The number of people who are cruising seems higher this year than last. Anchorages are ‘full’. Is it because of the wetter weather resulting in fewer forest fires? The outcome is I’m annoyed by all these people!
More people means more incidents on the water with folks that know nothing about boating safety nor etiquette. Why do powerboats need to turn towards a sailboat’s bow when crossing? You turn towards the stern! Why do powerboats cut close to sailboats and knock the wind out of the sails with monster wakes? Give space! The overpowered testosterone machine can afford to change course! Why do all people with floating donut dinghies with outboards not understand NO WAKE and GO SLOW in or near an anchorage?!
I guess I was taught a different definition of being polite and respecting others and keeping the waters quite and peaceful.
The quest for the perfect sunset.
I’m also having difficulty finding locations to recycle. The marinas in the Gulf Islands, and even on Vancouver Island, only want plastic bottles and aluminum cans that have a deposit return. Some have glass but usually not. No paper, plastic nor tin! I have over a month of recycling built up on SWALLOW! Feeling I need to return to the San Juan Islands just to avoid throwing more trash into landfills. 😡
To prove I’m not all grumpy I have enjoyed some good sailing – there are still strong southerly winds blowing and the usual light northerly or no winds haven’t arrived. The most recent sail was sailing off anchor at North Cove, Thetis Island, and tacking the length of Trincomali Channel. SWALLOW’S new sails means she romped along – including multiple sail changes (reefs of main and headsail) as the wind speed went up and down.
Back and forth along Trincomali Channel.
Ten hours of sailing, 44nm cover with an average of 4.6 knots (SWALLOW isn’t the fastest going to weather being heavy and full keeled).
Portlight view as SWALLOW charges to weather.
Last week sailed in following light winds and SWALLOW passed other sailboats! She is much happier on a reach or deeper and is fairly slippery moving at a surprising speed in light wind.
Last week I stayed at a pay marina for the first time since the early last days of April. I’ve tied to WA State Park docks, have a pass so cost per visit decreases each stay, but the last dock overnight was 17 May. Anchor has been getting lots of use!
(The above has been redacted as I forgot about my one ight stay at Friday Harbor 4 June.)
Last week I stayed at a pay marina for the first time since early June. Anchor has been getting lots of use!
The marina was at Chemainus, Vancouver Island. The staff assisted me in docking, I enjoyed a shower, visited the original 49 Parallel store (now really a convince store – do have a lot of used books for cheap!), dumped trash (no recycling as noted above) and then went grocery shopping at the new 49 Parallel about 1/2-mile away. Bonus: 49 provides a free shuttle back to the marina if you spend ~$100. I hadn’t been shopping in two weeks so I made two trips!
So things go well on SWALLOW. The complaining is for complaining sake as each day on the water is better than … well … being anywhere else!
S/V Swallow 