Sailing With Josh

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The circumnavigation of Vancouver Island is complete after 39 days and the return to the home port achieved. There are many boat chores to do, and the adjustment of re-entry into the world begins. I am fortunate that the systems worked and maintained well and the experience was positive.     The above list reflects the costs incurred during the trip. It does not include preparation, supplies and provisioning costs. Gasoline –… Read More

After 33 days, I’m back in the USA. Just checked in through customs in Port Angeles, which is the chillest place to check in through customs of the 3 locations I have done so by boat. I am pretty sure the customs official was in training as he had a silent partner and was double checking his checklist. It’s cool, I wasn’t smuggling anything. When(if) I arrive in Port Townsend I will… Read More

Ramsay Hot Springs. I’ve been here before, but it was well worth the return. Plus, it had been almost 2 weeks since my last shower. It was a two night anchorage as I planned a rest day here also. The first night I went in at 9pm and got the place all to myself, which is mostly a lucky break. I got to do a bit of au natural. The second night… Read More

Sampaguita at rest in Dixie Cove Provincial Park in Kyuqout Sound.  Lyndon, Tiffany and I braved the Northwest rain-forest and climbed the bluff above the Dixie Cove to catch the view and see if we could receive the weather channel on the VHF radio. We succeeded in the climb, but not in the reception. We managed to get pretty earthy (read as dirty) in the process, but it was worth it. Xanadu… Read More

I spent two nights in Port McNeill waiting out the weather at the Government dock and on a walk I saw an enormous nursery stump in someones yard. It was the largest I had ever seen. When I say nursery stump, I mean that they planted their own flowers in it. I provisioned on some fresh foods and was anxious to get underway. It is a bit of an odd town of… Read More

Not much time for blogging on the go. Taking care of the boat and myself takes everything. I’m in Westview, BC, my first rest stop in a week. My goal is to circumnavigate Vancouver Island. There are no guarantees, and many potential pitfalls. My first night at a dock. I ducked in here to get out of the mighty Northwest winds. I beat up Malaspina Strait yesterday against them, with current against… Read More

This morning I had a haul-out for the Flicka scheduled at the Yard in Ballard at 9am. It started snowing at about 7pm last night and the temperature dropped below freezing overnight. I awoke this morning to an inch of snow at 27 degrees. The heat was on overnight so there was chunky layer of ice between the deck and the snow. I went and got some coffee and stopped by the boat… Read More

  Sampaguita’s cockpit drain seacocks. This photo is post repair. The one on the left was the leaker.  The seacock on the right is an example of the previous putty jobs. The smaller inner tube into the orange juice jug is drainage for the ice box. I came to the conclusion one of my cockpit drain seacocks was leaking. Well, not actually the seacock, but the elbow attached to it. I actually… Read More

I sailed out of the Utsalady Bay anchorage at 9am with a light South wind and a waning flood tide. I sailed around the North end of Camano Island and beat my way down Saratoga Passage. The flood turned to ebb but the current was “weak and variable” in this area. Still, I made decent progress. As I approached Camano Island State Park, I got a lift from the wind as its… Read More

Southern Resident Orcas Sighting Off of Lime Kiln State Park, June 25th 2017 One of the great things about exploring the Pacific Northwest from a small boat is the marine wildlife that I experience. I observe orcas, humpback and grey whales, sea lions, sea otters, Dahl’s porpoise, harbor porpoise, salmon, cormorants, eagles and kingfishers to name only a few. My encounters with marine wildlife have typically been by chance. When I am… Read More