The August 2007 Odyssey--San Juan & Gulf Islands Aboard Whisper

Whisper Log 7 --

MONDAY AUGUST 27TH—
0826 As I begin this we are at anchor in Bedwell Harbour. A lot of catching up to do…
Jane & Anita did arrive Friday night at 9:45 and , yes, I did shower.

We stowed their gear on Whisper and headed to the local tavern where the band, Mid-Life Crisis was blaring their version of rock’n roll. We met Steve, Bob & Bud, you can ask the girls about them…. About 0030 I reminded them that I had 2 crab that needed to be cooked. With every intention of just cooking them tonight, we returned to Whisper for a 0200 crab feed.

In the morning it was crab crepes followed by blackberry crepes prepared by the resident chef.

With a destination of Deer Harbor, we left the dock. With the promise of wind and favorable currents our course was laid out along Upright & Harney Channels, through Wasp Passage to Deer Harbor.

While the girls went on safari for blackberries, the skipper set out the crab pot. They were more successful than the crab pot. With the berry larder supplied and a gusty south wind blowing we decided that Jones Island would provide a calmer anchorage. With all of the buoys taken we found a corner where we could anchor with a stern tie to shore. It worked.

Sunday morning we rode the current to Friday Harbor. After fueling & leaving them with their gear, I aimed Whisper to breakwater A (BWA) where there was space on the inside. After securing Whisper, I noticed Sea Star, Bill Rowlands boat just 2 boats away. Walking to meet the girls for breakfast at the Front Street Café I ran into Bill. He turned around & joined my walk. We was awaiting the arrival of his daughter, son-in-law & sister on the same ferry that would return Jane & Anita to Anacortes.

After breakfast, we said our goodbyes and I went in search of parts to construct a spool for 400’ of poly stern line. Although it required walking all the way to Browne’s up by the airport, it was a success. With my power tools aboard I should be able to work on it tomorrow in Ganges.

The current chart directed me on a course up San Juan Channel, taking Speiden Island on the port side and then passing Stuart Island on my starboard. It worked.

Winds were fluky in the channel beginning at 12 knots and dropping to 2. We ended up motor sailing under main until the winds settled in from the NE once we cleared the west end of Stuart.

While passing the south end of Stuart I was forced to alter course as first one and then another purse seiner began to set their nets. With Admiral, the second one, I decided to hang around and watch.

As I mentioned, once the wind kicked up to 10 to 13 knots, the genoa was unfurled and we went to sail. We crossed Boundary Channel in record time pegging 8.4 knots at one point. We sailed into Bedwell Harbor, dropped sail and made for Canadian Customs for a third time.

The plans for this week have changed again. After deciding and sharing that decision via email, Alan Vogt left me a terse voicemail, “JOE, DON’T DO IT!” A cooler head has prevailed and I will explore some new & now familiar anchorages in these Gulf Islands. As always, today we will continue our search for the mother of all Dungeness crabs (although this mother will be a male).

We will weigh anchor here at 1000 with a favorable current and make our way leisurely to Ganges, setting the pot along the way.

1300—The pot is set west of Second Sister Island in 40’ of water and Whisper is secured to the public dock for 3 hours. I will check the pot on the circular trip to set the hook here for the night.

Along the way I encountered the source for one of Jane & Anita’s pet phrases, “Make your move early & obvious.”
I don’t think they were referring to nautical navigation. We will have to see how they navigate at the next SSYC dance.
The now familiar harbour of Ganges.

Off to Thrifty Foods for Reddi-Wip & crab bait. I will see the rafters in Port Ludlow on Saturday.

Seafaringly, your skipper,
Joe Grande
joe_grande@msn.com