Suzie Shaffer is writing us as she, with her husband Roger, take Boru, a Crown 34, and Ruby to the Broughttons this summer. She has been e-mailing us when they stop some place she can. Catch up, then follow them north.
received : July 16 / July 19 / July 22 / July 27 / August 4 / August 14 / August 22
After a week and a half on the water we finally arrived at Desolation Sound yesterday afternoon. What a trip we have had, lots of winds, but usually right on the bow so instead of speeding us along we seem to be dragging an anchor through the water.
We got off on Tuesday the 6th of July only 5 min after our original start time. We got to Gig Harbor just in time for a band concert right near the dock. We loaded Ruby into the dingy for the ride into the docks when suddenly she was swimming in the water. Roger pulled her into the dingy and we have figured out she actually slipped into the water rather than jumped in. She was soaking wet but seemed to be enjoying finally being cool. For the past week we both took her into any dock to be sure she didn't hit the water again. She just likes to roam on the dingy and go from one of us to the other making our ride exciting at times.
We headed up to Kingston and what was supposed to be a short 4-5 hour hop turned into a 9 hour grueling ordeal. Wind howling on our bow and currents against us turned our trip into 9 hours. We bounced along and finally some of the old "stuff" in our fuel tank broke loose and clogged the fuel filter and the engine would stop. We finally made it with Roger stretched out in the quarter berth (that is the compartment that is near the engine) with his arm reaching inside the engine compartment squeezing the primer bulb so the engine could get gas. What a hero, but I think two hours next to the engine has caused more hearing loss. This was all happening while we were in record heat. It was 91 when we pulled into Kingston. We were hot and tired and looking for a shower. God love Ruby, she just lay their panting wishing she could cool down. It was so hot she wouldn't drink or eat and just stretched out in the boat trying to find a cool place…….but with no air conditioning …..91 was the temp for the day.
We stayed an extra day in Kingston so Roger could replace the fuel filter. While walking Ruby we saw several golden retrievers with summer "doos". Ruby still was not drinking and eating right so we called the local groomer and Ruby has a cute new hair cut. She still has all the hair on her head and ears, her tail is still long and flowing but her body was sheared so she is much cooler. She immediately got her spunk back. She swam in the ocean after the cut and one of the benefits is she dries off much faster. She gets lots of compliments and pats when we take her for a walk. I will try and send pictures, but you know how I am about getting attachments to work.
We left Kingston and motored into Port Townsend early enough to get the reciprocal at the dock. Roger picked up another fuel filter and Ruby had lots of walks and chances to swim and meet other people and dogs.
Our trip across the strait was awful, the winds and weather sounded okay but the swells were awful. I usually get a queasy feel in my stomach but for the first time in years I actually got sick. Ruby and I crawled up on the settee and slept our way across. Suddenly Roger called out, "Suz come up here!" I raced up top and there was a pod of Orcas swimming right past the boat. What a treat! There were whale watching boats and even the Victoria Clipper slowed down and stopped for a little bit. Those passengers got a little more than they bargained for with their fare. We slipped up mosquito passage and anchored out for a two day stay in Roach Harbor. Luckily there were not many boats in the harbor. The second night there the wind came up and we had 25-30 knots of winds, Roger ended up putting out 210 feet of rode out to keep us from dragging. Ruby actually slept up in the bed with us that night, it was really crowded…….like having young kids again. She has found her spot in the cockpit. She curls up where we put our feet, it works until we have to start sailing, which has not been very often this trip, and then it is a challenge to not step on her. This keeps us nimble.
We're headed off to Refuge Cove to do laundry, take showers, add to the provisions (I think I have come up with a way to store more fresh vegetables). We will take off tomorrow and go through the Yuculta Rapids. I'm looking forward to the ride and hopefully dinner at Oleo's.
Love
Suzie & Roger
Well we made it to Lagoon Cove, for the past few days we have had no internet and no telephone service and I have been going crazy. I have so much to tell and no one to talk to, except Roger who saw everything just like I did.
We left Refuge Cove and headed up to the rapids, my heart didn't race but I still get just a little anxious. Everyone waits around like the start to a race waiting to rush into the narrow channels during slack. People cut other boats off as though we weren't all going in the same place at the same time. Makes me think of airline passengers who cut the guy off in front and then they wait to get seats next to each other……….the human race can be funny. We had behavior like that going through the Dent rapids and during our passage on Chatham Channel today. Boats rushing to get their first! On a sailboat we are usually last and while we started near the middle we managed to end almost in last place in front of another sail boat.
After we went through the rapids we stopped in one of our favorite ports, Oleo's. We crunched on duck legs and ate crisp skin and savored every bite. It was fun to find one of our favorite spots was still going strong. Ruth, the owner, puts my 45# loss to shame; she has lost over 250# in the last four years. I didn't even recognize her. It is funny when you pull into a dock and see someone you do not recognize and you are pussy footing around trying to find out who this stranger is pulling in your dock lines. When I asked where her mother was she almost jumped up and down she was so pleased. I felt foolish, but she looked great and had the best laugh which made me feel better.
The winds have been howling down Johnstone Strait in the afternoon so we had a quick stop in Forward Harbor and now we made it to Lagoon Cove after a gentle trip up Johnstone Strait, the winds and the currents were actually going in the same direction and we had a great journey. This is where Bill has large prawns every night for his "guests" and we gather around the fire and he tells stories and everyone sings and has a great time. Bill's stories are classics and if you have heard them a few times you start to laugh before the punch line because you remember how funny the stories are……….just good fun. We took Ruby for a hike on the trails through the woods. I'm sure she must think, ride on this machine that shakes and jounces about when big boat pass on the side and in return I get to swim in the ocean or romp in the woods with no leash. Chasing every animal I can find, smelling every scent that is new and have the time of my life……..I guess it is worth it. Roger and I are tired of waking up every morning, rushing to get dressed before we miss the tide and current change in some special passage. We will take off tomorrow and spend a few days in Potts Cove, recommended by Bill for crab trapping, and I will paint and bake bread and Roger will fix the handle on the runabout where it does not automatically go forward when it starts. He will also put on a vent to take the gas fumes out of the lower compartment when we turn on the blower. I knocked it off with our "lucky duck".
After that we will start off to some of our favorite haunts………we'll catch you later when we find another internet site. I seem to have no cell phone service, nothing since Pender Harbor. If you know that there is something I need to know, like our house burned down or someone broke in, please send us an e-mail. Otherwise no news is good news.
We are thinking we will start back to the states about the 3-5th of August. We will head down to Comax, and give the Seymore Narrows a try on our way down, unless the winds are roaring like they have been for the last two weeks. We should be in Comax about the 6th or 7th where we will meet our friends and try a trip down the Sechelt Rapids. That should be fun! We will keep you posted. Here are a couple of pictures I am sending along.
Love Suzie and Roger
Well dinner is in the process of being cooked, Roger is reading after bringing us to Kwatsi Bay, just off Tribune Channel, and I thought I would give you an update. I guess our house is still standing; I didn't get an e-mail telling me there were problems. No pictures this time, so maybe the transmissions will work better for some of you. Ruby's pack is happy and satisfied. She is not the leader, but she sure has changed in these last three weeks. Into the dingy, out of the dingy, seeing how close she can get her nose to the water in the dingy, checking out the shrimp and luckily not getting pinched by a crab in a dingy. After her initial hesitation she has become a true sailor. She doesn't like the wakes from other boats, but neither do we. She even hangs out in the cockpit when we are motoring and sailing. She does make sailing a challenge because she is right where we would want to step, but sadly the wind continues to be right on our nose and we haven't had much opportunity to hoist the sails.
We decided to stay an extra day in Lagoon Cove, hanging on the hook, and just resting. I told Roger we have been rushing for weeks to get here, let's slow down and enjoy ourselves. I slowed down; Roger rushed out and dropped crab traps and went out in the bay to drop a shrimp trap, for which I am forever grateful. Because for lunch we had as many shrimp as we wanted to eat and tonight we are stuffing ourselves with crab cakes. Yum, Yum,Yum. We have been waiting to try and catch up with our friends from South Sound Sailing Society and as we were getting ready for dinner, Jo and Scotty sailed in. We were so lucky to have stayed put for a day. If you ever sail or motor up here be sure you have Verizon Wireless, AT&T stops working about Desolation Sound, no matter what they say! We have not been able to connect using the phone, but it is better to be able to actually see someone. We each set off in different ways out of Lagoon Cove but we will reconnect on Saturday or Sunday in Booker Lagoon.
Some of you will remember our awe as the porpoises danced around our boat six years ago, we thought there were probably 30 0r 40 of them, but after going into the dock today and talking to Anaka, she said it was a pod of over 200. They swam with us for several miles as we traveled up Tribune Channel this afternoon. These are the memories I carry in my heart. Nature at its best!
It's Thursday morning and we are waiting for a call to the dock. We'll join in the potluck tonight and get a chance to send e-mails and take on water. We had our first rain last night and that always makes things a little tougher with the wet decks, it will be nice to be on the docks and dry out. I'll send this out as soon as we get in and you should have a chance to send replies. So many times we send and sail and I get your responses several days later. Today I'll be able to pick up any replies this evening. Remember no pictures and no jokes with animation, please.
We are definitely still having fun.
Love,
Suzie and Roger
Hi everyone,
Roger and I made it to Booker Lagoon last Saturday and we hung on the hook for three lovely days. Booker is in the south west corner of Broughton Island. It is a special enclosed lagoon where moss hangs from the trees and you are protected from the elements. You can drop a prawn trap just as you go in, which we did, and try your luck crabbing at the head of each finger. We weren’t quite as successful doing that, but we did get two very big crabs on Sunday. We also got our record for prawns on Sunday, 156 !!!!. Talk about a treat, those went with the 88 we got the day before, but as we were leaving this morning we pulled and pulled and only brought up 6 prawns, so it all evens out and I think we are paying about $45.56 a pound when you figure the cost of all the traps we have bought. No matter what they were great.
As we were pulling up the trap, with its 400 feet of line, two porpoises would swim by as if to say, “Good prawning to you.” Ruby would run around the deck trying to catch sight of them as they came up. She would run up to where Roger was pulling in the line and then have to run around to the other side of the boat, barking all the time. What a circus! Luckily she does not jump off the boat. On Sunday the other boat in the whole lagoon left and we had the whole place all to ourselves. What a treat. On Monday our friends Jo and Scotty joined us for a night and we stuffed ourselves on crab and prawns. Our population tripled, there were three boats in the harbor. They stayed for another day and we headed out to Sullivan Bay on Sutlej Channel.
My job for the rest of today is to take a shower and do the laundry. The prices have definitely increased. Now the showers are $6.00 + tax and the laundry is $4.50 per load to wash and $4.50 to dry. Good thing we keep wearing the same old clothes so I may get by with only one load of wash and the darks and the lights can just go together. It has been foggy until about 1 p.m. and then the sun bursts through but it is not long enough to get the clothes dry or I might be tempted to lower our South Sound Burgee, hide our name with clothes and hang them on the lifeline to dry.
I am running short of flour, and Sullivan Bay does not have any until Thursday, we can’t wait that long. I’ll just have to nurse the sour dough starter along, and make all our bread whole wheat instead. Jo helped fill my container, but I need an extra five pounds because of the baking I have been doing. Cherry pie, homemade bread, sour dough pancakes, they all take flour. Oh well, if that is our biggest problem we’ll certainly get by.
I understand a lot of you were not able to open our second e-mail so I am going to resend it, by copying and pasting in another e-mail, and sending it to everyone. If you already opened it great if not you will have it to read.
Love,
Suzie and Roger
Hi everyone,
we have definitely had great fun in the last week. Lots of different things to see and do! We left Sullivan Bay and traveled through some easy rapids to come to a great anchorage called Turnbull. The whole bay was about 25' deep at low tide so we dropped our hook with plenty of area to swing. We took Ruby to shore and decided to climb up to see the fresh water lake and dock that had been built by the park system. Great trail, except for the mosquitoes which seem to be drawn to me, and we made it up the hill and saw everything. It was gray and cloudy so the lake did not sparkle and we decided against skinny dipping. When we got ready to leave in the morning Ruby was barking a great deal, we looked out and saw a bear cub lifting rocks and eating the crabs and other shellfish on the shore. It was quite a show. Thank heavens for a good alarm system ... bark, bark, bark.
We continued on to Claydon Bay where we hooked back up with Jo and Scotty our South Sound Sailing Society friends. Jo made us great curry dinner and we finished off the end of the Booker Lagoon prawns. Food does not seem to be in short supply on this trip. How nice to be able to sit around a table with a bottle of wine and talk about all the sailing you didn’t do that day. The only thing which would make it better is to have actually hoisted the sails and used them.
The next day had us heading off to Shawl Bay Marina, where we always get to share happy hour, I pulled out that great artichoke dip, and there is the promise of pancakes in the morning. We took our time on the relatively short trip and both Roger and Scotty tried their luck dangling a line in the water. Our depth finder shows where there are fish, however nothing we had on board seemed to interest them so there was no fish for supper. Good thing there were lots of appetizers at the happy hour. This trip we have gotten our share of prawns and crabs, not as many of some, but enough to fill our bellies, but fish have eluded us. We found out after we left that we could have caught fish and crabs right off the dock at Sullivan Bay. Too bad, we missed it.
The next morning I woke early and spent over and hour chatting with Rog Jr. about what is going on with him. He is currently 14 hours before us and with the spotty internet connections when we get a chance to chat with Skype we do. We had not talked since before we left home. He is leaving the state department in early October to take a position in Madagascar. Looks like it will be another interesting thing to be doing. Maybe we will be able to go to Kenya and visit the yacht club there. I didn’t get a letter written, but I that just gives me more to add this time.
We started our long slow trip towards Olympia, we probably won’t be back for 3 or 4 weeks, but we have turned the corner. We decided to try going through Seymour Narrows for the first time. I wasn’t worried about the narrows, Roger spends hours checking and rechecking the currents and the tides. Then he goes back and reviews it again just to make sure. My concern is with the trip on Johnstone Strait. The forecast for the last two weeks has listed gale force winds and high winds every day. We were concerned about choppy seas and uncomfortable swells as we made our long trip down the strait. We decided we would go back down Tribune Channel, in the hopes we would see the dolphins again, tuck in to Lagoon Cove for the night and then go hang out at Port Neville and stay there at the government dock until the conditions were just right to make the journey down to Seymour Narrows.
Well we got to see all the dolphins, plus four sailboats with their jibs out sailing through the dolphins. We almost turned around just so we could test out our sails, but we kept going. Made it in time to Lagoon Cove only to find out I better be making a dinner dish instead of getting an appetizer ready. We were having prawns, crabs and halibut from Alaska. What a treat! We trundled off to bed so we could be out of there early in the morning to make Chatham Channel during slack water. We got a push from the currents going through the channel and headed out for our first taste of Johnstone Strait. What, the waters were smooth and the wind was behind us for the first time of our trip. It was like music to your ears to hear the 15 knot winds fill our sails. We talked about maybe going further since we were sailing so well but decided the luxury of a dock to take Ruby ashore was worth pulling into Port Neville. It was a good thing we did, not only did we have a great time, about 15 min after we arrived at the dock the wind really started to howl. We had made it just in time.
As we turned into the dock a gentleman stepped forward wearing a hat which said security and grabbed our lines, luckily he did because the 3 knot current running by the dock makes for a very tricky landing for a sail boat with a first mate unwilling to jump off the boat on to the dock when the leap is very big. We got the Boru all secure and Alex introduced himself as the new care taker. If you have pulled into Port Neville and remember Lorna, she is getting married this fall and Alex has moved to the island to take her place. You can no longer send mail from there, because the post office is closed, but Alex will give you a tour or the museum and let you exchange books at the book exchange. He also came out and joined us when we walked the dog, throwing sticks for her with the best of them. He is there full time and is a delightful gentleman; I gave him some banana bread and left him with a cup of the sour dough starter and some receipts which I have trucked along with me for this whole trip. He was looking forward to having pancakes the next morning.
Because of the neap tides Roger figured we had about 5 days were we could make the crossing if the winds worked in our favor, if that didn’t work we would continue down our usual way. Yesterday we left early in the morning and got to the narrows just at slack. We even got to hoist our jib again. No problems on Johnstone Strait and no problems in the narrows, who could ask for anything more. We even got to see some Orcas as we left the narrows to finish our way to Campbell River. We didn’t try fishing there, but there were sure a lot of fishing boats around.
Today we are off to Comax to catch up with our friends Bob and Liz, the ones we met six years ago and who we went around the west side of Vancouver Island with. Right now we are planning another trip down the Sechelt Rapids where we expect to spend a week exploring that inlet. Sid these are the rapids we hiked into when you and Dean joined us in Egmont. Trust me we will go at slack. Then we head home.
Today the waterways are covered with a thick heavy haze from the forest fires in the area; even though the sun is shining you cannot see much. My eyes are stinging a little and there is no wind to blow anything away. Good for the fires to have no wind, but bad for breathing.
Love,
Suzie and Roger
Hi Everyone,
We are sitting at the very end of the dock in Sechelt (pronounced sea-chelt) looking up at the pub where we are going for dinner tonight. They boast of having the coldest beer in town. Too bad I’m not a big beer drinker, but maybe I’ll try one because it is almost 80 degrees and rising right now at 3:30. I’ll let you know if the fish and chips are all that they claim. Bob and Liz have heard about this pub for years so we are looking forward to tasting their food. Right now Roger is hosing the boat off, with Ruby and their 117# Bernese Mountain dog, we have quite a collection of hair and sand and grit.
We stayed in Comox for several days while Bob and Liz loaded their boat, because we were able to get through the narrows at the beginning of our 5 day window, we showed up just a wee bit early. The dogs had time to get to know one another and Ruby was able to stretch her legs and lay around in the grass, but she usually chose the cool dirt. Roger worked on repairing our flag hoist and reattached the radar reflector, just in case we have some fog on the way home. Roger has also been looking at Bob’s old diesel engine and it looks like we will be looking for a buyer for a great rebuilt atomic 4. He has it so well tuned we get about .9 gallons an hour. This little engine purrs… ...
We left Comox on Sunday bright and early, the dogs walked to the boat so they were able to get their morning exercise. And we set off with a great sail from Comox to a little nook behind Hardy Island. We rafted together and tried to find a place to take the dogs ashore. Good thing they can jump and scramble off the boat. This was a marine park but all we saw were signs saying private, do not trespass. We used
the one that just said private; the dogs lingered for a minute or so, and headed back to the boat.The next day we headed down early to Egmont to catch the rapids, but Bob and Liz had friends in Egmont and we all wanted to get together. These are the people who owned the boat that the keel fell off while they were racing in Swiftsure (a race from Victoria to the Swiftsure bank off the west side of Vancouver Island). We got to see the boat and they went on to Princess Louisa Islet while we went down the Sechelt Rapids.
We attacked the rapids early in the morning and our only company was a large barge heading north. Just like all of the rapids, if you hit them at slack, no problem. We spoke to a guy in Comox who said, " we came 8 minutes late and turned around for the next slack period". I took lots of pictures but it was because the scenery was so pleasant, not because anything exciting was happening. We settled in at one of the few anchorages right about another set of narrows and tried our hand at fishing……finally a fish, small, but a fish. We hiked on the beach and explored the old equipment left by the loggers. There were old trucks and equipment and some blackberries and sticks for Ruby to chase. She raced in the water and Ben waded out a little. Ben is just learning to swim while we can’t keep Ruby out of the water. Later in the afternoon Bob took both dogs out for a paddle run, Ben would run on the shore and then jump in the boat while Ruby would chase their little rubber ducky following their dingy until she finally caught it and then she would just get pulled along. They were quite a sight. I am not sure who had the most fun Ben, Ruby or Bob.
We have been having a great time meandering down this secret little gem. There are not many boats here so you feel like you are alone with just the stars shining down. I picked up a little book about gratitude, and along with being grateful for a husband who can fix things and navigate, I am also grateful that he takes me on such great adventures.
I am also grateful for all the friends who are checking on things for me at home. It’s nice to see that the beans are still coming on, the tomatoes haven’t ripened yet and that the zucchini are just beginning to grow. Please keep those zucchini picked; I don’t want too many logs when we get home. I already know I will have some weeding to do but I hate to see food go to waste. Bill or Corkey will always take a mess of beans.
Our plans now are to go to Storm Bay tomorrow, head through the Sechelt Rapids on Sunday morning and sail or motor around to some surprise anchorage. Then off to Smugglers Cove, a little hidey hole that we have never been to. Then we are on our way home again. There are lots of adventures still to be had in our remaining weeks.
Love,
Suzie & Roger
Hi Everyone,
The last few days of any of our trips are always bittersweet. You are sad to close the book on your adventures, but the lure of your own big bed and a house which does not rock at night pushes you towards home. Sometimes we rush at breakneck speeds of six knots per hour and are glad the tides and currents are helping you along. We will be home tonight, Sunday the 22nd, or tomorrow, depending on conditions the rest of this day. It is raining now, but they have forecast sunny skies this afternoon. But let’s share the last of our adventures.
We spent the night a little over a week ago in a little cove called Storm Bay. One of the locals told us to tie up to the dock of a house that was for sale. I think the asking price was about 1.3 million dollars. The house and the docks didn’t offer much but the land was lovely. As we walked up the rickety old dock filled with rotted boards I was very careful where I stepped and luckily nothing fell through. It was very hot and in the afternoon Bob, Liz, Ruby, Ben and I all went for a swim. Since I didn’t bring a suit I guess I was in the T-shirt contest. Roger took pictures, but he has sworn that he will not share them with anyone but me. It felt great once I got my breath back from when I first went in the water.
Sunday morning, at the first break of light, we took off for our return trip through the Sechelt Narrows. Everything was so quiet and peaceful; the sun had not risen so the mountains were cloaked in a soft blue haze. Such a beautiful time of the morning, just the water, sky, and birds. We sipped our coffee as we headed off and watched as 5 kayakers joined the handful of boats slipping through the early morning softness to get to the other side. After we passed the rapids we noticed an Orca splashing in the water over in a little nook near the shore, what a nice surprise. Again no problems and we sped down to our next anchorage. We planned to go to Green Bay but when we got there everything was private so we continued on to Pender Harbor, where for the first time we dropped a prawn trap. In the morning we hauled in 31 prawns, not our best haul this season but enough nice big prawns to make it worth our while. Since it was Sunday we stopped by the local club in Pender to enjoy the music and have a beer. I may eventually begin to like this stuff. Honey brown beer goes down best for me, none of this hoppy stuff, and it definitely needs to be a hot, hot day. We sat with Bob and Liz and planned our trip the next day. We will be going to Smuggler’s Cove, very tiny, very lovely, very crowded anchorage. Stern tying is an absolute must. Unlike some of the harbors we were in up north, where there was lots of swinging room, this is a popular anchorage near Vancouver and there were about 20 boats tucked in next to each other. It was almost like a marina, but there were no docks to walk, just lots of trails and places for Ruby to swim. We hiked around the island and gazed out onto the Georgia Strait and watched the boats go by. Sail boats with their sails hanging limp and power boats rushing by causing huge wakes. Quite the sight!
We headed down to Gibson the next day, just a short trip, and finally found a nice hot shower, six minutes for 3 quarters, quite the bargain, and laundry for ?2.50 a load, wash and dry, as opposed to ?10 a load in Sullivan Bay. As I was checking Ruby over I noticed that she had a place on her tail where her skin seemed to be really irritated and her hair was coming out, she had been doing a great deal of swimming and she rolled in some dead fish the day before, but this was different. I located a vet and he was only going to be in the office for another 30 min so we loaded her off for her first taxi ride so we could get there before they closed. Well Ruby had developed a "hot spot". The vet says it comes from fleas, our friends say it is usually caused by allergies or hormones, the internet has all sorts of ideas but the bottom line is that she is on antibiotics for 10 days, has a cortisone type salve to sooth the infected skin and they shaved off half the hair from the top 2 inches of her tail. Poor baby, she has been shaved more than she wanted this trip. She does like the meat I tuck around her pill and after a day on the antibiotics she was actually back to her old self. Luckily we were near a vet because she could have been quite sick from this infection. We have tried to keep her out of the water while it heals and that has probably been the hardest part for her.
We went about 2 miles the next day and stayed in the famous Plumper bay area. Again, trails to tromp along and great sights to see and you even have blackberries to munch on while you travel. I’ve been too lazy to pick enough blackberries for a pie. We left our friends the next morning and made a quick trip to Port Roberts. The nexus card worked great, we just called in on the phone and they cleared us before we even came to the dock, we could have gone anywhere we wanted. I had a chance to head off to the grocery store for wine and tomatoes and Roger headed to the liquor store for gin. Ruby just headed along with us. She has certainly developed great muscle tone and she has lost almost all the weight she put on last winter. With her summer hair cut you can see how sleek she really is.
The next day was a flurry to get us down to Anacortes, and then we had the Strait of Juan De Fuca to navigate, it was worse than the first time we crossed. Roger and I crawled into Kingston just in time to get to the farmers market, any reason to get off the boat sounded good to me. Music was playing, crafts were displayed, fresh vegetables looked great and dogs were everywhere. It is starting to cool down after days of high temperatures. Last night I jigged around on the boat to the sounds of a local "big band" playing old Glen Miller favorites. There was a concert in the park right next to the marina and the ferry dock. I tried to coax Roger into dancing to Unforgettable; since he wasn’t dancing much, I sang instead. These are the precious memories we all have from any kind of trip……in my grateful book goes the music we were able to enjoy as we were tied to the dock in Kingston.
Speaking of docks, while dinner was cooking, it was a chili kind of night, we looked over and there was a South Sound Burgee hanging on a halyard, I heard a voice say "Hi Suzie" and there was Bob Hargreaves. Bob and Linda Hargreaves on Bright Angel had just left Olympia to start on their journey for five to ten years traveling around the world on their boat. Now that will be a real adventure. I took a picture of the happy sailors and Steve I will get it to you for the next Ship-to-Shore.
For now, we are anxious to get home and check the garden to see if we can eat some of our own vegetables and Roger is already planning his fishing trip to Montana. I think I will probably stay home for this one.
Love
Suzie and Roger