May 31 Heading North

It was an early morning for us, as we pulled away from the dock at Thetis Island by 5:30.
Thanks to our boating/yacht club buddy Jerry Noeske who gave us a quick refresher on Canadian tide and current tables last night. Based on that information we set out to get to Dodd Narrows (just south of Nanaimo) during favorable current comnditions. Maximum flood current today was scheduled to be 7.7 knots...as it was we had a 4 knot current against us when we went through but obviously we did great. My first time at the helm in this very narrow passage and I was not too nervous until I saw a 37 ft Nordic Tug coming towards us sideways. He did straighten it out before they got to me but it demonstrated to me very visually the importance of Gary's words of instruction which included "just make sure you don't get it crossed up!" Good lesson and practice for what is ahead of us.
We had planned to stop in Nanaimo but the water and weather conditions have been so ideal that we are "pushing" on through and will be relaxing in Campbell River tonight...arriving about 12 hours after we shoved off this morning.
If you see this post on the blog you will know we arrived safely and I found a phone to transmit it on.
Thanks to all who have sent e-mail...remember to use our new traveling email address:
oldbro@pocketmail.com
Gary & Linda


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May 30 Fun & Games in between rain showers

Sunday the 30th was our official play day on Thetis Island. Our Yacht club gets into real serious competition and refused to let a little rain and hail get in the way.
First there were the "dinghy races"...not really a race but more an exercise to see who could come the closest to matching their running time on a set course of floating markers. I was amazed that out of 10 boats "competing" not a single one had a deviation of more than 10 seconds...that included us and we had an issue with stiff throttle cotrols that make it very difficult to maintain a steady throttle.
Next good natured competition was hitting floating golf balls out into the bay in an attempt to get one in a floating small inflatable boat...I will juat say the boat was in no danger of being hit. Instead, Gary who was jetting around in our dinghy retrieving balls got one hit on the head plus being caught on the water in a hail storm.
While Gary was drying out his clothes the rest of the group moved on to a lively game of Bocci Ball...kind of like lawn bowling but the grounds we do it on are very uneven and unpredictable making it more a game of chance rather than one of skill. Everyone had a ball...pun intended!
Not to leave out the centerpiece of our picnic...the barbeques were lit and soon there were steaks, chicken and salmon plus all the fixins...more than any of us could "stomach" (sorry I could not resist)!
Linda
aka Old Bro's Old Lady

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May 29 Chemanis, Vancouver Island, BC

Today we spent the day in the BC city of murals...Chemanis. We walked across Thetis Island this morning to catch a very small inter-island ferry...it has a capacity for just 10 or 12 vehicles and runs several times a day.
Once in Chemanis we walked "uptown" and had breakfast at a little cafe we had visited last fall. The weather was a bit iffy but the community still had their horse drawn carriages out to take people on city tours of the murals which depict the heritage and history of the community. They have done an excellent job of creating a fun destination out of a community that was previously based on logging,milling wood products and commercial fishing (what a prime example of what Port Angeles could become if the shakers and movers could all get on the same page).
We met the rest of our boating group to attend an excellent play at the Chemanius playhouse and then we enjoyed dinner together before reboarding the ferry for a return trip. After a full day of walking that final walk from the ferry to the marina seemed to last forever.
Boy did we sleep good that night!
Linda
aka Old Bro's Old Lady

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Poet's Cove on Pender Island, BC

Well we entered into Canada today, currently at the new marina and resort named "Poet's Cove"...formerly known as "Bedwell". The facilities are very new and deluxe. Enjoyed our first shower in 5 days (just in time) in their beautifully tiled shower rooms. Had intended to try out their hot tub by the pool but the wind is blowing very hard and cold tonight so we will save the hot tub adventure for another time. We walked into their fancy pub and ordered burgers and they did not kick us out...must have been because we had already had those long hot showers and washed ALL our dirty clothes (2 weeks worth!). No, I did not eat a "burger" but just most of the chicken out of a chicken burger.
I am excited to be composing and sending this on something called "PocketMail". We met some new friends in Reid harbor and they introduced me to Pocket Mail and made me a deal on an older pocketmail "machine" they had. I can receive and transmitt over a regular phone and the number is toll free so I am set!

Now the new trick is...if you want to send us e-mail while we are traveling...forget about our Centurytel e-mail address...instead send to us at

Oldbro@pocketmail.com
(all in lower case)

Everyone in Canada has always made us feel welcome...but we always know we are in another country when we start dealing with their different money and of course metrics. The one dollar coins are called "Loonies" but I cannot remember what they really call the $2 coins...I call them "Toonies" (as in Loonie Toonies)...Heaven help me if I ever refer to them that way in front of a Canadian...Ay???

Metrics are even more fun when we get to figuring diesel...1 litre of diesel is 89 Canadian cents...thank Heaven Gary figured out already that is equivalent to $2.50 US dollars per gallon.
We are looking forward to having our Yacht Club join us here tomorrow...party time with good friends. On Friday we will all move to Telegraph Harbor for more fun and socializing...including Bocci Ball on the grass field and late night challenges of "Chicken Foot"(a lively dominos game). We are also going to visit Chemanis and go to a stage play and dinner there.
Well enough for now...hope all is well with everyone else...remember new e-mail address.
Still Old Bro's Old Lady

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Yes, we did make it to Anacortes

Just reviewed what I had posted a week ago and realized I did not include just now that we did have a great few days in Anacortes.

We met up with Mike Bohart who is the owner of 37' Nordic Tug named "Sunshine". We have cruised with Mike before and our style matches his very closely so we are very comfortable together. We shared a great dinner and brunch with him while in Anacortes getting to know each other even better. Look forward to meeting up with him and his wife, Jan, in Alaska later this summer.

Got to "test drive" a 37' Nordic Tug while in Anacortes. It was great but very similar to the old "drill" we used to do each year when the new model of our favorite Datsun would come out. We would go drive the new one and then get back into our old one and pretty much say "Yes, but this one will do fine for another year". A 37 would be nice but we really have the 32 dialed into our comfort at this point and will see what this year brings before we give any more thought to moving to a 37.

Nuff for now,
Linda

Cruising On In The San Juans

From Roche Harbor we ventured out to Sucia Island. Beautiful weather and calm seas all the way there and the first day we sat tied to one of the State Park bouys. There were very few boats out and about but we met friendly people on shore and a group of High School students from "downtown Tacoma" that were going ashore to camp for 3 days and "study ecology". The lap lap of the water was soothing against the hull as we drifted off to relaxation, reading books, and napping on and off. Beautiful sunsets and views of the distant mountains.

We had read in the boating books that Echo Bay (which is where we were located) is not always the most protected spot to be in. We found out why the second night when the wind came up! We rocked, rolled and "galloped" all night long. Set the anchor alarm for fear that the mooring bouy might break free and we would go drifting. The next morning it was no question that it was time to move on to different waters. We had had our full "adventure" at Sucia for now.

Next stop was Friday Harbor. We had always avoided this location during the summer due to the large numbers of people. This current visit, so relatively early in May, it is not all that heavily populated and we are enjoying it and the facilities immensely.

Yesterday we walked "up town" to the barber shop so Gary could renew his military style haircut...he certainly knows how to get his money's worth out of a cut! Enjoyed lunch at a local diner and then walked around town a bit. Naps and a good nights sleep helped to catch us up on our rest after our wild night at Sucia.

This morning we went to the "Fat Cat" Cafe for breakfast. I highly recommend it if you are ever in town. Not the lowest prices but excellent food. They also have a very good medical clinic where I checked in for a blood test and a reality check on their scales (still right on track).

Last I saw Gary he was headed to the local West Marine store and Ace hardware to pick up spare light bulbs and boat cleaning supplies (we ran out of his favorite "Salt Away"!).

We have become very comfortable aboard the "Old Bro" and enjoying our relaxing, carefree adventure more every day.

Hope all is well with everyone reading this...send E-Mail if you can as I will continue to check it when I can...still excellent cell phone reception but I know that will change.

Plans are few and "fluid" at this juncture...another day or so here then on to Reid Harbor on Stuart Island. Meeting Yacht club on the 26th at Bedwell/Poet's Cove.

For now...Old Bro's Old Lady

Can't break away from the chimes...

We are having so much fun relaxing here at Roche Harbor that it is difficult to pull away. Every three hours they play the beautiful Clarion Chimes in the church tower above the harbor and my heart "melts" what a beautiful spot! Such a new experience for us to have lots of time and lots of choices of relaxing things to do.

Yesterday we took a walking tour of the art exhibits in the new art institute located here. They are like the "Art on the Town" exhibits around the streets of Port Angeles but these are in a field and adjoining forest just about 4 blocks from here. You wander around and enjoy them. Such items as beautiful bronze sculptures and limestone statues to whimsical welded metal creations. It was a good experience but we were ready to "just sit" when we got back to the boat.

Very nice facilities here...nice people as well...Gary has done a good job of staying out of the concrete that they have still been pouring to all hours of the evening. Will be a treat to come back next year and see the end results of all the hard work.

Expect to wander over to Anacortes tomorrow...unless the current takes us elsewhere...now I know the true definition of Gary's line..."Every day is Saturday!"

Take care and hope to hear from you soon.

Still Old Bro's Old Lady

A sunny day in Paradise and he's watching them pour concrete???

Surprise...we had expected to head to the State Park at Sucia Island...but we never make firm plans and met some nice people who were headed to Roche Harbor.

So here we are in Roche Harbor...and the sun is shining. Summer rates here are normally 1.25 per foot (that's $40 per night for our boat) and we knew they were on winter rates. Expected it to be $1 per foot and were blown away to find out it was only 65 cents a foot...WOW that will be two nights then!

That was right after we had heard the noon playing of the Clarion Bells at the beautiful white church on the hill side. What a beautiful setting plus we just had a wonderful lunch of cod fish & chips on a deck overlooking the harbor. Add to that a sunny day in May and we have our current personal definition of "Paradise".

Now to the part about what Gary is doing at the moment that I am typing this in. Well, they are on a major push here to get things done and spruced up for their summer opening this coming weekend. Outside the historic hotel lobby that I am sitting in they are putting in a new patio with walkways and pouring concrete. We had already walked a portion of the grounds so Gary is very happy to be sitting on a shady bench outside watching them pour concrete walkways. Hard work does not bother us a bit lately...we can watch it all day!!!

I have been very happy to see my dear husband learn how to really kick back and relax with a good book. We are enjoying our boat and the new comforts of home that we added this past year. If anyone is even considering a new custom mattress for their boat or motorhome, we would highly recommend the product by Heartland out of California. Awesome!!!

Well time to go watch 'em pour concrete...or wander off to new discoveries elsewhere in the area...now where was that gift shop???

Old Bro's Old Lady...Linda

Cruising under way!

I have heard from my fearless parents...

They are now in Deer Harbor and had a smooth crossing. They are looking forward to taking a look at some of the State Parks near Deer Harbor.

After a few days there they will be heading on to Anacortes to meet up with the friends they may be travelling north with later...

If you were to peek in on them you may find them charting out where they are headed next, or snuggled up with a good book about the pioneers or the civil war... Ahh the days of relaxation!!! They are well earned and deserved!

Until I hear from them again, I will sign off as the offspring of Old Bro and his Old Lady...

Can We Leave Yet?

Finally, our VHF radio returned from being repaired at the factory in California. We have stayed busy in the interim but waiting is not our strongest point. At the moment, Gary is reinstalling it into the boat and I hope to hear it working A-OK when I get back.

We have worked this week on some finetuning of our weight...the weight of the boat that is. The factory had added sand bags in the bilge to properly balance out the boat without all the personal gear we have aboard now. Also now that we had added the new tender and 15 hp outboard on the back swimstep, the extra weight of the sandbags was no longer needed.

I was able to reach the bags but did not have the upper body strength to remove them from the bottom of the lazarette in the back of the boat. We finally had to call on a good friend, Scott Michaelis, who had offered help several times. Not sure he knew what he was getting into but he was willing. The mission was accomplished but I felt bad when I saw how badly his arms got scratched up from the "ny-ties" down below. It seems everything is secured with them and once they are trimmed off they are very scratchy (I can attest to that from personal experience as well).

Since we took weight off the boat now I decided I can put some additional groceries on board and just got through carrying the last of them down the steep ramp to the boat. Seems like we always pick the lowest tide of the year to load things on the boat!!! Go figure!!!

Still waiting for an extra prop for the outboard to arrive...but it is not expected until Tuesday so we may shove off before then and have friends bring it along when they leave later this month.

Yesterday was Gary's birthday and our anniversary. It was a quiet day doing laundry and other exciting tasks. The only thing I could think of "special" for Gary's birthday was dinner out. He has been very cooperative about my revised eating habits and restraints so I decided perhaps the ultimate was in order. Earlier in the week our dentist had asked Gary what food he missed the most...and then reported to me what Gary's answer had been...it was a resounding PIZZA. So we went down to a special, recommended spot in Sequim to have our first pizza in 9 months. I did not get beyond two pieces but Gary was enjoying himself...at least it looked that way when he hit the Tums bottle later that evening.

Well if the weather cooperates we may cast off this weekend.

Nuff for now...still Old Bro's Old Lady

Port Townsend is still the same...the hippies are just a whole lot older!

Well, the electrician showed up and we got the pump working just fine.

Saturday morning we shoved off the dock bright and early and headed East in the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Our original intention was to go to the southern part of Hood Canal but we know better to make plans. The conditions were great and we definitely enjoyed being back on the water. By the time we were south of Port Townsend, we decided we were tired plus the weather forecast was becoming a bit iffy. We called ahead to Port Ludlow and found that their reciprocal moorage was already filled.

Reciprocal moorage: For those of you not associated with a Yacht Club, they each offer a dock space available for visiting members of other Yacht Clubs. Usually it can accommodate one or two boats and there is no charge or very little charge.

Instead I called in to Port Townsend and found their reciprocal dock was unoccupied but they said it was "first come, first served". We turned around and made a "beeline" for their harbor entrance. Visiting in Port Townsend was like going back home. We had lived there in 1978 when we first moved up from Oregon...even lived aboard our 29' sailboat for a while when we were in between homes. Our experiences this past weekend reflected little change in Port Townsend. Still a "salty" old boating town with an atmosphere of doing things "your way". Still lots of hippies, they are just much older.

We walked to the local West Marine store to search out a falfunctioning gauge and on to the hardware store for a couple plates and brass polish. Good exercise after sitting on the boat earlier.

Saturday evening, true to the weather forecast, the wind came up with a vengeance. We had forgotten how noisy the slap of the halliards on the sailboats are in the wind. We were however tired enough that, once we had secured the boat with extra lines, we slept through the strength of the blow.

Sunday morning when we awoke around 6:30, it was fairly calm and so we "boogied" home...oops, keep calling Port Angeles "home" and that is now in Oregon! Anyway, since we needed to be back for appointments on Wednesday and Thursday, we decided if the weather was going to "kick up" again it was best to be closer to PA than farther away. In route we encountered a good deal of chop but it was just a good practice for the adventures we will have when we go north.

Our big excitement both on Saturday and Sunday was traveling in the near proximity to nuclear submarines being excorted through the Straits by a large Coast Guard boat. The size is humbling and overwhelming. We were definitely "put in our place" when the Coast Guard "hailed" us on the radio and addressed us as "little fishing vessel near the shore". Gary kept looking for someone in an inflatable but finally realized they were talking to us. Wanted to know our "intentions" and make sure we were aware of the required "stand off" distance. They take things very seriously in these times of domestic terrorist threats, etc.

I have now become pretty good at negotiating in the engine room and lazarette of the boat. We had a fuel gauge that was not working properly. Ended up being a tube that was spliced behind a bulkhead and had come apart. I had the fun of restringing the new one tube in the engine room. One of these days I will stay out of that hold long enough for my neck to heal up but for now....Tylenol is still my drug of choice!

Thursday is Gary's birthday and our 37th Anniversary. We got married on Gary's 21st birthday...you do the math...yes he is going to be 58. Not sure what meaningful gift I could get him for his birthday...other than saying...now, let's go crusing!

Happy to be the Old Bro's Old Lady
Linda