Cap Sante is Burning -- Monday - Tuesday, 7/8 - 7/9, 2013 -- Days 59 and 60

Still in Anacortes, we take advantage of the time to regroup, reorganize the boat and our calendar, and ready for the next cruise.

In the afternoon we hear sirens, but see nothing around us.  Maybe on the other side of town?

More sirens!

Hope the problem is being well taken care of.

Ray and his brother Ed bring Nudibranch back from an overnight and tell us of the fire on the other side of Cap Sante Bluff, which they saw coming in.  The high winds late this afternoon blow the smoke away, so we don't see it from the marina.

He says it is in the forest area, away from houses.  Wonderful!

                                                   Photo by Ray Perry

As we listen to his experience, we begin to see the water sprayed onto the fire high into the air, and he tells us it from the fire tugboats.  It is thought the origin of the fire is fireworks or a cigarette.

This is copied from today's Anacortes American newspaper:  

"At about 6:30 p.m. last night, the Anacortes Fire Department was dispatched to Cap Sante lookout for a wildland fire on the South end of the point, according to Fire Chief Richard Curtis.

"Anacortes and Mount Erie firefighters contained the fire from spreading from the lookout, he said. The fire is estimated to have covered 1/4 to 1/2 an acre.

"Due to the fire originating over a steep cliff, portions of the fire could not be reached via hose lines. Skagit County Sheriff’s Marine 1 and Crowley Tug’s “Protector” were called for assistance in suppressing the fire. Both agencies were instrumental in dowsing the fire from the shore, he said."

The burn did not get the challenging trail, which we can see from our location;  maybe I should climb it again.... 

Tugboat Spraying Sea Water toward the Fire

Willie of Willie's Tug,
   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
   Monday - Tuesday, July 7-8, 2013