September PNW Cruise: Be Back Soon

Our visit to the Pacific Northwest is drawing to a close.  We did our final cruises on Labor Day weekend.  We hosted Beth's brother and his wife for a day cruise up the east side of Camano Island.  The day was calm but completely devoid of any marine mammals.  We were hoping to encounter some whales or porpoises.  They all stayed at home.  Still it was fun to cruise the verdant and log filled shore line.  We saw some good beaches where it would be fun to anchor offshore and dinghy into the beach for a picnic or a visit.  Due to pandemic quarantining, we had not seen each other face to face for many months, so it was wonderful to have this time to re-connect and catch up.

The following day we took the grandkids and their parents out salmon fishing and crabbing.  We set out on this expedition late morning on a strong ebb tide.  As soon as we exited the marina, the combination of the downstream current in the Snohomish River and the ebbing current rushed us to the sea. 

Adam brought one crab pot, which we dropped in 60 feet of water a couple of miles south of the marina.  He had brightly colored floats attached so we could identify it when we returned.  I also set a waypoint on our chartplotter so we could navigate back to its location later in the day.  We then scanned the horizon to see where the sport fishing boats were heading in pursuit of salmon.  Few stopped where we dropped the crab trap.  Boats zipped by, heading south beyond Mukilteo.  Following their wakes we saw their destination was not far away.

The spot where the fisherman were gathering was called "humpy hollow", according to one local to whom we talked.  Humpy's are humpback or pink salmon.  This time of year they are gathering in the sound, prior to beginning their migration up the rivers to spawn.  Humpy Hollow didn't disappoint.  We quickly caught 3 salmon.  One threw off the hook so we were left with two.  Adam caught the first and then Alex caught the next two, including the one that got away.  The boys were grinning from ear to ear.  We thought two was plenty, given their size so headed back to check the crab trap.

The trap had been down about three hours.  Adam baited it with chicken parts.  When we pulled it, it was full of crab, easily a dozen or more.  These then needed to be sorted and the female and undersized crab returned to the sea.  

After sorting we had two Dungeness crab to take home.  These in combination with the two salmon would ensure several good meals for the all.  We were all excited with the bounty the sea shared that day.  Adam was no doubt the happiest.  We were happy to host the gang on board so they could enjoy a day on the water.  

We have thoroughly enjoyed our Pacific Northwest summer of exploration and discovery.  Once we complete our Great Loop trip we will return to the PNW.  In our time here, we have enjoyed only a small sample of what this area had to offer.  We look forward to returning and finding new coves, anchorages, quaint towns, and abundant sea life to enjoy.