Pacific Northwest Sailing Stories

[Venchka]

Remember the thread about the perfect place to sail?

Pacific Northwest Sailing Stories (http://www.tgw.net/sailing/index.html)

http://www.tgw.net/sailing/csa/jpegs/bigimages/31_1867.L.jpg

Enjoy!

[Bob Smalser]

I do love this place...but you can get your lunch eaten here, too, mostly in winter...but not always...see my tale about two dumb kids coming back from Victoria.

[ 10-01-2003, 03:38 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Venchka]

No doubt the place should be respected. Keen eye on weather and tides. Curl up by the fire when appropriate.

On the other hand, my brief stay in Nanaimo, Feb-April, 1993, taught me that winters aren't too terrible. My only modes of transportation were foot and bike. I got around fine. The thing I noticed, and I hope Nanaimo isn't unique, were all the services within walking distance of the harbor. Super markets, hotels, restaurants (a great Mexican place in particular), chart shop, pubs, movie. Everything you could need to sit out a spell of bad weather.

I can't wait to get back with a boat!

[Meerkat]

I was in Nanaimo in Feb of (I think it was 1999). It was BITTER cold! Small drifts of snow here and there...

I wish I could find again the tale of the people that bought, refitted and took a Flicka from Seattle up the inside passage to Alaska!

[Venchka]

Never said it wasn't cold. I arrived from Abu Dhabi, actually left the beach to go to the airport. Sure I froze for the first week. All in all, it didn't stay cold for long. Unlike the Caspian basin in Kazakhstan where it stayed cold forever.

If you remember the book, please share with us. In the meantime, have you read this?

http://a1055.g.akamai.net/f/1055/1401/5h/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/1210000/1218417.gif

Homelands-Kayaking the Inside Passage (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=2X82VKB2G5&isbn=0380809184&itm=1)

[Meerkat]

T'wasn't a book, it was a website. As I recall, it was an ex-army guy and his ex-army nurse wife.

Did some search and found the name of the couple, Hunter and Debi Davis, and their boat was the Puffin. Still can't find the website with the story though.

(later) Ah, found some letter about it!: http://www.ssssclub.com/ltpufin2.htm. This is not the site I recall, which was much longer and had quite a few pics.

[ 10-02-2003, 03:19 AM: Message edited by: Meerkat ]

[Venchka]

I remember that too.

[Venchka]

Nudge ^

Nyon IV crossing Georgia Strait near Vancouver, B.C. heading for Naniamo on Vancouver Island.

http://oday.home.att.net/nyoniv.jpg

[Meerkat]

http://www.svfelicity.com/cruzpnw.htm

[Meerkat]

Cruise of the Wayward Lass (http://www.woodenboat.net.nz/Stories/Boatjamie/jamiestory.htm)
http://www.woodenboat.net.nz/Stories/Boatjamie/headofbay1.jpg

[Venchka]

Meerkat,

You don't play fair at all!

Sigh...some day. Soon. And that day is getting closer by the minute!

[Meerkat]

Gee, I thought I was helping! ;)

I actually know (slightly) Jamie Orr, builder and owner of Wayward Lass. When he and his 80+ year old dad go sailing, there are a pair of Orrs aboard! smile.gif

I guess i'll stop looking for the tale and pics by the HS teacher that did a kayak cruise from Nanaimo to Seattle or Gig Harbor one summer ;)

[Venchka]

and bringing the subject of Pacific Northwest cruising back into focus.

That rascal Jamie Orr has been sailing again. Around Cape Scott no less. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/outings/scott/image045.jpg

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/outings/scott/image025.jpg

Thanks to Chuck at Duckworks Magazine for publishing Jamie's tales.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/outings/scott/index.htm

[Thorne]

I singlehanded my old San Juan 21 for two weeks around the San Juans about 15 years ago -- wonderful trip! Launched at Anacortes, bummed around all over the place, went up as far as Nainamo, nearly lost the boat on a lee shore in a storm near Victoria, mostly motored as the Summer winds were light as usual. Was so blissed out that when I got off the boat I couldn't remember my home phone number or PIN code for my ATM card.

Best of the best sailing areas so far...but I haven't sailed NZ yet.

http://www.luckhardt.com/sail1.jpg

http://www.luckhardt.com/sjbeached.jpg

[ron ll]

Hey! You guys are giving away our secret.

A great book if you haven't read it is, "The Curve of Time" by M. Wylie Blanchet. True story about a woman that took her five kids and a dog on a 25' wooden boat every summer into these waters I think in the 1930's.

[ssor]

Wayne, It's good to see you back.:) I was beginning to think you had sailed too near the edge."eek"

[J P]

Any recommendations for a PNW cruising guide?

[Paul Pless]

Was so blissed out that when I got off the boat I couldn't remember my home phone number or PIN code for my ATM card.
Whoa, that's what I'm looking for.:cool:

[ron ll]

Nah, you guys really wouldn't like cruising up here. It rains ALL the time. There are 30 foot tides so there is always a horrendous current, always going against you. There are blackberries on shore, but you have to fight off the bears to get to them. Most anchorages are so crowded you have to use spud poles instead of anchors. If you have a sailboat, there is never any wind. If you have a power boat, there is always too much wind. There is some good scenery, but it is always too foggy to see it. And the noise from the waterfalls in some of the anchorages make it hard to sleep at night. Nah, you guys really wouldn't like it.

[Venchka]

No way. You can't make me. Nope. Not me.

Thanks, Ross. Feels like close to the edge sometimes. Mostly I've just been way busy.

Right now I'm outta here!

Happy Easter!

[Venchka]

Any recommendations for a PNW cruising guide?

I haven't purchased anything yet, but these folks have a large catalog of PNW cruising titles.

http://www.fineedge.com/index.html

Ok, so it rains all the time. Does that mean that my Mustang automatic inflating PFD might go off when I least expect it? :eek: ??????????

[Frank E. Price]

That's right, Venchka.

Frank

[Venchka]

Howdy Frank!

Party pooper! Y'all just want to have all the good stuff to yourselves! EH?

http://www.youforgotpoland.org/mjames/2004alaska/slides/022_19A.JPG

http://www.youforgotpoland.org/mjames/2004alaska/slides/020_17A.JPG

:)

[Frank E. Price]

Sure, man! One of the great things about cruising in SE Alaska is that you don't have to share anchorages with anyone. It's more difficult to find an anchorage with another boat in it than otherwise. Except in some areas during the commercial fishing season. When are you coming up?

Frank

[Frank E. Price]

Hey, your pix finally came up! MacFarland's Floatel, in Thorne Bay. You can have a good time at Boardwalk Lodge, too. Bring money. If you want to troll for Kings or Cohos, call Red Edson.

Frank