PT Fishing Fleet

Port Townsend Fishing Fleet

The line of fishing boats stretched from Marrowstone to Point Wilson.  Boats played hopscotch drifting from one end to the other. More boating activity than fishing was observed.

Turn Point Orcas

The hike from Reid Harbor was quiet and scenic and amply rewarded. Within minutes of perching on the bluff above the water I heard a commotion below and saw a harbor seal with a firm grip on the tail of near 10lb salmon. It was a stymie situation.  Eventually the seal went for a better grip and the salmon wasted no time. A quick flip and the fish dove with the seal in fast pursuit. As neither resurfaced I assume the salmon had made good its escape.
I resumed my reclined position only moments later to hear the unmistakable exhale of a large marine mammal. Rising again I saw the Orca only slightly further out in the turbulent water. Sightseeing boats soon converged as the radios were chattering faster than a Sunday gossip group. Even a small dinghy wandered into the mix only to be unexpectedly visited by a big male surfacing a mere 20 feet to their port side. The dinghy suddenly turned and the motor screamed as it was clearly pegged to high throttle making a beeline for safer water.

Fish at Turn Point

Turn Point proved a picturesque visit as well as a productive fishing destination Tuesday morning. The Pinks were thick at the surface and drifting just lee off the ebb saw numerous strikes, lost jumpers a couple of broken lines. While avoiding container ships, staying clear of the strong turbulence, alternating between throttling and idling, changing course and tackle, trying for solid hook sets and managing the net it must have been a bit entertaining for the sightseers watching this non-sailing sailboat at the light house. Eventually, a limit was secured and Ohana drifted off with the ebb toward Roche Harbor.

Roche revisited

Wednesday July 22 - returned to Roche and retrieved the In-Line Dryer for the Frigoboat freezer. Thus far, knock on a block of ice, the in-line device has not been needed.  The freezer has been working like new…may be better, as I finally plugged the drain to reduce in-box moisture (less frost).

The crabbers have taken a two day break as the bay is noticeably more quiet and void of the red and white styrofoam lillypads! Tuesdays and Wednesdays are crab holidays per the regulations.

Contemplating catching a slip for the evening. Wash down Ohana and me!

Island Time

Perched on a weathered teak chair at a weathered teak table table outside of Hotel de Haro, the internet connection labored at a weathered pace. Finally the UPS site opened.  I entered the tracking number and waited. Great Waters on the east coast has estimated a there day delivery when the order was placed on Tuesday. It was now Friday and i hoped the tracker would show arrival today. The activity bar seemed frozen at 80% complete.  Finally the screen blinked to refresh and revealed my answer.  Tuesday the 21st, or as they put it, only 2 more business days. Translated, that would be 5 days island time. Meanwhile looks like an opportunity to cruise locally. Revised plan - ride the afternoon flood to Sucia, then in a couple days maybe come back and drop the hook in Reid Harbor on Stuart. A short hop over to Roche on Tuesday and then on to Canadian waters.
Of course all subject to the nuances of mail delivery on the island. Usually the mail is delivered in the afternoon…unless it isn't. Typically there are no weekend deliveries except when there are. Gotta love it - this was one of those islands that still embracing island time.

Rocky Situation

If not mistaken this would be the Quillback Rockfish (Sebastes maliger). This individual inhabits the waters near Foulweather Bluff and weighed in around 3.5 lbs and 15 inches. Evidently a midlife rocky as they are known to live up to 35 years. He or she is back in his/her habitat and hopefully will participate in the return of healthy rockfish populations in the Puget Sound. In 1999 the Puget Sound rockfish failed to make the endangered species list and is now minimally protected via Conservation Areas.

Bee Hive

Friday, June 15th - Ohana is nestled among crab pots, mega yachts and an assortment of lesser vessels. An eclectic mix. Yesterday's crossing of Juan de Fuca proved uneventful. The 4 - 6 foot wind waves of the previous day and night had subsided as conditions dramatically lightened. The big ebb still provided the usual lumpiness at the mouth of Admiralty inlet but the afternoon winds never materialized. The earlier jump into the strait of Juan de Fuca allowed for a longer run over to Haro before the flood organized for the push north into the San Juans however the timing was off by an hour. As with exiting Admiralty I rode the lumps of changing currents at the mouth of Haro but laboring at half the speed. I have seen this on prior crossings as the flood current north takes longer than the charts predict.
So now the sun is rising on Roche. The bees are beginning to awake at the hive. Speeding over to nearby crab pots in search of tasty nectar. Soon planes will carry bees from distance to explore this hive. The activity is a little unsettling. Lots of urgency about the coming and going. Hopefully today I will retrieve my inbound refrigerator part and buzz off to a nearby quiet anchorage. The bees of Roche will no doubt continue to bring in the money.

On Ice

The thing about plans is they test one's commitment. They also allow one to organize stuff.  Get ducks in row and quacking on cue or in a queue. Anyway, in project planning parlance, this year's sailing trip has experienced some slippage. In fact the boat has spent way too much time in the slippage.  Between land travel, physical therapy and various house projects, Ohana has been growing a green beard at the water line.

Most recently, icing on this slow baked cake came last evening when the final load of produce went into the luke cool refrigerator. Actually, the lack of ice in the freezing compartment had me quickly searching for answers as well as a bottle of something better aged than I was rapidly becoming. I brushed off the desire to drown my worries and went to work on the Frigoboat or frigging boat refrigerator. These Frigoboat units are fairly robust but are susceptible to moisture build-up (frost) and the potential to suck up a few molecules of water which can then find their way into the capillary tubing, freeze and block circulation. My Frigoboat had evidently had an embolism and was experiencing a frigging stroke. I cleared the compartment, heated a pint of water, muttered, "Clear!" and applied the warm wet cloth to the copper tubing.  Within a minute, I could hear the coolant circulating again with its high pitching gentle whine.  The patient would live, at least until the next event. This morning the Frigiboat was happily pumping along and so the decision was made. Today I will cast off the dock lines, at last…but also begin arranging for Frigoboat surgery upon return from what will likely be a shortened version of the original summer's sailing plan - weeks not months.

Now both boat and skipper are clean shaven and ready to chill asea.