Mariner, Friend, Fool and Filmmaker
Just passing Victoria - the idiot box sez we will arrive in Seattle at 2000 hours - so counting on an hour to drop off the barges and 2 hours return to Everett…then an hour taking the 20 bags of garbage off the boat, plus our bags… I just might make last call!
Happy Halloween everybody.
!DSPAM:40,47287ee3268111222944467!
So, we missed the morning tide at Seymour Narrows, so we are puttering at 3 knots waiting for the afternoon tide. This puts us into Seattle early morning on the 1st. We have been spending our time cleaning and inventoring the boat, as well as a mean cribbage tournament. Dodging gill netters this morning in the channels next to Vancouver Island.
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Just passing Gibson Island and entering Grenville Channel. I really like Grenville Channel. It’s a very long narrow channel taking us half the way through Canada. Either side is high cliffs, so it’s like a canyon. It’s very beautiful, and usually very calm. And the name is cool.
The Captain set the clocks forward to Pacific Time last night, so I am working on one hour less sleep. The AB and I have been playing cribbage at the beginning of my watch, and it was very difficult to count until I got some coffee.
Our ETA is the 31st, but I figure the 1st. Only one place where weather can hit us, however we are now where tides and currents affect our speed. We need to time our passage through Seymour Narrows to go through at slack for example, because the currents can be 18 knots.
!DSPAM:40,47248aab215421011510169!
Yesterday we got to Ketchikan, where we had arranged to meet a vessel that would bring us more fuel for the generators on the barge. The boat, “Spirit”, turned out to be a little landing craft that looked like a herring boat, except instead of a spool on the bow it had a 5 foot wide ramp. Instead of a fish hold, there were a set of fuel tanks. I am constantly amazed by the little business niches that people find on the water, as this boat could only hold 20,000 gallons (we hold 120k). It was so small, that even though we only needed a few thousand gallons, the captain had to keep switching tanks to keep his boat trim. On the other hand, the boat was very, very clean and well equipped. Probably the most professional and smart looking operations I have seen in Alaska. The captains crew was also the cutest girl I have seen since leaving Seattle.
The refueling went well while we circled north of Ketchikan. We finished just in time, as a front overcame us and we where hit with hail and freezing rain. Glad we were not on the barge for that fun.
Got to see a unique military set up I didn’t know about. There are a couple of floating structures that look like barges with warehouses on them. Apparently these are degaussing stations for the sub base. Submarines float between them and they demagnetize the hulls so they can’t be detected as easily.
We had gale warnings, so we buttoned up the boat, and I was expecting a bumpy sleep last night. However, it wasn’t bad. I thought maybe the predictions were wrong. When I woke and went to the wheel house, I saw a set of lights I recognized. Hey, those are the degaussing stations! We haven’t moved!
Well, the predictions were wrong - gale warnings had been upgraded to storm warnings, and we hadn’t left the sheltered area where we fueled.
Just listened to the weather. It’s settled down and we are off again. Too soon for a new ETA though.
!DSPAM:40,472340f9257291121456063!
We are safely within the Inside Passage now. Yesterday was spent checking the barges and refueling the generators. That meant I got to sit on top of the refer stack 50 feet over the water and monitor a fuel tank - all the while watching whales feeding.
We are making a good 8 1/2 knots now - but we may have some kind of delay in Ketchikan due to a bad refer van. Still, the idiot box says we will be in Seattle on the morning of the 29th. I am still betting on the 30th.
!DSPAM:40,4720e1ca103531050123669!
Well, we are crossing the Gulf finally. We have a small window of moderate weather, with hurricane forces ahead us and gale forces behind us. Hopefully the storm in front of us will outpace us or diminish, while we go faster than the storms behind us. This time of year, storm after storm shoots out of the east along our track home, we just have to slip in between them.
The barameter is rising finally, which is an excellent sign.
We have run out of places to hide out, so we have to run for it. So far, it’s been bumpy, but not too bad - 5-10 foot seas and 20 knot winds.
We should be at Cape Spencer in a day or so, and I might have cell service for a bit. It’ll probably be in the middle of the night, so unless you work graveyard, don’t expect a call.
Our current ETA is the 30th of October. Once we get to the inside passage at Cape Spencer, our arrival becomes more certain.
Well, we are crossing the Gulf finally. We have a small window of moderate weather, with hurricane forces ahead us and gale forces behind us. Hopefully the storm in front of us will outpace us or diminish, while we go faster than the storms behind us. This time of year, storm after storm shoots out of the east along our track home, we just have to slip in between them.
We have run out of places to hide out, so we have to run for it. So far, it’s been bumpy, but not too bad - 5-10 foot seas and 20 knot winds.
We should be at Cape Spencer in a day or so, and I might have cell service for a bit. It’ll probably be in the middle of the night, so unless you work graveyard, don’t expect a call.
Our current ETA is the 30th of October. Once we get to the inside passage at Cape Spencer, our arrival becomes more certain.
!DSPAM:40,471d2619319641410093335!
A beautiful day here in Prince William Sound. No wind, sun is shining. But surrounding us are dark storm clouds. Supposedly it’s blowing 70 with 27 foot seas outside. I want to go home, but I am glad we are not in that mess.
I got to redeem myself in the skiff today. While playing taxi driver between the barges and the tug, the chief said my maneuvering was “textbook”.
Looks like we won’t get home until at least the 31st. Did an inventory of food this morning - we have food until the 4th.
!DSPAM:40,471b55f2297865939618124!
We are still circling in Prince William Sound. We did a refer check yesterday which was a nice change of pace. The trailing barge was listing and a little low, so a couple of the guys went over to pump out the ballast.
I got to go out in the skiff and pick them up - I haven’t been in a really small boat in a while and I have never taken off from a moving boat (the tug can’t stop with the 2 barges behind) - so I over gassed it and took off kind of wild. It was one of those 4 seconds of out of control, although I wasn’t really out of control totally. Really embarrassing. Hopefully I’ll be able to drive today, so I can prove that I can handle a boat.
!DSPAM:40,471a07dc6561042421395!
We are in Prince William Sound today hiding from another storm. The end of this trip reminds me of the math problem where if a guy walking home makes half the distance left every hour - when does he get home - NEVER!
I predicted this weather a couple of months ago. We have been so blessed by fair weather it was bound to happen on the return trip. It’s better hiding out here than being stuck in the Gulf getting pounded and making no progress.
Don’t get me wrong - I still feel good about sailing and my new career. However, it’s been 123 days with only a 3 day break. I have read all the books, watched all the movies, made all my recipes and conversations have been repeating themselves for weeks. I am ready to be home.
Today we check the refers on the barge again, so at least today is going to be a little different.
Yesterday I made lamb sandwiches, greek style. I didn’t have a recipe, so I made up something Mediterranean. I cut up a leg of lamb in strips and marinated in yogurt with salt and paprika. Then I fried them in olive oil and made a yogurt based sauce. Served with pita bread, onions, cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes.
Then I made slow roasted ribs. My regular rub, but I roasted them for 6 hours instead of 3-4. Much better. Got lot’s of compliments.
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Deck Log
