We were invited for a fall/winter cruise, aboard my daughter and son-in-law's new boat, Airship. The plan was to tour some of the San Juan Islands. We were to meet them in La Conner, Washington, on Sunday, October 25, 2020. It is normally a three hour drive, but in the RV with some dog walking stops, and a wrong off-ramp turn it took about four and a half hours. "Not too much traffic" when you are used to Kelso traffic is a whole lot of traffic. We went through Olympia, Tacoma, past SeaTac airport, and Seattle. We arrived after dark due to one missed exit. In La Connor, I walked the dogs and we unloaded our stuff. The boat was even more beautiful in person. It felt huge. Their last boat was 34'. This one is called a 42' Nordic Tug. With the measurements from bowsprit to davits (for the dingy), it is closer to 50'. This boat was gorgeous when they bought it, but the improvements they have added since then are amazing. The dogs and I were shown to our own stateroom, with its own head. We even had access to a washer and dryer.
Laura served me a beautiful and welcome glass of prosecco, after a long drive it was really a treat. We all live safe in this time of the pandemic. We do not go into stores or restaurants. Nor do we visit indoors with others. We wear masks and we do a lot of hand washing. In preparation for this cruise, we all agreed to be doubly careful during the two weeks previous to our trip so that we did not need to wear masks with each other when we were on the boat.
Andiamo & Lucca are making themselves at home, on the boat. They are at the end of the galley counter watching Laura make our dinner. We are all enjoying the wonderful smell of the homemade fresh clam chowder that Laura has simmering on the stove, along with the loaf of sour dough garlic bread in the oven. A Caesar salad accompanied it and It was heavenly! We talked for a while, and then decided to go to bed and get an early start for Sucia Island, one of the closest islands to the Canadian Border. It would be about a three hour cruise, smooth and beautiful with "no traffic".
I went in the head to brush my teeth and when I returned to our room, this is what I found on my bed .....
... no room for me. I had to reposition the boys to make a little space for my feet. Andiamo was good about using the bottom corner of the bed, Lucca thought that looked good, so he took the other side, with his toy stuffed tiger. I tried to cuddle up, but needed some space for my feet. Lucca finally decided that his comforter on the floor, next to the bed would be good. Andi stayed where he was, which allowed me to be able to stretch out my feet. We all slept pretty good. It is a double bed.
The next morning we went for a long walk, then headed out of our slip, into the sound to begin our journey to Fossil Bay, at Sucia Island. The dogs were acting as if they had been on boats all of their lives. Some of my other dogs had been on boats, but not Andi or Lucca. They followed Laura up the stairway to the pilot house and each settled on the floor of their own side where they each had a full length glass door where they could watch the water and the scenery. It was a beautiful cruise past many other islands and with sightings of porpoise, seals and many birds.
Above is Andiamo, sitting on what he considered his own little throw rug, in front of his chosen glass door which leads outside to the walkway along the port side of the boat cabin.
The other side of the pilot house has a duplicate glass door out to the starboard side of the boat. Above is Lucca, looking downstairs to the salon, before laying on his throw rug. Both dogs slept much of the trip.
Above, Kevin is piloting the boat while Laura takes a break to make us some brunch. We had broiled English Muffin sandwiches made with sausages, eggs, cheese and fresh spinach. So good! We arrived at Sucia Island on Monday, October 26, 2020, in the afternoon.
Here we are, docked at Sucia Island. We walked the dogs after their long boat ride. They were so happy to run and play for a while. So many different scents!
Next, Kevin and I went out to the mouth of the bay, to set the crab traps.
A friend of Laura and Kevin's, Steve Mitchell, was moored on one of the mooring balls in Fossil Bay. Steve joined us on the dock for happy hour. We enjoyed a glass of wine while watching a gorgeous sunset. We sat at a safe distance from our guest. We talked and I enjoyed getting to know their boating buddy. The dogs were delighted to meet Steve, as he paid a lot of attention to them. They shared his attention and genuinely were delighted with the dock party.
Sunset at Sucia Island was awesome. No one wanted to miss a moment of it. Laura and I took many pictures until it melted into the bay. She was the winner with this photo!
After an evening walk on the beach, we went back to our boats. Kevin grilled some amazing burgers for dinner on his new Blaze, stainless steel marine grill. This meal was a joint effort with Kevin barbecuing the burgers with bleu cheese and bacon, while Laura was putting together all the trimmings. After dinner we watched a movie on Netflix called "My Octopus Teacher". I really enjoyed it.
We went to bed and the dogs and I slept so good! The only sounds were of nature and the ever so gentle motion of the boat on the flat bay, to lull us to sleep.
In the morning, on Tuesday the 27th of October, Kevin took the dinghy for an early ride to check the crab traps.
Oh boy did the dogs have a surprise in store for them!
"What is that Andi?"
"I don't know but maybe you should not touch it Lucca. I saw it move!"
Lucca and Andi are watching closely as Kevin and Laura unload 4 very nice crab. They were both warned many times, "be careful". Nothing convinced them quite as well as when Laura held the largest one up for them to see. It threatened them and they were impressed.
Lucca decided to get one closeup look. He did avoid the pinchers though.
Once, as the dogs were intent on observing the crab, I casually laid my hand on Andi's back. He about jumped out of his skin. Funny, I have done that myself before, when looking at something scary.
By special request, the boys were asked to stay in the salon while the crab were being cleaned. Andi thought he could be helpful with the hosing part. Without their help, things went much faster. They never took their eyes off of the crab.
Laura brought the cleaned crab into the galley to prepare them for the best brunch ever! I took the boys for a walk to get them out of the way. Too much interest goes a long way. I distracted them and we went onto the Island. Below are two rocks that look like mushrooms. We found a big grassy field where the boys enjoyed running and playing.
Andiamo found a good stick!
Here are the Mushroom rocks!
Some of the trees are so interesting and leave you wondering how they got some of their decor, wedged in between their branches. The one below is a beauty.
The rocks also have interesting formations and designs.
Andi & Lucca are being careful not to step in goose poop, which leaves me to wonder why they find deer poop acceptable. Well, mostly Lucca likes to roll in it. Andi rarely comes inside wearing it. He enjoys watching Lucca though. At home, Lucca often comes in the house wearing an impressive load of deer poop. He even looks proud of it. I tell him he needs a bath and he immediately heads for the shower in the laundry room. He stands in the large shower in there and waits for me to come in and squirt it off of him. He is resigned to having that done, but he is not sorry and he will do it again. Funny guy.
Oh oh, poor timing on the placement of the next photo. Sorry about that, just erase the previous paragraph from your mind.
Look what Laura created while we were ashore! This was the best Eggs Benedict I have ever eaten. Made with the very freshest crab there could be, stacked with slices of fresh avocado, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. She even shared a couple bites of fresh crab with the dogs. I wonder if they knew it came from those grumpy creatures that were threatening them!
After breakfast, a hike with the dogs was next on our schedule.
Laura doing some stick throwing for the boys.
Back at the dock, Steve was moving his boat, " Rendezvous" from the mooring ball over to the dock across from Airship. It is an Ocean Alexander 44'. It is a beautiful boat.
Steve docking his boat, after which we all sat on the dock and visited.
The photo above is of Airship and Rendevous on the end of the dock, viewed from the beach. We all went for some more hiking. Laura and Kevin took Lucca for a walk up to a viewpoint on the south side of the island. Andi and I stayed on the green and did some easier walking and photography.
Andi seemed a little concerned about where Lucca had gone with Laura and Kevin.
Lucca enjoyed his special walk with Laura and Kevin.
Another beautiful sunset on the dock before dinner. Tonight - Kevin did some of his wonderful BBQ ribs on the grill. Dinner was delicious! We were so hungry we finished every rib. We began watching "Queen's Gambit", a Netflix movie about a woman, champion chess player. It is really good and it was fun to be able to watch one or two installments as we managed to stay awake. I am normally a night owl, but something about the water, the hiking and the fresh air had me going to bed much earlier than usual. It was a wonderful Tuesday the 27th of October. Maybe the best one ever!
Wednesday, October 28th 2020. Okay, another beautiful day, talk about lucky! We only had misty sprinkles once during one of the nights. It was wonderful to listen to while comfy in bed. In the morning it was gone and we never even felt the rain. Kevin went out to check crab traps. Two more big crab. I think Laura plans crab enchiladas for dinner. We hiked a little, then we had breakfast tacos with chorizo, scrambled eggs, and sliced avocados on soft flour tortillas.
October 28, 2020, Wednesday. We "buddy boated" with Steve over to Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island. Both boats found space on the dock. In fact, we were the only boats there!
We unloaded the dinghy, for a little tour around the harbor. This Island is steep and the trails are winding.
I was in the front of the dinghy with Andiamo. Lucca was in front of Laura, with Kevin driving next to Laura. Steve took this photo for us. Just a short way along the shore we saw three adorable young, black river otters bouncing down a small trail to the water. They looked so cute and the dogs would have loved to get closer. As it was, we could not get close enough to even get photos of them. I will never forget my memory photo of them though.
Back to the dock, a short walk for the dogs and we decided to sit on the dock and have a glass of prosecco, or two. Soon Steve went aboard his boat and brought an amazing full-size keyboard onto the table on his back deck. If I closed my eyes I would have sworn he had a grand piano on his boat. He played beautiful music and we were the only humans privileged to hear it in this wonderful, wild place. Pretty soon Kevin got his ukulele and accompanied Steve. If you, like me, have never heard a ukulele other than the little souvenir-type that are available in corner drug stores in Waikiki, this opened a whole new world. It sounded more like a guitar. Laura and I sat on the dock, with Andi and Lucca and enjoyed the serenade. Kevin and Steve had an amazing repertoire. They went through nearly everything Elton John; folk music; Simon and Garfunkel, jazz; classical; and they even took requests. The sound of the music, the softly lapping water sounds along with occasional night birds .... well, I can probably never explain how beautiful it all was. We might have sat out there many more hours if we had not been hungry and getting a little cold. We did not have far to go, as we were the only two boats on the dock, right across from each other. What a beautiful evening.
Kevin and Steve making music on "Rendezvous".
Laura sitting with me while we enjoyed the musical performance.
Sleepyhead.
Took my sleepy boys back to Airship. Above is a very tired Lucca, asleep on the dock. Both dogs had already eaten dinner, so it did not take long for them to get cozy and fall asleep again, on the boat. We enjoyed another wonderful dinner. Don't know how Laura does it. We had fresh crab enchiladas, watched some more of the series Queen's Gambit, and slept amazingly sound the rest of the night.
Thursday the 29th of October. First we went for a nice hike with the dogs. The trail was steep and damp. The dogs didn't mind. I believe they were finding all kinds of interesting scents, maybe the otters were near. We hiked a little while, then headed out for Jones Island. Steve is going too and we will meet more boating buddies at Jones Island. Sam Landsman and his bride, Anna Serra are planning to meet us there. Sam is Laura and Kevin's partner in Slowboat, their boating website and flotilla business. They run small flotillas of boats every summer up the inside passage through British Columbia to Alaska, and back down the outside of Vancouver Island. The 2020 summer legs of travel had to be cancelled this year, due to the border closures.
Sam just recently bought a new boat. "Akeeva" is a 50' Nordhavn. A big, comfortable boat, one of only 29 of this size made. It is built to cross oceans and it cruises at about 10 knots. Sam and Anna were just married this year and they live aboard Akeeva.
We hiked a little while, then headed out for Jones Island.
Here comes Akeeva now, She sits low in the water.
I look forward to being able to go aboard Akeeva, some day, but we do not go aboard each others boats at this time, due to Covid virus.
Laura and Kevin on the dock at Jones Island. This is right after Anna and Sam arrived. Jones Island is so pretty. It has a very narrow area about half way through the middle of the island. The trail is a little over a half mile across. It goes into some very tall woods to another beach on the other side of the island.
If it seems the dogs are sleeping more than usual, it is probably due to more hiking than usual. Below, Lucca is napping Sam and Anna are sitting in front of Akeeva. Steve is to the right from Lucca.
Above is a photo of me, Andi and Laura, walking in the fallen leaves. Lucca was walking with Kevin and the rest of the group.
We enjoyed visiting on the dock and a walk across the island and back. Just in time for happy hour and some fun conversation and visiting. Then we went to our boat for another wonderful dinner. Laura made two homemade pizzas which we shared. One was shrimp with pesto and the other was Italian sausage and mushroom. An Italian salad was a great accompaniment. Another installment of the series Queen's Gambit was great. It appears we ate dinner before I managed to take photos. Everything was wonderful!
Steve Mitchell took these great aerial shots with his drone of the three boats on the dock at Jones Island:
October 30th, Friday. We had sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches for breakfast. Then we headed across the island, where Laura, Kevin, Anna, Sam and Steve were going to hike the perimeter of one half of the island.
The dogs and I hiked across the island with them to a beautiful little meadow. I planned to let them go on the rest of their hike without me. Laura said it was several miles, rocky with some steep parts. I was able to make the hike, I would have slowed them down. Anyway, I sat on a bench and wandered around taking some pictures and enjoying the beautiful sunshine.
Many of the trails are high, with very steep slopes down to the water.
After looking around for a while, I could not help notice how beautiful it looked around the next point of land and how pretty and inviting the little trail was. Even a picnic table out on the next point of land! I decided to walk on for a ways. I walked for quite a while and began thinking that I should probably turn back. But the trail was still good, though a little more difficult on occasion. The dogs were so good. No pulling or any dangerous actions where the trail was steep. We were all very careful. We stopped occasionally and I gave the dogs some treats I had in my pocket - freeze dried liver snacks. I was thinking that some carrot strips or an apple would have been nice, but I had not planned this hike, so I did not have snacks for me. I also did not have water, which was probably worse. I was not thirsty yet though.
I have a lot of hiking experience in my lifetime, (though not as much since my back problems began). I was wearing good hiking shoes. Eventually I got to the point where I figured It was probably going to take longer to go back than it would to keep on the way we were going. The sun was still high and I kept thinking each new point of land would reveal the dock, and the boats gleaming in the sun. Well, maybe the next one .... I checked my phone and noted my battery was very low. I had taken a lot of pictures since charging it. I started thinking that the rest of our group might possibly be getting back to the boat by now, and I was concerned that they might be worried. I resolved to keep moving. Not too long after that we heard voices in back of us. Laura and Kevin were trailing us. They were laughing (I was happy to see) and I apologized for causing them to worry. They were great about it and said they suspected I had done exactly what I had done. They knew a short cut inland which involved a little uphill hike before opening to the trail that led to the beach, at the dock. I was feeling fine with no aches or pains. Not even a little back ache! In spite of everything I was rather proud of myself as I have not done that much hiking for years. It felt good and gave me such a great feeling of accomplishment. Next time, I will take water and snacks. I will also be certain to have my phone battery charged, just in case! Sure was fun though.
Laura said I had probably hiked about a mile and a half. (I am pretty sure it had to have been at least twice that.). Maybe it was just all the stepping over roots and using steps carved in the rocky hillsides.
Dinner was grilled Copper River salmon with green curry sauce, zucchini and mushrooms.
Saturday, October 31, 2020. Regretfully, we left Jones Island, after a wonderful breakfast of chorizo & scrambled egg breakfast tacos. We said goodbye to Sam and Anna. The rest of us headed to Westcott Bay on San Juan Island to the Westcott Bay Shellfish Farm, where we all bought some fresh clams and oysters. (We purchased what we wanted online, then dinghied over to the dock and picked up our order from a cooler...no contact!)
We said goodbye to Steve and headed around the west side of San Juan Island, looking to spot some whales. Cruising was so nice. We passed Spieden Island and saw many, Fallow deer and Mouflon Sheep.
There were two different types of oysters, which Kevin barbecued as an appetizer with two different butter sauces. I am not super fond of oysters, but have to admit they were pretty good.
For dinner, Laura made clams with linguine and it was an amazing dinner. I really enjoyed the fresh clams.
Captain Laura
Returning to La Conner - Swinomish Channel
