Off and away

Departing Saltspring

Raising the US courtesy flag

We  have made it all the way to Port Angeles, next stop is Neah Bay at the mouth of the straight of Juan de Fuca.  We left Saltspring as planned on Aug 16^th, with a lovely send off from the Saltspring Sailing Club.  First stop Roche Harbour, San Juan Island, where we checked in and got our cruising license.  We are now required to check in with Homeland Security at each port we arrive at in US waters.

A wonderful sailing day across the straight of Juan de Fuca

In the Ballard Locks, the boat on the left is one of the ones
that had to fend us off!

We met up with our friend Marshall in Friday Harbour and then spent two days getting to Seattle, where we had our first experience going through locks.  It was a little tense as it was a completely unfamiliar event and the lock was full and there was lots of current pushing us around.  We came close to hitting two boats but luckily they were able to fend us off!  The return trip to the sea two days later was much calmer and controlled and we didn’t come close to hitting any one!  Thank god for small victories. 

Marshalls boat Tenacity in the Ballard Lock with his crew Rip Knot on the bow.

We have already met four boats that are heading on the same route as we are.  One in the locks of Seattle, and three in Port Angeles, one of them being a young man who arrived here at the same time we did in his Kayak.  He paddled across the straight from Victoria yesterday and is working his way south to Mexico.  He is paddling to Mexico to raise money to send underpriveledged children to wilderness camps.   I have not looked at his website yet but its www.wildimageproject.com

I am hoping  the next post will be SanFrancisco.