From Anacortes WA to Holmes Harbor. Freeland WA. | ||||
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Gnettie and I took her out for an amazing first time experience, after 40 years of work, here we were !
Rick had told me to watch the temperature of the stuffing box so I checked it every 1/2 hour or so. When we cruised at about 5 knots the stuffing box was around 84 degrees, but once we went a little faster it went up into the high 90's. So we throttled back and enjoyed the longer trip. This trip will take us down the Swinomish channel, which starts at the twin bridges, then to La Conner, then out to the Saratoga Passage and into Holmes Harbor. Enjoy the video. |
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Got to the end of Holmes Harbor, and Randy was on shore guiding us to the huge Nichol's brothers mooring buoy. This mooring buoy could have held a cruise ship !
With Gnettie at the controls for the first time ever buoy hookup I was able to grab the 1" shackle by dropping a loop through the center and picking it up underneath. I put 2 lines on it just in case. The gang wanted us to come party as was the plan but it was so rough we could hardly get the dinghy down and around the side of the boat. Gnettie got in it but the water was so rough it almost through her out. So we abandoned all hope of an alcohol soaked evening. So the party was re-scheduled for the next day, so we attempted to get our shit together. I did get the dinghy out board running and took a cruise. |
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As you can see it was rough, we could hardly get the dinghy to cooperate when we tied it to the boat. Sadly the party was postponed yet again. Bummer when the guests of honor can't make it. I will miss Bobbys' Black Bean soup. That night it got rougher. The giant mooring buoy and the ship did not agree. When the buoy went up the ship went down and created a hell of a bang when the lines caught. A couple of times I saw the bow sprit shack rattle and roll. Needless to say it was a sleepless night for both of us. When dawn came, which seemed like an eternity, we checked to make sure all our shit was still intact and make sure the dinghy was still with us. It was swamped several times during the night so I had to do a lot of bailing to empty it then prepare it to be towed. We waited until the fog lifted and got the hell out of there. We decided to go to Penn Cove which is a good anchorage, and calm seas for our up and coming training sessions. No one on this planet knows how this boat will perform, how to turn it, slow it down, stop it, enter a dock, etc. so the both of us will need to find out. |
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