I think my wife and I may have set a SSSS record. Please let me know if you, poor soul, have bettered this time.
We really enjoy the Vaughn Bay Cruises; so this year to add something different, we decided to go ěthe other way and go under the bridge. We clear 36 feet and I calculated that if we got to the bridge by 1130 we would be fine. If not, oh well, it would be a long day.
As usual we got a late start and there was no wind so we motored full bore for the Harstine Island bridge with a too dirty bottom and a very old Johnson 9.9 outboard. We made it to the bridge at 1145 but still cleared by about a foot. Whew!
Now we throttled back physically and mentally. We sailed about a half an hour total on our way to Vaughn Bay. We were in time to anchor, kick back, relax, then go to the potluck. The food was fantastic!
Sunday was leisurely because we were trapped by the low tide and couldn’t leave until around 1000. While checking the boat out and getting things ready to go I noticed that our fuel tank was almost empty!! No problem, we’ve got a sail boat. Don’t need no stinkin’ motor! Besides the wind that blew all night was still blowing.
We motored out of the bay about 1030, immediately raised sails and had a grand sail to the northern end of Heron Island. Then the wind got lighter and lighter till we were fighting for every foot by Wilson Point. At this point we’ve gone from 150 genoa to spinnaker to light drifter. About sundown we worked our way close to shore to get the evening off-shore breeze. We hugged the southeast shore of Harstine hoping to also catch some back eddies because, of course, the current was against us in Dana!
We caught some light off-shore whiffs. Sat for a half an hour stopped dead at Hole-in-the-wall. Then caught another puff and then another working our way to Briscoe Point where, mercifully, a light northerly filled in and took us to our home base at Boston Harbor. We pulled into our slip at 2130. Eleven hours after leaving Vaughn Bay.
So Diana and I are now claiming the record for the longest continuous sail from Vaughn Bay to Boston Harbor. We never stopped trying to keep the boat moving. If you have/can beat this time let me know and we’ll commiserate together.
It was a beautiful day and evening. although a little too long!
Jim Findley, Skaga