After breakfast Ann and I make a run into town in "Smartypants" to get some supplies and ice. She is a real cutey pie and fun to drive.
We walk the boat down the dock towards the mouth of the marina so I can get out easier. Ann takes off and I leave at 1000. It is cloudy and overcast, but I decide to go behind Puget Island as it is calm. I work my way out through the buoys crisscrossing the channel and I go from 20+ feet to 4 ft in seconds. I remember this shallow area last year. By the time I get to Cape Horn the wind is picking up on my stern. I begin to get cold so put the window flap down and put on my fleece pullover and start the heater. In minutes I am warm and toasty.
Wednesday must be a busy shipping day: I see 11 ships:
- Sammi Aurora- Panama
- Emerald- Panama
- US Naval ship Zeus- no hailing port
- Flex Shine at anchor Longview- Hong Kong
- New Diamond also at anchor- Je Ju Korea
6. Beluga Recognition- St. Johns
7. Maria Green- Gibraltar
8. Azizi- Lammisol Cyprus
9. Pacific Primate- Monrovia
10. Genius Star VII Wisdom Line- Panama
11. Nord Sincere- Hong Kong
At 1315 I slow down, pull off near the cliffs below Walker Island and take a potty break, change clothes, as it is getting warm with some sun breaks, make a sandwich and am back at the helm at 1320. I usually don't make this trip in one day, but because I'm meeting my mechanic on Friday I need to press on. The wind and seas have died in this area but later they pick back up around Cottonwood Island with the Washington shore stormy and the Oregon shore with breaking sun.
At Kalama the Ship Genius Star VII is headed straight for the range marker and I am way ahead of him and am pulling over to the Washington shore line and he begins to really make up some distance and continues to bear down on my course. I keep bearing off but it looks like I am going to run out of maneuvering room and he is not going to alter his course. The range here puts the ships right at the entrance to the port of Kalama which is a very busy small boat harbor. The whole river is deep so it doesn't make sense that the Captains have to bear down on the vessels here. I have had another tight time with a Japanese freighter outbound one afternoon. So I decide to make a sharp turn back down river and completely get out of his way. Just as I did this he changed his course away from the range marker. The big boys always have right of way. I let him pass me and then I turned back upriver on his stern.
From Kalama up river to Martin Bluff the seas and wind were building so we had a fast ride surfing with the big ones. I sailed through the entrance at 7 knots and worked my way back into the slough, making the turn into the narrow entrance and seeing my friend Larry on the Starship at the dock. This will be a nice evening. 1610 is my arrival time. I am starved so eat an early dinner. Larry invites me over for tea and boat talk. I see all his new LED lights inside. I might have to get some in the cockpit; a white and red combo for navigation. After 6.5 hours at the helm I'm asleep at 2200.
My days run is 35 nm
total mileage is 206nm.
