Return to the Salish Sea

[David Patterson]

Part of a cruiser's anchoring system includes the dinghy. Can you kedge out a second anchor or set up a stern line, motoring your dinghy? Rowing an inflatable against wind and wave? Difficult. Also, the anchor light is part of the whole system. Does yours make your boat safer? Assist other boaters and sailors? Outside of the COLREGS is the real world. This photo illustrates an anchoring challenge. Low light in an anchorage as you come in: identify the size and position of all of the boats in this less than 1/4 mile across anchorage, as if you were coming to anchor yourself. Make it easy. Assume you are motoring in a calm. *** No anchor light is required in only the less than 40 (I think it is) US Designated Special Anchorages. But everyone is special, right? Difficult to be confident in this challenging, and very mild, situation. The photo is before "first light" in the north cove of Friday Harbor today. An hour ago there was considerably less light.

[David Patterson]

Here is the sparsely occupied anchorage again, just before sunrise, in case you wish to compare.

[David Patterson]

Mount Baker, aka Kulshan, hovers in the distance, overlooking the Anacortes ferry dock as I left the Salish Sea behind for a month ashore. Not having been in a motor vehicle ashore for nearly 6 months, I found myself misinterpreting the motions and the noises, as I traveled to the airport.