Solar in the Rain, Clearances, Wiggling, and a Jeff Foxworthy reference.

Will the Sun ever go away?  I have been trying to manually capture the performance of our new Solar Panels on a cloudy day – and despite a few good starts it seems no matter what - we can NOT get a fully-cloudy day!  Oh Well, guess will just have to wait until I dig out that USB -to- RS-232 adapter from the Starboard V-Berth and enable the controllers data logging capability.  Until then will just pass on:  We have been stationary for 3 days now and the Link-10 shows we are down 236 Ah.  Based on that will say that the panels have been providing about 2/3 of our energy needs during these ‘Cloudy’ days.






As we are stationary for a while, I took the opportunity to check and adjust the valve clearance on our Cummins.  It really is not that hard – all those years growing up with Motorcycles gave me lots of practice.  Kristi was busy with photos, and before you ask – never mind what is behind the Duck. . . .












Moving on, - here is our 1st attempt at Video postings.  These Girls came aboard as part of last weekends festivities and have been busy wiggling away ever since.  One really needs to see the motion, as photos do not cut it.

And finally, Viking Star is 50 years old.  Built back when Weather Stripping was not really a concern.  Besides with that extra hot Dickinson having lots of cool air is a plus!  Now, question for  you:  If we live in a place where we use Blue Tape for Weather stripping, might we be considered a Red Neck?  (Or, do we need to use Camo Duct-tape instead???)

On the Mud

Yesterday was the lowest tide of the year.  And for 45 minutes to an hour, Viking Star settled on the mud.  We knew almost immediately.  It was a weird sensation to us to have a wind gust, and the boat remain stationary.

The ramp is nearly a ladder!

Al poled the water, and it is confirmed -- we draw 4' 6" before we touch bottom

The closest this ramp gets to vertical!  It felt a bit like rock climbing, using hand-over-hand on one rail to pull myself up, and let myself down!

Lots of mud all around

There IS another park dock around the corner, and this morning a sailboat that had been there left.  We have moved around and should keep floating today!

Last night we got a nice break from the boat when fellow Cascadians Pamela and Cliff invited us to their home for dinner.  They live on the Key Peninsula, and drove around to Jarrell Cove to pick us up, and Skip from Slow Flight.  A trip to the grocery store was much appreciated!  

(A stop at the liquor store gave us a shock!  WOW! The last bottle of Jameson we bought was $54.95 in Friday Harbor.  Shelf price yesterday was $70.  And when we got to the checkout, we were told that doesn't include tax, OR the liter tax, OR the sales tax......totaled up would make it nearly $100!!!  We abandoned our purchase, and we will be stocking up in Oregon!  Sorry Washington, we did NOT vote for this initiative.)

To end on a much more pleasant note:  here are a couple of views from Pam and Cliff's home, overlooking the Case Inlet.

From the living room, toward Jarrell Cove on Pickering Passage

Big Swings!

We have been paying close attention to our Captn Jack's Tide & Current Almanac these days.

Information from Appendix D tells us that there are three astronomical events that work to increase tide ranges and the speed of currents.

During the New or Full Moon, the gravitational forces of the sun and moon work together, called spring tides.  When the moon is in Perigee, the point in it's orbit where it is closest to the Earth, gravitational influences are increased.  And when the moon is the farthest north or south of the equator, the difference between high and low tides is at a maximum.

On Sunday June 3 the moon was in Perigee.  On Monday June 4, we had a Full Moon, AND it was the farthest south of the equator.  These three events, together, have created a HUGE tide range, and ripping currents.

Today in Olympia, a minus 4.1 low tide is at 1:03 pm, and the 15.9 foot high tide will occur at 8:17.  That is a swing of TWENTY FEET!

(Tide ranges are larger in the South Sound than they were in the San Juans.  Best mental picture I can come up with...have you ever carried a pan of water, and observed how the water kind of 'piles up' at the edge, until you correct?  Olympia is at the 'edge' of the Puget Sound.)

Yesterday's tide range was not far different from today's.  We arrived at Jarrell Cove State Park on Harstine Island at about an hour after low tide, already beginning the ride up.   I took a series of photos, and repeated again at high tide.  It's fun to compare:

Friends

There HAD to have been a reason Al miscounted and paid for three nights of moorage at Longbranch insead of two.  Saturday evening we got the answer with a text from friends who were in Washington for a wedding and checking the possibility of 'stopping by' for a visit on their way home!

All worked out, and good friends Dave and Patti Rose arrived with fresh cherries and a fabulous bottle of wine to share (Red Decadence, made with a dark chocolate flavoring, YUM!).

We had a good visit for a couple of hours, and even commented how, if not for the clouds, we would have a direct view of Mt. Rainier.  A couple of hours later, the clouds lifted JUST enough to show the mountain at sunset.

Dave and Patti promise to return again, and to stay longer.  They are adventurous types who can be flexible to our 'unplanned' and changeable locations.  It was so nice to have friends 'stop by'!!

Costs for May

Almost 1 year!  Next month will do a one-year review, and do some comparisons to other cruisers as well.  Have been peeking a little, and some is interesting.  Core questions like:  How can you afford to cruise in a POWER BOAT???   How can you afford to cruise in that really costly to maintain WOOD BOAT!!!!  As most cruisers tend to be in Mexico or such, is interesting to look at Food, Medical Costs, Communication, etc.   Stay tuned, and let’s all be prepared to put our Assumptions aside.

Back to May.  As predicted we had some large ticket items.  310 gallons of Fuel, and we did purchase those Solar panels – all told putting us over the $5,000 mark!  Awk!  Groceries continue to trend higher, and in talking with the checkout clerk in Anacortes – yes:  Groceries have seen a noticeable price rise over the past few months.  ($4 gas??) Personal reflects Kristi did some stocking up on all those Girly Creams she so loves.  I guess I have to admit I do as well – both for how one got rid of the rough spots on my elbows, and how they make Kristi happy and keep her nice and soft which makes me happy.  Medical contains not only the monthly insurance, but also yet another part of our “included” yearly Checkup that the medical insurance found a way to decline. Oh Well.

Will talk a bit about Fuel usage in another post -  looking back at overall energy usage for the past year and comparing it to a prior post on the like topic.  Communication again reflected a bit of the iDEN phone usage, this should slow down as we are now in the South Sound where Verizon coverage is more complete.

Not much more to really talk about, we seems to be stabilizing on most cost fronts.

Cascadia Sailing Association's South Sound Sail-In 1012

This is a FUN group of people!  Usually I tend to be a bit shy in groups, or in new situations, but this group won't LET you be shy.  And a few glasses of wine helps too...

Boats arriving to the Sail-In are greeted (harassed?) by all who have already arrived.  Each boat was to radio in and announce their arrival, retrieve an item from a crab pot in the bay, then dock without assistance -- being judged at all times!

Conch shell, whistles, horns and heckling was greatly encouraged to distract during the docking process.  Even Mo added his voice to the din!

Much socializing and boat visiting was done, but the big event was the pot-luck luau Saturday evening.  Here are Al and I arriving with the solar-powered hula girls each person received at check-in.  How fortunate that they coordinated with our outfits!

Viking Star won the prize for arrival and docking!  (The judge welcomed bribes, and it helps to pay attention when he says he prefers WHITE wine.  Also, he appreciated the little sarong skirt I wore for arrival.)

Tami AKA 'Natural Ukelele Talent or N.U.T. led a sing-along.  It was great to see the almost universal participation in this group.

There was a hula performance, complete with rehearsal earlier in the afternoon.  At least one person from each boat was required to participate.  Carolyn on the left was declared the winner, but Jim and Steve did their best to steal the show!

Nana Elizabeth does the ama ama hand motions with granddaughter Autum.

Pamela presides the festivities with the conch shell she caught, cooked, ate, and drilled for a horn herself.

Skip was the docking judge, and just for this weekend, the brother of Pamela (a ruse that we fell for hook, line, and sinker).

Thank you, Cascadians, for a wonderful weekend!  And for lots of advice for travelling the South Sound the next couple of months!

Perspectives of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge

We are travelling to Longbranch, in Filucy Bay, for the Cascadia Sailing Association's South Sound Sail-In.
Our Cascadia burgee flies proudly.

We are a little disappointed that the new bridge alongside the original was not designed to match.

Made it!  Currents can be swift, and you MUST consult  the tide and current tables....the slack was  just right for our schedule today.

Our directions to Filucy Bay are:  go through the Narrows Bridge, take the third right, and go straight ahead....