May 10, 2017: Back in the Everett Marina

The winds slept for most of Wednesday, as predicted, and we rose at about 8 am and said the Daily Office of Morning Prayer together, as is our devotional custom, before preparing to leave the marina at Poulsbo. We breakfasted on scrumptious apple-walnut sticky buns before untying the lines shortly before 11 am, and I was successful in moving the boat away from the dock and out into the sea as a harbor seal popped his nose out of the water as a farewell gesture. We motored under the Agate Pass Bridge (connecting Bainbridge Island to the Kitsap Peninsula) at noon’s low water as planned–we didn’t want the antenna at the top of our mast to hit the underside of the bridge (clearance proved to be more than adequate, as we’d anticipated).

Because headwinds were expected on Thursday, we decided to return to the Everett Marina this afternoon in calm, sunny weather, and had a relaxing trip, being accompanied by only a few watercraft–mostly ferries and tugboats with the occasional container ship, power boat, and sailboat. The sea’s surface was often mirror smooth or slightly rippled as if it were an infinite sheet of dark blue corrugated paper, and now and then large rolling swells, resulting from the passage of large ships, rocked Braesail to and fro. We took turns at the helm and when I was “on duty,” Walt was able to get more work done on the rigging lines he needed to splice. As we entered the marina at about 4 pm, we saw the usual sea lion greeter lounging on a buoy; Walt steered us into our slip, and I took care of the dock lines. We decided to stay on the boat Wednesday night and Thursday, and so we cleaned up the decks and cabin and enjoyed afternoon naps; I stretched out on a cushioned cockpit seat and was serenaded by the singing of a slight breeze high in the rigging, accompanied by the percussive sounds of frolicsome wavelets slapping and gurgling against the boat’s hull and swinging wires tapping against masts, with a chorus of seabirds adding their varied voices to the music.  Walt and I shared a supper of pork chops with applesauce, and then made a list of all the tasks we want and need to complete before and after we take Braesail out again for about 12 days, beginning May 22.

There’s always plenty to do, but at this point, I’m giving thanks for a safe and lovely trip during which I learned a good deal (I WAS often rather stressed in the process!), had a wonderful time with son and husband, and did quite a bit of reading and writing too!

Please come back to read more stories in late May!