The Trip Begins -- 5/27/2015

Our wonderful week at Cap Sante ends and we begin our start of the Alaska cruise with a trip to a favorite destination, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.  Anne comes to our slip to see us off and brings fresh baked cranberry cookies.  Oh, Anne, you know the way to our hearts!

Yum!

As we leave at 12:46P under sunny skies, we turn west into Guemes Channel to see fog ahead in Rosario Strait.  Traveling 6.6 knots with the current, we see a Washington ferry that had left the Anacortes ferry dock and is heading to Thatcher Pass between Blakely and Decatur Islands.  The good news is the fog is thinner there and we laugh about the 'parting of the fog!'  

Fog Thins

We pass port to port with Dublin Sea, a tanker we think may be going to the refinery in Anacortes.   Washington State Ferry, Stealth overtakes us.

Happy sounds come from a 70 ft. pleasure craft, Glacier Spirit, with lots of people on board.  I wonder if she is a whale watch boat.

We round the north end of Lopez Island on the east side of Shaw toward Friday Harbor and see San Juan Enterprise, an older ferry hauling a propane truck.  We also see and miss a log and deadhead, as a boat that looks a lot like a Ranger Tug approaches.    We hope she doesn’t kick the log toward us.

We later learn it is Jurgen taking Current Obsession out fishing.

Arriving at Friday Harbor, we call for space on the inside of Breakwater B, if possible, and are lucky to be directed to a side tie there.  We are delighted to see Bob and Nita there and get help with our lines from ‘the original Mayor of the Dock.’

Current Obsession

We love this spot because you see all the boats coming and going.  Jim comes to visit and catch up on the news.  He and Joan have agreed to help with the whale watch operation again this year.  He points out one of the specially designed float planes that looks like an Orca whale.

Breakwater B View

Bob, the Mayor of the Dock is also the Host of the Dock and invites all on BWB to gather for cocktails.  We meet Mary Ellen and Chuck Wood, who will take their North Star to Alaska.  We exchange cards and hope to see them and their sweet Golden Retriever along the way.

A lovely evening gives way to dusk with the peaceful scene of sleepy boats and masts reflected in the fading sunset.

Willie of Willie's Tug,

   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake

   Wednesday, May 27, 2015