechanisms over the head floor grate, of course, also not far from the bulkhead-mounted heater. Better for a dripping foulie. It has rained once in three weeks here. That was briefly before a 40 knot two day northerly.

[barfwinkle]

Good Morning David

That semi-circle is where the table pedestal was mounted.

I would be interested in knowing some details about the mechanism holding the table to the compression post.

Fair Winds

[David Patterson]

Hey, Bill, it could not be more simple. The builder was basic. Two blocks of wood with two bolts through, tightened by wing nuts. You can see them in the photo. Above each a longer piece of wood was screwed, from above, becoming the mount for the table itself, which is then screwed on from below. The table dies not encircle the post. The clamping parts need to be cut to go around the post, of course. This table is of teak plywood with teak blocks for the clamp, but many woods would work handsomely. Some headroom is sacrificed. I'm short enough that I don't touch. I have five rolls of charts stowed on top, easy to set aside when I have company or need a work surface. A good table solution and use of that pesky post. Which, by the way, is a valuable handhold in a seaway, if I need something from the forward compartment. One disadvantage of a large cabin space in rough seas can be getting thrown, without a handhold close. Anyway, this photo might help. Sorry to be prolix. Oh, fiddles port and starboard on the surface. I have wanted them all the way around at times, when sailing with the table down, heeling. A flat surface aboard automatically collects small items.

[David Patterson]

A last posting for awhile. Thank you to all who viewed, communicated, questioned, and informed me while I've been out. More is welcome in coming months. I'd like to be able to share the numbers of my San Juan Islands cruising on little CLOUD GIRL, but I haven't kept a count of hours, miles, anchorages, etc. Perhaps I'll gather some of that kind of thing from my journals over the three months I'll be with family. In keeping with my "sail whenever possible" stance, I used my motor for less than 40 hours since the beginning of March, until I anchored in Friday Harbor three weeks ago. Using it got me out of some tough situations though. I'd hate to try to sail here without one as backup. At least with my current skill level. My boat is now slipped through January in Friday Harbor, after which I'll haul her out for maintenance. I've included a photo here of her tied up, dinghy on deck. She looks the part of a boat that has been out eight months, though she wasn't very spiffy to start with. I notice she still has marks from old tire fenders at the customs dock of Bedwell Harbor, in the Canadian Gulf Islands. I'll polish those out when I haul her. Cosmetics are the least of her needs. She continues to be an excellent pocket cruiser, leading a long useful life. She is down at the bow, with all of her anchors and rodes in the locker, and the dinghy aboard. I've gotten very attached to her by now, as you might imagine.

[barfwinkle]

David enjoy your hiatus

Safe Travels and fair winds

[pete faga]

David
Thanks for sharing your adventure
Great pictures and descriptions of Those beautiful islands
Pete

[David Patterson]

Trapped! Bound is boatless man. And so on. I'm in Boulder CO, where the Great Plains wash up against the Rocky Mountains, bereft of a boat, not to mention salt water. I won't get back aboard until late January. Meanwhile I have been reviewing some photos, in order not to get depressed by being landlocked. Here are a few random ones for anyone suffering similarly. In order, a gale in Rosario Strait as seen from a state ferry; the shore boat's perspective of sun on the water; a cruiser's bicycle up from the depths on someone's anchor, in Port Townsend.

[David Patterson]

Suffering cruising withdrawal, as I visit family for the holidays, I have been looking back at my journals from my 2012 entry into the San Juan Islands. At the beginning of September I sailed on to Port Townsend through lively narrow "Cattle Pass," as the locals call the Middle Channel/San Juan Channel narrows by Cattle Point of San Juan Island. I'm hoping to post a link to my narrative of sailing through that pass, once I have transcribed it from my journal. Here are a couple of snapshots of the subsequent crossing of Juan de Fuca Strait's east end. One is of some of my navigation aids, including my running "cockpit log," which I see was pretty detailed since I was sailing across the strait in the fog at the time. Another is of the Olympic Mountains visible down the strait. (That snatch block is simply stowed on the dodger frame.) The water was lumpier than it looks, made so by conflicting big ship wakes, where several busy traffic lanes (evident on the first photo's chart) converge outside Admiralty Inlet. It got to 4 feet before I cleared into the inlet. Right now I would skip Thanksgiving leftovers for a good sail, for sure, though they will be very good leftovers. Far better than my cooking aboard. [I've also included a photo of how I check my fuel level, without having to empty my port cockpit locker to do so. Obviously I have to reverse the image of the gauge in my mind.]

[David Patterson]

Here is a link to a brief sailing narrative from 9/12, of sailing from Griffin Bay to Mackaye Harbor, through "Cattle Pass:"
https://www.icloud.com/iw/#pages/BAIM3c ... 9%2F2%2F12
I hope some find it enjoyable. A glance at a chart of southern Lopez Island and/or San Juan Channel will make it more interesting. May the link work.

[David Patterson]

This photo shows a simple way to pole out your shore boat when at anchor. Bruce Bingham, in his Sailor's Sketchbook, points out this solution for keeping the dinghy off of the hull, when wind and tide are not cooperating. The dinghy can rotate 360* on its painter without touching the hull. The lines are simple, taken one at a time. The pole is the spinnaker pole, held up by the spinnaker halyard or some other line up the mast. (Before setting out on my cruising with CLOUD GIRL, I put a double spinnaker bail [see the photo below] on the mast head, allowing for a spare jib halyard as well as a spinnaker halyard. Either works.) The downward pull is provided by the weight of the dinghy on its painter (which, by the way, provides some anti-rolling stability). A snatch block at the end of the pole allows up and down movement of the pole and dinghy. A line, in this case 50 feet (could be shorter, or two lines) of 3/16" dacron, acts as a guy both fore and aft, attached to the center of the spinnaker pole and at on-board cleats. A swivel clip at the center of the line speeds up the attachment of it. Releasing the front guy allows the dinghy to swing back to the quarter for easy boarding or bailing. Release the painter from the snatch block, and row away. The arrangement is quick to set up with items found on board, and makes for quieter sleeping. One of multiple options for dinghy management, yet one of the quietest, even for an inflatable...or de-flatable, depending on your perspective. Obviously, the longer the dinghy, the longer the pole needs to be. This dinghy is 8 feet, the pole a little over 9 feet, or about what the J measure is on my CD25D. The set up handles very lively conditions. I especially like to use it when I am exposed to the big wakes of Bayliners and state ferries, in places like the north cove of Friday Harbor in the San Juans, yet held by wind or tide beam on to them. Or when anchored near the ship traffic lanes of Admiralty Inlet, at Port Townsend. Quick and easy, once all is familiar. I find it relieving to have the dinghy drop out of my awareness when at anchor.

[tjr818]

T (Before setting out on my cruising with CLOUD GIRL, I put a double spinnaker bail [see the photo below] on the mast head, allowing for a spare jib halyard as well as a spinnaker halyard. Either works.)

Always interesting posts David.

We have pulled Sláinte for the winter, so we have the mast down. Where did you get that double bail. I was thinking about adding a bail while the mast is down, but a double sounds even better (except for the clutter at the mast).