Back To Gig Harbor 3 July 2011

I depart early so I can get a tie up at the dock in Gig Harbor. I want to meet friends for lunch. Jane and Virginia come and we meet at the local hangout--The Tides Tavern. After lunch I run into an ole vessel I knew in Honolulu, Hawaii and the new owner brought her over a few years back and is cruising local waters in the summer time, but she is for sale, as he is wanting a power boat. He hasn't raised the sails in the years he has had her here.

I call one of my old crew persons, Georgia. She was one of my best crew on Sabra, years ago and even made a trip to the Delta to spend some time on Shatoosh. She was delighted to hear of our arrival and ventured down for a  visit. It was delightful to talk with her and we will definitely have to arrange for boating time. Her husband is ill, and she has been busy taking care of him, but hopefully we can get a few hours in or an over nighter. She is the best cook I have ever had on board and yes, she noses out Joyce.

Shatoosh catches an eye of another dock walker. He owns an Albin 27 Vega, designed by the same Swedish Naval Architect as Shatoosh. He refers me to a place in the tide flats where a fiberglassing company has made up a 2 part epoxy paint which matches the Albin Color, which has always been a rather strange color to me. This is good news and a lead that I will have to track down.

I love being in Gig Harbor as it has always been my favorite place to hang out.

Shatoosh Goes Cruising1 July 2011

The  projected weather looks like a winner, so it doesn't take me long to pull Shatoosh together. Having her close to home this summer is a real treat for me. I have switched my 2.5 hour commute to a silly 12 minute run down River Road along the Puyallup River to the Foss waterway in Commencement Bay of Tacoma Washington. I'm loving it.

My first destination is an ole favorite of mine when I owned Sabra and was cruising every weekend. It is Quartermaster Harbor between Vashon Island and Maury Island. Actually, Maury is connected to Vashon by a small land spit. King County, runs a small park and dock there  called Dockton. Since I have left late in the day and this is the beginning of a big holiday, it will be a zoo of people/boats. It is also beginning of crab catching. The outer harbor was full of pots and several Yacht clubs were already making merry. There is a small docking area and I find several small slips open. Lucky me, again and again. I never tire of my good fortune and am always grateful for it. Since it is a county dock and not a state park, I will have to fork up another $20 for moorage. A quick swipe of the credit card and I have my ticket for the night.

I am already running into my new friends who I have recently met and getting to meet several others. I have run into several boats hailing from the Portland, Oregon area and find them commuting every weekend up this way, just as I have done for the past 8 years in the other direction. Some even ride Amtrak up and get off in Tacoma and walk to their boats along the Foss Waterway which is a short distance to the Amtrak station. A retired Army Doctor and Nurse who was stationed the same time with me in Tacoma, now own a beautiful Nauticat 39 and berth her in Gig Harbor. They make the Friday afternoon run up to be on their boat. We had a wonderful time chatting and I got to hear their story of coming up the coast. They caught a crab pot line  near La Push and had to go back to Westport. The weather and seas were terrible. It was not a happy trip for them. Another had a delivery Captain bring their vessel up.

The story is out about Shatoosh making the trip up the coast, and the other day while I was waiting for a surveyor to arrive, one of the marina workers was bragging about my recent efforts. He enthusiastically is saying to a couple of ole live aboards, have you met the lady would brought her 25 foot Albin up the coast? How gutsy is that?   I said, I hear you bragging about me and he replies, you see all these guys talk and talk about sailing around the world but nobody goes anyway. You bet, I'm bragging about you.

As evening  slides into the harbor, I watch several very large boats with their experienced Captains maneuver them nicely into their miniature slips. One fellow spoke to me the next morning and I complimented on his boat handling skills. His golden Retriever had an ear infection and he had gone off without the $500.00 medicine. I gave him some Apple Cider Vinegar to put in her ears and within minutes, he shared that it had worked and the dog was no longer scratching her ears or shaking her head. ACV is a miracle potion. I drink it every day in my water.

The next day, I head into the inner harbor and anchor for the day and night. Many boats are cruising in for the fireworks display, jet skiers are making terrible wakes and nosies and the hydroplane boats make a terrible noise and they seem to cruise way too close for my likes. At sunset a nice vintage sloop sails by which brings some peace and quiet to my little anchorage.

Hira's Photo Makes the Lady Washington Blog

My favorite photo I took with the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain made TLW blog.
Go to:
http://www.historicalseaport.blogspot.com/ to view and they also have a link back to my blog so others can see all the photos I had posted.  Wednesday, June 22, 2011--Fan Photos: HC in BC and LW in Port Ludlow.
If their blog looks familiar to you it is because we both use the same template. The Historical Seaport really does and incredible job with their sail training programs and also all their other programs. You should take time to look at the Spar Shop, the gift shop and all their other goodies.

Take a peek at their website

Closing Thoughts On Pacific Coastal Cruise

I'm settling into a new slip in Tacoma for a few months and after taking my crew, Joyce, to the airport, I am filled with many thoughts, feelings about my trip. It was years ago that I dreamed of creating the possibility of cruising Shatoosh up the Washington coast to her new home in the Salish Sea. It was at that time I asked Joyce to crew for me. She didn't hesitate in accepting my offer. I wasn't certain that the Albin 25 was up to the challange and while I had sailed Sabra from Hawaii to Washington, I was confident in my abilities. Later in 2009 when I sailed on the Lady Washington down the coast and the weather was good, I felt that this dream could be a reality, if we picked a good weather window.

I have to thank 3 guys, Larry of the Starship, Dan on the Whiskyjack and Mike of Schooner Creek Boat Yard. Mike delivers boats and told me that he harbor hops up and stays 5nm out. His confidence in getting in and out of La Push calmed my reluctance to go.

Larry wrote me detailed emails about how to cross the infamous Columbia River Bar, describing the magical window: BE AT BUOY 10, 2 HOURS AFTER THE EBB TIDE.

Dan convinced me to install the free SeaClear program and the NOAA Raster charts, which turned my netbook into a chartplotter and has been a Godsend every since I got it up and running. With all their help, encouragement and wisdom, I felt very prepared for this trip. Making several practice runs across the bar, helped me gain confidence and experience. I remained patient and waited for the window of weather to reveal itself.

Having Joyce as crew was the icing on the cake. She is an excellent ocean sailor and we are very compatible in how we deal with issues/challenges. I could let her take the helm with confidence and, in fact, she was at the helm for the bar crossing, and the rounding of Cape Flattery. I could go below and take a quick rest, knowing that all was in good hands. She departed today with a pocketful of memories and fulfilled her own dream of being back on the ocean. Shatoosh and I already miss her.

My special memories were seeing a full rainbow from the north to the south jetty on the Columbia River, as we crossed the bar and cruised through the beautiful arch, the numerous sea animals; birds, sealions, orca whales and humpback whales, the mystical and magical islands of La Push, the kindness of the commercial fisherman at La Push, trusting my judgement calls to turn back in La Push and to proceed forward out of La Push the following day and to see the interactions of the reflected waves off Cape Flattery back into the westerly swells and enjoying Shatoosh handle them so elegantly. Of course, the ports of call were wonderful, how could you not like Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Port Ludlow, Pulsbo to be with the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain, Blake Island and Gig Harbor. The only disappointment was Neah Bay with many of the non-functioning essentials and the local folks were rather apathetic in their ability to serve incoming vessels. However, the sea lions and eagles made up for the shortcomings.

The total mileage was 470nm and we used 49 gallons of fuel. Our best speed was 10.4k and our worst was 3.5k, bucking a short lived ebbing tide in Admiralty Inlet. We are currently just about the same longitude as my starting point of Scappoose Oregon, and a gain of a little more than 2 degrees of latitude. Yes, it would have been cheaper to truck her up I-5 interstate, but we would have missed our great adventure. It was such a wonderful trip and Shatoosh out performed herself on the ocean. She is a real trooper, a river runner, a lock loper, an ocean going vessel and a Salish Sea cruiser. Who could ask for more? In 1999, when I started looking for a boat, I wanted an older, fiberglass boat with a diesel engine, small enough that I could run and jump on and go anywhere. I am, thoroughly convinced, that I found the perfect boat.

Joyce and Hira on The Perfect Boat.

Gig Harbor and Tacoma

23 June 2011 Thursday

We put on our cleanest clothes, after washing our hair. Ann, my long time crew person, came down from her home in Tacoma and we ate at an Indian restuarant and then I took them to the Gig Harbor History Museum where they had a showing of maritime art. It was beautiful.

We are tied to the city dock and it is a constant stream of people passing and many seemed to be like me, passing up the mega yachts to look at the little vessels and I'd have to say by the numbers of people who stopped to see Shatoosh, she was the highlight of the dock. Many folks were familiar with Albins, had heard of them, but never seen one, or a friend had one.

Later, we met with old friends, Jane, who had bought a commerative brick for Hira, Shatoosh and Sabra for the opening of the museum. My old mentor, Virginia came with her aunt, Mimmie, who is 104 years old. While Mimmie couldn't get on Shatoosh the others did.


Jane, Virginia, Joyce and Mimmie
















24 June 2011: Friday

The last leg for Joyce today as we make a short run to Tacoma and the Foss waterway marina where I have gotten a slip for one week. We depart Gig  at 1000 hrs and the weather is nice. We pass Pt. Defiance and the VHF speaks telling that a gray whale is caught in a net 2 nm south of Pt. Defiance. We also heard that rare sightenings of long nose dophins are way off course and in the lower section of the Puget Sound near Olympia.

We cruise along the waterfront and see my favorite places to dine and then into the Foss to see all the boats and marinas, the International Museum of Glass, and The Museum of Natural History. We get a covered slip, fuel and pump out the head. Joyce rents a car and the Entrprise people pick us up. We  have lunch and head to my condo. Joyce heads for Seattle and I take a one hour nap.
The trip ends.
Day's run: 9nm
Total 470nm



The Foss Waterway and the International Glass Museum

















Interesting Vessel from Alaska



Blake Island to Gig Harbor with Tillicum Village

Yesterday evening Joyce saw a raccoon  coming down the ramp on the far dock. She asks,"do the coons ever get on the boats?" I replied I'm sure, particularly, if people have left dog food out in the cockpit, etc. Just then  the coon continued down the dock climbed out on a boat, crossed over to the large rafted 40 footer, and then proceeded to climb the ladder to the fly bridge. He hung around up there and finally left. Later the park ranger came around and said that we should tie our coolers closed with rope or bungees as they might make their way into the cockpit. We followed his instruction, battened down the cockpit tight and went to bed. Joyce was awakened during the night with one walking on the aft cabin top. She knocked on the cabin top and it scurried away.

Today is our big day, we are visiting the Tillicum Village on Blake with a big salmon feast and holographic show about the Salish Sea and its people, dance and beliefs. We depart at 0930 and head for a launching ramp 2 miles away to Manchester to pick up my Salish Land team member, Linda who has helped me so much on this trip. We swing in and she  hops on and back we go to Blake. The camp host can't hold dock space for us, but as usual, we are lucky and a new spot has been freeded up for us. We are nestled very tightly between 2 big large boats with little wiggle room.

The Argosy ship comes from Seattle and brings 130 + the 3 of us makes for a great group. We are served delicious calm nectar and are asked to drop our empty shells on the path and crush them. The salmon are cooking in the traditional north west Indian style, there are beautiful items to shop for and ancient Indian carved head/masks and totems to view. it is such a lovely venue and well orchestrated program. This is such a final touch to honor our voyage and to begin the new Adventures of Shatoosh and Pashmina.

Afterwards we walk some on the island and see majestic cedar trees and then take Linda back to Manchester and start our Colvos Passage leg to Gig Harbor. It is 1745 hrs when we arrive and the harbor is bustling with activity. We tie up and walk down to Tides Tavern for a celebration dinner. We top off the dinner with hot mixed berry cobbler and 2 scoops of ice cream. It is just hitting me that I am in the Tacoma area, my backyard, and Shatoosh and Pashmina are with me and our voyage is coming to a close. We have made it and accomplished my goal of cruising the Pacific ocean, entering the Salish Sea and coming home with my favorite little boats. How spectacular is that? Shatoosh's Oregon registration number is ABL 123.
I have always said she is ABLE to accomplish anything that I have asked her to do and we start out by saying 123 GO.
Day's run: 24nm
Total: 460nm

Pulsbo to Blake Island

After delightful showers and clean clothes, we venture back up to town and re-visit the bakery and pick up some ice. I cleaned out the last rain water in Pashmina and several people stopped by to see this cute little boat. After an hour of chatting we departed at 1100hrs and got a beautiful view of Mt Rainier; our first. Blue skies, short sleeves and shorts, boy, oh boy this is going to be a great day. Pulsbo is such a great town, the marina very helpful and a tremendous bay to anchor in.

We pull into a new harbor to us, Brownsville Marina. They say it is a quiet marina, so we check it out. They have a nice deli and Joyce finally gets to order her hot dog. We bring 2 back and have lunch on the boat. Then depart again at 1240. This will be a place I'd like to return.

At 1330 we slip thru Rich Passage going 8.5 k and 10 minutes later we follow the shoreline south to the Dock at Manchester, where tomorrow we will pick up a friend, Linda, so she can attend the Tillicum Indian Salmon Bake with us.

1410 we have barely secured a dock space: first come, first serve. The docks are jammed packed with boats. Joyce walks some on the island and I chat with several of the boaters. Everyone is surprised that we have taken the outside route. It has been a beautiful day with amazing views of the snow capped Olympics, snow capped Cascades, snow laden Mt Rainier, and the Seattle skyline. There is nothing like a sunny pacific northwest day.
Day's run 15nm
Total: 436 nm.



boating socks




Very Nice




I look back often and find Joyce in this position reading or typing on her Mac.




Mt. Rainier




What a beautiful day.



Blake Island Totem