Casting Off

Finally to the end point of all the “Have to do Projects” from maintenance to acquisition!  It got to the point where the list had to be broken down into three parts, the things that had to be done, the things that could be done under way and the things that are not going to get done. If this type of approach along with an in cement deadline wasn’t taken leaving the dock would never happen, because when something came off the list either Pat or I had a new “something” to add (or something broke…)

The boat is officially ready all the safety and navigation projects have been taken care of and there is still a nice list of things to do during the trip. It’s a boat . . . There’s always a list.

From house lists to boat lists the dead line has arrived to cast off.  

The first day, late morning Wednesday, June 24, we will catch the outgoing tide North to Port Townsend. Probably the following day, we’ll cross the Straights of Juan De Fuca through Haro Straight to Sydney on Vancouver Island, checking through Canadian customs and immigration.

The next part of our trip will take us up through the Canadian Gulf Islands through Dodd Narrows:  Our first narrow pass to navigate. During the trip North, we will negotiate our way through many of these narrow channels with currents at times in excess of 10 knots. That’s about 11.5 mph which would be too fast for a 38’ sailboat.  It will be important to follow the local tide tables and plan transits around slack tide – the time between the incoming flood and outgoing ebb tides. Nanaimo (on Vancouver Island, East side) will be the jumping off point to cross the Straights of Georgia to Desolation Sound and points North.

Although we don’t have specific dates, or a hard-and-fast schedule, there are certain places we have planned stops such as Sydney & Nanaimo. All other stopovers will be based on how we feel, weather, points of interest what we want to do, see, etc. This is one of the benefits of a flexible schedule (and being retired)!

We will be posting weekly updates, plus or minus a day or two here and there. It will depend on when we are in town to have internet access.

It’s great to finally be under way, stay tuned! 

Making sure the Outboard engine crane works as advertised

We are taking two Advanced Elements inflatable kayaks with us. They deflate into a storage bag which is never as small as you would like.

They work well for an inflatable.

Pat  Kayak testing in Elliott Bay 

 Elliott Bay Marina.

Elliott Bay Marina Working The List

The list of things to do has been growing as opposed to shrinking, remove three add four. Because of this we decided to move the boat from Poulsbo in Liberty Bay to Elliott Bay marina on the edge of down town Seattle for the last three weeks before the departure date of +/- June 24^th.

The following reads a little like a laundry list but is typical of the type of things boaters have to do on a boat prior to a lengthy trip.

Thus far we have managed to install the outboard engine crane after eleven years of carrying it up and down the aft ladder and putting it into the bobbing dinghy below.  We added a reel that carries 600’ of floating line to the stern.  In some locations we will have to anchor then stern tie into trees or rocks on land (more about this later). 

The solar panels wiring to the batteries is completed and regulator installed.  The canvas guy is working on finishing the solar panel attachment points so they can be installed on the bimini.

I’ve also been working through the single-side-band (SSB) radio:  A dark art project that really does seem more of an art than a science to get this thing up and running!  SSB also requires getting the appropriate licensing and software to run said radio.

The course computer software (Autopilot) was checked out by the manufacturer and updated to the current charts. That saved several Units (in boat lingo, a “unit” is $1,000) because we didn’t have to update all the other equipment that ties into the Autopilot.

A new EPIRB the emergency locator beacon has been installed for that unforeseen eventuality of boat or personal emergency and hopefully will never be used (we’re conservative sailors and choose the adventures and timetables to avoid as much risk as possible.) The maintenance on the outboard engine and the Honda 2000i generator that we carry is done, and we’re checking and updating life jackets, medical kit and flares.

A huge thank you to Brad and Gay Gibson who loaned us their paper charts and guide books.  Canada requires you have paper charts onboard which seems really redundant since we’ll have not only new charts on the chart plotter as well INavX charts on our IPad.  We added additional guide books that will be helpful for those areas we haven’t been.

Even Winslow our cat has been updated!  He had a trip to the vet to get his special international Certificate of Health ($140!) and rabies shot to satisfy the Canadian requirements.

We’ve also been readying our home for being gone a couple of months.  We have friends nearby checking on things and will have the house put on “home watch” so the Sammamish police department drives by, walks around and checks on things. 

We’re installing additional freezer space to supplement our existing freezer and refrigeration.  We have been very fortunate to have been on many weekend and two- and three-week trips on a sailboat and the food planning for these trips was not so complex. This trip is a little different in so much as we don’t yet have extended trip experience. We know there will be limited grocery availability in some areas particularly from the Broughtons around to Tofino so we will at times have to stock more food than we are used to doing. Stay tuned on this project.

Finally, if this list isn’t daunting enough, we just found out that if your visit to Canada on a boat exceeds 45 days you are required to have a current Boater Safety Card. Our trip is going to be about 75 plus so it’s out with the study guide. It’s a bit frustrating to have to pass a six-part test to get a Boater’s Card after all these years of sailing and other classes both Pat and I have done. 

The list goes on and but there is light at the end of the tunnel.  We’ve set a pretty hard date of June 24th to set off, so whatever isn’t done by that date will just have to be completed along the way.  Stuff like refinishing the teak and polishing the stainless parts. 

All in all, however, life is good and we’re enjoying time with our daughter Andrea and two grandchildren who are staying with us through their move transition to Rancho Santa Margarita on June 23rd. It’s a great opportunity and one of much excitement for all of them.  It just the grandparents like us who struggle with these big changes.  Who knows…. Tuamotu could head down the coast one day.