May 2, 2018Sometime during the night, the wind shifted to NW, but remained light. At 0740 we began the stinky and dirty process of pulling the anchor from the muddy bottom in Gerrans Bay. The day was sunny, but still cool.Heading out into M…
Westminster
The most well-known portion of the Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place on the Buckingham Palace grounds. But this is just the middle part of the ceremony, and the hardest to watch due to the crowds that form well in advance. Better views can be had of the guards marching to and from St….
Alaska 2018 Blog Post 3 Vancouver to Pender Harbour
April 30, 2018
Today was provisioning day in Vancouver, with walking trips to Costco and Granville Island for fresh produce and fresh oysters, along with trips to Urban Fare for items for which we did not need the Costco quantities. Later in the afternoon, Frank and Cathy Montgomery arrived and we shared the fresh oysters on board Siprit, followed by an excellent dinner at Provence Marinaside restaurant at the head of the dock.
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| Some of the people ferries from our marina to Granville Island |
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| Our dock mates at Quayside Marina |
May 1, 2018
The skies were overcast to partly sunny as we prepared to depart False Creek’s Quayside Marina. After filling the water tanks, we cast off the lines at 0930 and motored slowly out of False Creek, which has a 5 knot speed limit and a lot of people ferry traffic, as well as kayaks, stand up paddle boards and other miscellaneous watercraft.
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| Departing False Creek |
Clearing the entrance, we set a course for Bowen Island, crossing the traffic lanes at right angles as the wind speed increased to 15-20 knots. The seas gradually increased to 4-5 feet as the wind held steady at 15 knots. Rounding Bowen Island, we set a straight line course for Merry Island and Welcome Passage in confused short seas still running 4-5 feet from the northwest. As we continued north the seas gradually calmed to 1-2 feet, but the wind remained at 10-15 knots approaching Merry Island.
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| Merry Island Lighthouse |
The seas were rippled north of Merry Island and the wind shifted from NW to SE under sunny skies. Spirit entered Pender Harbour at 1520. Garden Bay was our initial choice for anchorage, but a number of buoys, floating barges, crab pots and anchored liveaboard boats used all the safe spots, so we went back to Gerrans Bay and anchored in our usual spot.
Engines were shut down at 1552 as we set the hook in a mud bottom in 45 feet of water. Todays run of 48.5 nautical miles was accomplished in 6 hours 22 minutes, including the slow speed requirement in False Creek and the no wake speed from Pender Harbour entrance to our anchorage.
ANCHORING IN STRONG WINDS WITH SAFETY AND CONFIDENCE
Envoy is berthed in Greece’s Lefkas Marina while Diane and are home in Auckland. We’re not planning any major Med cruising this year, but now hope to visit Lefkas around mid August to check on Envoy and do a few weeks cruising.
Pacific Passagemaker magazine recently published an article we’d written on anchoring in strong winds.
Here’s the first of two parts of an edited version of that article.
Having done extensive coastal cruising for over 35 years in New Zealand, Australia, and the Mediterranean, we’ve anchored for literally thousands of nights, most of which have been calm, peaceful and uneventful. But we’ve often encountered winds over 30 knots (Beaufort Force 7), and occasionally encountered gusts up to 70 knots. Remember that the Beaufort Scale registers the mean wind speed, for example Force 7 represents a mean wind speed of 28-33 knots, while gusts of up to about 45 knots (or greater) can be expected. Adverse weather conditions and fronts can also bring along thunder storms, which are often accompanied by extremely gusty conditions as well as rapid changes in wind direction. It is probably these changes in direction that represent the biggest challenge to secure anchoring.
There are almost as many theories on the subject of anchoring as there are skippers on the water and these suggestions are mostly based on experience with our Nordhavn 46 trawler, Envoy.
With time to prepare, a reliable and tested plan plus some anchoring experience with your own vessel, you can select a suitable location and anchor in strong winds with safety and confidence.
The process starts with awareness and normally there’s a period of at least several hours to prepare for arrival of the forecast adverse conditions. Always write down the forecast and subsequent updates so you can accurately monitor how the weather pattern is developing.
In an unexpected storm a serene anchorage can quickly become problematic
This article does not cover the options of continuing a passage (as may be forced upon a vessel far from the coast), or of heading to the closest secure marina or harbour, but is about safe anchoring in a coastal situation.
A safe and comfortable anchorage is dependent on finding an inlet or bay largely protected from the ocean swell and seas. If the wind is forecast to blow directly off the coastal shoreline and there is no significant swell or sea, an option is to simply anchor close to shore, but a major disadvantage of this strategy is the possibility of a wind shift occurring and placing your vessel on a lee shore with waves whipped up by the wind shift. We prefer to pick the most secure anchorage we can find, free of swell or seas, suitable for a possible wind shift and clear of reefs, rocks, moorings or other obstructions. It needs a low tide depth ideally about three to fifteen metres and ideally should also have an easily navigable exit and a nearby alternative bolthole to go to if necessary. The ideal time to find your anchorage is during low tide when minimum depths are known and possible hazards can be more easily identified.
An ideal sheltered bay to weather a blow
This is the same bay during a storm with gusts to 50 knots
Another issue to consider is the placement of other vessels in the anchorage. A safe distance from other vessels must be maintained when anchoring in strong winds because other vessels dragging and fouling your anchor or hitting your vessel is usually the greatest danger to be faced.
Heavy towering clouds like this indicate storms
Before dropping your anchor it‘s a good idea to explore the general area and get a good understanding of its approaches, layout, depths etc. Use this opportunity to record GPS positions, compass courses and a chart plotter track line to assist exiting the bay in case of adverse visibility.
Although some skippers prefer to use two anchors we prefer to use one. A single anchor is easier to deploy and set, avoids issues of one anchor chain becoming twisted around the other during wind shifts when your vessel may turn around several times and is far easier to retrieve in an emergency.
However a situation where I would consider using two anchors is mooring stern-to-shore when the additional anchor helps resist your bow being blown sideways by beam winds (the main cause of problems when mooring stern-to).
Part two will be posted in about a week.
30 April 201 Charleston/Mt Pleasant – Dublin, GA – Dothan, AL – Pensacola, FL – Ft. Pickens National Park – Tallahassee, FL – Ocala, FL
t
We’re a few days too early for the Cooper River Bridge Run but today was our day to Get Over It.
We always jump at the chance to be front row center when Carroll Brown and “ensemble” perform. ‘Twas our good fortune to catch them at Dunleavey’s Irish Pub, Sullivan’s Island, SC. Sadly, prolly our last time to laugh, dance, and sing along with Carroll. This is one of our Charleston Swan Songs. Never to return. New adventures await.
Our Farewell to Charleston Brunch with my best buddy, Page’s Okra Grill, Mt. Pleasant, SC
We’ve been at Mt. Pleasant’s KOA for 2 1/2 weeks where we’ve observed families on Spring Break. We’ve seen children riding bikes and scooters; playing corn hole, tether ball, basketball, chase and tag! Loved seeing dads out playing with their children, teaching them how to build camp fires and the whole family sitting around the fire in the evening toasting marshmallows, laughing and talking. Reminded me of our camping trips when our children were little. My entire point of this saga is that not one single time did we see “devices” in these childrens’ hands and that was so refreshing and brought smiles to our faces. Loved it!!!!
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| Finally back in our home state known for its warmth and Sunshine
|
We arrived in Fort Pickens National Park Campground, Pensacola, FL, just in time for a late sunset. We’re here for my 60th Pensacola High School reunion this weekend.
Can’t wait to walk the beach in the morning as the sun comes up and then cycle the island. I was born and grew up on this spectacular Gulf beach and never will I ever be able to shake the sand from my shoes or tire of the fresh Gulf Breeze.
As promised, I got up at 5:30. What a marvelous and inspirational way to begin a day with solitude broken only by the cry of fishing seagulls and the crashing of the waves upon the shore. Pensacola Bay was just a short walk over a dune and I walked west down to the actual fort.
Hark! My ears detected familiar sound. It’s Wednesday and the day that the Blues practice. WOW!!! What a thrill to watch. One photo shows 4 little black dots which are the Blue Angels. Hope the video sort of does it justice. Maybe you can see their contrail and the little 4 dots.
Years ago we were adrift in the channel outside NAS on a Wednesday morning and had, what we considered, our own private Blue Angels performance. That is a sight forever indelibly etched in our memories. The sun was glinting off their bellies and that was absolutely exhilarating!! Saw some of their practice this morning but it wasn’t nearly as dramatic viewing from ashore as from afloat.
As if our beach walk along the Gulf and Bay weren’t enough, we took off on a 20-ish mile bike ride from the fort and east past Casino Beach. Our plans for tomorrow include a lot of calorie ingesting and walking Pensacola’s historic areas.
Today was to be a day of rest and forgetting our low carb eating plan. We succeeded in accomplishing number 2 with humongous bagels at Bagelheads with Tony and burritos with Emily at Cactus Flower. Somehow, we also walked 6 1/2 miles trying to get rid of the bagel AND burrito.
Back in my era, if your mind will allow you to think back that far, we locals teethed on Ft. Pickens, climbing all over the prison cells, turrets, batteries, loved going into Geronimo’s cell. He was the Apache Indian Chief. Now all that’s crumbling and cordoned off. “Those were the days, my friend, we thought they’d never end.”
And look at these azure waters right here in my home town. Why ever did we think we had to go to the Bahamas to enjoy blinding white sand and beautiful waters? To me this is just as beautiful as what we saw in the Caribbean. But that was just one more thing checked off our bucket list.
From my morning beach walk — I’ll never get enough of this sand in my shoes and Gulf waters coursing through my veins.
Night 1 of two of our 60th Pensacola High School at Pensacola Yacht Club. A great time was had by all.
Night 2 and the Grand Finale.
Sunday, “the morning after”, we had a wonderful brunch with Tony and Andy which coincided with a group from our reunion who were also Sacred Heart School of Nursing grads.
No trip to Pensacola is complete without at least one trip to Joe Patti’s. One night they steamed 2 pounds of large shrimp and we made quick work of every single one of them.
On our last day we met our friend, Tony, down town and he led us on an Old Pensacola Historic bike tour…and we even followed him over the Bayou Chico Bridge for lunch at Cook’s Kitchen, the #3 ranked restaurant in Southern Living.
Our last night there we just vegged, enjoying our final night in the beautiful National Park bounded by Pensacola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and reminiscing over the friends we’ve been with, the wonderful meals we’ve enjoyed, and our cycling efforts.
A bit of trivia—did you know Pensacola’s beautiful white sand is of quartz and came to us from TN during the Ice Age?
17 years I spent growing up on the Pensacola beaches but then I went away to college and every time I’d come home, the beach was in my cross hairs. After college I taught school in Ft. Walton Beach for 3 years and the activity was repeated—just in a different location. I think I took the splendor for granted because now I have a totally different appreciation for it. This morning, after 8 days of being out on Santa Rosa Island, we had to pry ourselves away as we head to Ocala to meet with our builder. BUT, before our leave-taking, I had to commune with the rising sun as I strolled the bay shore; took a detour up and over the Langdon Battery to see what I could see from atop; then walked the Gulf shore chatting with fishermen who were reeling in the Pompanos. Alas, it was time to heard east.
View of the Gulf from on top of the Langdon Battery
View of NAS from the top of the Battery
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| Farewell, Pensacola
Our initial meeting with our builder was scheduled at the end of the month so we’re back in Ocala by way of our state’s capital, Tallahassee. What an incredible day!! We met for an hour and a half with our builder and also our building superintendent. They’re a great team–fun, personable, and we’re looking forward to working with them. They took us out to our lot and explained what was what. After luncn we worked on our 10K steps. As we were strolling the neighborhood, numerous people not only spoke but several struck up conversations. The peerless happening occurred as we walked past a lady who was pruning her roses. She held out a rose for me; we chatted; we bade her adieu. This has been the tenor of Candler Hills residents that we’ve found each time we visit.
We now have an address!
We cast April aside on the 30th when 22 future Larkhill residents gathered to meet each other and get acquainted over cocktails and dinner. We’re going to be part of a fun neighborhood where the party has already begun.
Tomorrow we’re heading to Solomon’s, MD, to resume our cruising.
Bill and Laura
Ocala, FL
|
30 April 201 Charleston/Mt Pleasant – Dublin, GA – Dothan, AL – Pensacola, FL – Ft. Pickens National Park – Tallahassee, FL – Ocala, FL
t
We’re a few days too early for the Cooper River Bridge Run but today was our day to Get Over It.
We always jump at the chance to be front row center when Carroll Brown and “ensemble” perform. ‘Twas our good fortune to catch them at Dunleavey’s Irish Pub, Sullivan’s Island, SC. Sadly, prolly our last time to laugh, dance, and sing along with Carroll. This is one of our Charleston Swan Songs. Never to return. New adventures await.
Our Farewell to Charleston Brunch with my best buddy, Page’s Okra Grill, Mt. Pleasant, SC
We’ve been at Mt. Pleasant’s KOA for 2 1/2 weeks where we’ve observed families on Spring Break. We’ve seen children riding bikes and scooters; playing corn hole, tether ball, basketball, chase and tag! Loved seeing dads out playing with their children, teaching them how to build camp fires and the whole family sitting around the fire in the evening toasting marshmallows, laughing and talking. Reminded me of our camping trips when our children were little. My entire point of this saga is that not one single time did we see “devices” in these childrens’ hands and that was so refreshing and brought smiles to our faces. Loved it!!!!
|
| Finally back in our home state known for its warmth and Sunshine
|
We arrived in Fort Pickens National Park Campground, Pensacola, FL, just in time for a late sunset. We’re here for my 60th Pensacola High School reunion this weekend.
Can’t wait to walk the beach in the morning as the sun comes up and then cycle the island. I was born and grew up on this spectacular Gulf beach and never will I ever be able to shake the sand from my shoes or tire of the fresh Gulf Breeze.
As promised, I got up at 5:30. What a marvelous and inspirational way to begin a day with solitude broken only by the cry of fishing seagulls and the crashing of the waves upon the shore. Pensacola Bay was just a short walk over a dune and I walked west down to the actual fort.
Hark! My ears detected familiar sound. It’s Wednesday and the day that the Blues practice. WOW!!! What a thrill to watch. One photo shows 4 little black dots which are the Blue Angels. Hope the video sort of does it justice. Maybe you can see their contrail and the little 4 dots.
Years ago we were adrift in the channel outside NAS on a Wednesday morning and had, what we considered, our own private Blue Angels performance. That is a sight forever indelibly etched in our memories. The sun was glinting off their bellies and that was absolutely exhilarating!! Saw some of their practice this morning but it wasn’t nearly as dramatic viewing from ashore as from afloat.
As if our beach walk along the Gulf and Bay weren’t enough, we took off on a 20-ish mile bike ride from the fort and east past Casino Beach. Our plans for tomorrow include a lot of calorie ingesting and walking Pensacola’s historic areas.
Today was to be a day of rest and forgetting our low carb eating plan. We succeeded in accomplishing number 2 with humongous bagels at Bagelheads with Tony and burritos with Emily at Cactus Flower. Somehow, we also walked 6 1/2 miles trying to get rid of the bagel AND burrito.
Back in my era, if your mind will allow you to think back that far, we locals teethed on Ft. Pickens, climbing all over the prison cells, turrets, batteries, loved going into Geronimo’s cell. He was the Apache Indian Chief. Now all that’s crumbling and cordoned off. “Those were the days, my friend, we thought they’d never end.”
And look at these azure waters right here in my home town. Why ever did we think we had to go to the Bahamas to enjoy blinding white sand and beautiful waters? To me this is just as beautiful as what we saw in the Caribbean. But that was just one more thing checked off our bucket list.
From my morning beach walk — I’ll never get enough of this sand in my shoes and Gulf waters coursing through my veins.
Night 1 of two of our 60th Pensacola High School at Pensacola Yacht Club. A great time was had by all.
Night 2 and the Grand Finale.
Sunday, “the morning after”, we had a wonderful brunch with Tony and Andy which coincided with a group from our reunion who were also Sacred Heart School of Nursing grads.
No trip to Pensacola is complete without at least one trip to Joe Patti’s. One night they steamed 2 pounds of large shrimp and we made quick work of every single one of them.
On our last day we met our friend, Tony, down town and he led us on an Old Pensacola Historic bike tour…and we even followed him over the Bayou Chico Bridge for lunch at Cook’s Kitchen, the #3 ranked restaurant in Southern Living.
Our last night there we just vegged, enjoying our final night in the beautiful National Park bounded by Pensacola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and reminiscing over the friends we’ve been with, the wonderful meals we’ve enjoyed, and our cycling efforts.
A bit of trivia—did you know Pensacola’s beautiful white sand is of quartz and came to us from TN during the Ice Age?
17 years I spent growing up on the Pensacola beaches but then I went away to college and every time I’d come home, the beach was in my cross hairs. After college I taught school in Ft. Walton Beach for 3 years and the activity was repeated—just in a different location. I think I took the splendor for granted because now I have a totally different appreciation for it. This morning, after 8 days of being out on Santa Rosa Island, we had to pry ourselves away as we head to Ocala to meet with our builder. BUT, before our leave-taking, I had to commune with the rising sun as I strolled the bay shore; took a detour up and over the Langdon Battery to see what I could see from atop; then walked the Gulf shore chatting with fishermen who were reeling in the Pompanos. Alas, it was time to heard east.
View of the Gulf from on top of the Langdon Battery
View of NAS from the top of the Battery
|
| Farewell, Pensacola
Our initial meeting with our builder was scheduled at the end of the month so we’re back in Ocala by way of our state’s capital, Tallahassee. What an incredible day!! We met for an hour and a half with our builder and also our building superintendent. They’re a great team–fun, personable, and we’re looking forward to working with them. They took us out to our lot and explained what was what. After luncn we worked on our 10K steps. As we were strolling the neighborhood, numerous people not only spoke but several struck up conversations. The peerless happening occurred as we walked past a lady who was pruning her roses. She held out a rose for me; we chatted; we bade her adieu. This has been the tenor of Candler Hills residents that we’ve found each time we visit.
We now have an address!
We cast April aside on the 30th when 22 future Larkhill residents gathered to meet each other and get acquainted over cocktails and dinner. We’re going to be part of a fun neighborhood where the party has already begun.
Tomorrow we’re heading to Solomon’s, MD, to resume our cruising.
Bill and Laura
Ocala, FL
|
Rainy Days
On rainy days the crew misses going to the dog park. They use the time to catch up on their naps. It could be Dylan nuzzling with Dora.Or Dylan snuggled with Dee Dee.Or the trifecta with all three cuddled together. Now that’s some kinda sweet.
Wheels Up!
Yesterday and today I cleaned up the shed a bit. Got the uprights in
place to support the I-beam that’ll lift the engine up and into the
boat.
First step was getting the engine off the trailer. It spent the winter
there under a tarp. Doesn’t appear…
Wheels Up!
Yesterday and today I cleaned up the shed a bit. Got the uprights in place to support the I-beam that’ll lift the engine up and into the boat.First step was getting the engine off the trailer. It spent the winter there under a tarp. Doesn’t appear t…
Alaska 2018 Post 2 – Roche Harbor to False Creek
April 25, 2018
Boats arrived all day and by 1700 there were 26 Selene Trawlers in the marina. The day started off a little cool, but by afternoon it was downright hot. A group of us staged a surprise birthday party for Frank Montgomery on Spirit, with three types of pasta, salads, brownies and plenty of great wine.
April 26, 2018
Today was the “Selene University”, an all-day class on basic electricity for boats. The session was well attended and that evening many of the owners showed up at McMillin’s restaurant for excellent food and drink. One of the activities at the Rendezvous is a photo contest with several categories including a “Name That Port”. We decided to enter the attached picture from dinner, called Name That Pork, from the garnishes on the Pig War Martini.
April 27, 2018
Today’s activities included seminars such as Nobeltec Time Zero software, Marine Communications and how to transit the West Coast in a Selene. These were followed by a potluck in the evening.
April 28, 2018
More seminars, then a wine tasting lunch where we learned how to identify the various wine aromas, flavors, bouquets, etc. There was a “Trawler Crawl” in the late afternoon to see what other owners had done for customization. The evening was capped off with a banquet and prizes for each boat.
April 29, 2018
At 0600 we cast off the lines before it was fully light and headed for Vancouver and our slip at False Creek’s Quayside Marina. We took a close look at Patos Island before heading out into the Straits of Georgia past Point Roberts, Sand Head and finally into False Creek. Spirit arrived at the Customs Dock at 1353, but we had to wait until 1515 before leaving. By 1535 we were tied up at Quayside Marina after a nearly flat 60 nautical mile crossing.
