The original plan was to help mom unwinterize the house and head out on the boat for a mid winter cruise.
We headed up I-5 in snow showers, caught the same ferry as mom and settled in on the ferry marking our Oscar ballots in preparation for small impromptu Oscar party later that evening. We thought it might help ease the transition back to empty house – the ever present reminder that Dad wasn’t there.
Arrival at the house was uneventful and in short order the water system was charged and all systems restored after a months absence.
Jodi made a great sausage pasta dinner and we watched the Oscar's unfold. Collectively we turned out to be lousy at Oscar predictions. While mom and Jodi nailed the best picture category I eked out the win with the most right (or least wrong) guesses.
Sunday night the wind howled. Straight out of the northeast, the house was slammed by 30 knot winds with higher gusts. None of us slept very well, but the Monday morning sunrise was more peaceful.
Monday was a bittersweet day. It would have been Dads 84th birthday. We had a couple of cinnamon rolls (his favorite) in his honor.
Shortly after breakfast we decided to climb Young's Hill and give the dogs and ourselves a brief workout. Mom was game and charged up the hill without complaint. Not bad for a woman who next year will turn 80.
All morning we had been texting back and forth with Tom and Tessa. We were going to cruise with them, but the weather forecast was dim and getting dimmer. Strong winter gales were forecasted to sweep through the area. The National Weather Service had dire “GALE WARNINGS” in big red font. Tom and Tessa informed us that they were bailing and wouldn’t be coming up. Jodi and I formulated a ‘plan B’, but then to our surprise they again revised their plans and undaunted and they caught a ferry off Bainbridge and headed north.
Jodi, mom and I had a pleasant dinner at the Cask and Schooner while Tom and Tessa uncovered a couple of unpleasant surprises as the splashed their boat in Anacortes. Their fresh water system had a cracked filter, but they surmounted their problems and steamed towards Rosario under starry skies. We'd join them in the morning, using a forecasted gap between weather systems.
We’d have to get an early start to get to Rosario and secure the boat prior to the wind arriving.
We left a little later than I had planned and the winds arrived a little earlier than anticipated. We took some spray over the bow in San Juan Channel with the wind blowing 20 to 25 knots. The windshield wipers did a good job smearing the seawater across the windshield (gotta replace the things). Once in the lee of Lopez Island things were civil until we approached Rosario. By that time we were running with the wind at about 7 knots. The wind, blowing from astern, was showing 23 knots on the anemometer. 23 knots plus 7 equals a 30 knot winds right on the stern as we headed towards the small set of docks. As we approached Rosario the seas began to build and we began to surf down the front of 4 foot waves. This was going to be interesting. We surfed into Rosario’s small moorage, most of which is tucked behind a small breakwater. The end docks were largely unprotected, bouncing wildly with the waves. Jodi had all fenders down and the lines ready. We skidded CAMBRIA into a tight 90 degree port turn to squeeze behind the docks. 30 knots of wind now on the beam pushing us towards the rocks. More power then another 90 degree turn to align with the finger pier. Tom and Tessa were there to catch the lines. I squared the boat up and then it was up to the line handlers to complete the landing. It turned out just fine, but ‘exciting’ isn’t the word you want to use when you land a 16 ton boat.
Once landed we again checked out the grounds around Rosario. Looks like major improvements are being made – lots of construction and they are redoing the swimming pool.
Jodi and I opted for a hike up to Cascade lake the joined Tom and Tessa in the hot tub. Appetizers followed on Docktails then Jodi made a terrific Pasta dish on Cambria.
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