It began simply, like most adventures do, over a beer or three with my good friends, the Flemings. We started into our Labor Day plans, it was only a weekend away, and we were hoping to bag a mountain somewhere in the cascades. After a bit of discussion, we started talking about my plans, and my fear that I would be able to move the Osprey North in a timely fashion to spend quality weekend time with my friends in the greater Seattle area.
After some discussion, it was loosely decided that we would take advantage of the long weekend and attempt the near 100 mile trip up from Olympia to Everett.
Everett became the destination, as it was still summertime in the PNW, and every slip in a 15 mile radius of Seattle was completely full.
After some last minute Amazon Prime shipments, and a boater's ed class, everything was set to line up for the weekend.
The plan lined up quite nicely.
Friday:
Land in Seattle
Pick up Amazon Prime packages
Meet Ryan and Kathi
Drive down to Olympia
Along the way, pick up two new friends that I have yet to meet
Saturday:
Wake up in Olympia
Bolt on outboard motor
Set sail north
Make it at least to Tacoma
(Hoping for Seattle for a night on the town)
Sunday:
Continue North
Arrive in Port of Everett
Monday:
Shuttle cars/people
Saturday morning rolls around and the sky opens up. Its raining for the first time all summer and the radar doesn't look good. After about an hour soaked in the rain bolting on the outboard, and a near collision with my neighbor friend's boat, we were off.
The rain slowed, and the fog made for a majestic beginning of the voyage. The down side to the fog was the visibility was poor, fortunately we had a proper navigation station installed for the journey.
As the day wore on, the skies cleared and we were able to set the sails and enjoy the day a little bit.
Hours went by to the slight humming of the motor and the crack of beer cans.... It was afternoon and we were making great time, only one thing we hadn't counted on, we were running low on gas. With the light winds the south sound was known for, we had the motor on all day to supplement the sails, and our little gas tank was about through. We decided to stop in Gig harbor to find some fuel and some late lunch.
It wasn't until after we arrived in Gig harbor that we realized there was no fuel dock in Gig Harbor, and we didn't have enough fuel to make it to the next closes harbor that MIGHT have fuel.
After chatting up a kayaker passing by, we decided to dock at the local bar and hike up the road with the gas tank to the closest gas station. That was also about the time we learned that the engine would not idle and it was go or no. The solution was simple, get close, kill motor, jump off boat with dock line and tied down boat. In practice it worked surprisingly well, until other boats got in the way...
Once we tied her up, my ever so kind friends made a run for the closest gas station in the rain, as the rest of us went inside the bar and ordered a beer and some appetizers.
After the fuel and the beers, we were off North to Seattle. I realized that we were making good time, and could taste a night out on the town in Seattle hanging on the lips. A few hours later and we are coming into a beautiful view of the city.
We ended up docking in the Silshole Bay Marina, and wandering into Ballard for dinner and drinks. No trip to Ballard is complete without a trip to the Noble Fir!
Sunday shaped up to be a beautiful day, and after a brief bout of nearly crashing into a half a million dollar yacht at the fuel dock, it was out to sea yet again. It never ceased to amaze me how much other boat would come right out at the last possible moment and cause a near wreck.
The winds picked up a bit and we were able to kill the motor and enjoy the peace of the wind.
Everett was only a half a day away, so we relaxed and enjoyed the sun as is ever so slightly peaked from the clouds.
We ended the day arriving at my new slip and making a run to Skutlebutt Brewery.
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