The Final Lap

It's almost time. In just over a week, we'll make the big left turn out of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and start heading south toward Mexico. We've given the boat a pretty good shake down during the last 6 weeks and we are nearing the end of our time in the great Pacific Northwest. But before we go, we have a couple of our good friends from Bend, Oregon who have joined us for a week on the boat and for one final lap of the San Juan Islands.

The last handful of weeks of sailing around the islands have been a bit of a whirlwind for us. Not only have we been working like crazy on the boat, trying to get last minute projects and improvements completed, we've also been doing our best to just have some fun. Fun is what this whole thing is supposed to be about after all.

Both Brenda and I sometimes have a one track mind and can't seem to look past our endless list of projects. We tend to get fixated on completing tasks and disregard the whole point of why we have worked so hard to get here. We forget that cruising is supposed to be enjoyable. Sometimes it's hard to remember that simple fact when the head breaks, leaks show up that weren't there yesterday, and when some random doo-hickey quits working for no apparent reason.

I recently had someone tell me, “You must really love working on your boat because you're doing it all the time.” Uh, no. I love it when things work. And to keep a boat working, you've got to keep working on it. It's a simple equation. A working boat = working on your boat. Yep, I'm pretty sure that's math and I'm pretty sure the math checks out.

The good news though, is that the vast majority of our projects are done, the boat is working like it's supposed to, and we've sailed the bejeezus out of her in the last 6 weeks. We've even sailed through a surprise gale that hit us as we were crossing Rosario Strait. And what do you know, our new mast is still standing, we remembered what to do when the wind pipes up, and we even enjoyed the ride. Yep, cruising can be pretty fun...even when the wind is ripping and waves are washing over the deck.

For the next few days, we'll finish out our time in the San Juan Islands with our good friends from Bend, Oregon. We've been lucky enough to have them with us for a few days already and even luckier that we get them for a few days more. We are making one last lap and trying to squeeze in some of our favorite places before we are gone for good.

From the San Juan Islands, we'll cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca and spend a few days anchored in Sequim bay where we'll wait for a weather window to head down the coast and we'll make one last provisioning run to Costco to stock up on the most important food this boat carries...snacks (cheezits for me and potato chips for Brenda). We'll get all loose items stowed, lashed, and stashed, and prepare the boat for going offshore. We'll fill up with fuel and water, and most importantly, we'll spend a few days with my Mom.

Not only is it important to spend some time with my Mommy because I love her (yes I am a total mamma's boy), she is bringing us our brand spanking new life raft and various other last minute essential boat parts that we had shipped to her house. Thanks Mom, you're the best.

Before I end this bit of rambling, I have one last thing to say. A handful of weeks ago, when we put our boat back in the water after 10 months in the boat yard, I made a comment about how Brenda and I got us to this point on our own so it was only fitting that we were on our own as we pulled away from the dock in Anacortes. I've thought about that statement a lot in the last handful of weeks. I would like to retract that statement.

Sure, we had the dream and we put in the vast majority of the effort, but if I look at how we got here, there were lot's of helping hands along the way. Family and friends put us up and took us into their homes when we were working on the boat and the boat was unlivable, cars were loaned to us after we sold everything we owned, we have been fed, needed boat parts have been delivered from great distances, and we have had more offers of help than I can shake a stick at. But more than anything, we've had a great support team that gave us smiles, hugs, and words of encouragement that helped us to keep pressing forward when the going got tough. I'm pretty sure that's what a team is for. To keep us moving forward. Thanks team.

The big reason I keep this blog going and why we have started the video series (other than for my own amusement) is because we really do wish our team was out here with us every step of the way. It's the only way I have figured out how to bring you along for the ride. Since the blog and videos are for you (and again, for my amusement), let me know if there is anything you would like to see or hear about. You can leave a comment down below, send us an email, or if you have our satellite number, send us a text while we are bobbing around in the middle of the Pacific on our way down the coast. We'd love to hear from you on our 3 am watch while we are fighting to stay awake.


So that's that. We are almost out of here. We are so close I can almost taste the tacos in Mexico.   

The view from our home for the night in Echo Bay.  I will miss the Northwest when we are gone.

Brenda and Gigi are obviously talking about their rough day and also about how great their husbands are.  

Our good friends Marcus and Gigi checking out the sunset.

Heading out to check the crab pots with my good friend John



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