The End

And so we come to the end of the blog.  There will be no more posts. No more sailing trips.  Something happened on or after my mancation that changed everything for me.  I suspect that I realized that doing something like that trip with my family was never going to happen.  I don't know for sure, but something dried up and died in me and it's never come back.  I'm glad I had a passion for sailing for so long.  I'm glad I got to do so much of it.  I'm grateful for the memories.  I am sad that it's over, but it is what it is.

September 2009 - Manly Vacation or "Mancation"

The crew - Tracy, Bill & Scott

For the record, I do not like the term "mancation".  It's rather silly, but, I'm sticking with it because that's what my friends call it and it's their tradition.  I was lucky to be invited on this one because of my sailing experience so I'm just grateful.

It's nice to be able to post about a sailing trip that doesn't involve the same tired photos of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and Mt. Rainier (as amazing as they are in real life). This trip was a milestone in a couple of ways.   

Rosy clouds over Seattle.

• first voyage longer than 2 days.
• first experience cooking and sleeping on a boat
• largest boat being responsible for
• multiple destinations
• achievement if a long-time aspiration
• first time doing an activity voluntarily with a small group of men in an intimate venue.

Anyway, I had fun and I'm glad I got to go and without further ado, here's a rundown of the voyage.

Day 1: Blake Island

A breakfast feast.

I've mentioned Blake Island several times before.  We visited as a family a couple of times and once my daughter and I took a couple of friends there.  It's a beautiful state park and well worth a visit.  It's fun to explore and the campground area is nice.

This is what a mancation is all about.

I especially enjoyed simply pulling into the Marina and being done.  There was no unloading and hauling of camping equipment.  We hung a barbeque off the back rail and broiled some delicious steaks for dinner.  The clouds were especially pretty over Seattle.

This photo illustrates the extreme heeling of the
boat. I suppose it shows Scott too.

Day 2: Poulsbo

The next day began with a delicious, over the top, breakfast because, let's be honest, it's not a "mancation" if it doesn't involve lots of good food.  After breakfast we packed up and headed toward Seattle.

The submarine.  As you would expect, there's
not a lot to see.

The wind in Elliot Bay was excellent and we spent several hours enjoying the exhilaration of a good sail.  Something about the surge of the wind against the sail, the heeling of the boat, the hiss and bubble of water along the hull speaks to me.  I was in my element.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been to have my family there enjoying it with me.

Me at the height of happiness.

Sun bathing sea lions.

During our sail we saw some large sea lions basking in the sun on a buoy and we were passed by a large ferry headed toward Bremerton.  We even saw a naval submarine being escorted by two coast guard cutters.  It's forbidden to get too close to one, and since we weren't sure what the distance was, we stayed nice and clear.  It was neat to see. You don't see a submarine out in the water every day.

Our only obstacle to Poulsbo - a bridge.

As the afternoon grew late, we knew it was time to head to Poulsbo.  Poulsbo is a quaint little village at the tip of Liberty Bay that has a Scandanavian history to it (up until the point when the native americans used to live there).  It's well kept and has lots of interesting little shops to see.  The marina was nice and had a pleasant little park.  I believe we ate at a restaurant for dinner.

One of the more anxious moments of sailing for me is arriving at a Marina.  One never knows if there will be a spot available at which to tie up.  And, if there is a spot, how difficult will it be to get into it.  You just never know until you get there.

Poulsbo

The guys in our group were not drinkers or smokers which was really nice and it led to some creative activities for entertainment.  Mind you, this is before the explosion of hand-held phone devices, apps, games, streaming media, etc...  For instance, one night, we tied balloons for fun and another night we played some kind of board/card game.

ummmm. Fun and games?

After Poulsbo, we were off to Dockton.  We had little wind that day and ended up motoring most of the way; unfortunate but typical.  We went down along the east side of Vashon/Maury island which gave us a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier so, yes, I did take another picture of the mountain.  It's just so dang impressive.

Day 3: Dockton

Mt. Rainier

Just like Blake Island, I've mentioned Dockton before.  I've sailed there once or twice with the family.  It's a nice little Marina that has been almost empty every time I've been there.  There is a nice little park and restrooms that are always locked.

My bed such as it was.

Hanging it up in Dockton.

I mentioned at the beginning that this was the first time I slept on a boat and I have to give it mixed reviews.  I slept in the middle berth, where the table drops down to form a bed.  The leg room was a little short, but I was grateful for the high ceiling after seeing the other berths.  The "master" bed in the stern was joke.  The ceiling was only maybe 18-24 inches above the bed.  It looked extremely claustrophobic.  The bow berth wasn't much better.  The head room was a little better, but the shape of the bed was basically a rectangle.  So unless you are short and squat like a toad, it probably is not comfortable.  I did not find the sound of water lapping against the hull in any way relaxing.  On the contrary, I was very grateful for my earplugs.

Finding perspective.

Pleasant, but not exactly sailing
weather.

We're close to the end of the journey now.  The last day broke beautiful and calm.  Not even a hint of a breeze.  The rest of the crew humored me and we explored deeper into the harbor than I'd ever been before.  It was interesting and we used the calm and space to practice doing sharp turns by combining the help and screw creep (I can't remember the term for it).  After that short distraction we headed out toward home.

Me.

As we approached Gig Harbor the wind picked up.  We had a couple of extra hours so we hoisted the sails and sped about the narrows for a while before finally going home.  It was a fun trip.

The manly men return home.

June Trip to Seaside 2008

Literally on the side of the road.  How quaint.

I know, I know.  This has nothing to do with sailing.  What can I say? It's my blog, and it has to do with the ocean which is good enough for me.  I will keep it brief though.

The sign says it all.

We got it into our heads to take a road trip to Seaside Oregon for a long weekend.  The plan was to drive across the peninsula to Highway 1 and follow Highway 1 to the destination.  We took the girls out of school early I think (or at least immediately after school) so had a picnic on the side of the highway crossing the peninsula.  We had a good laugh about that.

Our next highlight was Dismal Nitch.  This is at the point where the bridge connects Oregon to Washington.  It's a spot so unpleasant someone felt the need to name it.  It was cold, and windy and nasty.  We had a good laugh about the name though.

Fort something-or-other in Oregon.

We had one more stop before our final destination.  An old fort (I forget the name) on the Oregon side.  I'm pretty sure it was associated with Lewis and Clark and was one of the very first forts built out here.  It was very small. I'm so glad I didn't live back then.

















And finally Seaside.  Seaside is a fun place, it has a carnival-like atmosphere with arcades and lots of small shops, fun decorations and lots of restaurants.  It's very close to a wide beautiful beach.  It's one of those beaches one seas in calendars.

It was typical June weather during our stay - cold and breezy, but we had a good time.  We flew some kites, walked the beach and even attempted to swim.

A short distance south of Seaside is a town called Cannon Beach.  Cannon Beach has a more serious resort feeling to it.  It doesn't feel as fun as Seaside, but it also has a beautiful beach.

All in all it was great trip, and we're glad we did it.  Hopefully we can do it again sometime.

March 2008 Club Sail

Unfortunately, I didn't take the time to create a post for this club sail.  Based on the beautiful weather in the pictures, I suspect it was beautiful but uneventful.  Enjoy the photos.

Looking up Colvos Passage on a beautiful spring afternoon.

A July Row

Honestly, I can't remember the circumstance of this particular outing.  I stumbled upon a few pictures in a folder titled "July Row".  I am guessing that I took the Wee Blow out for a spin on the water.  Some of the pictures were pleasant so I thought I'd add them.

Finally something new

I have mentioned before that I'm getting tired of making entries about the same club sails to the same areas. I'm also tired of taking the same pictures of the same beautiful scenery. I never get tired of looking at it, but one only needs so many pictures of point defiance or the bridge. That's why, I'm pleased to report something new. I went on my first extended cruise and this is how it went (written in 4 increments).

Back on course

Departure: 1:00pm
Return: 5:00pm
Weather conditions: Puffy white clouds, blue skies, light breezes, warm sunshine
Tide: Flood tide
Boat: 30' Club Boat
Crew: 6 (Woody, Heather, Megan, Don, Kim & Mike)

It's been long enough since I've written that I doubt anyone is still following this blog. Maybe that's just as well, maybe not. In any case, for the moment, I'm managing to actually write something down and we'll go with it.

I'm only only going to rehearse what's gone by in the briefest of terms. 99.9% of my sailing has been club sails for the past year. They've been fun, and they are a great way to relax, but after 2.5 years in the club, there isn't much new to take pictures of, and not much new happens. One event worth noting was a club race which I won. The noteworthy part is that the opponent was the club manager. He's laid back enough that he could possibly have been letting us win, but I like to think it was skill and luck. In any case, it would make a great account if I could remember it (but I can't).

So, today's sail. It was a beautiful northwest summer day which means it was tempermental day for sailing. We never had no wind, as I've had on past summer sails, but it came in fits and starts. The skies were a beautiful clear blue, dotted here and there by puffy white clouds. Mt. Rainier hung in the distance; barely visible in the haze. At certain angles, on particularly brilliant days, the sunlight will sparkle off the water like so many diamonds and so it did today. All in all, the weather combined to make a glorious day - good sailing or not.

With 6 people on board, I was glad we took the 30' boat. The 30' Catalina is not much to look at, but she has it where it counts. She sails well and true and was a pleasure to sail today. Four of the crew were new members (actually 3 were new members and one was a daughter of a member). It was nice to get to know them and hear their stories. One couple had sailed a boat from Florida into the Carribean and had quite the stories to tell of stormy seas.

We tried picking a destination for our cruise, but the wind wasn't cooperating and we spent our time casting about in any direction where there seemed to be wind. We practiced heaving too and our man-overboard rescues.

And that pretty much sums up the club sail.

Until next time.

February Club Sail

Departure: 1:00pm
Return: 5:00pm
Weather conditions: Partly Cloudy and breezy
Tide: Slack tide??
Boat: Club Boat
Crew: 4 (Woody, Tom, Paul & Carol)

OK folks. I think this picture of me at the tiller demonstrates the level of commitment I have to sailing, and especially this blog. This is not a flattering picture; it doesn't look like me at all. And yet, I"m posting it because a) I don't have any interesting pictures, and b) ... well, I don't have any interesting pictures. For the record, in real life, I come across much more manly. Tall and powerfully built with my masculine visage piercing the horizon, I'm the epitome of a sailor. And what's more manly than sailing (no offense to all the lady sailors I know). So, with the record straight, and a shared laugh at my misrepresentation, let's move on.

Terry and her friend.

Honestly, I don't remember many of the details of this trip. Not many members came. In fact technically, there were only two members; Terry and I. The 3rd crew member was a guest of Terry's whose name I can't remember. There was room for me to bring someone as well, but I couldn't find anyone to go with me at the last minute. To be honest it felt a little awkward to be the only guy on board.

An interesting "thingy" being moved by a tug.

The weather was fantastic. In the harbor the wind was mild, luring us into choosing the #2 jib, but outside the harbor in the sound, it was probably 12-15 knots. Maybe it was even more because we eventually reefed and put up the smaller jib. It never rained; though, it was overcast, and it wasn't super cold.



After changing sails, the boat handled well and made for a fun trip. The tides were such that we thought we should head toward Tacoma. I wanted to see how far we could get in the time allotted; we made it quite far. I used Google earth to estimate the distance, and I'd say it was about 5.2 miles. That means we traveled a total of 11.4 miles; 5.2 + 5.2 + 1 (for inside the harbor). That's pretty good.

And that, my friends, is about it.

Photo #4: Leaving the mouth of commencement bay.

January Club Sail

Departure: 1:00pm 1/7/2008
Return: 4:00pm 1/7/2008
Weather conditions: Heavy Cloud cover, windy w/ Gusts
Tide: Flood then Ebb
Boat: Blue Club Boat
Crew: 3 (Woody, Paul & Terry)

Me, your personal navigator and guide through the waters of Puget Sound.

Stormy waters under the bridge.  I continue to fail to capture wave size.

This is the 4th blog entry I've written in less than two days so if it's a little less witty than you've come to expect, a little less philosophical, a little less brilliant, you'll understand why. One good thing about this entry is it's recent - as in yesterday.

Train tunnels are always cool.

It must be that the January club sail is reserved only for toughest, most brave sailors, or maybe it's just for the most foolhardy. In either case, the turnout was not great; not even Dave, the manager joined us. We had three crew in all including myself. I'm thinking this is the ideal number for a club sail because everyone has a task on board; helms person, main sheet and jib sheets.


The weather was cold and the clouds were dark and stormy looking and the wind blew with gusto, but it never rained or in any way precipitated. The light on these winter sails is never that great. I'm getting tired of murky blue/gray photos of my sailing trips. I guess it can't be helped, but it it tiresome. There wasn't a single other boat out on the water; not even powerboats. We did see a barge trudging up the narrows as we were heading home, but that was it.


The wind was quite strong and the gusts were unnerving. We ended up reefing the main which helped a lot. With the tides in our favor, and the wind blowing strong, we were able to set a new club record. At least, it's a record since the time I've been in the club. We were able to sail to the Tacoma Narrows bridge, circle it's west pylon, and sail back to the mouth of the harbor and still dock on time. It was great.

I also have to say something about the waves. They have to have been the biggest I've ever sailed in; they were even bigger than the ones we had on our August sail with our friends (see blog). I would guess, from trough to peak, that the waves were 3.5 to 4 feet in height. The boat dropped off the top of a couple of the bigger ones, and when they crashed across our bow, the spray carried clear into the cockpit. It was quite exhilarating.

My crew-mates Paul and Terry. They aren't a couple.

The small crew, the open waters, strong wind, big waves, and distance covered, I'd rank this as one of the nicest sails I've had in a while. I only wish there was something new to photograph. My pictures of each trip are about the same.

Enjoy them for what they are.

Rebates and Retards

Departure: 1:00 pm
Return: 5:00pm
Weather conditions: Partly Cloudy and breezy
Tide: Ebb Tide
Boat: Blue Club Boat
Crew: 4 (Woody, Joe & Jack)

"What's up with the title?" I know you're asking that. Barnacles! I'm asking that as well. I suppose I'm thinking about how silly people can be and I'm going to try and say something about it. I'm thinking of rebates; the significant savings one can make by simply mailing in a receipt. Simple, and yet...

How many times have you failed to collect on a rebate because of the "effort" involved. I know I've let my fair share slide by. Something similar has happened to me in the sailing club, and I know it's happened to others. Each member of the club receives 4 free sailing days to use each year. They can't be used consecutively and they can't be carried over into the next year. Last year, I was left trying to use my last free sailng day on the last day of the year. This year, I had two. Can you believe it? Two free days that I hadn't used. I think I must be retarded. Anyway, this already overly long post, is about cashing in on one of those days.

I invited a friend of mine and his son to go sailing the day after Chistmas which turned out to be the only nice day to do so. There isn't much to report about it really. We had a nice breeze. We zipped down toward the bridge and then came back. We enjoyed talking and viewing scenery.

My goal next year is to use every single free day.

Decembers Race w/ Holbrooks

Picture 1: (Click for large version) Many of the sailboats at the start. I couldn't capture them all.
Departure: 8:00am 12/1/2007
Return: 5:00pm
Weather conditions: Rain, snow, high winds, freezing cold
Boat: 40' CNC
Crew: 6 (Connie, Ron, Woody, Chris, Dave, ??)

Avast there matey's! That means listen up in pirate talk (By the way, "Talk Like a Pirate Day" is September 19th). This was the most extreme sailing experience I've had thus far in my career. I'd say it qualifies me to talk like a pirate, or at least write my own near death memoir.

The crew included Connie, Ron, myself, Dave B (yes, the one and only from the sailing club), Chris and another guy who didn't sail on the last race. I don't recall his name.


Picture 2: This has nothing to do with the race, but I enjoy taking pictures of the interesting sites. This is a cargo ship loading in Commencement bay.
I need to confess up front that I was hoping this would be an extreme experience so you can't feel too sorry for me. I purposely chose this as the next race because it was the longest (around Vashon Island) and involved the most boats (80). As the race approached, the forecast looked gloomier and gloomier as well which also worked into my calculations.

I'll skip the departure routine except for one honorable mention; my friend Dave B. from the Gig Harbor Sailing club was also crewing and so we carpooled to the race. The rest is the usual - meeting, leaving, parking, waiting, getting ready and casting off bilge. So, to the race...


Did I mention the weather? It was lousy. Very overcast and sprinkling with a forecast for snow. Ohhhh but what a glorious site to arrive at the starting point and to see all those sailboats getting ready to race. About 80 boats were milling about waiting for the start. I'd never seen so many boats. I think the picture will say more than I can.

Picture 3: Many boats milling about at the start line.
This time I was much more aware of the start, and I think the captain was satisfied with it. After the start he tried a different tack than the rest of the crowd to see if he could get to the wind first, but alas, it didn't work and we fell quite a bit behind. The nice thing about a 7 hour race like this is there is time to fix one's mistakes and we spent the next several hours working hard to gain our lost position...and we did. By the time we rounded the first mark at the point of Vashon, we were looking much better and feeling great about our performance. We were also quite cold. I should mention that we were all using spinnakers up to this point. As we rounded the point, we dropped the big sails and raised the Jibs, and that's when things got ugly.


One uses spinnakers when going downwind and the jib when working upwind; we were now working upwind which is a colder, wetter business altogether. And, the weather turned so foul. It started to snow! That's right snow! Big fat heavy white flakes smacked us in the face as we worked our way up wind. And now with the wind driving in our faces it was cold. I was soon soaked to the skin and quite cold. It had been about 5 hours at this point and I was starting to wish for the end. It was still beautiful though.

Picture 4: Behind us as we headed up Colvos Passage. I have no idea whose boat that is.

The cloud's were so low they touched the tops of the trees on Vashon; trees that were dusted white. If I hadn't been so cold, it would have been very pleasant. If only I could hang on...

And then it happened. A big mistake.

We decided to change to a smaller jib because the gusts of wind were alarming. While we were unpacking the smaller jib, the pilot turned us across the wind at the same moment a gust hit and we were knocked sideways.

I always tell my guests that "This boat will not tip over, but you can fall out. As long as you hang on tight, remember that the boat will right itself". Well today, I had my own advice served to me on a silver platter. The boat heeled over hard and I found myself standing on the lifelines with my feet under the rushing water while I hung to the boom for dear life. Others were tossed about the cockpit and had the same "deer in the headlights" look on their faces that I probably had on mine. Of course, my advice is correct, and the boat did right itself and we got back on track.

Picture 5: Chris, Ron & Dave (left to right) looking cold.

It took us a while though. The sail bag for the small jib had fallen off the boat and I'd used every last ounce of strength to hang on to one end of it so we wouldn't lose it. It took 3 of us to drag it back on the boat because it had filled with water. I was exhausted after this and extremely cold. I entered a sort of dazed state of mind. Several times I thought we were close to the finish when really it was only another point we had to pass.

By this time, we were last, but I didn't care. I just wanted to finish and get home and eventually we did. It was dark, but calm as we pulled into the dock.

And that was that. One of the greatest adventures I've had in many years.