Alaskan Sea-Duction: Chapter 3 Neah Bay to Port Angeles

Took easy today wasn't in a big hurry to leave. The big gale blow didn't happen last night. But.........How things can go to crap in a second. Got ready to leave the dock, the starboard (STBD-Right) engine alternator failed to come on line. I went to the engine room and removed it in about 20 minutes. Crap, oh well I did bring a new spare! That was till I opened the box and the new one did not have a pulley! How did I miss that ? I could remove it and there was no place on the reservation that could do the work, so I reinstalled it so we could make Port Angeles. well surprise, surprise surprise!!! I came on line. Well this bites! So off to the fuel dock.

You know Mother Nature has a sense of humor sometimes, because just as we rounded the corner and the wind suddenly came up and was pushing me AWAY from the fuel dock! Dang it.... Well the other boats got a show as it took me almost twenty minutes to get tied up to the dock while almost taking out the poor fuel guy's shack with the bow pulpit! We fueled up and we were on our way to Port Angeles. Fuel info below.

At first the sea conditions were a little snotty. Following seas with some wind chop. Not bad, but I don't have auto pilot, so you have to "work" the wheel (steering) to maintain a course and it was 63 miles to Port Angeles! But as we worked our way up the Strait of Juan De Fuca, the seas started to calm down. The last 10 miles was like being on a lake, nice and smooth. We pulled into Port Angeles and found our assigned dock, but the show wasn't over. Our dock was an end dock, so I pulled along side and swung the boat around like a professional! I was looking good, so I thought. So we were slowly pulling up to the dock so Kay could get on the dock and tie up the line. The back of the boat was only 4 feet away and drifting closer! A few more feet and Kay was getting off! The stupid me wasn't satisfied with slow and I tapped one of the engines in gear! Crap now the bow was point away from the dock and the stern, where Kay was standing started to move AWAY from the dock! Sound familiar? Just like the fuel dock, but there was NO WIND! It was calm, this was all me! Kay saved the day and lassoed the dock cleat and pulled the boat into the dock. She is my hero!!!

A new friend on the Trawler's Forum, Jeff of the good boat Irene contacted me. He works for the Coast Guard. He offered to take me any place I needed to go to get my alternator pulley switched over to the new one. He took me to an auto shop and 10 minutes later we were on our way back to the boat. I installed the new alternator and we were back in business. Thanks Jeff for all your help. I am hoping we can meet up later this summer. You have a new friend. But you know most boaters (cruisers) are like that willing to help a fellow cruiser out.

So here I sit eating baked Tilapia and Spanish rice for supper, later with scotch in one hand and a cigar in the other as we walked the dock looking at these 115 feet Westport Yachts......mmmmmm

Numbers from our dock to Neah Bay WA:

Total Miles: 236.7
Average RPMs: 2150
Total Fuel used: 308 gal
MPG: 0.77
Total Hours: 19.2
Fuel Burn Rate Per Hour: 16.07 GPH
Price of fuel: $2.24 PG
Total Fuel Cost: $691.15

Cost of going fast. But these numbers aren't bad. We will be slowing way down for the rest of the trip.