{"id":6744,"date":"2022-05-24T21:40:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-25T04:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?p=6744"},"modified":"2022-05-25T13:47:59","modified_gmt":"2022-05-25T20:47:59","slug":"a-cruise-to-sucia-and-stuart-islands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?p=6744","title":{"rendered":"A Cruise to Sucia and Stuart Islands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This past weekend we finally untied the docklines and headed off to cruise in the San Juan Islands.  Our original plan was to venture off with 5 other boats of friends from the Friday Harbor Sailing Club and transit the fearsome Deception Pass with its terrifiying tidal whirlpools and then seek gray whales that spend time in the spring east of Whidbey Island.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even the weather tried to keep us homebound.  Here is the scene outside our window on Haro Strait on Wednesday last week with our cruise to start Thursday morning.  Click on the image of a short moving movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"ose-vimeo ose-uid-17d6d404d8b4e337d827ca3d7e498fd7 ose-embedpress-responsive\" style=\"width:600px; height:550px; max-height:550px; max-width:100%; display:inline-block;\" data-embed-type=\"Vimeo\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" title=\"wavesLo.mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/711734939?dnt=0&amp;app_id=122963&title=0&color=00ADEF&byline=0&portrait=0&autoplay=0&loop=0&autopause=0\" width=\"600\" height=\"550\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"encrypted-media;accelerometer;autoplay;clipboard-write;gyroscope;picture-in-picture fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As Bobby Burns so aptly said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>The best-laid schemes o\u2019 Mice an\u2019 Men<br>Gang aft agley,<br>An\u2019 lea\u2019e us nought but grief an\u2019 pain,<br>For promis\u2019d joy!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it was to be for our fine friends with engine problems and jobs and health and Covid all winnowing our group down and down.  In the end, it was decided to go off to Sucia island with one other boat.  We would not die in whirlpools or of Covid caught in restaurants and shops and the weather gods gave us a first hint of coming summer with light winds and bright sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_180601727-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6754\" width=\"840\" height=\"631\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_180601727-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_180601727-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_180601727-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_180601727-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_180601727-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption>Strong current sweeping us past Waldron Island<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Leslie and Val, on Cat&#8217;s Cradle, were joined at Sucia Island by Stefan and Georgia in Talpa here shown in reflecting glory at anchor in Fossil Bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_030638313-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6773\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_030638313-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_030638313-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_030638313-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_030638313-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_030638313-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"6758\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_173148356-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6758\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_173148356-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_173148356-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_173148356-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_173148356-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_173148356-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"6755\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175935672-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175935672-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175935672-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175935672-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175935672-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175935672-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"6756\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175959856-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175959856-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175959856-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175959856-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175959856-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220520_175959856-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption\">Sandstone blocks were mined on Sucia in the 19th century by hand drilling holes and hammering iron &#8216;feathers&#8217; in to split blocks out of the cliffs.  Blocks were then cantilevered into waiting sailing ships.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We had some lovely walks and group dinners outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n\n\n\n<p>And enjoyed calm nights.<\/p>\n\n\n\nngg_shortcode_1_placeholder\n\n\n\n<p>Here was an oddity. Val tightened up the line attaching to two bows of our catamaran to the mooring buoy so the buoy wouldn&#8217;t bang into the boat in the light winds. Late in the day, as the tide was rising, the boat started making occasional loud complaining noises.  After a hunt, we discovered that the State Park mooring buoy was way down underwater and trying to take Cat&#8217;s Cradle with it.  We loosened the lines and went to sleep.  In the morning, as the tide was dropping, the mooring buoy came up for air, so to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"6774\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_040859776-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6774\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_040859776-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_040859776-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_040859776-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_040859776-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_040859776-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"6775\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_154049527-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6775\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_154049527-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_154049527-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_154049527-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_154049527-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PXL_20220521_154049527-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Then we motored (still no wind) off to Stuart Island where we ran into Sam and Sandy and Natalie sailing on Salmon Sandy II, their 42 foot Westsail with its motor now working.<\/p>\n\n\n\nngg_shortcode_2_placeholder\n\n\n\n<p>We all had a nice walk through the woods up to the one room schoolhouse and on to where we did not see the yaks.  Have they escaped?<\/p>\n\n\n\nngg_shortcode_3_placeholder\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This past weekend we finally untied the docklines and headed off to cruise in the San Juan Islands. Our original plan was to venture off with 5 other boats of friends from the Friday Harbor Sailing Club and transit the fearsome Deception Pass with its terrifiying tidal whirlpools and then seek gray whales that spend [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6773,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pacific-northwest-sailing","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6744"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6744\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6791,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6744\/revisions\/6791"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}