New Friends on Blake Island

I am blessed, as I get to meet some really wonderful people as I am cruising around and I think I hit the jackpot on Blake Island. If meeting the WA State Parks Commissioners and the Blake Island Park Rangers weren't enough, then meeting these 2 couples threw me over the top.

Megan, Gary and Helms A Lee...Ex sailors, turned power boaters when Megan fell and broke her upper back sustaining paraplegia. They bought a  large Tolleycraft and have made some modifications to allow the wheelchair to get up a ramp into the main salon. A lift in the cockpit picks up Megan and puts her in her chair in the cockpit. When one loves Puget Sound like they do, there is nothing that is going to dampen their spirits or stop them from boating. What an amazing couple they are. Impressed I was from the minute I met them, but doubly impressed when Megan pulls out Vancouver's Log of Puget Sound. She is a girl after my heart. I hope we meet again and blessings to you both as you continue to follow your heart's love of boating in our favorite Puget Sound.


The next couple is Terry, Nancy and Bailey of Edmonds. They have a beautiful Riviera named Odyssey.


We had the best time hanging out for days, talking about all things spiritual, Reiki, nutrition, boating, photography and favorite cruising places. Nancy is quite the nutritionist and is really knowledgeable. She has pulled together lots of information about healing complex diseases. I have encouraged her to start a blog so others can benefit from her vast knowledge and experience. Jerry takes incredible photos with his big Nikon and he has a beautiful collection of eagle pictures. Wow. We are going to have to stay connected. There is still much to share with these two.Oh, by the way, Bailey stole my heart. A beautiful Rhodesian Ridgeback. She is great at keeping racoons off the boats.

El Bandito de Isle Blake

Anne and laurence Yeadon-Jones In Bremerton

Today I got an email from the authors of the Dreamspeaker Cruising Guide. Their newest version on Puget Sound will be coming out this summer and they will be speaking at the BREMERTON Marina on the 8th of June. Stop by if you are in the area. Buy some Guides and meet these two wonderful authors and world class yachtsmen.

https://www.facebook.com/BremertonMarina

On to Blake Island and the Illusive Anchorage site of the HMS Discovery

29 May 2013 Thursday

Departure time 0840 with no wind and cloud breaks. Up Colvos Passage we go with ebbing tide and no boat traffic until midway where me meet a tug and barge heading south. Shatoosh runs steady at 7 knots.
My first goal is to head and locate the HMS Discovery anchorage back on 19 May 1792. I am 10 days off of Puget's timetable + 221 years. Its never too late to Discovery him.. My cruise this summer will be taking me north again in the wake of the HMS Discovery and in a few days we will celebrate a milestone in the Discovery's Historical Events. Readers, take notice as you will have to flip flop between both blogs to stay current.

A rain squall hits me just as I approach the anchorage site, so I hang out until it clears at 1100 hrs. I take numerous photos for Gareth Curtiss, our artist for the Puget Project. If you are new to this additional adventure I am undertaking please see the link below and catch up on all the latest news. Our main question today that needs answering for Gareth to detail his drawings, "What does Blake Island look like from the anchorage and can you see Mt. Rainier?" This anchorage has been a difficult one to interpret but after reading numerous books and chart surveying I have focused on the area northwest of the western point of Blake Island in the area that is sounded at 39 fathoms. Captain Vancouver says he anchored in 38 fathoms of water and gives bearings and mileage coordinates to the shorelines.

The blue line is my route and the nw point is the anchorage site.

As you can see; or not see, there is no Mt Rainier today.

Shatoosh and Pashmina are safe and sound docked at Blake Island with the Entrance Signage just off our stern.

Layover Gig Harbor

28 May 2013 Tuesday

The rain is considerable less with sun breaks. I meet my friend for Thai food today and visit the Harbor History Museum to see their new exhibition of Sea Monsters of the deep inner sea of the United States. They have excavated many prehistoric sea animals and these came from Kansas and Alabama.

The top monster fish was about 30 feet long. Kansas? Don't go swimming in Kansas!

My Cruising Plate is Full for 2013

27 May 13
0640 hrs. I am off early with an ebbing tide of -3+, rain, no wind. As I cross from Devils Head to Anderson Island, the rain picks up which make me cancel any idea of going to Cutts Island for site viewing for the Puget Memorial Project. I will be meeting the Park Commissioners on the 30th at Blake for reviewing sites on that Island.

I pass Eagle Island and the channel marker shows beginning ebb.

I am moving thru the Narrows at 10.3 k

At 1000 hrs I am tied to the dock at Gig harbor and have traveled 17.3 nm. It rains non stop all day. I join friends for lunch at an Indian Restaurant and do odds and ends on board.

Sharon Found an Albin 25

Quite a few months ago(Feb), Sharon and her brother John were looking for Albin. They visited me to see Shatoosh. It was their fist look at the classic Albin 25 and they were hooked. Sharon just needed to find a suitable one for her.

She has found her dream boat in Nainaimo, BC. They have trailered her back to the USA, into Oregon and if you can believe this? Sharon settled on a quiet marina on the Multnomah Channel in Scappoose, Oregon. If this all sounds familiar, it is. She is berthed at my old marina.

Congratulations, Sharon for being a new owner and to John as well, as he looked at lots of boats on line weeding out some but finding this one for his sister. Sharon is re-naming her and making her, her own.Sharon says, "I'm so excited! I've decided to name her Riqueza. That is Spanish for riches or abundance." Hopefully, she will keep us informed  with her progress as a new Captain of her first boat. Sharon, I always encourage Albin owners to start writing their own blog, so we can enjoy, learn from and share our journeys with each other. There is not a better way to blog, from the beginning of your dream to own an Albin, find one and now begin a new life on the waters of the Columbia River. I have my fingers crossed and hopefully we can soon be reading your blog.

Cruising the San Antonio River

My Twin, Jean and I celebrated our 70th birthday on 23 April 2013. I flew to El Paso and then we rode the train to San Antonio to celebrate with friends and family. As children we would make the summer trek to San Antonio on the train, so it was must fitting to retrace our early travels.

Our Scottish maternal Great Grandfather, John Hewitt was the Head Miller at the Pioneer Mill in San Antonio and also oversaw the Mill in Mexico. The Pioneer Mill was owned by the German Family, Guenther. Their home is now a museum and restaurant. The Pioneer Mill is still in business and their products are sold nationwide. We started our river voyage with a hearty Texas breakfast and then headed for the river barges. We had the best time that day in spite of a cold north wind.

Breakfast in the Dining Car

Pecos River Northern View

Guenther House Pioneer Mill

San Antonio River Walk

Locking thru to the new Northern Section
9 foot rise
No, its not the Snake River Locks