Mike and Beth's Adventures

August was a short cruising month for Amy Marie.  She was treated to a spa treatment at CSR South Boat Yard in Des Moines while we attended family events.  Beth headed to San Diego and Santa Rosa California and I headed to Colorado.  We reunited with Amy Marie in mid-August.  During her "spa" visit she had damaged gel coat areas repaired, heat exchangers serviced and a full exterior buff and polish.  She looked quite jaunty and proud of herself when we returned! As we planned to attend the annual PNW Ranger Tug Rendezvous in Roche Harbor in early September, we started meandering that direction.  This gave us an opportunity to re-visit some favorite destinations as well as explore some new ports of call. Eagle Harbor, Bainbridge Island Our first stop was Eagle Harbor.  Why?  It has a great grocery store and it is fun to walk and explore.  Town and Country Market is very close to the public dock, so a good location to perform a major resupply....

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...

Sidney Spit is a curving fine grained sand beach on the north end of Sidney Island.  It is maintained by Parks Canada and offers mooring balls, a dock and campsites on land.  The town of Sidney is two miles to the west.  This closeness to Sidney makes it a popular destination for a all watercraft.  It is enjoyed on both daytrips as well as overnight stays.  On summer weekends, a ferry provides access to the island.  We chose a mooring ball, $14/night, and dinghied to shore to hike the perimeter of the park.  We also saw many boats on anchor.  Anchoring is free but is discouraged to preserve the eel grass habitat on the sea floor.  Travelers must be self-contained as there is no water, pump-out, or power available. The public dock at Sidney Spit Amy Marie tie to a mooring ball with the sandy beach in the background   The views from our mooring were wonderful.  We watched a Norwegian Cruise ship transit the channel on the far side...