On our way to Alaska at last!

After a number of delays due to: a family member’s surgery, a Requiem Mass for a friend, a dental appointment for a root canal (which didn’t happen due to entrapment in a long traffic backup), and foul weather, Walt and I (Lorelette writing) FINALLY left the Anacortes Marina at about 11 am this morning.

We pointed a newly cleaned and polished Braesail toward Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island, about 30 miles away. A sudden and welcome warmth contributed to a beautiful four-hour motor cruise.

Winds were “light and variable” as predicted, seas were calm, and snow-creamy Mt. Baker gazed down on us as we traveled at about 7 kts.

As we were docking, another boating family was just leaving, and they helped us tie up. The afternoon’s project was a carburetor-ectomy performed by Walt on the outboard motor that powers our new dinghy, Coracle (it’s aluminum-bottomed and lighter and easier to row than its predecessor, which we recently sold), but after a new carburetor was installed, Coracle carried Walt out and around for only a short distance before the motor decided it was not yet well enough to return to normal activities without further treatment, and Walt had to row back to Braesail’s bathing platform. The installation of a new spark plug comes next.

Over all, we have found the boat’s systems to be in good working order, and we are very thankful for a lovely first-day-out! After pleasant, mild weather today, we expect rain overnight, wind in the morning, and much lower temperatures for our journey to Sidney, BC, on Friday.