Above the Salish Sea

[David Patterson]

Last year I mentioned my "training passage," which I've made dozens of times under sail, anchor up to anchor down. I started out a few years ago wondering if I could even do it under sail alone. That was my challenge. It has much to recommend it: the anchor work, points to round, variable currents, traffic of various sorts, a wreck, island wind shadows, wakes, flotsam...and did I say currents? With good winds and decent judgement on my part the crossing takes an hour fifteen or less, anchor up to anchor down. Now, one of my cruising failings is leaving anchor too early for my tide change. On this crossing (2.25hrs) in Force 1 and 2 SSE winds, I was fine until I hit the remainder of the north-running flood current, mid channel. I reached through conflicting currents across to San Juan Island for a counter current there, eventually finding it, but kept getting pushed away because I was tacking upwind and unable to stay close enough to shore. Eventually, I rounded into the bay and came to anchor in a usual spot. First photo shows the crossing, second one a closer look at my track as I tacked upwind along the west shore. The last photo is of a beamy Bristol Channel Cutter named FIDDLE (the older, the sweeter?) visiting port. She caught my eye, as Hess' designs do, her lines drawn before CAD as Alberg had to do for our Cape Dorys. I admire the tumblehome curves, and many other fascinating aspects of her. Such a sea boat. The placement of the heater stack is the only odd note, to my eye. I'd love to own a long sweep like that. Anyone know a source (besides a wildly expensive special-order shop)?

[David Patterson]

Nothing to see in the first photo, which is the point of posting it. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day activity on the water naturally increases. At noon in early April, not so much. Looking NNW up San Juan Channel, toward the Canadian Gulf Islands I hope to pass through in a couple of weeks, reveals an unoccupied waterway. I'm making 3.5 knots under sail on a pleasant crossing. In the second photo, my pocket cruiser is hard to pick out in the SSW cove of Parks Bay, about half a mile away. My phone camera is a bit near-sighted from 1/2 mile off, where my rowing for exercise and exploration has taken me. Last, CD40 hull #007, queenly MINTAKA, makes her regal way to anchor, leaving me anticipating the pleasure of visiting aboard her soon. She is well set-up for NW cruising. With her fine green hull and sweet lines, my heart never fails to swell when I see her. I'm a grateful admirer.

[David Patterson]

A bit more about meeting with John & Karen's beauty, MINTAKA. With fellow-cruiser generosity they brought along some items I needed from better marine stores than I have access to locally. On their way, Karen captured an image of MINTAKA making over 7 knots under jib alone entering President Channel, off Cape Doughty. After the visit, I watched her sail from anchor, handled adroitly by her owners, leaving me hopeful that I could perhaps handle a larger boat properly myself, one day. She is decidedly not just another "motorboat with a stick in it," at least in the capable sailing hands of her owners.

[tjr818]

That Jib looks like a 135% Genoa. On a good day it is common to see the day sailors around here go out under genoa alone and sail all day. The Cape Dorys seem to excel at that, although Slainte has never seen 7kts, nor will she ever. If one has a roller furling genoa this is a very easy way to single hand. We can do it on our 27 (but seldom do) and the 31 near us does it often.

[David Patterson]

I think the Genoa jib in the photo is 130%, they told me. Single handing is more challenging in light winds and tight spaces, than out in open waters, in my experience. On and off anchor, short tacking in a narrow pass or rapids...a canal even...are single handing challenges. Maybe on a river, like the Mississippi off St Louis, right?

[David Patterson]

One upside of returning to port in Friday Harbor, for me, is the moving beauty of sunrises behind Mt Baker. Each is unique and fascinating. Ephemeral art. At high season, crowding can be a downside in the north cove anchorage. Not so, early or late in the year. One cruiser at anchor when I came in to anchor, after a very slow light airs passage, was the Bristol Channel cutter pictured, tricked out for NW cruising. The operator raised anchor with an electric windlass, then motored out. That was esthetically disappointing, but perhaps without such customary aids he wouldn't even be able to be out at all. I try to recall that probability with many of the powered craft met on passage into the harbor, even as I'm tossing in their inconsiderate wakes. Sometimes I'm successful. I'm glad, whatever their limitations, that they have ways to be out in nature, even though only behind the pilot house windows. And I'm grateful to still have my own adequate functionality, adequate for cruising primarily under sail. My hope is that the longer I'm at it, the longer I'll keep the abilities required. Use it or lose it, so to speak.... I will have at least one more port visit before being ready (enough) to begin my cruise to above the Salish Sea, hopefully into the lower Inner Passage.

[David Patterson]

Some simple and some not so simple cruise prep. For 4 years I've found that a handheld 5 watt VHF met my limited needs aboard for radio communication. Once in fiords last year with vertical cliffs thousands of feet high on each shore, I couldn't get the weather info I needed, which led to some interesting situations. Of course, my new 25 watt VHF that makes use of the mast antenna may still not receive what I need when I need it, but the chances are better this year. Plus, if I need entertainment once in awhile, I can listen in on skippers berating each other on channel 16, a type of interaction I've heard the Coast Guard euphemistcally call "skippers advising each other about the COLREGS." My personal locator beacon was supplied by a daughter, who requires me to carry it or "I won't let you go," she claims. Not that I wish to ever expend rescuers' resources. And I must go spelunking in the port cockpit locker to access the back of the engine. My hardly-dripless drip gland requires adjustment, in my case to allow a bit more seepage. I closed it down when I left the boat afloat over the winter. John Vigor, in one of his several useful books (one led me to the 25D, years ago) asserts that being able to adjust one's drip gland is an essential cruising skill. No jokes please. The proper tools really do help, as usual. I bought mine from Robinhood a few years back. Pricey but heavy bronze; they work well, even being kept together with a leather strip. The '1' marks them as for a 1" shaft's fittings. A pair of channel lock pliers also works. Small but important preparations. Soon I'll improve the tuning of the standing rigging, perfection not required. She isn't a racer.

[David Patterson]

As both logging and fishing have declined dramatically in the Salish Sea, old venerable work boats --some simply handed down through families-- have been converted for living aboard or pleasure use. Here two float placidly in the gloaming of evening. The second photo shows the farther one slightly better. I take it to have been a tug, back in the day. I'm sure similar workboats are used in a like manner elsewhere. One tug captain explained that the low rounded stern allowed the heavy tow line to slip from one side to the other unimpeded, when the tug began to change direction or was yawed by the seas. The work platform at the stern of this one held comfortable deck chairs, the voices of the owners drifting across the waters as they admired the evening.

[sailor]

Been following your posts, love the pictures. I am getting my cd 270 ready to leave Portland Oregon early june for the trip up to your area. Have done it many times but never in this new-to-me boat. Should be interesting. Will look for you when I get to Friday Harbor in June.

[David Patterson]

By all means, sailor, make contact. Though if all goes well I'll be north in June. I don't know how far you will wish to go, but the annual NW Alberg Designs Rendezvous is the weekend of 6/18 in Ladysmith BC, up in Stuart Channel of the Gulf Islands. An open and inclusive group, they offer an excellent way to get connected with regional sailors, plus enjoy some interesting Albergs and Cape Dorys, from 40 to 23 feet in length. I'll send you a member email address seperately. No formalities at all. Just show up. If by chance I'm in the San Juans in June I'd like to share an anchorage with you. Or how about making the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend this year? Anyway, enjoy coming up the coast. I confess to being daunted at the idea. Please post your voyage. David, Parks Bay, Shaw Island

[sailor]

The get together in ladysmith sound like fun. We have stayed there several times over the years. Might be too early for me to make it, weather dependant. But I will be watching for you. Am planning on spending a few days around nanaimo,also want to hit the west coast of the island while I am up there. Plan on spending most of three months up there and then deciding what to do with the boat. Either leave it up there in a slip or sail back to Portland. I am not too old to sail but the maintenance is getting to be a real chore. Maybe put it on the hard in Anacortes.

[David Patterson]

Stay in touch then. My basic plan is to work my way north under sail, beginning in a couple weeks, try to get thru the Discovery Islands, and carry on to the Broughtons. No idea how far I'll actually get --Bond Sound would be exceptional as an ultimate point this year-- but need to be back in the San Juans near the end of July. Leaving your boat somewhere up here would certainly make starting the next cruise convenient. Fantastic grounds, throughout this area, as you know. Contact the Alberg Designs group and get on their email list for next year. (Check your email.) I hate to miss going this year, myself. One of my favorite boats, an Alberg 29 named NAVIGARE, is usually there. Good passaging. David

[sailor]

Will do

[David Patterson]

On a cruiser, however thoughtfully conceived, as small as a 25D there is little space for such luxuries as a communication center. Aboard little CLOUD GIRL the best option is less than ideal, because of proximity to the electrical panel over the port-side galley corner. The quartz watch provides me a quick old-school analog time reference. The small Yacht Boy radio gives access to a surprisingly large part of the signal spectrum, allowing news (when I actually want it). The compact VHF (Standard Horizon GX1300, in this case, with its DSC feature) is the center piece, receiving GPS coordinates from that Garmin 78sc. I didn't opt for a radio with an AIS feature. When crossing straits and Boundary Pass, with its dogleg out of Haro Strait that can hide fast-moving freighters, a cell phone app gives me needed AIS info. If I get caught out in fog in Johnstone Strait I may deeply regret not having AIS. To be seen. The handheld GPS is quickly dismountable for use in the cockpit, dinghy, or ashore. The whole setup is hardly elaborate or even tidily installed, but it covers most of my likely com needs aboard. Other devices could be substituted, naturally. I'll probably still rely on my handheld VHF for most vessel to vessel communications and for monitoring channel 16 while under sail, as has been my custom. In the other photos CLOUDIE shows alone in harbor dress. A sunshade is already valuable in record breaking early heat, locally. Mark, aboard his CD32 TARAH' MARA, has been nearby for a cruising visit, our two "classic-plastic" boats looking picturesque in the anchorage. Next week I'll visit port again, then hopefully head north on my extended cruise. The post office lost my necessary charts. Can't leave without replacements.

[David Patterson]

I'm the sort of seaman, I fear, who needs a hard-horse first lieutenant or a bosun named Mr Holler to keep me from being indolent with boat work. I'm more likely to be found reading, daydreaming, or planning a passage or cruise. Probably I could be trained as a master's mate on an old ship. I do get my maintenance work done eventually, if reluctantly. Like wrestling with batteries in CLOUDIES' port cockpit locker. Or: (from my journal) "Done with boat yoga for the day...hopefully. At least this last task was more to my liking. I cleaned all the port lights (6 on CLOUDIE), bringing more light and better views into the cabin. I love the results. And, as I washed away the salt dried on the outside of them I found myself recalling some of the sailing that put it there: that very rowdy sail back and forth across Malaspina Strait, the blustery crossing in wind over tide of the Strait of Georgia from the Vancouver side, squally fun in Queen's Reach of Jervis Inlet before sailing up-current into and through Malibu Rapids (I got thrown back out on the first try), another even wilder long crossing of Georgia from Smuggler Cove of the mainland to Percy Anchorage above False Narrows, returning across the east end of Juan de Fuca Strait from Port Townsend to just make my tide change for Cattle Pass, not to mention some lively beating against a SE wind down Trincomali Channel to get into Captain Pass...plus a few other "experiences." Spray flying above the dodger, solid water on the foredeck, chunks of waves rising up from the beam to thump me in the back (when I turned away quickly enough). No surprise to find salt crusted on the ports. I loved the task."
*** The photos are of madrone/arbutus trees in bloom, for they are having a very good year, and of one of the enjoyable birds I watch when I should be working, from a very engaging National Geographic bird book. Pick one up for your ship's library.