Soaking up the Northwest

Things to do before I take off for Mali. On the list include several weekends on the sail boat, a kayak trip, a hike in the Mountains, visiting with friends and family, bicycling on Vashon, gardening, all of the things I will miss.

This last weekend Laura and I went out on the boat. Starting Friday as we were packing it started to rain and in the 40’s. We looked at each other and discussed whether we should even go, maybe we should head for Eastern Washington, I said.

We left the Dockton buoy at noon and headed out of Quarter Master Harbor for Bainbridge Island. Since there was no wind we motored out to Puget Sound where the wind was and put up sail. We sailed to Blake Island State Park which is only accessible by boat. We never reached Bainbridge because it was getting late. Anchoring is best in the waters south west of the island. The day was a typical gray drizzling northwest day. Laura had cooked dinner before we left except for the vegetables we grilled. As we were eating an otter swam by wrestling a fish in her mouth.

Waking up to clouds the wind was quiet. We ate breakfast and headed north, looking for wind. Before we reached Bainbridge the sun was coming out from the clouds and the winds came up lifting our spirits. The rest of the day went like that lots of sun shining, we could see Seattle in the distance and the wind blew.

The many faces of the Northwest, gray rainy and cold one minute and sunny with snow capped mountains in the distance the next. That’s how the whole weekend went.

When we rounded the north end of Bainbridge Island the wind quieted down in Port Madison. This gave us time to calculate the currents at Agate Pass to see if we should make a run for it or drift with the light wind until we had the currents with us. We decided to make a run for it. We sailed all the way through Agate Pass and on to Liberty Bay where the town of Poulsbo sits on the shore.

Temperatures climbed into the 80’s what a contrast from yesterday. We were glad we left. The northwest just doesn’t get better than this. Luckily there was space at the Poulsbo Yacht Club for us to use the reciprocal moorage. I called my sister to let her know were had arrived so that her family could come meet us for dinner.

On the way off the dock we saw harbor seals and birds hanging out on the brake-wall of logs. Yes soaking up the northwest is what this week end is all about. The moss never goes away here in the Northwest even in the hottest of summers and this time of year the moss shines, even glitters with the moisture steaming from the heat of the sun.

My sister met us in Poulsbo with her husband and his sister for dinner. We had a great seafood dinner and good company. Trying to spend as much time with family and friends before I leave.


The next morning clouds covered the sky as we drank our coffee in the cockpit, packed up and took off with engine running. Shortly after taking off the wind started to come up and we turned off the engine and set sail through the narrow channel of Liberty Bay. Clouds started to break up and the by the time we were out in Port Orchard Passage. Luck stayed with us the whole day, sunshine, wind and warmth. This made two days of great sailing.


Ariving in Port Orchard we navigated the waters to the recipical moorage at the Port Orchard Yaht Club. Friends from Vashon Island met us and we went out to eat on the water front of Port Orchard.

And that's how a great weekend in the Pacific Northwest goes.