Mike and Beth's Adventures

I am always a bit sad when our time in the PNW draws to a close.  Each visit is amazing.  Maybe I feel this way because of the grandeur of the experience.  One never knows when or if you will again visit.  It is like saying goodbye to an old friend who lives far away, hence there is uncertainty about future time together.  The PNW experience invokes strong emotions, feelings and thoughts.  It is beautiful in its stature and harmonious in its vastness.  It is the kind of emotion that feeds the soul.  You do not want it to end.  Being in nature reminds you that there is a rhythm to life that is simplifying in that it strips away the unnecessary chaos which waits to assault upon return to “civilization”.  Perhaps my reluctance to leave is procrastination.  I like the simple rhythm and want to delay the tenseness and harshness that accompanies chaos.  Perhaps this all boils down to the fact that I like being on vacation and the sim...

Every boater dreads the day their trusty diesel quits singing its sweet tune.  We experienced this once before in a boat with twin diesels.  Much less drama as you can easily travel on a single engine.  Amy Marie is equipped with one diesel, any unexpected stoppage is cause for concern.  Especially when you are in the middle of a bay in Desolation Sound with eight hundred feet of water under the keel.  You can't just drop the anchor and begin troubleshooting.  You drift at the whim of the currents and wind. Once a diesel is running, only one thing will cause it to cease operation.  That is the lack of fuel.  Combustion occurs as the piston compresses air to a temperature sufficient to ignite the diesel fuel that is injected into the combustion chamber.  Our task was to discover why the engine was experiencing fuel starvation.  The most common reason is contaminated fuel which can cause fuel filters to become clogged and prevent fuel from...

Refuge Cove is exactly as its name suggests.  It is a refuge from weather and a place to recharge and provision.  There are only a couple of spots in Desolation Sounds at which you can accomplish these tasks. As there are no roads in this region, all supplies arrive via boat or plane.  Knowing this, you will have the best selection immediately following the arrival of the re-supply boat.  The facility is managed by a resident Coop of twenty-two families.  During the boating season they rotate through a portion of the positions with other staffers being seasonal workers.  All were extremely helpful and friendly.   A navigation aide marks the entrance to Refuge Cove.   We berthed with our bow facing out.  This orientation allows an easy departure. Beth points out the signpost offering direction information... This is the fanciest book exchange we've seen at any marina. It was like a small library! The view out over the docks. All was ...