August Cruising

August is here and the weather continues to delight us all as the temperature hovers around 75, the breezes are light and the sun sparkles on the water. Jim and I got out on the Karen Marie for a short cruise, but it was not without some lessons learned. His printout from the computer of currents and tides at Deception Pass Bridge was incorrect, and we tried going against the tide. That did not work! We were down to moving at 1/2 knot when we finally turned around and shot out from the shadow of the bridge at 9 knots! Wow, that was a big lesson. Coronet Bay provided a great stop over as we waited for slack water the next day. We did go under the bridge the next morning right at slack tide, proving the point that the correct information is critical for safe travel. We slipped into Bowman Bay right outside the bridge, but the wind and swell made that a very uncomfortable anchorage. In the afternoon we gave up and went back inside the bridge to Hope Island. The mooring buoy we hooked was twisted by the current and wind, making a bumpy anchorage in the evening with lots of banging on the buoy itself. I wondered if we would get any sleep. Finally, Jim tied the buoy up as tight as he could. The next morning we gave it up and went back to Oak Harbor to plan another trip with a better start. We hope to get out again on the 14th, this time under the bridge and across to Lopez and then to San Juan Island. I can't go a whole summer without going to Roche Harbor, my favorite place in the islands, and we want to check out Garrison Bay, too. Maybe we'll even get to Reid Island along the way. Debbie, Ray and boys arrive on Friday for two days, and then we are off again. Everywhere I go I knit washrags. They are the ultimate take along knitting. Happy Days! The Whidbey Wagners.