Dean's Blackerry

Summer is berry season and the blackberries are ripening.  We found a great untapped source of them at Ladysmith on Vancouver Island.  Dean collected enough that we got our fill of fresh berries and still had enough for a cobbler.

The Fan

Just leaving Salt Spring Island this morning headed for Telegraph; but wait...what is that sound?  Or more accurately what is that lack of sound?

Count on Dean to diagnose the problem quickly.  This little 4" In Line Blower fan has given up.  We'll be getting a late start as we track down a new one and replace it.

Thumper

We overnighted at Port Browning, Pender Island  and are off to find space at Montague.  Conditons are perfect - for us at least.  Sunny, but not too.  Windy, but not too.  Warm, but not too.

Thumper sailed us all the way; a dozen perfect gybes.  Wind speeds 8-13. Nice!

The Missing Trap

No; I am SURE it was here...  Really...  I set a waypoint on the GPS (yes, I did it right...see, it is right here)...   Remember, it was right off that point with the flagpole...  I'm so sad; no crab for dinner and the trap is gone.

I am surprisingly sad about the missing crab trap; I want to trust that all the humans plundering these waters with me are for the most part ethical and honest.  Mostly, they look honest enough, but I guess you can't really tell.  This morning, before we head off, I am determined to take a good look around the bay to see if it has wandered off (perhaps with some help) to another part of the bay.  And look!  There it is.  All the way across the bay from where we left it and quite empty of crabs - and bait. But I am energized and happy that we found the missing trap and can fish again another day.  Plus, we did make friends with this guy before sending him back home.

Fishing

Deer Harbor, Orcas Island.

We dropped a crab trap on the way in last evening and are looking forward to crab for dinner tonight. Okay, honestly, I'm hoping for a salmon dinner.  Word is the place to go is around the north end of the island to Parker Point.

Dean's clever fish finder mount worked well and we saw lots of fish swimming by.. .unfortunately none of them were interested in becoming our dinner.  We didn't have completely unproductive day, we each had one bite.....

What heat?

We are off! We had a windless but otherwise beautiful cruise up the sound to Port Townsend where we overnighted on day one. I love sleeping on the boat and after all that sun and motor sailing I am excited about a glass of wine and an early night.

Where is all that heat now?  Waking up that first morning on-board was a total fog - no really, lots of actual fog.  No early start today! Eventually the fog lifted enough to depart (too soon for my comfort) but it was a wintery crossing and that 90 degrees of yesterday seems very far away.

It's HOT!

Yea! It's summer vacation. We are excited to once again be headed north for a few weeks. This time instead of making tracks for Desolation Sound or Princess Louisa we will just meander our way through the San Juan and Gulf Islands; making day to day descisions about when to leave and where to go.

But, wait, what is this? It is truly HOT in Seattle. Ninety degrees, little wind and no shade don't seem like ideal conditions for these Seattlites. Maybe we will just have a tall cool drink and enjoy the weather before departing.