Up Saratoga

On August 28, the day after we put her back in the water, we moved the boat up Saratoga Passage and into Cornet Bay.  Here are pictures of that day.

Fueling up in Everett.  My dad was along for the ride.

There was a bunch of wild American Vetch growing near our dock, so I picked a couple and they sat on the galley table all the way north.

The wheel wasn't working that well, so we steered mostly by jogstick.  

Ben tested the controls on the wheelhouse roof and found out they work, so we can steer the boat up in the sun.

The pressure of the last couple of days was done.  It was quite a relief.

Cama Beach, Camano Island

The Center for Wooden Boats at Cama Beach.

Dusk was just upon us when the Deception Pass Bridge crept into view. 

She is now anchored in Cornet Bay while we wait for moorage in La Conner.  We've been checking on her every day and she is doing well.

This past Monday, I got my first lesson in electrical wiring, on top of the mast replacing the socket for the anchor light.  Ben doesn't like heights.  Nor does he particularly appreciate the large spiders that live up there.  I love heights, and have now discovered my favorite boat job.

Yes, the flag is a size bigger than it needs to be for a boat of our size.   I had to tie Old Glory in a knot in order to do any serious work up there.  Oh, and the halyard isn't a halyard.  It's an extension cord.  I love this boat.

On the Hard

Monday, August 26.

The main reason we had a haul out was to have a survey done.  

Most marinas won't allow you to moor there if your boat is uninsured, the insurance company wouldn't give us a quote, unless we'd had a recent survey, which the surveyer wouldn't do unless she was hauled out.  We also just happened to have 8 gallons of bottom paint that came with the boat, so we figured what the hell, we were going to have to do it sooner or later.  

Seeing other boats hauled out in a travel lift didn't prepare me for this experience.  Ben was obviously more familiar with this process than I, but he too was extremely nervous.  She is after all our girl.  I can't speak to exactly what was going through his head, but I felt nauseous, and my swearing got steadily more creative throughout the morning.

The whole travel-lift is controlled by a dude and his lunchbox. 

The rest of the day was taken up by the survey, so we didn't start painting until the next morning.  The boat had to be ready to go in by 1:00 pm so we started at early.  Wouldn't you believe it, we were done an hour early, thanks in a large part to help from my mom, Allegra, and Ben's dad, Randy.

 My mom is a speed painting master,  I can't believe I didn't know this before!  Ben and I figure she painted almost a third the boat herself.  

It was a busy morning, without much time for frivolous things, like grooming, or eating properly.  One o'clock rolled around and we got her back in the water.  Next time I post, I'll talk about our trip up to Cornet Bay.

Down the River

On Sunday, August 26th we moved her downriver.  We got up early to be a little ahead of high tide and there was a beautiful fog about the place.  Photos were all taken by Ben's dad or my mom.

Backing off the the dock for the last time.  Photos courtesy of my mom.

My dad came along and had a great time.

As we cruised, little fishing boats had to move to make room.  I sat on the bow and apologized for the inconvenience and asked them if they were having any luck.  I usually got a grunt and a nod.  But sometimes, I would get "no problem, nice boat!"  Looked good for them though, we saw a few large salmon jump during that stretch of the river.

We dinged the bell for a couple of old friends as we passed.

Patron 

Island Champion

Under the HW-529 bridge,

Out the the mouth of the Snohomish River and past Jetty Island.

At the Everett Marina for the night.  We were moored next to the Jetty Island ferry dock.

And that was about it for the day.  The haul-out wasn't until next morning and there wasn't a whole lot else to do, so we got some breakfast with my folks.
We also discovered the Everett Farmer's Market on the waterfront and had nice little walk through, trying to distract ourselves from worry about the next day.  I picked up a jar of mango lime green tea, and we went home for the night.  

Next post I'll talk about the haul-out and cruise to Cornet Bay.

Daydreaming on the Slough

Well, we've moved the boat.  We are also exhausted, but those are stories for another day. 

It has occurred to me that I haven't described the marina where our lovely boat has lived for the better part of a year and it bears mentioning.

The place we discovered the boat was up Ebey Slough, near Everett.  It's the sort of place where old boats go to die.  But it did work for the previous owners and us for the last several months to have a cheap place to keep her and work on her without requiring insurance.

It's an otherworldly place, a nameless (as far as I know) island in the Snohomish River delta.  The grass is 6 feet tall, and there are many blackberries, red elderberry, willows, alders that hide the freeway trestle bridge from view. And it's tidal, the flow of water changes direction four times a day.  I saw the same large uprooted stump float back and forth one long hot day, allowing me to keep track of time without a watch.

Full moon on an August evening.

The little Adaline moored behind us.

Oh, and the marina owners keep peacocks.  Have you ever heard a peacock call?  It is the strangest sound!  It and the humidity would transport me right out of temperate North America for a moment.

If this huffy little peahen could've given me the finger, I'm sure she would have.

There is also an overgrown asian pear orchard.  I wish I had a picture. They must be getting ripe now, if we were still there I'd ask to pick a few.  And maybe learned how to brew asian pear wine.  :)

The view from the wheelhouse.

During this time, Ben spent a lot of time cleaning the bilge.  I wish I could say I was more help, but my back being in the shape it is, made it very difficult to work down there without risk of re-injury, and certainly without pain.  He has done an amazing job though, and he's been very patient with me while I do what I can.

My tasks are quite a bit lighter.  (I scrubbed the crap out of the diesel stove.)  And I tended to find time to sit and knit while listening to rustling grass, buzzing insects, and yes, peacocks.  I'm knitting a cowl with a zig-zag lace pattern.  I liked to imagine living aboard this coming winter and knitting or reading in front of the stove in the galley.

We aren't sure when we'll be able to move aboard.  We were originally hoping it would be by Halloween, but we both agree that at the very least, we will wake up Christmas morning on our boat.  We've been together seven years now and have never spent a Christmas morning just the two of us. 

On our last little spin around the slough.

We've now moved.  Next time I'll write about the haul out and journey up the Saratoga Passage.