Because the dock at which Braesail is normally moored was to be replaced by the Anacortes Marina during the month of October, Walt and I decided to take the boat out and about to anchorages old and new. Accordingly, on Saturday, Sept. 28, we had a beautiful mostly-sunny cruise from Anacortes, where several plump seals had watched me load gear onto the boat from a nearby dock on the previous afternoon. We spent a quiet Friday night on the boat and arrived in La Conner at noon on Saturday.
The Rainbow Bridge over the Swinomish Channel: The south entrance to La Conner
I walked around La Conner’s lovely downtown on my own in early afternoon and bought myself a huckleberry scone and some super-rich ice cream while Walt napped, and later, after I had had a nice nap too, we walked a good ways together on a pleasant evening to visit a grocery store. His right knee became tired (both knees were replaced this summer), but chilling it helped, and we slept well on Saturday night.
This month’s trip is going to be one on a “stick” boat—a sailboat being driven by its auxiliary motor. Walt can’t quite trust his knees on a pitching deck, so sailing will be limited. However, Braesail is a very nice, high efficiency motor boat, with a top speed somewhere in the 8 kts (10 mph) range, and we intend to enjoy this mode of travel.
Braesail - A grand yacht in the Salish Sea 