And Willie Said: Last Day on the Water for 2014 -- 10/2/2014

We depart Elliott Bay Marina at 8:45A, seeing low lying clouds to the West, but sunny and clear skies to the East. Seas are light swells. There is a three to four knot current against us, but we must go. Winds are light, which promises a good day.

The Needle and downtown Seattle skyline bid us so long for now.

As we head to our destination of Anacortes, we have Bainbridge Island on the port side and Magnolia Bluff is on the starboard. As usual, there are many vessels on the water and after today, we will not see them for a few months.

We get a phone call from Tym in California, who tells us to watch for the log on our starboard. He sees us on Marine Traffic and tells me not to worry about that huge ship in front of us, as she is anchored and not sailing full speed toward our bow.

Thanks, Tym! We relax now as he will monitor us and we no longer have to watch for logs.

As we cruise along at 7 knots we have some swells, some rippling.

Quite a few fishing boats idle near Edmonds.

Continuing north, we pass Whidbey Island to the East as we go into Admiralty Inlet near the head of Hood Canal and south of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We get a noticeable wake from tug Pacific Eagle and her tow.

NYK Daedalus passes in the shipping lanes going 20 knots and leaves us in her dust. Listening to the Traffic Channel, I am impressed with the communication and courtesy shown by the commercial vessels.

"I'll overtake you on your port side, if that is OK."

"Roger that and I will move over to give you plenty of room."

We get close to the East Entrance of the Strait and I see calm water. Yea!

The green buoy marks the location of Partridge Bank as we enter Strait. It is usually rough cruising here, but today is only rippled and in some places less than 1 foot. Flat calm in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Amazing! What a great day! We should buy a lottery ticket.

So the trip is rather uneventful until we get into Guemes Channel. Happily we do not encounter the many, many boats, as it late in the season; however the whale watch boat, Mystic Sea, is alive and well -- gives us a good wake as she speeds by!

We see a little chop near Cap Sante Bluff and continue on to the dock for North Harbor Diesel, who will haul out Willie's Tug tomorrow. Ray is waiting on the dock to show us where we should tie up, and he and Jocelyn join us for Happy Hour.

We are home once more....