Monday, September 9, 2013

#2013-69 Westbound Out Juan de Fuca to Neah Bay

Good Morning! It's densely foggy this morning here in Puget Sound at the eastern end of Juan de Fuca  Strait.  We successfully dodged a dozen boats anchored just outside Port Townsend and made it around Point Wilson. Visibility is less than a hundred yards and the foggy air blends with the sea color limiting any chance of detecting the horizon. Plus we're unable to fall asleep because every 3 minutes our incredibly loud fog horn, on automatic, blasts out all around us.
No horizon this morning.
Yesterday we had a nice cruise up Admiralty inlet, through the Port Townsend canal and then to the Port Townsend Boat Haven. The wind was light,  the sea was calm and the current was in our favor. Dick arranged for an excellent dinner at a local restaurant with his cousin Sharon Squire one of the few family Squires that remain on the west coast.

Rogue followed us up the Sound and passed us just before the Canal.
Moored in the Port Townsend Boat Haven.
Today we expect to make Neah Bay later in the afternoon.  Were hoping the fog will a eventually lift but it does seem to be getting even more dense here.

This mornings www.MarineTraffic.com screen shot headed west in the Strait.
11 am Update: we just passed port angeles which has reduced the Ship traffic.  The fog is still thick although visibility seems to be a bit closer to 200 yards.  Seas are anywhere from three to five feet in about 10 second intervals with the current boosting us farther out the Strait, its going to push the Seas closer together making for not the most comfortable ride. Later.

1 pm update: So exactly the opposite conditions occurred from what i predicted at 11 a.m.  The current continued to build and pushed us at about 2 knots but the Seas have flattened.  And now we expect to make Neah Bay at 4 p.m.

The fog is still very thick. A short time ago we came across a radar target just one-quarter mile on the bow. we blew the fog horn to warn the small boat.  Fortunately or unfortunately in this case, the Selenes have a very loud and LARGE sounding horn.   Our blast,  caught the small sportsfisherman off guard and he immediately pulled up his lines and was cranking his main engine just as we popped out of the fog. We easily turned to avoid him but I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant thrill. Later

9pm update:  Its Gentleman Jim for Dick and Weisers for Alex snug in Makah Marina, a 60-foot boat in a 50-foot slip.  Dined at WarmHouse Restaurant, not recommended. Rise tomorrow at 4am to round the Northwest corner of the Continental US.  Well not exactly as we plan to shoot through "hole in the wall" going inside Tatoosh Island so technically won't be rounding the corner.  Should be fun in the dark and fog.  Tomorrow.

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