By John – Page 13 – Caro Babbo

Two Sailing Videos

Lake Union, Seattle, WA, 7-OCT-2018 – These are two short sailing videos shot when we were heading north in British Columbia this past May. They demonstrate most of the sailing we did this year: to windward.

The first video is taken in Johnstone Strait. The night before the video, we anchored in Billy Goat Bay with two aluminum French boats. They had sailed north, with a third boat, from Polynesia to the Kenai Peninsula and were now working their way southward. The idea to do the same would take root in us after we spoke with Tom Kelly in Juneau.

We’re home.

Lake Union, Seattle, WA, USA, 30-SEP-2018 – We’re home. We arrived yesterday at 6:12pm.

It was a different arrival than in 2016. The dock was empty. No one to greet us.

The night before when we docked at Boat Haven in Port Townsend, we spoke about how many hundreds of times we have docked, how Jennifer routinely pulls into a slip with Caro Babbo inches from the dock. And so we did here.

The east end of Port Townsend as we sailed away towards to Seattle’s Lake Union.

Victoria, BC – Back in civilization

Victoria, BC, 27-SEP-2018 – There’s no denying we’re back in civilization. The drop boards are in the main cabin way to keep out the noise, not the cold. The sirens sounded throughout the night. Jennifer slept soundly.

Oil Change: We can’t have motored that much!

Port Renfrew, BC, Canada, 25-SEP-2018 – The motor from Bamfield to Port Renfrew was easy and calm. The wind, by our measurement, was 1 knot from the east.

We’ve made it a standard practice (SOP) to put up the mainsail whenever we will be in ocean swells. The difference, when the swells are abeam or in the confused waters near the shore, is remarkable.

We motored against the current for almost three hours and then picked up a favorable current that carried us into the strait of Juan de Fuca. The current in the strait ebbs from the east at 1.8 knots and floods from the west at 0.8 knots, so it is best to pay attention. Additionally, as most sailors know, when the wind is against the current, the waves will build. The strait is known for its moods.

Bamfield

Bamfield, BC, Canada, 23-SEP-2018 – There are many half-written, long thoughtful pieces that are not posted. Pieces on the remarkable people we’ve met and thoughts on the tourist trade, and lots of writing about the places we’ve been, and recently, we’ve been to a lot.

This is a short piece on the town of Bamfield, where Jennifer and I are today.

There are many places that are reminiscent of Cabot Cove where Murder She Wrote took place… or rather that cove was to be reminiscent of other places. This is one such place.

Resting and Reflecting in Hot Springs Cove

Hot Spring Cove, Vancouver Island, BC, 18-SEP-2018 – Two days ago, we regained cellular service after a two week absence. The first Messenger text to come through was a single, ‘‘Where are you? The pain is unbearable.’’ from a close, family friend.

This year we have an Iridium GO with us. It has allowed us to be in contact with world via e-mail, voice and text. It has been invaluable.

I did my best to make sure that everyone dear to us knew how to easily contact us. In the case of my Dad, who suffered a blood clot, this worked as planned

Dixie Cove

Dixie Cove, BC, Canada, 13-sep-2018 — My apologies for not posting.

After waiting out weather for four days we’ve stated noodling south on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Tomorrow afternoon we’ll get Zeballa, the first place on the road network in a while. They’ll have fuel.

Since that low passed through with forty-knot winds, the weather has been settled and calm. Fall is starting and the weather is transitioning to winter storms. The next five days are still calm settled weather, which is as far off as we can reliably see. Continue reading “Dixie Cove”

Waiting for weather on the Pacific Coast

Bunsby Islands southeast of Brooks Peninsula, 7-Sep-2018 — The random play on the tablet seems to have a penchant for 1960’s seminal bands: The Byrds, the Yardbirds to name two.

We’re in a cove nestled away from the Pacific, which won’t be very pacific for the next few days. Today is not too bad, twenty knots most of the day, but a low is moving in. The barometer will drop from 1018 to 996 in a bunch of hours at some point in the next couple, three days and 40 knot winds are scheduled to come ashore. Continue reading “Waiting for weather on the Pacific Coast”

Two hours later the answer comes…

He’s out of surgery, all went well.

We find out how well, tomorrow.

At 91, it isn’t the surgery that is the real danger.

Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.

Waiting for the results of Emergency Surgery

Millbrook Cove (north end of Vancouver Island) BC, Canada, 2-SEP-2018 – Waiting for results of emergency surgery is no easier on a sailboat in the middle of nowhere than it is anywhere else.

The difference on this trip is the Iridium Go, which has changed our lives for the better and taught me what a real love-hate relationship is about. How I hate the UI on that product.

But, it allowed a text message from my brother Ken to reach me: ‘‘Dad is in for emergency surgery. Blood Clot in left leg, also one in kidney. Can’t do anything about kidney. Its a tricky surgery.’’
Continue reading “Waiting for the results of Emergency Surgery”