Category: 2019 in the Puget Sound

Our first year living on a sailboat. We left Bellingham, Washington June 1, 2019 after two months of stationary life outfitting Meriwether to spend the season sailing around the Puget Sound.

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Becoming full time sailors

Friday afternoon, with only hours left on our slip rental, we untied from the docks and slid out of the marina into open waters. By this time in our sailing life we were feeling like this act was routine – the motor out of the marina – but once the sails went up everything changed. This would mark the first...

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Dragging anchor

In my last post I mentioned another boat – a tug type – already in the cove when we arrived to Inati Bay. He was anchored directly in the center of the bay on only a bow anchor. This is a well known place. It is well documented. Many people come out from nearby places to relax or play in...

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Gunkholing Inati Bay

Our first full week living at sea was spent only a few miles from our launch point. Inati Bay was an ideal location to shakedown the whole living on a boat in the wild thing. It was small, surrounded by nature, offered good protection, and most importantly only an hour’s sail (or motor) from a major marina if we found...

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Anacortes

We left Inati Bay after slightly more then a week there. We would head South to Anacortes for a couple day stay to resupply the fridge (already, I know) and get a few more items from a marine store for projects we came up with while at anchor during our first week. It wasn’t going to be the best day...

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Eagle Harbor

Not only was it a quick jump to our next destination it would all be done under motor-power. Eagle HarborĀ on Cypress Island, only 7 miles to our north, was to be our home for the week. The write-ups in the books put it at the top of our list, even with the warnings about being open to some winds. No...

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Clark Island

Happily leaving Eagle Harbor, we only had 7 miles planned for the day. A nice straight line connected us to our next destination – Clark Island Marine State Park. With the dinghy in tow for the trip, we set out to cross our first big shipping lane to get there. The wind slept in that day, leaving us to motor...

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Sucia Island – Shallow Bay

We heard about Sucia Island just before we started our adventure a month ago. Looking at it on a map it appeared to be an amazing playground for sailing nomads with numerous anchorages, camp sites galore, and a good helping of hiking trails on land. A month prior I was seriously looking forward to Sucia Island as our first true...

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Sucia Island – Echo Bay

Echo Bay is the largest bay on Sucia Island, with room for many dozens of boats. The decision was made to anchor in Echo Bay instead of taking up a mooring ball for better nights of sleep. Plus, there is a three day limit on a ball, so we would have had to move mid-week anyway. It is just easier...

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The tales of a resupply trip

In my last post I mentioned that we came to the mainland for a couple days to resupply. This is our second resupply since going full time sailing, and we are learning how better to do it each time. From Sucia Island it is 15 miles – as the crow flies – to Blaine, just south of the Canadian border....

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Arriving at Stuart and taking another swim

Stuart Island is about as far West as we can go before entering Canada and the furthest from mainland Washington as we can get. With the Fourth of July holiday coming we thought an early arrival to the island would ensure we have a place to hunker down for the big weekend. The State Park portion of the island is...