A Quick Getaway Gig Harbor>McMickin>Eagle>Foss Harbor Marina

25 July 2014 Friday

I plan a quick getaway on the notion I will have a nice break in my routine and see some of my favorite destinations. It has been  a year since I was in the South Sound or Puget's Sound. I arrive at Gig Harbor at 3 PM and have dinner with friends at Anthony's. I have enough trout for tomorrow's meal along with fresh made lumpia from family on Whidbey island. We are in the minus tides and a big cabin cruiser goes aground at the dock. Woops. I run across Yankee, a Ranger 38 anchored in the harbor. I catch-up with them after meeting them 2 years ago on hope Island and Jarrels Cove.

I make the flooding tide thru the Narrows on Saturday and tie up to one of the new State Buoys on McMickin Island State Park. The old ones are easier to hook my snap shackle to the ring. I have to use my boat hook to grab the ring as it is in the bottom of a bowl. Booo..who designed these?

In my  attempt to row around the island, I miss timed the tide, so am left with a small portage across the tombolo.
I see an inside buoy that has opened up, so complete my row back to Shatoosh and move her quickly to get an inside buoy.

Too Tall is in the flatlands of Nebraska and writes a Haiku for my trip. How special, thanks Too Tall.

"Portage Pashmina
Shortest in her history.
Voyage Continues "

 Numerous Sand Dollars sparkle like gold in the sun.
Sound like another Haiku

"My favorite place
Sand Dollars sparkle like gold
A Gift From The Sea"

  Large sizes, small sizes, live and dead.

I stop at Eagle Island State Park and have an early lunch. Newborn Harbor Seal pups sun next to mothers on the beach.

 Time the Narrows perfectly again on the ebbing minus tide and make a respectable 7.9 k.

I return from McMickin to Foss Harbor Marina on Monday at 3 PM, just in time to clean Shatoosh and Pashmina and get home in time for my webinar class.

It was a long way for 60nm but well worth the trip. Getting to be on Shatoosh and row Pashmina at some of my favorite destinations has refreshed me. Hitting the tides  and jumping at the possibility made running into numerous old friends and meeting new ones a nice recipe to savor the islands of the southern waters.

Day 7: Gig Harbor to the Foss Harbor Marina

We hang out til 1430 hrs, before we depart. These Haiku poems are capturing our attention.

Raccoon the bandit
His home is under the dock
Don't steal my apples.

We are homeward bound
After days of boating fun
Soulful therapy.

What a great trip a total of 146 nm of sun and fun.
Thanks Too Tall for coming along and making the trip funny as usual.

Here are some extra photos that I wanted to put in from yesterday.

Day 6: Gig Harbor

6 July 2014: Sunday

We depart at 0900 hrs and pump out the toilet and head over to the other nook and cranny I want to explore. In Ann and Laurence's book they describe a small cove behind 2 little islands called Twin Islands. The cove behind it is called locally, Inner Harbor. This cove is much smaller that Mats Mats Bay and has a very shallow entrance at low tide. We are leaving at low tide so we will see if Shatoosh can get in without touching bottom.
Hira's Haiku

Hidden Twin Islands
Secret hide-away awaits
My new favorite place.

Twin Islands

Inside Cove

Inside cove

Our Route into cove

Agate Pass behind Bainbridge Island to Brownsville marina

Rich Passage around Blake to Gig Harbor

We stop at Brownsville Marina and get fuel, and an ice cream. Then on to Blake but the place was filled to the brim. We decided to push on to Gig Harbor, as Too Tall likes docks, rather than anchoring. We arrive at 1900hrs. and have Mexican food across the street from the guest dock.

Total  miles: 137 nm

Day 5: Port Ludlow: Mats Mats Bay

5 July 2014 Saturday

0645 departure starts our return journey south and homeward bound. We unwind our way out of Mystery bay and have a spectacular view of the sharp peaks of the Olympics. The Port Townsend Canal has a big surprise awaiting us. As we pass under the bridge off in the distance there are 2 eagles  flying back and forth across the canal swooping down to the water as to catch a fish, but each time they come up empty talon-ed.
I can see water splashing with each swoop. As we get closer a mother mallard is escorting her 5 new chicks across to the other side. They are looking like little fuzzy golf balls. The eagles are approaching from the rears, but with each swooping effort the chicks simultaneously dive together and head off the thwart. This is nature at her best. I have never gotten to witness such an encounter. Thank you for this wonderful gift.

I lay out my hidden route to Too Tall. We are going to explore some Nooks and Crannies. I ask for definitions between the two. Too Tall who is an encyclopedia book on a dull day but today he is really a sharp shooter as he fires back as though he owns a Glock:  A Nook is a safe place where a Cranny is an opening or slit. He checks his phone for any data misses. Mats Mats Bay will be our perfect Nook and Cranny destination. We will have to go through the Cranny to get to the Nook. Mats Mats Bay is a little cove just north of Port Ludlow. I have always wanted to go int there but never had the time/nerve to get in with my larger sailboat Sabra. This would be the perfect day. My friends Anne and Lawrence Yeadon-Jones are Canadian authors of the Dreamspeaker Series of Cruising Guides. Their new Puget Sound has found a prime location on my nav station. Also there is Richard Blumenthal's  Place Names book. Together they make a perfect library for the Pacific Northwest cruiser. We spend a lovely 3 hours here. I fire off an email to thank them for this little nook and cranny adventure. They have recently added many new features of their website so please go and meander a while.www.dreamspeakerguides.com

Laurence draws all the charts

Lining up the red range markers on shore

Anchored on bay with lunch hook
just in time for lunch, nap and row.

We arrive  Port Ludlow at 1300 hrs and get a slip  near the office/showers/laundry. This tree was estimated to be 750 years old when it was found. The totem is beautiful.

Too Tall Finds his ship,
The Elmore-built in 1890
His name is Elmore.

Too Tall gets started on Haiku Poetry and gives me a starter lesson. Ok, I can do this, I say to myself.
The first line has 5 syllables
the second line has 7
the third has 5

Nook versus Cranny
Narrow slit is a safe place.
Oh boy, Mats Mats Bay

Too Tall then writes one for the ducklings and eagles

Eagles out for lunch
Both Mom's have young to care for.
Babe's dive for safety.

He adds another:
Hira's first Haiku
5,7,5 is difficult
Her mind is melting.

Shatoosh, what's it mean?
Himalayan finest wool
Both best in their class.

The afternoon drizzled, so we haiku-ed the day away. Late afternoon  turned out nice and we had a nice dinner in the fancy restaurant.

Total run: 84nm

Day 4: Mystery Bay

4 July 2014: Friday
Happy Fourth of July

We get an unusual send off from our slip. A lady across from us  has a major bubble maker with 2 wands a string. Wow is this something.

Coast Guard is Flying Flags   

We find one empty place at Mystery Bay State Park. The inside of the dock is filled with permanent dinghies for local residents who have their boats on mooring buoys. Uhmmm? How does that happen? I take Pashmina for a row down to Nordland General Store. Too Tall Walks. After Ice Cream he gets a lift back in a car and I buck the wind and skirt the shoreline to make it easier on my arms. While a quiet bay, there were lots of private fireworks.

Its crabbing season: Dodge Pots Everywhere- even in mid channel.

Note  shoaling and stay in the channel or you'll be aground.

Total Run: 66.4 nm

Day 3 Lay Over At PT

3 July 2014: Wednesday
We walk the docks and boat yard to get a look at all the finest of wooden boats. A drizzly day but not bad.

Day 2: Port Townsend Canal

2 July 2014: Wednesday

I have always wanted to take a route through the Port Townsend Canal which separates the peninsula from Indian and Marrowstone Islands. A bridge connects it all and the tides run fast through these waters. Good timing is a must.

Sunrise is beautiful and we are off early to catch our ebbing tide( 0550 hrs)

We cruise past Point No Point at 0700 hrs and pull in close to shore for some photos. We have north wind and it is chilly.

Too Tall enjoys his hot mug of miso soup.

We fly through the Canal at 9.1 knots and tie up at Port Townsend Boat Haven at 1000 hrs. We hoist Pashmina on the swim platform to get her out of the way. My old friend Mary drives over to spend the afternoon with us. We check out the Proposed Chatham Anchor that was discovered off Whidbey Island. I and many others remain skeptical that it is the anchor off the HMS Chatham.

Link and shaft from Anchor Proposed Chatham

Mary finds a boat she can handle

Dinner at Chinese Restaurant Pt Hudson Marina

Total run: 60 nm.