On Wednesday, April 2, 2014, which is my Saturday, I left my berth at Ballard Mill Marina in Seattle at 1220 aboard Sampaguita, a Flicka 20. I was singlehanding now. My intentions were to sail to Blake Island for an overnight, then head to Winslow on Bainbridge Island to pick up Kim, and back to Ballard Mill Marina.

Ballard Mill Marina is in the Washington Ship Canal, so a transit through the locks is necessary to reach Puget Sound. Being that it is before the season, traffic was very light and we glided right into the locks behind another sailboat without losing pace. Down, then out Shilshole Channel, as the railroad bridge has plenty of clearance for us. The wind was blowing from the S-SE at about 9 knots, so once I cleared nun 2 I raised the main and the jib, put her on a port tack pointed as close to south as I could and had an amazing 3 hour sail to the Blake Island Marina with blue skies and a favorable flood.

That port tack lasted 70 minutes without handing the tiller and reminds you of the importance of staying on the boat. As we approached Blake, the wind increased and a gust of 15 knots that dipped the port rail in the water came through. The boat dug in, rounded up and charged ahead. It was exciting and over soon enough. We had arrived so I handed the sails and headed into the marina.

There were 11 boats, including Sampaguita, for the Wednesday overnight at Blake Island Marina. This was nine more than when I was last there in February. So maybe the season has begun? The night was calm and I only recall one uncomfortable ferry wake rolling in. I have not figured out the weather/tidal factors that dictate this, but I choose my spot with them in mind. Usually, as far in as practical. There was a Bristol Channel Cutter, Penguin, from Olympia, on the other dock. Was that a SSSS burgee flying from the spreader?

Under overcast skies, I left Blake the next morning at 0815 to catch the ebb back north. A south wind of 10 knots pushed us along on a broad reach at 4 knots. My goal was to reach Bainbridge Island City Dock, by 1000, as I had made plans to meet Kim there. She would be bringing the ferry over from Seattle to meet me and help sail the last leg back to Ballard Mill Marina. I sailed up to the dock at 1030, paused a moment for a stretch of legs and we were sailing off within 15 minutes.

Before we were even to the ferry landing, we could see that the wind had increased out on the Sound, so we put a reef in and readied ourselves for a beat out the Eagle Harbor channel. After one false start to give an incoming ferry some room, we had a clear opportunity to tack our way out. It was exciting. We had the tide with us running out of the harbor, but against 15 knots of wind. It was bumpy, but we were able to make it out and around the reef before the returning ferry needed to make the passage. Once around the reef and headed northeast to Shilshole, the ride smoothed out and we broad reached at 4-6 knots.

By 1235 we were headed back up Shilshole Channel towards the locks. We cautiously tied to the waiting pier as it was nearing low tide and fended off the barnacles. Our wait was 12 minutes as a tug and barge navigated the large locks. Then we got our turn up the small one. This transit was smooth and Kim, Sampaguita, and I were in the berth at Ballard Mill Marina by 1344,. The weather became a bit more unsettled, so we were happy we made good time. It was a great two days sailing with enough wind and favorable tides to keep us headed in the right direction.

Joshua Wheeler, Sampaguita