JUMP TO PORT TOWNSEND

This morning I went into Friday Harbour town to get a US sim card for my phone, only to find the shop didn’t open until ten.  It was perishing cold and I could not wait around and risk hyperthermia.  Back to the boat and cast off to head a bit further south with the tide.  I was wearing long johns and gloves today – it was so cold.

We made great time from Friday Harbour down the San Juan Channel and shot out the southern end at ten knots amid over falls, whirlpools, tide rips, seabirds and seals.  The south going tide was ripping out at about three and a half knots so I swung into Mackaye Harbour and anchored for lunch and waited for the tide to slacken.

After lunch the wind increased from the south, yes the direction I wanted to go.  The forecast for the next two days is not good so I decided to tack across the towards Port Townsend.  The wind grew stronger and colder, I added layers and finished up with full foul weather gear on to try and keep warm.  After a bit of a struggle we finally made Port Townsend at six thirty in the evening.  By this time the wind was so strong berthing in the marina was going to be a challenge. 

I could not find my allocated berth and ended up alongside the boat ramp berth.  I didn’t have a choice, Truce decided she was going alongside and in the wind there was nothing either myself or Mr. Yanmar could do to prevent it.  We had a sort of controlled crash landing and I deftly hopped ashore to throw a line around a cleat, luckily the line held and Truce came to a stop.

After so much excitement I decided to head ashore and seek refreshment, just up the road I found the Pourhouse.   Bar with live music, proper ale and Wi-Fi.  Suitably refreshed and warm I returned to Truce about nine and as the wind had reduced, moved her to the allocated berth.  Just in time as it turned out, the wind has returned again, blowing about thirty knots.

Sunday tomorrow, day of rest.  The spray we shipped on the way across from Mackaye Harbour has cleaned up the decks nicely.  I will get around to properly cleaning up the can of condensed milk that ended up on the cabin floor during one of our more boisterous moments this afternoon.