loss on a beautiful august 31 08 day

We left in the morning and motored around to Lopez Sound where lots of small islands and big rocks protrude. We anchored at Bight and immediately got into the kayaks to check out Small Island. Because it’s a wildlife refuge we had to stay 200 yards away which made it hard to really see anything. It was covered with seals until they saw us coming then they all disappeared into the water. What ensued was a game of spying on each other. I’d turn my head and see a shiny black head staring at me, then it would disappear only minutes later to pop up someplace else. They were as curious about us as we were about them but as soon as eye contact was made they were gone but continued to follow us and pop up occasionally.

Tragedy struck when I got out of the kayak and couldn’t find my camera, okay it's technically Jim's camera but I'm the one's who's been using it. I thought I was so methodical putting it back in my zip-up pocket but somehow it fell out. I was devastated and felt I’d lost an extension of myself. Fortunately I’m in the habit of downloading shots each day. But still, it was a sad end to a beautiful day.

As for the pictures, I couldn't believe how tiny the sailboat was. I don't see a motor, he's paddling, a purist at heart. The other is one of many shots I've taken of the water surface. I continue to be fascinated by that sort of thing.

outhouses and potato launchers august 30 08

Left early in the morning for spender spit. Since we arrived so early in the morning and the water was still glassy smooth we decided to kayak along frost island. We met ken who has a house on the island, one of 6 or so folks, and he invited us for drinks at 6. the rest of the day was fabulous with enough warm sun that I could nap and read on deck and restore some of my Kauai tan.

So, ken and his house. Wonderful intriguing house he and his wife hand built with attention to creative aesthetics. We sat in front of the big stone patio fireplace, with a roaring fire, enjoying good conversation and relaxing with his dogs. I had the opportunity to use his outhouse which was just as creative as his house. Since he’s the only one at this end of the island there was no reason to build a door so I had the best view ever, and I have to say it was the cleanest and loveliest outhouse I’d ever used.

He showed us his potato launcher but he'd just run out of potatoes from an afternoon firing it with local kids. The sunset was beautiful and we reluctantly left well after 9pm. Getting down the steep hill was no easy task in the dark as we’d forgotten to bring a flashlight. Fortunately we left the anchoring light on up on the mast so we could find our boat. Note to self, bring flashlight when using the dinghy at night.

fog and rain at odlin on august 29

Foggy and rainy. Read all morning and finished “don’t let’s go to the dogs tonight” which was a so-so read. Late afternoon we took the kayaks south toward a sandy beach where jim saw 4 otters, at least he thinks he saw 4 otters. I saw a herrmann’s gull and a turkey vulture but they’re too difficult to snap with my camera in the kayak. It was so pleasant here we decided to stay another night. The only thing about this mooring is the exposure to upright channel where the ferries and local boats pass by constantly. At one point I counted at least 10 boats of various types and sizes within view. the skinny orange sea star is called a blood star or henricia leviuscula and the purple ones are pisaster ochraceus. they form huge winter spawning aggregations, their version of speed dating.

warning, jellyfish overload on august 28

warning. i'm about to bore you to death with the pictures i took of the jellyfish at odlin park. i can't believe how huge they are. bigger than a basketball, bigger than jim's dinner plate, perhaps bigger than, well you get the idea. pink pink pink. very long tendrils. when they're fully opened they look like floating flowers. none of the pictures were altered and i apologize for the less than stella quality.

psychological side of blogging

my friend cary just sent me an interesting article about the therapeutic benefit of blogging. you might want to check it out in the June 30, 2008 issue of Newsweek. it's written by Jessica Bennett and she says, in part, " a blog is medicine. Psychiatrists are starting to tout the therapeutic power of blogging, and many have begun incorporating it into patient treatment. A forthcoming study in the journal CyberPsychology & Behavior even suggests that bloggers might be happier than nonbloggers."

i never heard of cyberpsychology & behavior. guess i'm out of the loop on this one. all i can say is i like it. however, the tech side, getting an online connection and keeping current with the blog is stressful. i'm trying to figure out a way to destress that part of it. so if you're interested you might want to check out the article.

the picture, by the way, was my blogging station in kauai.

august 28 in odlin park with sealife

leaving fisherman's bay we motored around the bend to odlin park to a mooring close to shore. the kayaks went into the water and we paddled along the rocky shoreline. i thought i saw a dead animal and jim went to investigate. turned out it was a baby seal sunbathing. lots of starfish, saw something among the rocks coming out of a tunnel that looked like otters. and then the jellyfish (more on that later). it felt like a complete day using the dinghy in fisherman's bay and then the kayaks. perfect kayaking conditions, glass smooth water, rocky alcoves and things to look at. the smeared shot of the boat was taken just after the jellyfish expose with water on the lense. lots of madrones which have that wonderful red peely bark. by the time we came back onboard it was cold and overcast and we were both chilled. time for hot buttered rum.

bald eagles and reef net boats august 28

tide was out and it was too shallow for us to leave until midday. it stopped raining and after fried egg sandwiches we took the dinghy over to the spit to get a little exercise. hiking in foulies is ackward, hot and sweaty and i don't recommend it. old abandoned reef net boats were a fun photo op and a reminder of a type of fishing once prevelant in the area. there are still some reef net boats out but not like former times. saw a bald eagle fly overhead and land in a pine tree. later the same eagle flew in front of us off in the distance to catch a fish. soon a turkey vulture landed to watch, then another and another. finally he was surrounded by 5 turkey vultures queuing up for leftovers.

we could see the tide rising and it was time to leave and head over to Odlin Park.

bicycling on fisherman's bay august 27

we left barlow bay and fortunately the wind was strong enough to sail rather than motor. we've been told it's a dirty secret there's no wind up here so we feel fortunate to sail the short distance into fisherman's bay as we begin our clockwise circumnavigation of lopez island. we tied up to the dock and rented bikes to explore this part of the island. found a great bookstore and a bakery (holly b's bakery) for some terrific cold pizza. we biked across a narrow road extending between the 2 spits of land covered with driftwood. it was the perfect place to ride a bike as there was no car traffic. the stone bench next to us at otis perkins day park had the plaque about susie.

after the bike ride we blew up the kayaks and the dinghy for cruising around in the water.

barlow bay and cormorants august 26

leaving pt. townsend aug. 26 and heading for lopez island, it's a short motor sail to our first anchorage in barlow bay. we set anchor by 4pm. the ocean surface is glassy green and the boat barely moves. the small beach is littered with unclaimed driftwood. skeletal remains of a pier are punctuated with cormorants. off in the distance i see cars zoom by. canadian geese fly in formation across the water, a trimmer form of their california cousins who are too heavy to lift off. jim is teaching me bridge and right now we're concentrating on the bidding process. it's going to be a slow process for me.

george winston's december album is playing on the stereo and i hear irregular soft tapping of rain.

haul out in pt

as i said before we arrived in pt. townsend last evening so we could haul out the boat early this morning. after a filling breakfast at Sea J cafe we met the yard crew at the dock and both of us were on the boat when they were getting it positioned in the straps and being hoisted up out of the water. what a weird feeling. we stepped off the stern onto the dock and watched them wheel chesapeake into a temporary work space. i'm sure there's some sort of nautical name for it but i have no idea and i'm too tired to ask. anyway, now when we want to get onboard we have to climb up a ladder to get in. i don't have a problem with heights generally, but it doesn't feel very good to climb up this small ladder and look down into dirt and cement. it's one thing to accidentally fall overboard into water but quite another to slip and land on the ground. yikes. i hope that doesn't happen. we packed up laundry and clothes for the motel and packed up the perishables. already i miss being on the boat. i hope it's a short time before we're back on the water.

apparently there are quite a few well-fed yard cats around. two have introduced themselves to us asking for belly rubs. one even jumped into the car and sat on jim's sea bag as if he was ready to go.

books i've been reading

i don't know when i've read so many books. the few places where we've been on land we seem to head first to the bookstore, then the bakery. both pt. townsend and fisherman's bay have wonderful little independent bookstores (bakeries too!). although i've certainly done my share of keeping amazon afloat with orders, i much prefer to browse a local independent store and ask for recommendations. both places have not disappointed and i hope they're around a very long time.

so here's what's in my library on the boat:

Books I’ve read:
Changing course a woman’s guide to choosing the cruising life by Debra Ann Cantrell
The tenderness of wolves by Stef Penney - great, highly recommend
To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee
Always another horizon by Tina Olton
A natural history of the senses by Diane Ackerman (re-reading it, fascinating)
The tipping point by Malcolm Gladwell
Don’t let’s go to the dogs tonight by Alexandra Fuller - okay
Three cups of tea by Greg Mortenson - best read so far, absolutely fabulous
The ice queen by Alice Hoffman
Unless by Carol Shields
Floating in my mother’s palm by Ursula Hegi - so so
Out stealing horses by Per Petterson - pretty good

Waiting to be read:
Therapy by Jonathan Kellerman (from isabel)
Mountains beyond mountains by Tracy Kidder (recommended as follow-up to 3 cups tea)
Art & fear by david bayles and Ted Orland
The space between us by Thrity Umrigar
The concubine’s children by Denise Chong
Shooting the boh by Tracy Johnston (had forever, need to read it or pass it on)

i just realized there are other books on the shelf so i'll add them later.

the photo was taken sometime while crossing the pacific ocean last month. because the boat heels so much in high winds and big seas we have to use lee cloths to stay in bed, otherwise we'd go flying across the cabin. i was bored and snapped this picture of jim.

back in pt. townsend again

we're back in pt. townsend as of last night and it feels good to be back in this sweet little town. the wooden boat show is this coming weekend with all kinds of festivities plus the farmers market. we had the boat hauled out this morning to inspect any possible whale damage and get the interior v berth cabinets repaired. it feels weird to be landbased but it is nice to have access to a shower and great restaurants. this time we've rented a car and plan a trip into seattle for more cold weather sailing gear.

here's a brief recap of last week's initial cruising in the san juan islands. having only 7 days we decided not to rush from island to island but rather take our time and enjoy the scenery slowly. so we never left lopez island. it's described as one of the friendliest of the islands where everyone waves (yea they do). there's little wind up here so we motorsailed clockwise around the island and kayaking almost daily. weather was mostly overcast, rain almost daily, cold in the am, chilly afternoons and occasional sun. we saw seals, otters (we think), lots of birds we still can't quite identify, saw a bald eagle, huge jellyfish, bunnies, deer, had drinks with an island resident, lost my camera and my sunglasses overboard. read several books and continue to learn bridge.

more to come as i'll have internet access for the next several days. the photo is from fisherman's bay looking at the spit.