Team Spirit in the Night

The trident dude’s Big Dumper got a polished up in Bologna today.
Bad news for the Blue Jays!
#BigDumper #GoMariners

I tabulated the totals! Raw numbers do not reflect the thrill of high-wind sailing or the agony of prolonged rowing against wind and tide. However, this gives an idea of what I accomplished!

*sniff*

Made it to Bellingham!!! Yesterday rowed 20 and sailed 5 nm. Weather and the palms of my hands do not look favorable for completing the course, so I’m calling this adventure a big win and heading home. Thanks for following!

I am through! It was hard because I misjudged the timing by about 10 minutes. The Strait of JdF is not mad at anyone today!

Quiet and calm this morning. I am packing up.

Hey, thanks everyone for support and comments! I’d respond individually, but I can’t figure it out. 🤪

Goodnight everyone. Tomorrow is the big one.
Dun, dun, dah…
Deception Pass

Rowing again nowPolnell Pt, WHIDBEY Island. “The Gateway to Something “

Sorry about no posts yesterday. Left Clinton rowing again, and if I were a negative person I’d call it a slog. Then wind came screaming in from the NW and I anchored in Oak Harbor In 20kts. 4th in Oak Harbor was an experience. Navy boys didn’t finish their detonations until 7/5 0330.

Wow yesterday! Some might have called it. Frustrating! In the morning and early afternoon: Row Row Row. Sails up sails down no progress. Anchored halfway up possession sound, and made dinner. I’m starting to think that freeze dried is not necessarily delicious then wind kicks up keeps kicking up.

Team Dogfish, 3 nice young adults who moored across from me. Hopefully we can keep up with each other and finish this thing together!

Late start today, off the dock at 0800. Good thing the marina provided a wake up service. We had an unexpected surprise this morning, the wind is coming from the south! Woo hoo! It’s only about 4 to 6 kn, but it will push the boat about as fast as I could row it.

Ready to get going!
This seal is thinking, “Sugar scoop, baby”

0515: just got awoken by a security guard who thought I was a vagrant or something! I guess I should have berthed by the derelict vessels. Good news, this will get me an earlier start!

Then Dogfish Racing Club pulled up, and Robin let them tie up behind me. Oh man that hot shower felt wonderful. On the way back to the boat, my lack of stench caused these sunshowers. Good night, moon!

I tied up there and the dock attendant told me to go to X-dock. I told him that wasn’t happening and he very nicely pivoted and let me stay with the near-mega yachts. Shout out to James!

With only a mile to go, Mother Nature hit the switch and a “fresh” northerly kicked in at 10-15 kts, trying to see if it could keep me out of Shilshole Marina. It almost succeeded, as it took me 20+ minutes to row from A-dock to H-dock.

How I ended up: most of the afternoon was spent jibing downwind up to West Point, where the wind died and I started rowing

How to lose the boating game.

Row,row, row your boat. Today has been nothing but this!

Hit this log while rowing. Guess I am qualified for the R2AK

I did it! I rounded Olympia Shoal!
I am spending the night anchored in Budd Inlet north of Olympia. Long hot day today, not too many miles owing to virtually no wind and I had to wait for a tide change at Dana Passage. But the sunset is gorgeous and I am ready for some sleep.

I got Little Feat’s “Old Folks Boogie” on the headphones and Olympia Shoals in my sights. This is the best!

So far today: flat calm, foul current so I am hanging in Zittels Marina enjoying their selection of NA beer. Had a hummus sandwich with too much garlic (TMI). Wind picking up to a whisper so I may head up to the mouth of Dana Passage and wait for slack tide closer in.

0700 departure Tides not friendly today. Going to be a scorcher, too. No wind. Bring it on!

Honking wind today that Janey kept me safe in. Exceeded my expectations. Ran in to a real washing machine rounding Maury Island that was so fun I would have done it again if I could have gotten back upwind.
42 nautical miles per Naviionics.
Now anchored in a quiet bay.

Mt Rainier peaking out behind the West Point lighthouse. Rowing now, but a northerly is building!