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.
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
