Chapter 32 Oak Harbor to Port Angeles to Neah Bay

Today we finally got the weather window we needed.  Spent almost a week at Oak Harbor.  Yesterday there were gale winds in Puget Sound with sustain winds of 35-40 mph!  Last night was very rocky.  Thank goodness we were tied up at a dock.

We ended up with a tail along.  Last night a young couple pull with a brand new 33 foot go-fast boat into Oak Harbor with the wind howling. The first thing that we noticed when we were at the dock to help him dock was no fenders or dock lines.  Here are 4 big guys trying to hold the boat as he is getting fenders and shoe string lines!  He didn't even know how to hook up the electric.

The next day the slack at the deception pass was at 12:45.  It was suggested that he follow me out as he has never been through the narrows.  Great I get to babysit.  He then approached me as we get ready to leave pulling out his "chart!"  It was a boating guide for Puget Sound!  Good Grief.  He wanted to go to Rosario Island.  I asked if he had any charts.  I do he says on my electronics!  I showed him where the island was.  He then asked me if it was safe to cross.  I responded that you as captain has the responsibility to check weather and make that determination.  We were heading to Port Angeles and our weather was good.  Then he asks if 1/2 tank of gas would be enough to go to the Island, then back to Seattle.  I couldn't believe.  This guy should not be on the water.  I told him probably not and should fuel up at Oak Harbor.  I told him I could wait as we had a window to get through the narrows.  He told me he could "catch up."  Lordy.....  He did catch up just before we reached the pass and I showed him the proper way to alert folks you were coming through.  He thanked me, pushed his throttles forward and away he went.  Kay and I looked at each other and we wished him luck.

Made it to PA with no incidents.  The water was calm and flat.  We reached Port Angeles at around 4:30 PM and we tied up to the guest dock.  Our friends Jeff and his wife of the boat "Irene" took us out to dinner.  It was good to see them again.  We would awake early for the run to Neah Bay as the weather window around the horn would be good for a crossing.

We were up with the sun heading outbound in Juan de Fuca.  It was calm, no fog and a beautiful morning.  AIS showed a lot of ships inbound, so I would have to avoid the shipping channel. We were also hoping to see some Orcas.  These whales have alluded us the entire trip!  We began to think they were a mystery like Big Foot!

An hour out of PA we had 2 USCG fast boat pass us.  I looked on my screen and no AIS.  Mmm They are running silent. I wonder who they are after.  Then in the middle of the strait a submarine surfaced.  Kay got excited. may not be a whale but it was a "black fish!"  We think they were resupplying based on the vessels out there.  A sail boat heading for Victoria wondered too close and two USCG fast boats surrounded them and gave them an armed escort out of the area.

Made it to Neah Bay.  As we pulled into the fuel dock the attendant proceeded to hide behind a wall.  We asked for assistance in docking, asking her to grab a line.  She said she did not know how to tie up boats.  Really???  I handed a line to her and asked her to wrap it around the cleat.  She then started to complain about having to stay late when we took on fuel.  Sad thing is this exact same thing happened to us when we were here before.  Neah Bay is a First Nation community.  The attitudes of these folks do not sit well with folks spending thousands of dollars in fuel and moorage, not to mention it reflects badly on the community as a whole.

Kay and I decided to anchor out instead of paying moorage. Kay stated she now preferred anchoring.  Based on the Columbia River Bar slack tied at 6:54 PM the next day, we will have to leave in the dark around 4:30 AM.  Our friends gave me a new route down the coast that he claims is crab pot free zone.  We will see.

Just Can't Reach 2 MPG....

Just can't seem to get to 2 mpg....

So here are the numbers from Port McNeil to Oak Harbor (via Broughtons, Desolation, sunshine coast, Vancouver B.C. San Juan Islands Oak harbor):

Miles: 525

Hours: 80.9

MPG: 1.85

Burn Rate: 3.5 gph

Fuel Cost: $598.90 @ $2.11pg Oak Harbor. 

Still Waiting

This has now become a waiting game with mother nature.  We decided to move over to Oak Harbor to wait as the weather would not be good for several days.  The ride from Roche to Oak harbor was nice, but we bucked the current the entire way.  The current under Destruction Pass has awesome power. However the trip to Oak Harbor was a crab trap nightmare! Pots everywhere to include the very narrow channel from the bridge to the bay.  Then once you enter the bay there is no rime or reason as to how the Indians lay their traps.  Put the sun in your face with ripples on the water and it is very nerve racking.  By the time we got to the marina I needed a very large adult drink!  Our friend on the Pairadice  actually ran over a trap that was just under the surface. 

This is a very nice marina and in great shape.  There is a lot of jet noise from NAS Whidbey Island, but that is the sound of freedom. We have also found out it is cheaper to pay for a week of moorage than for 3 days. Today is Thursday and the weather is bad clear out to Tuesday.  We will see.

The San Juan Islands are very dry this year.

Part of the Wasp Islands

Towing the dinghy

Find the house

Washington Ferry

Mt. Baker

Rosario Straits

Oh oh fog ahead

Large currents in Rosario Straits

You don't want to be in the middle of these....

Destruction Pass Bridge

Destruction Pass rapids

Little more power and we pass the bridge and the current

Crab Traps

Sunset at Oak Harbor

Moon Rise

Harbor seals taking a break

Waiting on weather

So why we wait for favorable weather in the Pacific Ocean, we are re-touring the San Juans from Friday Harbor to Reid and today Roche.  While in Reid we hooked up with the Viclie Lynn and John and Tracey and had a great time!

At Roche we are rafted up to John and Tracey again right in front of the US Customs dock.  What a zoo!

We also took the boat around Turn Light Point in hopes of seeing Orcas.  These animals must be mystical or just plain do not exists! This entire trip we have see the big goose egg!!!!  Not a one!  They must be like Big Foot!!!

On the good side Kay has the bread making down so we have a fresh loaf of bread every few days!!  Yum yum.

That is another Camargue!  Wow. Yellow Kayaks

Sunset Friday harbor

Ferry leaving

No good happening here.....

Another sunset at Friday Harbor

jelly

The other Camargue underway

Indians????

Reid harbor

Any more in the Dinghy!!

Trail to Turn Point

Tracey taking on the hill!

Taxi Service

Kay's bread

Turn Point from the boat

See Mt. Baker?

The zoo at the Roche Customs dock