This would be first shakedown cruise for Andiamo in preparation for the Great Loop trip. Though we had taken her out at least a half dozen times to learn the boat’s handling characteristics, those were day trips to our cabin at Hat Island. We had spent the night on her several times at the marina and had created more shelving in the master cabin and the mid-berth cabin. This would be the first trip where we used her on sequential days and nights.
The San Juan Islands are one of the premier cruising grounds in the Pacific Northwest. Located next to the Canadian border, the islands are all in the U.S. and politically, form San Juan County. Friday Harbor is the county seat and though located only 20 miles from Anacortes, you feel like you are in another time zone.
We had been to the islands many times and in many boats. With our Ranger 25, the Laurie Ann, we typically trailered to Bellingham and then would only be 90 minutes from Sucia Island, which is the crown jewel of the islands and is a state park. With Andiamo, we were back in a marina boat. We had marina boats before, two sailboats, that would cruise at 5 knots and the trip from Everett to the islands was typically a day and half long. With little kids, it was like boating to another continent.
We loaded the Ranger 29 with 7 days of food and clothing. This is our typical planning model because food, water, fuel and a laundromat are always accessible. Fuel and water was topped off and the holding tank was pumped out in Everett. Our two folding bikes, Dahon Mariners, were in their new canvas bags that Leta’s Top Shop in Arlington had made for us. We used these bikes for many of our boat trips and RV trips to the national parks. The 35-pound bikes were tied down on the roof, on each side of the solar panel
Next to each bike was a bag containing an inflatable kayak. We decided to inflate them when we needed them, so these kayaks made by Advanced Elements and sold by West Marine remained in their large suitcase-sized bags. These, too, weighed about 40 pounds each and were easily stowed on the roof, while the paddles and the pump were kept in the starboard side cockpit storage.
The San Juan Islands are one of the premier cruising grounds in the Pacific Northwest. Located next to the Canadian border, the islands are all in the U.S. and politically, form San Juan County. Friday Harbor is the county seat and though located only 20 miles from Anacortes, you feel like you are in another time zone.
We had been to the islands many times and in many boats. With our Ranger 25, the Laurie Ann, we typically trailered to Bellingham and then would only be 90 minutes from Sucia Island, which is the crown jewel of the islands and is a state park. With Andiamo, we were back in a marina boat. We had marina boats before, two sailboats, that would cruise at 5 knots and the trip from Everett to the islands was typically a day and half long. With little kids, it was like boating to another continent.
We loaded the Ranger 29 with 7 days of food and clothing. This is our typical planning model because food, water, fuel and a laundromat are always accessible. Fuel and water was topped off and the holding tank was pumped out in Everett. Our two folding bikes, Dahon Mariners, were in their new canvas bags that Leta’s Top Shop in Arlington had made for us. We used these bikes for many of our boat trips and RV trips to the national parks. The 35-pound bikes were tied down on the roof, on each side of the solar panel
Next to each bike was a bag containing an inflatable kayak. We decided to inflate them when we needed them, so these kayaks made by Advanced Elements and sold by West Marine remained in their large suitcase-sized bags. These, too, weighed about 40 pounds each and were easily stowed on the roof, while the paddles and the pump were kept in the starboard side cockpit storage.
Friday, August 16. The first stop after leaving Everett was only 5 miles to the west, to the privately owned Hat Island and its marina where we had built a small cabin about 15 years ago. We arrived in the late afternoon but the normal steady afternoon wind from the west of 15-20 knots was absent. So, the crossing was flat and smooth and the docking in the very tight marina was a breeze. The Hat Island Marina is a confidence builder; if you can dock there, you can dock anywhere.
Stopping at the island, we picked up the rigid hull inflatable (RIB) dinghy that the Ranger factory purchased from Avon and the electric Torqueedo motor that was charging at the cabin. We stayed the night on the Andiamo, foregoing the comforts of the two- bedroom house with its spectacular views of Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. The sunset was glorious, as it often is in August.
Stopping at the island, we picked up the rigid hull inflatable (RIB) dinghy that the Ranger factory purchased from Avon and the electric Torqueedo motor that was charging at the cabin. We stayed the night on the Andiamo, foregoing the comforts of the two- bedroom house with its spectacular views of Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. The sunset was glorious, as it often is in August.
Saturday, August 17. , Awoke to sunshine with some partly cloudy skies. The water was flat and there was hardly a breeze. One sign of the approaching fall season is dew, which gently covered Andiamo and provided the means to wipe down and remove the last of the grime. We were in no hurry to leave as we wanted to catch the 3 PM slack current at Deception Pass. The plan was to enjoy a leisurely pace of 8 MPH and covered the 32 miles to the small pass that separates Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island. We could also be late because following the slack the current would ebb, or go out to see, and we could “go with God” by using the building currents to take us under the high bridge that was 150 feet above the water.
About 45 minutes into the trip and about opposite of the small town of Langley and its quaint marina, we decided to power up to Andiamo’s fast cruising speed of 3450 RPM’s where the BMW diesel block that was marinized by Yanmar would use 10 gallons an hour, earn 1.6 miles per gallon, and we would cruise along at 17 MPH. At this RPM, the engine just hummed along, working at 80% and the Cummins turbo performing well at 23 PSI. With the trim tabs pushing the bow down as low as possible, this Ranger 29 had very solid feel to it. The Garmin autopilot did all the heavy lifting as we steamed westbound up the wide and calm Saratoga Passage.
Close to Strawberry Point on Camano Island, amid all the vacation homes and the smattering of full-timers who live on this island that is connected to the mainland at Stanwood, we eased back on the throttle to match the speeds of two larger trawlers and a large sailboat. I thought we were all going to Deception Pass to be there close to slack current. At the turn off to LaConnor, the other boats peeled away to transit the Swinomish Slough while the tide was still high. The slough has its own kind of currents that are not well predicted in the guidebooks and has a narrow but quite do-able channel that can be mud on each side during a minus tide.
We dodged the crab pots near Hope Island State Park and rounded the bend to see Deception Pass. The slack current had passed about 45 minutes before and the water was ebbing. Currents and tides keep you respectful of Mother Nature’s formidable power and though only 45 minutes late from the predicted slack, Andiamo was pushed along at an additional 4.5 MPH. The current were plainly visible as the water slid off the huge rock walls, creating whirlpools and eddies. The tug was pushed from side to side but it was not violent or dangerous and after a few minutes we were in calm but moving water as we went by Deception Island and into Rosario Strait.
This body of water between the San Juan Islands and the massive Fidalgo Island where Anacortes is located has trapped us in fog, kicked up steep waves, and is used by ferries and tug boats. Today, it was like a lake with visibility to the far away Olympic Mountains and the peaks on Vancouver Island. We put the throttle down again to 3450 RPM and scooted across the strait and decided that Fisherman’s Bay, on the west side of Lopez Island would be tonight’s destination.
At Cattle Pass, that separates Lopez Island from San Juan Island, the speed was brought back to our most efficient cruising speed of 1850 RPM where the tug sips diesel at 1.8 gallons per hour, getting 4.5 MPG and we go 8 MPH. We stayed close to the western shore of Lopez to stay out of the main southbound and ebbing current. Farmers had settled Lopez but now it is home to the rich and their second homes, and those who are creating an organic, minimalist, and independent lifestyle on this isolated island that is accessible by the state ferry system. Unlike the other islands, Lopez is relatively flat and is a frequent destination for cyclists.
Fisherman’s Bay is one of the biggest bays in the San Juans. A narrow spit forms the western edge and the bay has a uniform depth that averages about 15 feet. Though there are two marinas with amble slips, the bay is easy anchoring and can handle a lot of boats. The entrance to the bay is not tricky if the markers and the buoys are respected. Also, a tide that is less than a minus one will provide the cushion that the diligent skipper would want. Watching the sailboats go aground on a low tide at the entrance is a common spectator activity.
We arrived in the bay in the late afternoon and chose a spot to anchor that was between a line of private mooring buoys and closer to the Islander Marina. The Ultra Anchor set very quickly and deeply in the mud and we put the end of the 50 feet of chain at the water’s surface. There were plenty of slips to choose from on a Saturday night in August and this surprised us. Moorage rates in the summer for Andiamo would be $53 a night and during the winter it would half that. Laurie made a great dinner of mushroom fettuccini. We fell asleep quickly with the boat feeling still and solid after travelling 59 miles in six hours.
About 45 minutes into the trip and about opposite of the small town of Langley and its quaint marina, we decided to power up to Andiamo’s fast cruising speed of 3450 RPM’s where the BMW diesel block that was marinized by Yanmar would use 10 gallons an hour, earn 1.6 miles per gallon, and we would cruise along at 17 MPH. At this RPM, the engine just hummed along, working at 80% and the Cummins turbo performing well at 23 PSI. With the trim tabs pushing the bow down as low as possible, this Ranger 29 had very solid feel to it. The Garmin autopilot did all the heavy lifting as we steamed westbound up the wide and calm Saratoga Passage.
Close to Strawberry Point on Camano Island, amid all the vacation homes and the smattering of full-timers who live on this island that is connected to the mainland at Stanwood, we eased back on the throttle to match the speeds of two larger trawlers and a large sailboat. I thought we were all going to Deception Pass to be there close to slack current. At the turn off to LaConnor, the other boats peeled away to transit the Swinomish Slough while the tide was still high. The slough has its own kind of currents that are not well predicted in the guidebooks and has a narrow but quite do-able channel that can be mud on each side during a minus tide.
We dodged the crab pots near Hope Island State Park and rounded the bend to see Deception Pass. The slack current had passed about 45 minutes before and the water was ebbing. Currents and tides keep you respectful of Mother Nature’s formidable power and though only 45 minutes late from the predicted slack, Andiamo was pushed along at an additional 4.5 MPH. The current were plainly visible as the water slid off the huge rock walls, creating whirlpools and eddies. The tug was pushed from side to side but it was not violent or dangerous and after a few minutes we were in calm but moving water as we went by Deception Island and into Rosario Strait.
This body of water between the San Juan Islands and the massive Fidalgo Island where Anacortes is located has trapped us in fog, kicked up steep waves, and is used by ferries and tug boats. Today, it was like a lake with visibility to the far away Olympic Mountains and the peaks on Vancouver Island. We put the throttle down again to 3450 RPM and scooted across the strait and decided that Fisherman’s Bay, on the west side of Lopez Island would be tonight’s destination.
At Cattle Pass, that separates Lopez Island from San Juan Island, the speed was brought back to our most efficient cruising speed of 1850 RPM where the tug sips diesel at 1.8 gallons per hour, getting 4.5 MPG and we go 8 MPH. We stayed close to the western shore of Lopez to stay out of the main southbound and ebbing current. Farmers had settled Lopez but now it is home to the rich and their second homes, and those who are creating an organic, minimalist, and independent lifestyle on this isolated island that is accessible by the state ferry system. Unlike the other islands, Lopez is relatively flat and is a frequent destination for cyclists.
Fisherman’s Bay is one of the biggest bays in the San Juans. A narrow spit forms the western edge and the bay has a uniform depth that averages about 15 feet. Though there are two marinas with amble slips, the bay is easy anchoring and can handle a lot of boats. The entrance to the bay is not tricky if the markers and the buoys are respected. Also, a tide that is less than a minus one will provide the cushion that the diligent skipper would want. Watching the sailboats go aground on a low tide at the entrance is a common spectator activity.
We arrived in the bay in the late afternoon and chose a spot to anchor that was between a line of private mooring buoys and closer to the Islander Marina. The Ultra Anchor set very quickly and deeply in the mud and we put the end of the 50 feet of chain at the water’s surface. There were plenty of slips to choose from on a Saturday night in August and this surprised us. Moorage rates in the summer for Andiamo would be $53 a night and during the winter it would half that. Laurie made a great dinner of mushroom fettuccini. We fell asleep quickly with the boat feeling still and solid after travelling 59 miles in six hours.
Sunday, August 18. Dropped the dingy from its davits on the swimstep and we faced our first problem: the Torqueedo’s clamps that secure the motor to the transom were frozen. I had failed to check those and service them. With a bit of oil, WD40, and about 30 minutes of work, one clamp was completely freed and the stainless bolt spun freely in the aluminum housing. The second clamp would not budge and it was frozen in a position that prevented the motor from going over the dinghy’s transom. At first, I was cautious to not put too much force on the plastic handles of the screw clamps. But after two hours of lubing the threads and tapping on the screws and only opening it by a half a turn, I used all the force I could. After another hour, the clamp opened up another three revolutions. I thoroughly appreciated that we had put down a large mat in the cockpit that Laurie found at LL Bean and the portable wood work bench that was put on top of that mat and took all the dents and scratches while muscling with this project.
The electric Torqueedo motor was finally fitted onto the transom of the dingy and we took it out for the first time. It was fun, effective, and easy to use. We had more control than using the 2 HP Honda and it was quiet. Both marinas were explored and we found the Ranger 25, Sunshine, at the marina. After tying to the dingy dock that is typically under the ramps at most marinas, we walked the ½ mile to Lopez Village, exploring some shops, buying a few groceries at the new Lopez Market and enjoyed a cup of soft serve ice cream before walking back.
We stayed another night at Fisherman’s Bay and enjoyed the high volume of seaplane traffic that buzzed by and over Andiamo, where 5 planes landed or took off during one hour. Who are these people that fly in or out of Lopez Island on summer’s weekend? We watched a DVD after a dinner of flank steak, veggies, and Laurie baked her first brownies in the oven.
Monday, August 19. After breakfast and the daily ritual of wiping down the dew from the cabin and the cockpit, the anchor came right up and we eased out during the last of a minus tide. At the entrance to the bay, we saw that tell tale forward lurch by a sailboat that telegraphed of being grounded. We eased right by them with two of water under our bottom and knew that within the hour, they would be lifted off the mud by the incoming tide.
We normally cruise without an over all plan and certainly not a schedule. The Garmin 7215 chart plotter has a great display of the currents and tides built into it and a look at that told us how to approach Sucia Island. We “rode with God” through Obstruction Pass that is on the eastern edge of the San Juan Islands and rode the currents northward along Orcas Island. We paused at Deer Island State Park hoping to do a lunch stop at the 30-foot dock but found that the park system had removed the dock entirely. We found this theme of not maintaining the parks throughout our visit to the islands; the park system has lost all of its funding from the General Fund and must be completely self-supporting through fees. Clearly, it is not working yet.
Leaving the protection of Orcas Island, the opposing currents eased our speed as we encountered a brief rain shower that quickly moved on toward the Cascade Mountains. We arrived at Fossil Bay on Sucia Island at lunchtime. We encountered more rude boaters on this trip and met one at the entrance of Fossil Bay. A 36-foot Grand Banks trawler with a California registration passed us at full throttle while in the mooring field to grab a mooring buoy and sent their two-foot high wake into all the boats. Some skippers are so timid of anchoring that they will go to great lengths to avoid it.
We found the last available mooring buoy that was deep into the bay and closest to the dock. This would be first time to pick up a mooring buoy with Andiamo and what we worked out in advance was slick: Laurie waited in the cockpit on the portside with a boat hook and called out distances of the mooring buoy that allowed me to put her to the buoy. After getting the ring, she clipped our pre-made mooring line’s carabineer to the ring and walked it forward using the wider portion of the deck that is on the port side and a bit of reverse was used to make it easier. Then she split the two mooring lines from the carabineer to each side of the boat, through the deck chocks and put the loops over the cleat that is behind the windlass. We had traveled 26 miles in three hours.
We took the kayak bags to the bow and within 15 minutes had inflated and launched both kayaks. The dingy was dropped and moved to the side so we could use the entire swim step to get into the kayaks. A little bit of thought and a bit of practice made getting into and out of the kayaks a snap. We learned that “butt in and butt out” is the method to do this maneuver easily. We paddled around the length and breadth of Fossil Bay and into the adjoining bay that shoals completely at low tide. Then, we tied up at the dingy space and walked ashore to pay for the moorage and looked over Fox Cove, some new information boards, and walked the two docks and the boats that were tied to them.
Returned to the tug for veggie kabobs, brauts and brownies. The moon rose in the south before the sun had fully set and that enhance the peace and tranquility of this bay on a quiet and breezeless evening.
The electric Torqueedo motor was finally fitted onto the transom of the dingy and we took it out for the first time. It was fun, effective, and easy to use. We had more control than using the 2 HP Honda and it was quiet. Both marinas were explored and we found the Ranger 25, Sunshine, at the marina. After tying to the dingy dock that is typically under the ramps at most marinas, we walked the ½ mile to Lopez Village, exploring some shops, buying a few groceries at the new Lopez Market and enjoyed a cup of soft serve ice cream before walking back.
We stayed another night at Fisherman’s Bay and enjoyed the high volume of seaplane traffic that buzzed by and over Andiamo, where 5 planes landed or took off during one hour. Who are these people that fly in or out of Lopez Island on summer’s weekend? We watched a DVD after a dinner of flank steak, veggies, and Laurie baked her first brownies in the oven.
Monday, August 19. After breakfast and the daily ritual of wiping down the dew from the cabin and the cockpit, the anchor came right up and we eased out during the last of a minus tide. At the entrance to the bay, we saw that tell tale forward lurch by a sailboat that telegraphed of being grounded. We eased right by them with two of water under our bottom and knew that within the hour, they would be lifted off the mud by the incoming tide.
We normally cruise without an over all plan and certainly not a schedule. The Garmin 7215 chart plotter has a great display of the currents and tides built into it and a look at that told us how to approach Sucia Island. We “rode with God” through Obstruction Pass that is on the eastern edge of the San Juan Islands and rode the currents northward along Orcas Island. We paused at Deer Island State Park hoping to do a lunch stop at the 30-foot dock but found that the park system had removed the dock entirely. We found this theme of not maintaining the parks throughout our visit to the islands; the park system has lost all of its funding from the General Fund and must be completely self-supporting through fees. Clearly, it is not working yet.
Leaving the protection of Orcas Island, the opposing currents eased our speed as we encountered a brief rain shower that quickly moved on toward the Cascade Mountains. We arrived at Fossil Bay on Sucia Island at lunchtime. We encountered more rude boaters on this trip and met one at the entrance of Fossil Bay. A 36-foot Grand Banks trawler with a California registration passed us at full throttle while in the mooring field to grab a mooring buoy and sent their two-foot high wake into all the boats. Some skippers are so timid of anchoring that they will go to great lengths to avoid it.
We found the last available mooring buoy that was deep into the bay and closest to the dock. This would be first time to pick up a mooring buoy with Andiamo and what we worked out in advance was slick: Laurie waited in the cockpit on the portside with a boat hook and called out distances of the mooring buoy that allowed me to put her to the buoy. After getting the ring, she clipped our pre-made mooring line’s carabineer to the ring and walked it forward using the wider portion of the deck that is on the port side and a bit of reverse was used to make it easier. Then she split the two mooring lines from the carabineer to each side of the boat, through the deck chocks and put the loops over the cleat that is behind the windlass. We had traveled 26 miles in three hours.
We took the kayak bags to the bow and within 15 minutes had inflated and launched both kayaks. The dingy was dropped and moved to the side so we could use the entire swim step to get into the kayaks. A little bit of thought and a bit of practice made getting into and out of the kayaks a snap. We learned that “butt in and butt out” is the method to do this maneuver easily. We paddled around the length and breadth of Fossil Bay and into the adjoining bay that shoals completely at low tide. Then, we tied up at the dingy space and walked ashore to pay for the moorage and looked over Fox Cove, some new information boards, and walked the two docks and the boats that were tied to them.
Returned to the tug for veggie kabobs, brauts and brownies. The moon rose in the south before the sun had fully set and that enhance the peace and tranquility of this bay on a quiet and breezeless evening.
Tuesday, August 20. We opted to leave right after breakfast to enjoy a strong ebbing current down President’s Channel that would take us between Orcas and Waldron Islands and right into Jones Island. Our normal 8 MPH was 9.6 and sometimes 10 MPH but we found the small harbor at Jones Island had no room for us. The cruise was easy and relaxing as the autopilot did the steering work and we kept a constant lookout while sipping coffee and enjoying a conversation.
There was another Ranger Tug anchored at Jones Island and though we waved at the crew, they did not wave back. This happened several times on this trip where a Ranger Tug was seen but the friendliness and the connection of having the same boat was absent. Maybe there are so many Ranger Tugs, it is not longer special or unique. We lump most boats into one category, Average White Boat or AWB. Maybe there is another category now, Another Ranger Tug or ART.
The destination was Stuart Island that is on the western edge of the San Juan Islands and the last island before crossing into Canada where the border is located in the appropriately named, Boundary Pass. Laurie advocated going to Prevost Harbor that is on the northern side of the island and is smaller than Reid Harbor. We continued to ride the currents past Spieden Island and John’s Island and through the mild whirlpools and eddies to the entrance to Prevost Harbor. The YMCA camp that occupies the eastern point of the harbor’s entrance was in full swing. Prevost Harbor, like Reid, has a state park dock, mooring buoys and ample anchorage. Our preference is to take a mooring buoy and if none are available, we are not reluctant to anchor.
The late morning is the time to find space on the dock or available mooring buoys. By mid afternoon, everything is usually full. We arrived before lunch and had three mooring buoys to choose from. The tug had travelled 22 miles in three hours.
After lunch, we rowed ashore in the dingy and walked the 2.75 miles to the Turn Point Lighthouse. Along the way is the Stuart Island Elementary School where the kids sell greeting cards and T-shirts on an honor system of payment. There is a small museum to explore the history of the island and is not staffed. If you get to the island and are willing to walk up the moderately steep hill to the school, you are assumed to be trustworthy. Summer on the San Juan Islands is warm and the air is still. We walked the county road toward the sound of falling trees and heavy equipment and came upon a large logging operation that was clearing and stacking trees near an airstrip. In the many years we have come to Stuart, we had not seen a logging operation of this size.
The route to Turn Point Lighthouse goes around a community airstrip and there were a few walkers but we had the road to ourselves. Then the road went down toward the shoreline and the old but restored lighthouse complex came into view. Like all lighthouses, its function had been replaced by automation in another location. The Coast Guard had transferred the property to the Bureau of Land Management, a poorly funded agency that had successfully used funds from the sale of state vehicle license plates with a lighthouse design, some private donors and volunteer labor to restore most of the Turn Point Lighthouse buildings. A couple from Anacortes was volunteering for the week and greeted us as we approached the one room museum. The museum’s walls told the story of the families who served on this point and photos showed the history of the early 1900’s.
The view from Turn Point was fabulous and we watched pleasure craft and a huge freighter from Vancouver, make the turn (thus Turn Point) and head toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca and toward the open ocean. We headed back, retracing our steps and wondering if there was a shortcut through the private land that would lead to our boat that could be seen in the distance. Back at Andiamo, Laurie read her Fitbit that kept track of her daily exercise and learned that we had done over 16,000 steps.
The sunset and moonrise over Prevost Harbor was delightful and the harbor was calm and quiet as we settled into sleep.
There was another Ranger Tug anchored at Jones Island and though we waved at the crew, they did not wave back. This happened several times on this trip where a Ranger Tug was seen but the friendliness and the connection of having the same boat was absent. Maybe there are so many Ranger Tugs, it is not longer special or unique. We lump most boats into one category, Average White Boat or AWB. Maybe there is another category now, Another Ranger Tug or ART.
The destination was Stuart Island that is on the western edge of the San Juan Islands and the last island before crossing into Canada where the border is located in the appropriately named, Boundary Pass. Laurie advocated going to Prevost Harbor that is on the northern side of the island and is smaller than Reid Harbor. We continued to ride the currents past Spieden Island and John’s Island and through the mild whirlpools and eddies to the entrance to Prevost Harbor. The YMCA camp that occupies the eastern point of the harbor’s entrance was in full swing. Prevost Harbor, like Reid, has a state park dock, mooring buoys and ample anchorage. Our preference is to take a mooring buoy and if none are available, we are not reluctant to anchor.
The late morning is the time to find space on the dock or available mooring buoys. By mid afternoon, everything is usually full. We arrived before lunch and had three mooring buoys to choose from. The tug had travelled 22 miles in three hours.
After lunch, we rowed ashore in the dingy and walked the 2.75 miles to the Turn Point Lighthouse. Along the way is the Stuart Island Elementary School where the kids sell greeting cards and T-shirts on an honor system of payment. There is a small museum to explore the history of the island and is not staffed. If you get to the island and are willing to walk up the moderately steep hill to the school, you are assumed to be trustworthy. Summer on the San Juan Islands is warm and the air is still. We walked the county road toward the sound of falling trees and heavy equipment and came upon a large logging operation that was clearing and stacking trees near an airstrip. In the many years we have come to Stuart, we had not seen a logging operation of this size.
The route to Turn Point Lighthouse goes around a community airstrip and there were a few walkers but we had the road to ourselves. Then the road went down toward the shoreline and the old but restored lighthouse complex came into view. Like all lighthouses, its function had been replaced by automation in another location. The Coast Guard had transferred the property to the Bureau of Land Management, a poorly funded agency that had successfully used funds from the sale of state vehicle license plates with a lighthouse design, some private donors and volunteer labor to restore most of the Turn Point Lighthouse buildings. A couple from Anacortes was volunteering for the week and greeted us as we approached the one room museum. The museum’s walls told the story of the families who served on this point and photos showed the history of the early 1900’s.
The view from Turn Point was fabulous and we watched pleasure craft and a huge freighter from Vancouver, make the turn (thus Turn Point) and head toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca and toward the open ocean. We headed back, retracing our steps and wondering if there was a shortcut through the private land that would lead to our boat that could be seen in the distance. Back at Andiamo, Laurie read her Fitbit that kept track of her daily exercise and learned that we had done over 16,000 steps.
The sunset and moonrise over Prevost Harbor was delightful and the harbor was calm and quiet as we settled into sleep.
Wednesday, August 21. Following our normal routine, we dropped the mooring line from the buoy and idled out into an opposing current and headed east back to Jones Island. When the coolant’s thermostat opened at 199 degrees, we eased Andiamo up to 3450 RPM and skated over the current at 15 MPH. At Jones Island, the colliding currents were rough and our look into the Jones Island cove was done my binocular and when no room was seen, we continued eastbound down San Juan Channel to Friday Harbor, arriving in the late morning.
Friday Harbor was bustling with ferry traffic, whale-watching boats, floatplanes, and pleasure craft. The custom’s dock was nearly full and we called the Port of Friday Harbor by phone and by radio and the stock but polite answer was, “Please stand by.” We idled up to the breakwater where the port had an employee answering the radio and directing boats to spaces in the marina. Clearly he was over whelmed with the amount of boats arriving and leaving. We opted to tie up on the breakwater and just be patient as the employees sorted out the chaos. Docking Andiamo can be tricky but the Ranger 29 has a lot of control when power is applied in a focused and deliberate way. Even Laurie was impressed that the tug was dropped in between two boats.
We only waited about 10 minutes when our slip assignment was made. We found that though there were open slips, some did not have power. So, if power was not necessary, there was always space available. Also, you could make a reservation but the act of reserving only added to the price. We prefer to be more spontaneous and to roll with the cards as they are dealt. Our assigned slip was near a kiosk staffed by a high school aged girl was employed by the port for the summer. Her first comment was, “You docked without yelling at each other or jumping onto the dock, something that nearly everyone does.”
The tug has cruised 17 miles in three hours.
After hooking up all the systems, we paid attention to the water level gauge saying that less than a ¼ tank was available. Also, the electric head was flashing its orange light saying that it was time to pump out. Five days of holding tank capacity was perfectly acceptable. After filling up the water, I transferred 23 gallons of diesel from the day tank that the diesel heater used to the main fuel tank. I prefer to have that diesel cycled out every 6 months to keep that fuel fresh. The day tank will be filled in time for the arrival of the cool nights.
We walked into Friday Harbor and past a burned out restaurant that was fenced off and still smelling of fire. The Downrigger had been gutted 4 days before, closing four other businesses in the building and ending the jobs for 50 people at the height of the tourist season. As we walked up the hill to King’s Market, the sidewalks were choked with pedestrians. It was a good day for Friday Harbor. The small boat store above the grocery did not have what I was looking for, so Laurie went onto shop for her list while I returned to do some projects. Later in the afternoon, we dropped the dinghy and used the electric motor to explore the marina and found two more Ranger Tugs: ART’s.
Yellow jackets, the stinging kind, were a nuisance so Laurie bought a trap from the local hardware store. About a dozen were trapped in a few hours.
Friday Harbor was bustling with ferry traffic, whale-watching boats, floatplanes, and pleasure craft. The custom’s dock was nearly full and we called the Port of Friday Harbor by phone and by radio and the stock but polite answer was, “Please stand by.” We idled up to the breakwater where the port had an employee answering the radio and directing boats to spaces in the marina. Clearly he was over whelmed with the amount of boats arriving and leaving. We opted to tie up on the breakwater and just be patient as the employees sorted out the chaos. Docking Andiamo can be tricky but the Ranger 29 has a lot of control when power is applied in a focused and deliberate way. Even Laurie was impressed that the tug was dropped in between two boats.
We only waited about 10 minutes when our slip assignment was made. We found that though there were open slips, some did not have power. So, if power was not necessary, there was always space available. Also, you could make a reservation but the act of reserving only added to the price. We prefer to be more spontaneous and to roll with the cards as they are dealt. Our assigned slip was near a kiosk staffed by a high school aged girl was employed by the port for the summer. Her first comment was, “You docked without yelling at each other or jumping onto the dock, something that nearly everyone does.”
The tug has cruised 17 miles in three hours.
After hooking up all the systems, we paid attention to the water level gauge saying that less than a ¼ tank was available. Also, the electric head was flashing its orange light saying that it was time to pump out. Five days of holding tank capacity was perfectly acceptable. After filling up the water, I transferred 23 gallons of diesel from the day tank that the diesel heater used to the main fuel tank. I prefer to have that diesel cycled out every 6 months to keep that fuel fresh. The day tank will be filled in time for the arrival of the cool nights.
We walked into Friday Harbor and past a burned out restaurant that was fenced off and still smelling of fire. The Downrigger had been gutted 4 days before, closing four other businesses in the building and ending the jobs for 50 people at the height of the tourist season. As we walked up the hill to King’s Market, the sidewalks were choked with pedestrians. It was a good day for Friday Harbor. The small boat store above the grocery did not have what I was looking for, so Laurie went onto shop for her list while I returned to do some projects. Later in the afternoon, we dropped the dinghy and used the electric motor to explore the marina and found two more Ranger Tugs: ART’s.
Yellow jackets, the stinging kind, were a nuisance so Laurie bought a trap from the local hardware store. About a dozen were trapped in a few hours.
Thursday, August 22. Laurie took photos of a delightful sunrise. We pulled away at 10 AM to pump-out and to fill up the main diesel tank.
We decided to go around the western edge of San Juan Island and look for orca whales. They had not been seen for several weeks as they follow the fish runs. Heading west into the opposing current, we turned slightly into Speiden Channel that separates San Juan Island from Speiden Island and were puzzled by the site of at least 50 boats just hovering in the channel. Finally spotting the whale watching boats, told us the story and we, too, saw the four orcas and their distinctive dorsal fins.
Turning south, keeping San Juan Island on our port side, the air was so clear that the huge Olympic Mountains showed their detail. The water was dead flat and, again, we were riding the currents to make a very efficient cruise.
At Cattle Pass, we had circumnavigated San Juan Island and toyed the idea of crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca and go to Port Townsend and head toward home via Admiralty Inlet. But looking at the currents, we fight the currents for hours. Instead, we found a window of opportunity to ride the currents to and thru Deception Pass. The autopilot was set and we were impressed on how the autopilot adapted to the north/south current in Rosario Strait as we crossed it. The ride was smooth and easy with the autopilot doing all the work.
At Deception Pass we lined up on its widest point and used a moderate throttle and zipped on through using the 5.5-knot current to our advantage. Lots of active steering but no real danger to us or the tug and the risk was manage-able.
Now, late in the afternoon but with plenty of sunlight left and with no wind and flat water, we opted to go on to Hat Island, another 32 miles because it was easy. Only a few boats were seen and the radio was quiet. We listen to the satellite radio, snacked and chatted. Three hours later we pulled into the Hat Island marina.
In seven days, we covered 204 miles and motored for 24 hours
We decided to go around the western edge of San Juan Island and look for orca whales. They had not been seen for several weeks as they follow the fish runs. Heading west into the opposing current, we turned slightly into Speiden Channel that separates San Juan Island from Speiden Island and were puzzled by the site of at least 50 boats just hovering in the channel. Finally spotting the whale watching boats, told us the story and we, too, saw the four orcas and their distinctive dorsal fins.
Turning south, keeping San Juan Island on our port side, the air was so clear that the huge Olympic Mountains showed their detail. The water was dead flat and, again, we were riding the currents to make a very efficient cruise.
At Cattle Pass, we had circumnavigated San Juan Island and toyed the idea of crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca and go to Port Townsend and head toward home via Admiralty Inlet. But looking at the currents, we fight the currents for hours. Instead, we found a window of opportunity to ride the currents to and thru Deception Pass. The autopilot was set and we were impressed on how the autopilot adapted to the north/south current in Rosario Strait as we crossed it. The ride was smooth and easy with the autopilot doing all the work.
At Deception Pass we lined up on its widest point and used a moderate throttle and zipped on through using the 5.5-knot current to our advantage. Lots of active steering but no real danger to us or the tug and the risk was manage-able.
Now, late in the afternoon but with plenty of sunlight left and with no wind and flat water, we opted to go on to Hat Island, another 32 miles because it was easy. Only a few boats were seen and the radio was quiet. We listen to the satellite radio, snacked and chatted. Three hours later we pulled into the Hat Island marina.
In seven days, we covered 204 miles and motored for 24 hours