Today was a “lay-over day” at Spencer Spit State Park; the sun and wind took the day off as well, though it remained pleasantly warm in the cockpit. Braesail, attached to her anchoring ball, rested peacefully, and Walt and I spent a quiet, restful day reading and catching up on some chores as the Washington State ferries came and went and set Braesail to rocking lazily back and forth. We rose late in the morning and shared Morning Prayer, and Walt then examined all of the wiring of the Kabola heating system to make certain that all the crimpings and connections were snug and secure. He also worked on various aspects of the Society of Scholar Priests’ website, did some reading, took his usual afternoon nap, shared corn chips and green chili salsa with me during “happy hour,” and prepared an excellent dinner of steak, baked potatoes, and foil-roasted beets, with more “muddy” chocolate ice cream and creme brulee sandwich cookies for dessert.
I spent time on the phone giving my new credit/debit card information to those who use it monthly; perusing a number of articles; reading and answering e-mail; scraping and chipping more peeling varnish off Braesail’s toe rail; completing two blog posts and adding photos to one; listening with Walt to some web-streamed pipe organ music that featured “the art of improvisation” (something done almost solely by organists, jazz musicians, and early-music specialists); doing some cleaning; and enjoying the views across the dusky water and along the shivery shore from the cockpit.
We plan to motor to Anacortes tomorrow morning so that we won’t have strong currents running against us, and there we hope to accomplish a number of tasks, including filling the water tanks, ridding ourselves of trash and recycling, buying fuel, reporting Walt’s findings regarding the heating system to the Kabola expert, and possibly seeing the yacht charter agency with which we are considering placing Braesail next summer. On Wednesday morning, we plan to drive in a rental car to Everett and Seattle and back to Anacortes, and on Thursday we hope to set off for Port Townsend and the Hood Canal.
Before bedtime tonight, I want to climb up into the cockpit to see if I can catch sight of one of the ferries slipping swiftly through the atramentous sea with its white and red lights ablaze, looking, as I’ve often thought, like a magically floating fairy tale (“ferry tale?”) castle. The slender crescent moon and its star companions might be hiding behind the clouds that have been reluctant to disperse all day–if so, perhaps I’ll find them another night.
Braesail - A grand yacht in the Salish Sea 