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.
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