To Port Townsend

Not really a cruise but a repositioning. SWALLOW needs fresh bottom paint and a few other maintenance tasks completed. I’ll do this work in Port Townsend so I’ve left Poulsbo and headed north.

Winter travel means finding a weather window. The current pattern is a couple of days of strong winds, usually small craft advisory or gale strength, followed by a day or two of calmer weather. Rain isn’t a consideration as it is PNW winter and rain is a constant!😆

Complicating the travel is the tide. Some locations it is best to transit with the current. This means that some good weather needs to happen with a complementary tide.

The tide and weather cycles matched up for me to travel north the last days of the year.

The current was slightly against as the trip started. I saw up to -1.5 to 2 knots while transiting Agate Pass. This is a short section so I wasn’t ‘on a treadmill” for long.

Now back in the main channel of Puget Sound I turned north passing Kingston and Point No Point.

The tide turned in to my favor as I approached Point No Point giving SWALLOW a push of one to two knots. The clouds also cleared making the chill air a bit more bearable. Light winds did come up out of the south to southwest meant no sailing – though I did motorsail for just over an hour.

The overnight stop was Port Ludlow where I anchored. It became cold as the sun set behind the Olympic Mountains, just after 4pm, so I started the woodstove.

After a good night sleep Momma Kitty and I woke to a chilly cabin. After relighting the woodstove a comfortable breakfast at anchor was enjoyed.

Departing Ludlow had a -1 knot current against. With a light northerly feeling like it was blowing directly off the artic I was well bundled in tow stocking hats and two jackets. The current hadn’t turned, as forecast, in Port Townsend Canal being -.5 to 1 knot against. The crossing of Port Townsend Bay was chilly in the 5kt northerly.

It is now time to haul out and do some boat work.

Happy New Year everyone!