Armed with will and determination, and grace, too.

Earlier this spring when we were getting close to launching this adventure, our initial idea was to make our way up the Salish Sea into Johnston Strait, up the Inside Passage, and then sail across to the beautiful lands of the Haida. This would allow us to test systems and have a short overnight passage across Dixon Entrance. It would also bring us to a place I have been lucky enough to visit a few times by plane; but this time would meet the people, waters and lands much more slowly and intimately, as travel by sailboat affords. As many of you know from our previous posts, that did not occur as we were overwhelmed with projects and innumerable details. We should have known.

Our actual travel (with a few untracked destinations) this summer.

There are so many sayings that describe life with sailboats that they are cliché. "BOAT stands for bring on another thousand" or " having a boat is like ripping one hundred dollar bills in the shower," or "having a boat is fixing your boat in exotic locations," or "estimate the time you think a boat project needs, and then triple it" or, "plans are just written in the sand at low tide." All those clichés have some element of truth for us.

The past week has had us finally leave the south coast of Canada to cross the fearsome border to apply for our crusing permit in US waters. All the anxiety was for naught (eating all our food, and hiding canned salmon from my Auntie Betty for example) and it all went pretty seamlessly over a virtual zoom with a jovial Officer Kildell. That done, we had an unexpected screaming sail across the Juan de Fuca with 25-30 knot winds. After dodging a fishing vessel, a barge and the incoming Coho passenger ship, we anchored safely in Port Angeles Harbour.

I have to acknowledge the mixed feelings we have about being in the US at this particular time. The trade wars and inane threats to Canadian sovereignty piss us off in a huge way. If we were more experienced offshore sailors, it is quite possible that on principle we would skip the US altogether. Alas, we are not, and so our current plan is to build our confidence and experience harbour hopping down the pacific coast.

The people we have met so far in these two ports of call have been lovely, quirky and interesting and reaffirms why we love to travel. And at this time, finally, we are in the head space to be present, slow down, and enjoy every little interaction.

One of the important jobs once in port is to manage fueling up, cleaning up with showers, and laundry, shopping for food or parts, and garbage disposal. It's a thing. And sometimes all at once. And so, in Port Angeles it was a 45 minute bus trip to Costco, experiencing the usual cultural shock of scale, consuming all the food samples as lunch, and overfilling the shopping cart. Outside by the trash can, we spent the next half hour ripping apart and disposing of all the possible packaging so we could then stuff the groceries into our backpacks and bags.

Costco Run

The next day was about finding where the pool was and having a shower and sauna. Glorious! After we found the bus that would take us up Olympus mountain to Hurricane Ridge. Sailing, while sometimes active and you can get your heart rate up from excitement or occasionally fear, hardly qualifies as exercise. Hiking the majestic landscape for the day had me out of breath and feeling woefully out of shape. So getting out and getting exercise in this new lifestyle will require some deliberation and determination. Hurricane Ridge was well worth it. We met an older couple from Australia on the way and we stopped at a viewpoint for an inspiring conversation. They had been everywhere! He had just completed a couple month bicycle trip through Patagonia Chile. He talked about their off the beaten track travels through the world, Europe and the Baltics. We talked philosophy and approaches to life. He gave us a nugget: "Your forties and fifties are your go-go-go years; from 55-65 it's your go -go years; 65-75 - go now years; 75-85 your go slow years; and 85-95 is no go and looking at pictures."

Hurricane Ridge Hike

After taking in the incredible views that weren't shrouded in clouds, we made the knee-killing downward trek. Once at the road, we decided not to wait an hour for the bus and hitchhiked down the mountain and were soon picked up by a young man of Chinese descent in a very spiffy Mercedes. He had just drove across the country from New York with his parents and was going to make a new life in Seattle. We sat in the back seat while he translated our conversation to his taciturn father and nervous and sweet mom. Good for him for picking up strangers! We got a ride, made a connection and opened a small window into someone else's excitement at a new beginning.

At the Safeway while purchasing some vegetables, Jud struck up a conversation with an older gentleman, admiring his cap which was a genuine world war 2 vintage worn by his father. There were stories behind that hat and they lasted well after the checkout and out into the street. 

That evening we went to a little Indian restaurant on the waterfront for some delicious food; and then, feeling patriotic, we went back to Sputnik to watch the 10-year anniversary of Tragically Hip's last show on our computer.

"Well, I can guarantee, there'll be no knock on the door

I'm a total pro, that's what I'm here for

Armed with will and determination, and grace, too."

And so here we are now anchored in Neah Bay on the edge of the pacific waiting for the northwest winds to allow us to continue our voyage south.

As we have been waiting, we enjoyed this little place. We rowed to shore and met a local Makah man who persuaded us not to hike to Cape Flattery using Apple Maps, and instead to traverse up where his brother runs often, Bahokus Peak. So that's what we did. By the time we reached the top, we were impressed by his brother's fitness. We were tired! And it is such a wild and changeable landscape. We started out in sun and tshirts and by the time we reached the top the wind was blowing fog off the cedar tree tops, and the mist seemed alive as it swooped down to meet us with cold droplets. We put on our sweaters and were enveloped by this magic.

We treated ourselves to Calvin's Crab House for dinner after our descent. We have been here before and remember it to be a well run Makah family business. We ate superbly prepared crab and halibut as we looked out over the water at Sputnik. We watched strong young paddlers taking turns training on their racing canoe. Their pace and determination impressed and we felt like lucky witnesses.

Tomorrow we head out! We will spend our 25th anniversary holding tight (our original plan was to leave today to sail to La Push, but the wind hasn't changed, and well, you know plans....). We are grateful to be here together in this adventure.

All my relations

 Moon rise in Neah Bay