Halloween Cruise Report – October 29-31

The weather forecast showed the rain and wind ending on Friday morning with a promise of clear skies for the weekend.  Jim and Dee Larsen (TYA), Bill and Cathy Velez (Karen Ann) and Jim Findley (Night Wind) arrived on Friday in a light breeze that was only sailed by Night Wind. The first night was an opportunity for getting reacquainted with old friends and sharing sailing stories.

The forecast changed sometime in the night.  The wind was gusting in the 15 to 20 knot range by 3 AM and the morning forecast now called for clear skies and breezy conditions (10 to 20 knots) for the remainder of the day Saturday. Debra Glasser (Liberte’) and crew arrived Saturday afternoon and reported that the winds were too high and in a bad direction for comfortable sailing.

Jim Findley took advantage of the windy marina by sailing his radio controlled model Laser sailboat as the winds whipped through the marina from the north. Dee Ann and Cathy worked on a jig saw puzzle that is a map of the San Juan Islands.

Two additional boats attempted the trip and turned back when they experienced mechanical issues.  Yvonne Fish and her crew ended up anchoring at Gull Harbor near Burfoot Park where a friend met them with transmission fluid.  Alan Hoffman also had engine trouble, and his boat was sailed back into the marina in the skillful hands of Meredith Anderson.  Alan and his crew joined us by car.  Loren Ferro also drove out to participate in the festivities.

The award for the best decorated boat went to Liberte’.  Runner-up for best decorated boat was Night Wind, with a special commendation for the most creative use of pumpkins. Loren Ferro won for best costume and for best carved pumpkin.  (I understand she shared one of her prizes with Meredith who was runner up in the pumpkin carving contest.) The trivia contest focused on place names in south Puget Sound. We had two winners who scored 100%: Jim Findley and Wendy Ekland.

   ~ Jim Larsen, Cruise Chair

Jarrell Cove Cruise – January 15-17

I was unable to make it to the cruise at Jarrell Cove, but Dave Brooks stepped up and provided the following roll-up of the weekend. Sounded like a great turnout even though activity might have been limited due to COVID restrictions. It’s good to see the club getting together out on the water despite all that is happening.

This is Dave’s take on the weekend:

I began the weekend leaving Swantown Marina at 5pm Friday with a planned over night anchor in Coon Cove on Squaxin Island. Woke up Saturday morning to a very clear but tranquil setting, then a thin layer of fog set in.  By 11am we had weighed anchor and started motoring through Dana passage. The water was smooth with no wind in sight.  As we entered into Case Inlet we enjoyed spotting porpoise rising and diving around the boat. By now the skies were clear, the sun was out, and we were rewarded with spectacular views of the Olympic mountains – but still no wind in sight.

 When we pulled into the dock at Jarrell Cove State Park we were greeted by the captain and crew of the s/v Fairwind, Cabot and Kim and there four-legged crew member Minion. Also greeting us was the captain and crew of the yacht Soul Catcher, Barry and Gloria and Jim on s/v Nightwind. Soon to arrive was the s/v Noel, captained by Darris and Joleen. And later came the s/v Endurance skippered by Jim States. Along with Tami and I on Quest, we totaled six boats with crew representing South Sound Sailing Society. Saturday was a spectator day; the sun was out, and the skies were clear. A nice day to walk around the park, explore the shoreline and chat with other club members.  Saturday night was quiet with each boat doing their own thing and hunkering down for a chilly night.

 And then came Sunday.  Sunday was raining when we left Jarrell Cove. As we motored out into Case Inlet the wind had picked up to 8-10 knots making the icy rain feel even colder as it pelted my storm jacket and gloves. The wind was, of course, blowing from the south; the direction we wanted to go. Needless to say, we didn’t feel like raising sails and beating into the wind so we motored back to Swantown to end a good wintertime weekend on the water.

   ~ Dave Brooks, s/v Quest

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Last year – 2016-2017

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Halloween Cruise, 27-28 October 2018

Once again the Halloween Cruise was a big hit. Threatening weather over the weekend of 27-28 October didn’t keep 13 boats in the marina. Cruisers in attendance included:

Traveler (Scott Voltz, Connie Bunyer, and Noreen Light)

Iniki (Debbie Stewart and Kirk Sinclair)

Pax (Susan MacRae and Rod Tharp)

Liberte’ (Debra Glasser and friend Margaret)

Jolly Rumbalow (Sabra Hall, Richard Bigley, and Marti Walker)

Pleiades (Fran Williams and Marvin Young)

Grendel (John Sherman and Debra Nickerson)

Kind of Blue (Karen and Alan Hoffman)

Soul Catcher (Barry and Gloria James)

Tya (Jim and Dee Larsen, and Wandalou Clayton)

Fever (Jeff and Terry Hogan)

Isabella (Clark Jennings)

Gitana (Rick and Loren Ferro)

… and Cabot and Kim Rose, Jeff and Joy Johnson, and Mary Campbell – all who came by car.

The concept of Cracing (combining cruising and racing) was used to kick off the weekend. While tracking their own time, the boats made their way from the Olympia Shoal to Devil’s Head. Susan MacRae (on Pax) won the Most Potential for Racing award, Jeff Hogan was decreed the racer with Most Potential for Cruising (this was his first cruise in 19 years of membership), and Karen and Alan Hoffman won the NatGeo Award for persisting despite a sea lion attack.

Additional awards that night included:

Best Pumpkin Carving – Terry Hogan

Best Decorated Boat – Marvin and Fran

Best Costumes – Rick & Loren Ferro, and Noreen & Margaret

The weekend wrapped up with a waffle breakfast provided by Rod, Susan, and Marti.

 

SYC Hosted Cruise to the Oyster Festival, 6 October 2018

By Scott Voltz

Saturday October sixth, a flotilla of four departed Budd Inlet bound for Oakland Bay and the Shelton Yacht Club. Our route took us north to Hope Island then through the dreaded Hammersley Inlet, a transit fraught with danger: shoals, grey whales, fast currents, and twists and turns of the topography. Connie and myself on Traveler, a Passport 42, were chased out of Budd Inlet by Rick and Ada with Amanda as crew on Clara June, a Freeport 41. We arrived together at Hope Island at 13:45, halfway through the rising tide, timed so that if we ran aground in the narrow channel we’d soon float off.

We had a new chart plotter at the helm so I led our two boats towards the way-north entrance to Hammersley Inlet, avoiding the notorious Arcadia grounding. 30 feet off the Hungerford Point #2 red channel marker, we edged into Hammersley Inlet feeling our way with the depth sounder.

We transited around the north shoreline, hugging land closely. As Clara June rounded Cape Horn the VHF squawked as I announced, “Watch for the grey whale mid channel!” I pulled back the throttle and put her in neutral as I edged to the side of the channel in time to see a beautiful gray whale arcing out of the water on our starboard bow. It surfaced soon after off our port side then disappeared with a flip of the tail. We continued on … amazed.

Hammersley is like a river, with the channel first on one side then the other, following the contours of the land.

The current was running with us and soon we caught up with two other SSSS boats making their way west. Katie Braun, skippering WindWalker, had Dave Chance, Island Sailing Club instructor, aboard along with crew Doug Powell. Alongside was Neil Mink, sporting a very nice beard and single handling his Morgan 27 Nasty Jack. All together we were whisked westward at 8 knots, running with the current.

We encountered a minimum depth of 8 feet under our 6.5 foot keel at half tide as we headed toward Libby Point then Skookum Point to arrive at the final reach with good depth all the way into Oakland Bay and the Oakland Marina. I hailed the Shelton Yacht Club on channel 68 and got instructions to continue into the marina. Traveler led the way into the tight marina and found a starboard tie right at the gangway, just barely squeezing into our designated slot. We took Clara June to raft on our port side.

Soon afterward, Windwalker and Nasty Jack arrived and found space at the south dock. Already present was Barry and Gloria on Soul Catcher, a Maple Leaf 42, and Richard Bigley on his C&C Plus, Jolly Rumbalow. Now we had six SSSS boats present for the late afternoon appetizer pot luck in the spacious Shelton Yacht Club clubhouse. Thank you to whomever it was who brought the wonderful crab dip! The Shelton folks made us very welcome. Nice people.

Sunday we went to Oysterfest in a light drizzle and had a great time, eating way too many oysters, watching the shucking competitions, and listening to local music. Sunday night we had a little get together on Traveler and played music into the night. Monday, up at 0800, Traveler followed Clara June back down Hammersley, running with the current on a falling tide to get dumped into Pickering Passage with eddies, swirls, and upswellings pushing us on our way. We ate eggs and toast once we reached the relative safety of Squaxin Passage and Budd Inlet. Our transit time from Shelton to Oly Town was a mere 3 hours.

Would we do it again? Next year, you betcha! The secret is to hang out at the oyster shucking competition tent 30 minutes after the event to be there when the judges emerge with twelve heaping platters of oysters on the half shell looking for volunteers to consume them. Me! Me!

 

Commodore’s Cruise, September 16-17, Vaughn Bay

By Mary Campbell

The annual Commodores’ cruise was a low-key but convivial affair. It was strange not having the familiar bonfire, but the scarlet orb of the sun, and the overcast skies reminded us of the reason for the burn ban.

Boats attending included Sonrisa, R Time, Dreamer, Nightwind, Summer Breeze, Chronos and Isabelle. In evidence of the SSSS dual nature, Eric Egge and Leanne showed up (and showed off!) in his vintage runabout, Misty, while Gary and Megan Martin, former members of SSSS, made a special guest appearance in their powerboat Gadzooks M2. As cruise host, I came by car – after three weeks listening to Sonrisa’s engine, I decided she and I needed a break. Thanks to John Thompson and Fran Reisner who helped ferry coolers from my car to the potluck site!

The spit was slender when sailors began to dinghy in, but by the time the food was being served, the waters had retreated and left the dinghies high on the beach. We shared summer sailing experiences and admired the lines of Peter Crosson’s recent acquisition, the wooden ketch Dreamer (formerly owned by Glenn and Jayne Patrick). Here’s hoping we see Peter and Dreamer at many more cruises!

The next SSSS cruise will be to the Shelton Oysterfest. Turn on your depth sounder and join us on Saturday, October 6, as we navigate the shallows of Hammersley Inlet. If you are thinking about going, send an email to pastcommodore@ssssclub.com, and I will add you to the list with details about when and where the SSSS flotilla will meet on Saturday. Please let me know if you would be willing to act as cruise host!

PHOTOS

Summer Solstice Cruise 16-17 June 2018

The Summer Solstice Cruise 16-17 June was unfortunately short-notice … but still awesome all the same. TYA (Jim and Dee Ann Larsen) rafted up with Mutable Fire (Rich Adams and son Aden) Friday evening for some seal watching and an absolutely amazing sunset in the Henderson Inlet.

A sunny Saturday morning was spent on lounging, reading, boat maintenance, new dinghy tryout, and some very poor fishing. We were able to avert a tragedy after Jim attempted some Thunderbird-type action by flying his drone between the rigging of the boats. NO DRONES WERE HARMED DURING THE MAKING OF THIS CRUISE!

At midday, as the winds picked up slightly, it was decided to sail to Joemma State Park. A bit stalled and fitful in the beginning, the winds finally filled in and gave us a very comfortable sail the majority of the way.

After picking up mooring buoys, we ventured ashore (our first time there) to check out the facilities and campgrounds. The weather and location was beautiful … a definite return spot with the kids. That evening we put together an awesome potluck and played a spirited game of Texas Holdem. It was a gorgeous night, and Venus and Jupiter were clearly visible.

After breakfast on Sunday morning we all pitched in to use a favorable tide and the gangway leading up to the park to put spreader boots on Mutable Fire. I climbed the railing, Dee Ann helped hold the shrouds to the gangway, Aden maintained a dock line, and Jim used his dinghy as a tug to maneuver the boat. I managed not to fall to my death or get arrested so, all in all, a successful endeavor. Never a dull moment.

Rich Adams, s/v Mutable Fire

  

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