Willie's Tug Goes South for the Summer! -- Monday, July 31, 2017

No breakfast this morning as we cast off the lines of Willie's Tug and round the breakwater of Cap Sante Marina, heading straight into the sunrise a little after 6A.   Our early departure will get us to the Strait of Juan de Fuca during its calmest waters of the day.

The temperature is a pleasant 57 degrees, and we can see fog in the distance against the foothills.

I can't resist a photo of this lovely ship, Navios Felicity, in Guemes Channel. The shrimp trap buoys are much easier to see with the red color and longer sticks. 

The Burroughs Light House comes into view as we turn south.

I take the helm while the captain/cook makes breakfast as we cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which is behaving quite nice today, and we are surprised to find shrimp traps scattered about.

Finally nearing our destination of Lake Union, we have quite a wait to go through the lock that will take us from salt water into the fresh.  You would maybe expect tons of boats on a week end, but hey, this is Monday!   We drift -- or tread water -- for a few minutes, then head over to the staging area to tie up to the wall.  So does another boat, interestingly enough named Slomocean, who slowly moves to the wall also.

Herb at the bow of the boat, and being the higher end, ties to a small bollard on the wall where we wait.

However, I at the stern have to loop a lower bollard that is evidently under water a lot; hence the barnacles.  Yuk!  As we tend the lines, mine doesn't slide over the rough obstacles and I have a heck of a time getting it off when it is time to go into the lock.

Once out of the lock, I take a photo of "O" Dock at Stimson Marina in Ballard, where we spent a few summers.

A short distance down the ship canal into Lake Union we find our slip at the end of a dock, where we have a great view of Gas Works Park and lots of boating activities.  Late in the afternoon as we sit in the cockpit of Willie's Tug, I hear a splash, look around to see a lady in the water holding onto her Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP).  She and her husband laugh at her spill, as she climbs back aboard.  Seeing Herb and me, they ask if we will take photos of them and eMail to them.   "Shall we air drop them?"   "No, we fortunately did not bring our phones on the SUP."   I tell her it would make a memorable photo if she would fall overboard again -- she really laughs at this, but declines!  

We finally get at least one of the dogs to look at the camera.

Willie of Willie's Tug,
   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
   Monday, July 31, 2017