Seattle Departure, May 1, 2015

It is May 1, our departure date, and we are ready - in a manner of speaking.  The boat has been provisioned and I learned my lessons from last time.  We are not heading to Mars, there will be grocery stores, there is no need to pack 16 cans of beans.  However, in my 16 trips to the grocery store, I am now stowing 16 cans of beans.  Plus, as a seasoned Alaska cruiser, I know that I have to include hors d'oeuvres for all those impromptu cocktail parties that happen whenever two or more boaters are gathered at an anchorage.  Smoke is rising from my beloved FoodSaver as it works overtime vacuum packing everything from chicken breasts to baguettes.  

But finally the cupboards are full, the bilges bursting with extra  blushers, mousses and moisturizers.  I even find room for some medicals supplies.  When I'm satisfied that I have everything I possibly need, Jim comes back from the marine supply store with the necessary spare parts for the engine, generator and water maker but the bilges are full.  I may have to consolidate.

We are prepared to leave at 7:30 AM armed with a great bottle of red wine from Carolyn and Gary, our dock neighbors to the left; and home baked breakfast muffins from Kathy and Eric to our right.  It is a beautiful, sunny day - our first May crossing of the Straits of Juan de Fuca in good weather.  Surely this is a good omen.

First, Wiley the cat got sick.  And what is that loud banging?  Ah, the waves beating on the hull. And although it is still sunny, we are facing 180 degrees of white caps.  The bow drops into the water and rises back up, up, up, and crashes down again.  It is not raining but the wipers are furiously trying to clear the windshield of the salt water  washing over the pilot house.   Wiley is now howling, lending a nice counterpoint to the banging noise.  I enter the galley to batten things down when spice bottles shoot by – I duck to avoid incoming curry, cumin and cinnamon.  I open the refrigerator door to secure things there and a 6 pack carton of eggs immediately shoots out.  Note, get  eggs at the next stop.


Celestine docked at Roche Harbor

We continue this way for several hours until we reach the calm waters of Roche Harbor, our destination for the evening.    We spend the next several hours washing the hull, removing the seaweed from the dinghy on the flybridge and generally restoring order to the interior. Yes, this has been our worst ever crossing of the straits…but it was sunny.

Roche Harbor