Puget Sound Postings

Merry Christmas Everyone,

Artwork by Marsha Matta

Google Images

I have spent quite a bit of time creating a Power Point Presentation to promote our project of placing 3 Peter Puget Memorials along his route in Puget Sound. I am pleased with it. We are looking towards May, 2014 for installations.

Printed Version

After visiting the Browns Point Lighthouse this month I am turning my research focus on Captain Vancouver's Exploration of the Southern Waters  26-29 May 1792. After reading several books by different authors they have made different interpretations of his route. I learned from the Browns Point Lighthouse curator that Vancouver landed on the Point and had a meal with Indians, took a noon sight and then began to explore Commencement Bay. We know he landed on Long Island or Ketron Island the night of 26 May, as he watched his young Lieutenant with 2 launches return from the south and head toward the anchorage of the HMS Discovery.

I am reading an ebook by Edmund S. Meany, Vancouver's Discovery of Puget Sound, 1907. I am awaiting my copy to arrive in the mail to tackle this phase. From Ketron Island it gets very difficult to read and follow his journal even with a chart in front of me. Did Vancouver get to Budd Inlet, there is a note stating he took a noon sight of 47 degrees and 3 minutes or did he just use Whidbey's latitude, which is Olympia, did he go into Case Inlet and camp on Herron Island as Puget did?  Most of his latitudes that I have plotted do not match up with known islands/points. His sight at Browns Point was 3 minutes off and his latitude of Ketron Island was considerably off when you compare it to his  Browns Point latitude.

I have my work cut out for me, but it will be fun to find answers to my questions. If you know of any references that you have used, please let me know. There is a copy of Vancouver's log in the Tacoma Library. I will have to make an appointment to view it. Meany's book give comparative pages in the log which will make it easier to locate pages.

Lets make the 2013 Boating Season a great one with lots of sun.

My Health Update

For 6 weeks I have been navigating the waters of the Allopathic Medical Model and I am happy to report my ship has safely returned to home port.

My 2 biopsies turned out to be benign and not cancerous.




I am very relieved to finally know what was causing my symptoms. Once one knows what the problem is, then it is easy to deal with. I am so grateful for all my boating friends who have sent me blessings, prayers and good thoughts. Thank you very much..

Browns Point Light House Tacoma

Points NE Historical Society
A foggy day.















The Lighthouse Keepers' cottage: 3 bedrooms and can be rented

Captain George Vancouver dined on the Point  26 May 1792

The Boathouse

Nice detailing cedar and oak

I had a delightful day attending the Christmas Tea at the Browns Point Lighthouse and meeting all the lovely hosts of the Points NE Historical Society.

An Offer I Can't Resist

 Dear Hira,

With only four months left to complete our new Dreamspeaker Guide to Puget Sound, Laurence is busy drawing up his signature, watercolour charts that will make up the 120 destinations in PUGET SOUND – A BOATER’S GUIDE; the publishing date for the guide is May 2013.

To this end, we invite you to take the opportunity to commission a caricature of“Shatoosh & Pashmina” arriving with Dreamspeaker at one of your favourite anchorages or marinas. From Port Townsend to Olympia, there are 120 destinations for you to choose from (see attached list and example).

• Your chosen destination with “Shatoosh & Pashmina” will be published in the First Edition of PUGET SOUND – A BOATERS GUIDE, and your boat will become an integral part of the new Dreamspeaker Guide Series.
• On publication of the guide, you will be the proud owner of a commissioned, original watercolour chart signed by Laurence and ready for framing.
• As there will be only one original of each destination, we suggest that you select your favourite spot before someone else does!

The price of a commissioned original will cost between $200.00 and $300.00, depending on the amount of detail on the chart. A commissioned watercolour requires a payment of 50% of the total amount upfront; we will issue you a receipt and the original watercolour will be mailed to you on publication in May 2013.

We look forward to hearing from you soon to discuss your favourite destination and boat details. . Many thanks

Best Regards,

Anne and Laurence 

www.dreamspeakerguides.com

Gareth Curtiss- Lt Peter Puget Memorial

Today I met with Gareth Curtiss, the artist who will be doing the Peter Puget Memorial. His studio is near Olympia, Washington. We had a wonderful sharing session about designs, concepts, protocols and prices.
I was moved to wispy eyes when I saw the labor of his love, his attention to detail and the numerous memorials and full scale monuments he has done. The military ones and the Lewis and Clark ones really touch my heart. It will be an exciting time.

After discussions Gareth quickly sits down  at his table and comes up with these preliminary drawings.

Hira's Health Challenges

The weather has changed in the pacific northwest and Shatoosh and Pashmina  are safe under cover at Zittel's Marina in the south sound. Hira has a new challenge looming in the foreground, so I wanted to let all my readers know that I am having to get some diagnostic tests done to rule out breast cancer. Hopefully, by the end of this month, I will have some kind of diagnosis made.

I have shifted to writing on my Reiki Blog  regarding my health, healing process and state of mind. The postings begin on 11 Nov 2012. I don't want anyone to worry, as I am not worried.. Worrying doesn't get us anywhere and at this point, all I need is a diagnosis and for now please send me blessing, prayers or good thoughts in Puyallup, Washington. No matter what the diagnosis is, I have incredible tools to help me weather any storm that blows my way.

Hira on the Snake River 

You may email  me for personal conversations, comments. I feel a close connection to all my blog readers, and Albin Owners and this is why I am telling you now.

Rear Admiral Peter John Puget's Gravesite

Rear Admiral Peter John Puget was born on 16 November 1765 and died on 31 October 1822  in Bath, England. He was entombed 8 November 1822 in the All Saint's Churchyard, Woolley, England. This year marks his 190th year since his death, so our proposed Puget Memorial comes at an appropriate time.

I love a good story and long before Facebook, there was the "agony column" of the London Times; Our famous Rear Admiral Peter Puget's grave-site disappeared from the annuals of history. For over 140 years numerous people had tried to find his burial site, but to no avail. It was as though  his remains had disappeared east of the great pond. In the 1960's a die-heart historian and ship builder in the Pacific Northwest by the name of H.W. McCurdy of the Seattle Historical Society, wasn't about to give up in his efforts to bring honor to this Admiral.

As a final resort, he placed an ad in the"agony column" of the London Times, and within days he received a reply from a Mrs. Kitty Champion of Woolley, who stated they had a Rear Admiral Puget buried in their churchyard and unfortunately," it is the shabbiest grave in the churchyard." Unable to read any of the inscription, she began cleaning the tomb stone and researching the church records. Inscribed: "Rear Admiral Peter Puget C.B. of His Majesty's Royal Navy who after a long and laborious life spent wholly in the service of his country, terminated his earthly career in the arms of his family on the 31 day of October, 1822". In 1965, The Seattle Historical Society honored the grave-site with an memorial bronze plaque.

Today, I went on line to get an image of his grave and discovered some old photos from the archives of the Seattle Times are for sale on E-Bay. This photo was taken at the grave-site in Woolley, England at the ceremony in March 1965 when the Seattle Historical Society installed their plaque. I love serendipity. Amazing to see this old photo.

"A bronze tablet marking the recently discovered grave in Southern England of Peter Puget, the naval officer for whom Puget Sound was named, was dedicated in the churchyard of All Saints in Woolley, a suburb of Bath, in Somerset. J.E. Green, left, of London represented the Seattle Historical Society, which had sent the tablet to England. The Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt Rev. Edward Henderson, dedicated the plaque. More than 100 persons, including Wilfred H. Evans of Burton, Vashon Island, Washington, a civilian employee of the United States Navy in London, attended the ceremony." Seattle Times, 31 March 1965

So, on this Thursday, 8 November 2012, 190 years after his burial, let us all bow our heads and celebrate his extraordinary life and embrace our mission of creating a memorial to honor him in the waters he explored and the waters we, as boaters, so enjoy. McCurdy and the Seattle Historical Society honored Puget in England with a plaque and now its time to honor him with one in Puget Sound.

ref: Peter Puget, by Robert Wing and Gordon Newell, Gray Beard Publishing of Seattle, 1979

Chart of Peter Puget's Voyage 1792

Another week of rain has driven me indoors, so yesterday I spent all day drawing, coloring, and typing Puget's route through the southern waters. Email me if you'd like a printable attachment.

Olympia Budd Inlet- Puget Memorial

I return to Budd Inlet in Olympia again. This time I have my hand-held GPS off of Shatoosh to take some readings along the Olympia Port Plaza, which lies along Joseph Whidbey's historic latitude of 47 degrees, 03 minutes and 00 seconds. The Plaza is already staged for future memorial sites, which makes this a no-brainer location. Everything is so perfect about it.

You can arrive by boat, car, bus or by foot. You can dock and dine at Anthony's Home Port Restaurant, visit the Farmer's Market, amble down to the State Capital, visit art galleries, coffee shops and funky shops. There is enough to see for a week's trip.

Lt. Peter Puget and his exploration team would be delighted to see what has taken place in 220 years. I am getting way ahead of myself in the lengthy process of getting a memorial on this latitude, but I can already see it situated where I am standing. I'm going to keep my dream alive.

A Memorial to Lt. Peter Puget

Shatoosh, Pashmina and Hira are continuing in the wake of Lt. Peter Puget. It seems his following sea has pushed us from traveling in his wake, to having an article written in Sea Magazine, and now to launching plans to create a memorial to honor his historic adventure.

It has been over 220 years that the HMS Discovery anchored off the shore of Blake Island in May of 1792 and Lt.Peter Puget, Lt. Thomas Manby, Joseph Whidbey and Archibald Menzies and their crew of 16 able bodied seamen plied the southern waters in 2 small  launches in search of the Northwest Passage. To this date, there are no known memorial plaques to honor their efforts in Puget Sound.

I, along with Skip Dreps, a dedicated advocate for military/veteran recognition, and bronze sculptor/artist, Gareth Curtiss will be undertaking the creation of three memorials to be placed along Puget's Exploration Route to commemorate his incredible Exploration.

We are looking at Blake Island to commemorate the launching of the expedition on 20 May 1792, Cutts Island to commemorate a breakfast site on day 2, where they shot crow to supplement their food supplies and Olympia, Budd Inlet, where on 26 May 1792, Joseph Whidbey took his noon sight of 47 degrees, 03 minutes and 00 seconds. Lt. Peter Puget determines that the southern waters have been explored and the infamous Northwest Passage did not exist in these waters. He orders the men to store the oars, step the masts and the southerly wind fills their sails, taking them back to their mother vessel, the HMS Discovery which was anchored behind Restoration Point on Bainbridge Island. Captain George Vancouver honors Lt Peter Puget by naming the southern waters, Puget's Sound.

Don't you think it is time the boating community of Puget Sound and the State of Washington honor, Lt. Peter Puget? Lets make this long, overdue memorial happen.

Please see Gareth's beautiful work on his website: www.garethcurtiss.com.Gareth Curtiss

SEA Magazine October Issue

Feature Article:
Rediscovering Puget Sound: Cruiser Retraces Peter Puget's Journey...Page 48
A cruise in Peter Puget's wake leads to fresh discoveries for one longtime cruiser by Hira Barbara Reid

Almost a year ago, I received an email from Mike Werling, the editor of Sea Magazine. One of the magazine readers had contacted him that he might look at my blog as it was worthy of publication. Mike took a look, liked what he saw and wanted to do an article on my recent cruise to the San Juan Islands. At first I was disappointed with the choice. Earlier in the summer, I had crossed the Columbia River bar and cruised my pocket cruiser up the Washington coast. I thought that was note worthy of an article, for sure, but Mike talked about the San Juan Islands were more reader friendly, as it was a favorite of cruisers. Ok, Ok, but in a hushed breath and a bruised ego, I said to myself, "I don't know of many men, much less women, who had taken their 25 foot boats across the bar and up the west coast of Washington."

He described how he would copy and paste from the blog directly, select photos and I would have to handle some special requirements for them to have increased DPI's done. I thought that sounded simple enough and he would have the hard job of sifting through the numerous postings, editing them and coming up with the article. I agreed to give it a go. Months went by without hearing anything, then I heard that the plan was still in the works. It was at that point I told him about my plans for replicating Lt. Peter Puget's Exploration of Puget Sound.

His ears perked up on that note. Months went by and then another email. Was I still doing the Puget trip? Yes, I said.  It was upcoming. He shifted gears and Puget became the focus for the next article.  In August I get another email. There has been a sudden new opening for the Puget article, but we have to move fast. The photos have to be sent and I ended up not liking the selection the art director did, so I renegotiated photos, especially the one of me in my Peter Puget uniform. I make some important points about Puget's exploration that could be overlooked in the numerous postings. Mike is so easy to work with and listens to my concerns.
I surrender to the process and head for Hawaii.

I am really pleased to see what a great job Mike did with all the info. This is just a sampler from the blog and Mike refers his readers to my blog for reading the full journey. He did manage to pack a lot of photos and information into 5 pages. I was happy to see my picture in my uniform, but really happy for many things.

Sea Magazine is the largest boating magazine on the west coast and has a huge subscription base. This gives readers a look at my blog, the Albin 25 pocket cruiser, and the incredible historical aspect of the Voyage of the HMS Discovery and Chatham, Captain Vancouver, Lt. Peter Puget, Archibald Menzies, Joseph Whidbey and Lt. Thomas Manby. I would be happy if readers, after reading the article, cruised Puget Sound with a new awareness about these explorers, perhaps they would cruise with one of the history books on board, or replicate Puget's exploration on their own terms. We could all become more informed about these explorers and really embrace cruising Puget Sound with the passion and commitment of Lt. Peter Puget and the members of the HMS Discovery.


Boating/Marine stores carry Sea Magazine and you can also check with local book stores.


Remember that Anne and Laurence Yeadon-Jones will be coming out with a new Dreamspeaker Cruising Guide to Puget Sound in 2013. Check out their website: www.dreamspeakerguides.com

Having Fun in Hawaii

Glenda, a Shatoosh crew, is joining me for the first week in Hawaii, on Oahu. I am house sitting on the north shore, right on the water. The swimming has been great, the food wonderful and we joined friends for another visit to La Mariana Sailing Club(LMSC) to hear Ron sing and play the keyboard as many of his friends join in. It is always an amazing evening.

The other day we had an impromptu sail on the big Makani Catamaran.The winds were up and the Molokai channel was rough.

Na Wahine O Ke Kai  2012

 It also was the day for the ladies(Wahine) outrigger canoe races from Molokai to Oahu. About 40 nm trip.
They started at 0700 hrs. Breaking seas closed out the Haleolono Harbor entrance for the start of the race, but the wahines continued through the breaking surf to get to the starting line.There was a canoe collision which was caught on video and televised on local TV. The winning time was 6 plus hours, however when we arrived at 1500 hrs canoes were still finishing.  The seas were huge for them and often 20 ft. An Aussie wahine told me she has competed in 25 yearly races but this one was the worst.

Stay with this 5 minute video for the start of the race. To think this was just the beginning of a very long day.
You can see several of the capsized canoes and women in the water at the start.. I'm surprised to see they did not cancel the race.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xk-ir0ZS1U

News coverage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2R2kt72YIw&feature=related

A closer look
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvEdJlRsSzY&feature=related

After our sail we headed for the beach at the Hilton Hawaiian Hotel and I was there for the Waikiki Yacht Club to finish. You go girls.

The conch is blown for the arrival of each canoe.

WYC canoe arrives

Glenda fixed a nice last supper. We had a wonderful time together and I'm certain she will love to come again. Ahi shasimi, baked sweet potatoes and asparagus.

Shatoosh Gets A Present

My birder-crew person, Care met me for lunch yesterday and surprised me with a new birding book for Shatoosh. I thought she must be sympathetic for me having such an outdated bird identification book. Actually, her motivation was driven by gratitude for our long standing friendship, now over 47 years and her ability to crew on Shatoosh from time to time. Thanks Care, I will be looking forward to using it with the fall migration of birds to the Puget Sound.
This is her pick of birding books.

Water Shoes

Since arriving in the Salish Sea, I have been having a terrible time walking on the beaches in my old water shoes. I'm not used to the large, slippery, slimy, barnacle encrusted rocks, shells, and driftwood. At times, my ankles have been twisted, crunched and my old shoes are now in shreds. I've been scouting the stores, but haven't found what I want, until today.

My criteria are:

Need support and stability
No leather
Toes and heels protected
Easy on and off
Can be hosed off.
Good in water, rocks, and for short hiking on land

I think I found exactly what I have been looking for.
Made by Alpine Design out of recycled bottles and other plastics. Ghille V style
Bought at Sports Authority, on sale for $29.99.
They are soft and very comfortable.

I'm headed for another Hawaiian trip to house sit and will definitely try them out. See you in a few weeks. Aloha.

Overhead Chart Rack

One is always looking for extra space on a small boat and I have always thought about this small space created by the hardtop and the existing cockpit/helm area. Could this be used for charts, or Cruising guides?

Today another one of Jim's gifts was installed. I was able to get the first slat installed the other day, but quickly realized that I would need to make a line up jig for the slats and this would be a 2 person job. Care, one of my crew, came to Shatoosh to help me install the slats for my new overhead chart rack.

Thanks again Jim for pre-drilling the holes and sending me the slats. Lucky for me, he had a slat pile that were the exact length I needed left over in his shop. I used 10, but, if needed, I could add slats.

This T-bar helps separate the slats and keep them lined up
so we can drill the holes

The finished slats

The first chart book fits nicely.

The space is 1.5 inches deep and 33.5 inches long.

Galley Extension

Remember my friends, Jim and Patti, from Orcas, Island, Washington. They were in the South Sound cruising on Fox's Secret and we rendezvoused at McMickin Island and Jarrell's Cove. Jim offered to make me several projects when he returned home. It didn't take him long as several packages arrived in the mail the other day and I have been finishing them in my garage.

I went to Shatoosh today to see how the galley extension would fit. Take a Look.

Make sure the tray clears height of mattress.

Fiddle size and shape can vary

Jim even supplied the piano hinge, the wood screws and the tray leg, which is a removable piece of teak placed between 2 wood blocks.

Wow, this turned out really nice. Thanks Jim, I really appreciate your generosity and your talent. Lets see what else we can make? I've got our list in my project book.

Tweaking my Toothpaste

My buddy, Too Tall Tom, has sent me a link for RV-space saving and everything ideas, which are applicable to boats,as well.
www.andybaird.com
So in reading some of it, I thought about my toothpaste. Since I moved the toilet paper holder, it took up the space where the toothpaste lived. I wanted a new home for my toothpaste, so while this wasn't in the link, I came up with a new twist for its new home.

Folded over my towel rack and held in place with a large paper clip. This is now a one-handed twist on and off operation. I have to admit it is rather clever and refreshing.

Christening of Dreamspeaker's New Dodger and Sail Cover

I had another opportunity to visit with Dreamspeaker on Sunday while they were in Gig Harbor. Anne and Laurence Yeadon-Jones were celebrating their new Dodger and Sail cover. They were tickled pink with the craftsmanship and service of Randy, of Randy's Boat Tops in Olympia, Washington.

A Little Bubbly to Christen her: Dream Dodger

Soon afterwards, they departed and will continue to criss-cross Puget Sound in a northerly direction to speak to boating organizations and community groups about getting businesses on board for participation in their new Puget Sound Cruising Guide, which will be available next year.

Anne and Laurence are a lovely couple providing a wonderful service for the international boating communities of British Columbia and the United States. They confidently guide boaters through the maize of British Columbia and San Juan Islands and now the Puget Sounders will have their own guide to bring focus and clarity into Peter Puget's Sound of inlets and islands. I have been made a member of their team and given a Dreamspeaker cap.

It has been wonderful to meet them after years of reading their articles and seeing their drawings of different locations in BC. I hope to meet them again and again next summer as Shatoosh, Pashmina and I venture north into Canadian Waters. I look forward to your new Cruising Guide.

I have posted a permanent link to their website at the bottom of my blog. Please, order your guides from their website as it will be cheaper and you can get an autographed copy.