A chorus of winged Divas

Not exactly Wagnerian. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsW03H8gRSE

San Juan-derings

Lots of crabs in this bay.  (It shall remain our secret.)  We got several keepers out of all these.

The Stuart Island School, the new building, from the 1980's.  The original is now the library and the teacher's residence is a charming museum of island history.  Do visit the next time you come to Reid or Prevost Harbor.

The view from our boat to the NW from Shallow Bay on Sucia Island.

A "Tri-ing" Life

Here at home port Poulsbo, the birthing room for harbor seals.  Lots of moms and pups along the dock.

First day out of port, caught a big ebb and sped away at daybreak.  Bright sunlight gave way to thick fog as we got out on the Sound.  Could not see a trace of our house as we hugged the coast heading north.

Seven hours later, emerging from the fog, we saw Mt. Baker and an immense cargo ship crossing in front of us.  Yikes!  Earlier, off Whidbey Island, in dense fog, we were entertained by the roaring fighter jets from the NAS, invisible but deafening as they seemed to swirl around in full volume surround sound.  Very eerie.

Happiness from a crab pot!  Two big keepers first pull and three more the next day.  These crabs seem to love salmon.  Too freezer burned for us to eat, as bait it provided two big lunches of cracked crab, a pasta dinner and leftovers for breakfast.

Next, we anchored in Fisherman Bay on Lopez Island in time for the Saturday market and a bike ride for David.  From the lobby of the Islander Resort I hoped to post some notes I had written a few days ago when there was no Internet access.  I couldn't get blogger to work but now, at Friday Harbor, with a new app, things are going well.  Lets see if I can get those notes to post now.  Yes!!

Poulsbo Yacht Club. July 24, 2013

Dumpster diving, such a novel way of kicking off the summer cruise.  Poor David.  He could not find the new boat license tabs after searching the boat, the car, the boat again, the car again, all his pockets, my purse . . . So we figured it had been mixed up in some odd bits of stuff that I had thrown in the dumpster.  There we were, after dark, with a flash light. Poking around in the yacht club dumpster.  At one point, the lid slipped from his hand and smacked me in the head.  We found a bit of our debris but no license.  On the way back to the boat, he suddenly remembered where he had put it, in a sack full of bike gear(!) and there it was, stored safely away in an unlikely place.  Yes, the Stupids go Sailing, Chapter One.

Next day, 3 pm, the day of endless fog.  Not much to see today.

It is strange to be surrounded by fog near Whidbey Island NAS when the fighter jets are training.   The roar is deafening as they swirl around you but you can't see a thing.

3:30. What! It cleared up!  Huge cargo ship approaching from port.  Great view of Mt. Baker to starboard.  Lopez island ahead in bright sunlight!

Friday night, Lopez Island, Fisherman Bay, on anchor.  Brr.  Another cold night.  Thick socks on for sleeping warmer tonight.  Hot chocolate helped for a bit.  Today was notable for catching and eating the best crabs ever.  Using a small piece of the freezer burned salmon from Jacob's previous summer catch,  we got a trap full last night in Hunter Bay, only two keepers, then this morning three keepers out of about eight.  We had two for lunch and put three in the cooler.  Saw a beautiful schooner this afternoon, Martha, an old boat immaculately restored.  We had a great sail from Hunter Bay to here this afternoon.  Sailed through the narrow gap at Spencer Spit.  Too close for my comfort!  Haven't gone ashore for two days but tomorrow I can explore a bunch while D takes a bike ride on Lopez.