tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13104570203040439572011-10-09T20:20:31.009-07:00This site will document the adventures of two novice sailors aboard a 1982 pilothouse sloop, as they sell their house in Anchorage Alaska, quit work, pack the boxes, drive down the Cassiar, and cast lines off for 2 years of sailing the Inside Passage, from Seattle through British Columbia to Alaska.Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.comBlogger1061100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-1673445385815127062011-05-02T11:38:00.000-07:002011-05-02T11:38:50.118-07:00

Admittedly, the blog has grown cold as we settle into our new world in Sitka. We're very glad to have kept this going for our two year journey from Seattle to Alaska. It will always serve as a reminder to us of an amazing adventure and an incredible time in our lives. Thank you to everyone who read it. Knowing there were supportive and encouraging friends and family checking in kept it fun for

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-27230030681214686782010-12-22T11:21:00.000-08:002010-12-22T11:21:56.947-08:00

Our annual Winter Card link:Merry Christmas & Happy Solstice from the crew of S/V Oystercatcher

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-67453914313243719012010-11-12T09:44:00.000-08:002010-11-12T09:44:05.685-08:00

As fall turns slowly to winter we're snug in Oystercatcher bobbing around at the dock. Mornings and evenings are dark and often rainy. A wet splash to work for Blain, he is often accompanied by Mo and Chance for the morning walk. Mo typically heads to the pool or library, or helps out as a volunteer around town. There is something fun going on in this town every day. Blain knocked on the door

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-15697201508920690782010-10-09T17:57:00.001-07:002010-10-09T17:59:40.488-07:00

Well it looks like Sitka's got a hold of us for the winter. We've decided to at least leave the boat here and explore more of their wonderful trails. The harbor's nice, and they promise not to have too big of a La Nina year, so we're looking for money-making opportunities so we can keep up the gypsy life next year. Here are acouple of interesting trails we've hiked recently. The first is the

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-90294823159761596702010-09-24T18:27:00.000-07:002010-09-24T18:27:22.446-07:00

We soak in Goddard Hot Springs, south of Sitka with Blain's second cousin once removed, Blair. He just finished up working on the Anchorage to Fairbanks and Denali railroad for the summer and met us in Sitka for a few days of sun, wine and fun. He's a great guy and a fine crew member and loves to cook. That was a good thing, too.  Dinners were quite the treat. Blair's travelled extensively in

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-31369026842102091322010-09-07T13:12:00.000-07:002010-09-07T13:12:16.925-07:00

Look at what we found - Yeah. Woah. A thirteen-foot long giant squid. Chance found it really, but he always finds the smelly stuff first. The claws at the ends of the longest tentacles were way scary. Nightmares for three days. Blain is reconsidering his swimming chores next time the propeller zinc gets loose. This was washed up at high tide on the shore of Ideal Cove across Dry Pass from

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-5438960529734670332010-09-02T15:00:00.003-07:002010-09-02T15:43:16.169-07:00

Away we go from Juneau - troublesome cabin heater is in the mail to Seattle. Hopefully repairable. They are expensive little boogers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ We decided to do our own "Round Admiralty" regatta of one. This way we can't lose. A quick pull into Tracy Arm with the active tidewater glaciers, but we decided not to head in due to fog, and other intangibles. We put it on our list for later,

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-50625532827204490842010-08-23T11:00:00.067-07:002010-08-23T11:42:48.436-07:00

Our cousins J and Krista flew up to Gustavus from Bellingham to meet us for a week in Glacier Bay NP. Gear - there was wheelbarrows full. This load was just the seven bear canisters full of food. We have to admit, we had a bit that did not fit. We didn't lose any weight on this trip. The water taxi was the high-speed day cruise catamaran, and we got to spot breaching whales, bears and mountain

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-8493569551542995802010-08-08T13:22:00.000-07:002010-08-08T13:22:16.049-07:00

Blain's mom, Eileen came up for a whirlwind tour of Juneau and a cruise around the local marine parks. On the way we had absolutely spectacular whale sightings and a good deal of fun. More later, but here are some of our better photos from the trip. The views and trails from the Mt. Roberts Tram were great. A gorgeous day to do it.We didn't know that marmots can grow so big in Southeast. Must be

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-64467661682321119912010-07-30T12:09:00.000-07:002010-07-30T12:09:28.403-07:00

Except for maybe a catapult, this is the coolest design ever for crossing streams. At the Canoe Cove Cabin in Bridgett State Park out of Juneau.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-13494470613598620122010-07-30T11:55:00.001-07:002010-07-30T11:56:40.318-07:00

Here is the lovely house of Marnie and Greg. They are doing a great job of landscaping, and it is a joy to sit amongst flowers and gardens. Note the hard-working Marnie in the photo. Also note the screw off Blain on their moped instead of helping. What a great little gitaround. The weather isn't always like Colorado, they tell us. They get some snow in winter. This snow stake on Mt Rapinski

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-69359446796825574682010-07-28T16:46:00.012-07:002010-07-28T17:04:39.983-07:00

Up the Lynn Canal to Haines to the Southeast Alaska State Fair. And to do some hiking with our friends Greg and Marnie. Last time we saw them was April 2009, when we started this crazy thing and drove to Haines to see them and go skiing. The town looks a lot different without the snow, and the weather has been unbelievable. Shorts weather. Yesss! A real Chamber of Commerce day. And Blain can

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-26482807613290923062010-07-28T16:05:00.000-07:002010-07-28T16:05:51.893-07:00

Chance has become quite a whale watcher and now sees more of them than we do. I think he thinks they are all dolphins, and he just goes apey when he hears them these days. We've had a nice stretch of sailing lately in the big straits. This lighthouse came into view at Point Retreat. We were glad we didn't have to retreat, and were able to tack around to get to Auke Bay for the evening. We

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-84160550893013294022010-07-28T15:44:00.000-07:002010-07-28T15:44:44.294-07:00

Back inside and enjoying the little towns of Pelican and Elfin Cove. Both are built on stilts at the water's edge with steep forest surrounding, and offer the picturesque Southeast Alaska experience. We're sure the bumper sticker has to do with annexation or something, but we're not sure. This sweet little troller looked older than Jesus, and probably would need a miracle to be seaworthy again,

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-28559242587646529492010-07-22T12:43:00.000-07:002010-07-22T12:43:51.580-07:00

The first stop out of Sitka was the Magoun Islands - a sweet little anchorage with loads of paddling opportunity and a golden sunset. We enjoyed some grilled king salmon on the newly repaired BBQ. You might recall Blain sent a few vital parts to the bottom a while back. It is soo good to have a working grill. Chance here helping with the driving. Blain made a nice rye sourdough braid. Ovens

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-64674757475998421852010-07-04T22:06:00.001-07:002010-07-04T22:09:48.455-07:00

Made it to Sitka. A welcome and familiar town. We were relieved to see they still allow liberals here... ! But also important for boaters - they have a Coast Guard training base, too. This bouy tender was parked  and the crew joined the 4th of July Parade. In the docks, we have been shopping for our second boat. We figure something along the lines of Sequoia here. A stout and handsome wooden

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-18715075454414194162010-07-03T13:58:00.001-07:002010-07-03T14:00:37.338-07:00

We made it to Sitka. We'll post some photos soon. The Fourth of July fireworks display was postponed due to rain - go figure. But the waterfight between the Coast Guard and Fire Department is still on. Scary, though, it feels like we've come home to both of us... We hiked the Eva Lake Trail and groaned at our stiffness in the morning from the exercise. All 4 miles of it. Sad to admit. Boots and

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-10947352565933783142010-06-29T15:21:00.007-07:002010-07-07T10:50:15.471-07:00

We're currently in Warm Springs Bay on Baranof Island. Basically the other side of the island from Sitka, Our next destination. And yes, the warm springs are hot. Just the opposite of some of the hot springs we've found to be just, well, warm. And really really cool, too. Another must see for any itinerary to Alaska's SE. From Craig, we took an outside-in route around Cape Decision and Cape

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-65400995987966475102010-06-18T22:04:00.001-07:002010-06-18T22:16:18.860-07:00

When you first tie up to the docks of Hydaburg, you have to really look at the slip you are trying to tie up in. Somebody might be parked there already.The docks were in pretty rough shape, but not all of the boats in town fared so badly. This dugout canoe looked ready to go raiding. As we strolled around town, several folks asked us if we'd seen the carving shed. Obviously a source of pride for

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-32342898240195581082010-06-18T21:41:00.000-07:002010-06-18T21:41:18.878-07:00

We're tied up to the Craig, Alaska dock. Saying we're in Craig is like saying we're in Mike. Or Dan. We vote they change to Port Craig, Rainy, or even Alaska. How cool would that be? I'm from Alaska, Alaska, thank you. This whole area was first explored and named by the Spainards way back when after they gave up on that Armada/conquistador thing and just wanted to find some good Alaska ceviche.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-7883900968013226452010-06-07T19:01:00.001-07:002010-06-07T19:04:55.305-07:00

Well, we could have rowed the dinghy with one oar here faster, but we finally made the last frontier. Crossing the border was quickly celebrated by a 2008 Alaskan Smoked Porter bought in Washington. A very tastey way to come into the country. We anchored for a night in crowded Foggy Bay, the first protected spot from the Canadian border to Ketchikan, and where everybody stops, it seams. The

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-16181137497125000912010-06-01T18:04:00.005-07:002010-06-01T18:27:43.543-07:00

We've been able to take in some of the sights in Prince Rupert, BC. The first thing you see is these huge container cranes and the coal and grain transfer facilities, so you think you've entered Commerce City. But a few houses start to show up, then a huge sign shouts "Shopping Mall" at you, and you spot a Safeway, and you know life is good. Pretty much the biggest town this side of the province

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-51816720457441789992010-06-01T17:35:00.001-07:002010-06-01T17:37:28.686-07:00

So here's the repair we were doing in Prince Rupert. Much to our dismay we noticed a shroud chainplate was pulling up on the deck after a day of sailing. This sucks. There were cracks in the gelcoat and water must have gotten in to rot out the core with the freeze/thaw this winter. So we pulled out the books and got to work. First you have to drill holes to allow you to pour in acetone to remove

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-17043720424675439472010-05-30T12:23:00.004-07:002010-06-07T19:06:33.519-07:00

We moored in Hartley Bay - a fairly new native settlement at the entrance to Grenville Channel. The entire town is connected by wooden boardwalks, and there's not one car or truck in town. A few ATVs and electric golf carts serve all the transportation needs. We couldn't think of a better layout for a small town on the water with ample lumber. They had built a nice boardwalk up the river a few

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-61870713091913246522010-05-30T11:10:00.000-07:002010-05-30T11:10:16.959-07:00

The Fiordland area has been more or less set aside from logging, and many of the rivers still seem intact. At Culpepper Lagoon, we paddled up the river at high tide and explored a bit. Most of the anchorages in this area are exceedingly tight tidal bottlenecks and we ripped through one lagoon entrance at 10.1 knots in Oystercatcher).  Notice the relief on Blain's face after navigating these

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-42324352995300359512010-05-30T09:40:00.011-07:002010-05-30T09:45:58.937-07:00

We sit in a rolly Prince Rupert Royal Yacht Club docks, tied to the world for a while. A repair again. Gotta love the sailing life. But we're also enjoying the city life again. Cars are a real novelty, as are french fries. It's been a while. In the last month, we've been watching out for the cruising kitty, so haven't stayed in any marinas since Dawson's Landing. So we're a little unsocialized.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-82609938441528239732010-05-07T21:37:00.000-07:002010-05-07T21:37:26.704-07:00

Here Blain tries on the latest in beach fashions on the Hakai Coast. Urchin hats. We did let it go after this photo shoot. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~To Namu we go. The rain kept at it, but lovely abandoned Namu - a cannery town was a lot of fun to see. The caretaker showed us around and let us wander. Mo made the comment that this was a tinkers fantasy island. It had so much cool junk laying around.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-49799495026495555472010-04-27T16:27:00.002-07:002010-04-27T16:34:55.498-07:00

It took us a whole week to get back to civilization. We're in Dawson's Landing now for a repair. More on that later. Our exit from Port Hardy was accidentially escorted by the Alaska Queen, headed north to fish. Tucked into Skull Cove our first night and found a little Treasure Island science research camp. The netting at the cook shack made a nice group hammock.Chance enjoyed the signage.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-11583542321310854682010-04-19T14:52:00.001-07:002010-04-27T16:42:05.716-07:00

Looks like we have a reasonable weather window to give it a go across Queen Charlotte Sound. The dinghy's blown up and we just have to take the tarp down. This is good. We're a bit sad to leave Pt. Hardy, and our newfound friends Shari Lee and Patrick, but it's time for a new horizon. Patrick was a wealth of knowledge having kayaked most of the Inside Passage, and Shari Lee tantalized us with

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-83549621004327916212010-04-17T13:26:00.000-07:002010-04-17T13:26:33.303-07:00

This photo is of a painting/relief that our lovely niece Emily made for us. It looks great on the bulkhead above the sink where our old puffin painting was. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~We spent the last few days painting her bottom. "Who's bottom?” you might ask. Well HER bottom, of course. We stripped her, roughed her up, popped her blisters, applied makeup, and rolled her 'til she was wet. We were dismayed to

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-20271851317255406452010-04-04T16:05:00.000-07:002010-04-04T16:05:15.188-07:00

Monique has been busy organizing our lives for the next leg of the trip (no pun intended). You can see she's got the provisions wired. It never seems to all want to fit, but it does. Oystercatcher has a a lot of storage, though the waterline is a little higher. We have a daily visit to our little corner of the dock by a friendly mink. Here he is after checking out the end of the dock and hopping

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-66987730704326486582010-04-02T17:21:00.000-07:002010-04-02T17:21:43.090-07:00

Hello to everyone from Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This map shows our position and how dang far north Alaska is. All in all, we’ve sailed nearly 1200 nautical miles, and if we push it could be in Alaska in 12 days or so. But who wants to push it? There are hot springs along the way. Back up to the boat. It sure feels good to see Oystercatcher again. She fared well over the

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-89944767013100977212010-03-18T13:38:00.000-07:002010-03-18T13:38:34.679-07:00

Chance loves to visit the vet. He actually whines when we get close to the parking lot. I think he thinks of them as big cookie jars. Anyway, he had a fatty growth removed from his rear leg a few years ago that was getting close to affecting his achiles tendon. It grew back and we decided to have it checked out again. The vet suggested surgery to remove it, so we did and he's recoverying nicely.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-57349771139040222372010-03-15T18:23:00.004-07:002010-03-15T18:29:46.590-07:00

Right next to Oystercatcher, docked in Pt. Hardy was a sailboat carrying the largest cocaine drug bust in BC history. Jeez! How about that. We missed the SWAT team raid on our dock.Here's the story. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/03/15/bc-coke-bust-sailboat-port-hardy.htmlCross your fingers for us getting back into US waters after this.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-32784608702434752222010-03-15T17:11:00.005-07:002010-03-15T17:53:20.988-07:00

Today I read the horrible news that a former colleague of mine, and friend, at the Park Service died piloting his ultra-light aircraft in Alaska. Somehow, one sad day, I knew I'd hear this terrible news. Today it came.Jeff Bennett was above all, an adventurer. I met him working for the National Park Service GIS Team where he was consumed with maps. He and I shared a love of maps, and could look

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-48188354021685282492010-03-05T10:51:00.006-08:002010-03-05T11:06:01.520-08:00

One month after breaking a leg, Blain is beginning to feel like a human again. Mo surprised him with a picnic on the beach and a visit to the Chuckanut Drive Oyster Bar for oysters on the half shell and a glass of wine. A splurge, but sitting in the sunny picture window and taking in the view of Anacortes to Lummi Island it was a much needed treat for the team.Insurance is beginning to cover

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-10764229883162947922010-02-27T14:23:00.003-08:002010-02-27T14:50:07.361-08:00

We got a call for a very nice woman in Bend who found some of our stolen stuff in her yard. She apologized for not calling right away because she said she'd been busy.Hmmm, we thought.Then Mo talked to her, and found she had wanted to wash and dry our clothes before sending them. Wow. It's so good to know there are great people in the world.The clothes arrived clean and folded. Even the socks.Mo

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-60413286884765816472010-02-23T11:04:00.006-08:002010-02-23T11:30:40.146-08:00

We made it to the Olympics - the hard way. But the reward was so good. Breaking a leg has one advantage. Our seats were front row awesome. One surly volunteer even asked what my "fake" injury was. I didn't know we were on to something here. Given a choice.... On a gorgeous day at the Callahan Valley, we got to watch a bit of history with tens of thousands of screaming cross-country ski fans. Mo

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-18277668163597914142010-02-18T15:34:00.004-08:002010-02-18T15:47:05.298-08:00

Showing the toothless style that got him to these Olympic games... And this creepy crutches guy on the park bench wonders why noboby says "hi". We got out and enjoyed some boatwatching. Almost as painful to watch the sailboats from shore on a gorgeous spring (in Bellingham) day as breaking your leg.Ahh, but the good Capt. Ahab takes the helm again...The staples are out and the doctor confirmed

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-3594287865135244592010-02-12T15:36:00.003-08:002010-02-12T15:57:28.262-08:00

We're recovering from events last week - broken leg and car smash n grab. Both quite rough in their own right, but added with having to give up our volunteer positions at Whistler for the XC skiing events, it's a real bummer. Hopefully our "things happen in threes" week, and we're done. Life was just too good, I suppose.We're still hoping to attend the two events we have tickets for, and salvage

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-3713703030827981152010-02-05T13:26:00.008-08:002010-02-05T13:45:16.311-08:00

I think I should have gone for the exterior titanium bottle-opener attachment option. This was the view before the carpentry.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-4101939695264783402010-02-04T13:40:00.005-08:002010-02-04T15:00:44.113-08:00

Well Blain went and broke his leg skiing.The story goes that we were skiing at Hoodoo Mtn. near Bend, Oregon and the snow was hard packed with a little crusty stuff. He hit a section of washboard-like ridges and most of his parts went right to avoid some trees, but the left leg didn't get the memo and went left. Poor internal communication, we suppose.Ski patrol was there in a flash, and the

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-55684925977522542792010-02-01T20:29:00.007-08:002010-02-01T21:15:42.028-08:00

The snugglers got busted enjoying opposite sides of the hotel comforter.On the way across Oregon - a really big state - we stopped briefly at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. A beautifully scenic place with the most diverse assortment of recent prehistoric mammals and plants on earth.Stuff you've never even heard of - because they are discovering new species constantly. No dinosaurs here,

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-87186761497279361152010-02-01T20:10:00.003-08:002010-02-01T20:28:58.470-08:00

Chance conqueror of the parking lot snow berm. Sometimes, on powder days, this is his biggest accomplishment. We hit Grand Targhee on a bluebird day. Most of the powder was tracked up, but we squeeked in a few mini runs. This is the first day we've skied the whole day, so we're proud of ourselves. Of course the Tetons were too. A gorgeous place. Cheaper than Jackson Hole, and we hear from the

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-46843104760041413882010-01-30T12:12:00.007-08:002010-02-01T19:54:00.228-08:00

Totally by luck, we stumbled upon a nordic festival in Hailey and Sun Valley, Idaho. The Blaine County Nordic Trails (no relation) put on a great party, starting at Ketchum , and ending at the Sun Valley Brewhouse in Hailey. Chance loved the bus. A gorgeous day, free busses, dog-friendly (in fact, we'd even say a little dog-crazy), cookies for both man and beast, and, of course, porters and ales

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-14276657945071904672010-01-29T21:15:00.015-08:002010-02-01T19:56:33.373-08:00

While skiing across Atomic Lake, this submarine surfaced right underneath us, and Mo barely had time to jump out of the way. Chance wasn't as quick, and ended up on top of the conning tower, where some nice sailors popped out and fed him a cookie.More on this theme later.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A few shots around West Yellowstone. They have some great ski trails, but no connector trails. Here's Mo

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-49907371672050441962010-01-23T18:47:00.007-08:002010-01-23T19:25:14.889-08:00

Yes, Yellowstone in Winter. Or was it just a dream?Mo here is staggering a bit from that "Blain's socks" smell. The canyon at Firehole River. Skiing through the fog made by molten rock. Man the earth is hot! Wildlife - oh yeah. This guy actually flashed us his gang sign, but we photoshopped it out. Introducing "Cygnet" our 1952 Bombardier snow coach and driver/guide. He loved this vehicle. Alpen

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-11379117535716965512010-01-18T11:08:00.008-08:002010-01-18T12:25:04.321-08:00

Writing this looking out the windows in Pete and Robin Knox's lovely log home and ranchette at horses, cows, a donkey, and one very stinky husky/shepherd dog who thinks he's found the eternal smorgasbord... Our first day in Boise took Pete and us to Bogus Basin. A big little ski area with loads of double-black steep tree runs to practice our jump turns on. Pete is an excellent telemark skier and

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-58289512641216810952010-01-18T10:02:00.012-08:002010-01-18T11:06:42.955-08:00

McCall Idaho.This little snow town has a lot going for it. Brundage Mtn. just up the road for downhill, Bear Basin and Ponderosa SP for XC skiing 5 minutes away.Payette Lake in McCall is quite nice, and they've put some money into making the waterfront area nice with walkways, marinas, a sculpture park and amenities.At Bear Basin we had a great time skiing with Chance. Ski-joring attached to the

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-53167139327786973742010-01-11T20:26:00.006-08:002010-01-13T08:57:41.565-08:00

We were invited to J and Krista's cabin in Mazama, WA and arrived just as the snow showed up. It made for some great skiing and a ton of fun hanging out at the cabin.Chance here enjoying some post-skiing quality time with J. One condition on our invite was a skate skiing lesson for them. We thoroughly enjoyed watching their progress throughout the week. Here they are looking strong. Note the

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-2896567261821215802010-01-01T11:43:00.002-08:002010-01-01T11:48:27.372-08:00

Mo knitted me a new viking hat. All the other vikings are gonna be sooo jealous. I can't wait til Gundar and Thorvallin see me.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-32978793166567013652009-12-27T13:03:00.005-08:002009-12-27T13:22:54.467-08:00

We put together a little video of our Halloween crossing of Queen Charlotte Strait to Port Hardy from the Broughton Archipelego. Be sure to turn up the soundtrack...

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-26850078728044372602009-12-18T15:10:00.004-08:002009-12-21T12:55:32.060-08:00

Happy Christmas from the crew of OYSTERCATCHER. Dream daringly this year. Here's the link to our annual holiday letter. All our best wishes on a prosperous, safe, and peaceful New Year...

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-89249145783862028692009-12-14T08:39:00.010-08:002009-12-14T22:15:54.768-08:00

Frosty hike to Georgie and Songhees Lakes out of Port Hardy. Thank again to our Boatminder Tom Cook for turning us on to another great hike. Interesting and simple two by four ladder with large rubber belts for stringers. Really molds to the rocky sections. Back at the harbor, the ice was closing in with the week-long cold snap.Oystercatcher all tarped up, triple tied and ready for winter

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-20476652593496619292009-12-01T20:32:00.009-08:002009-12-01T21:33:09.885-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from the crew of Oystercatcher. We ate enough for all of Canada. That's smoked black cod in the foreground. Find it. Buy it. Eat it. It's amazing stuff. A candid of two of our local buddies. Tom, at left, is living aboard with wife Robbie. Randy, at right, works at the marina. They are actually both quite nice, regardless of the photo. We found this police scene to be kind of

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-42798604360965005842009-11-24T10:22:00.007-08:002009-11-24T11:30:41.197-08:00

A family of common mergansers has taken over the harbor. I liked the blue background in this photo. Mo's been battling a bit of the crud, but we took advantage of a rare rainless day and hiked across to Fort Rupert, a little community on the other side of the penninsula. A local pointed out the trailhead off the highway - definitely needs a new approach. The trail is raw, but passable. Some tree

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-32737437776566218842009-11-22T11:56:00.006-08:002009-11-22T12:46:07.388-08:00

Chance's first ferry ride. Blain and he took one for the team, particularly on the way back in rain and gales. Dogs aren't allowed on the upper decks, so we stood around with the cars. Wild ride. Mo said the inside of the passenger cabin was cool. Hmm. Sointula - A former Finnish utopian community on Malcome Island. They have an interesting and unique history. http://www.sointula.com/ See, I

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-25930774693901276552009-11-12T11:27:00.010-08:002009-11-12T12:31:28.868-08:00

A rainy but touching Remembrance Day memorial service at Port Hardy. These Korean War vets laid a wreath and smartly saluting reminded us all of their integrity and pride. The First Nations contingent was in full regalia, and added a wreath of their own. We learned many of them have dual citizenship with the US, hence both flags. The mounties in full shine. And a large group of Pt. Hardy citizens

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-16433596885086519672009-11-06T13:47:00.011-08:002009-11-06T14:42:05.241-08:00

We've settled into Port Hardy, BC. The Northernmost town on Vancouver Island: just 310 miles from Alaska.We took advantage of the intermittant weather to clean out the bilge of 26 years of goo. We also found a fuel hose that had rattled loose and leaked diesel in large quantities into the bilge. Glad to have THAT gone. Imagine the stuff in the grease trap in a long abandoned drive-in theatre cafe

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-86800820547418931792009-11-04T12:26:00.013-08:002009-11-04T13:00:40.355-08:00

Well we did escape Port McNeill. It wasn't evil. We promise. There were some really nice parts and people. The school bus system, for instance. Every weekday we enjoyed watching the enthusiastic (sic) kids from neighboring Sointulla and Alert Bay unload from the bus-boat at Port McNeill for school. According to one source, the boat was one of many built as a ferry boat for the World Exposition a

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-6830123554338442112009-10-18T21:34:00.007-07:002009-10-18T22:25:58.532-07:00

Today we were invited along with Allan, a local Pt. McNeill resident and retired logger. He wanted to show us his trails he'd been working on for locals and dog-walkers from the harbor. They were rough-cut out of second-growth and through an occasional clearcut, and we'd have gotten completely lost without Al as our guide. Note Chance keeping an eye on the cookie pocket. Chance loves posing with

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-65490059808461218492009-10-18T03:57:00.007-07:002009-10-18T04:37:22.870-07:00

Skype ROCKS! These are screen grabs from Skype sessions. We got to call Peter and Laura, and Chris and Rita. Anchorage and Wash DC, respectively. They were cool and have webcams. Sooo 2006, but we're jealous. Our contact name is blain.n.monique.anderson. Get Skype and look us up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Then on to the news.We've been fixing and upgrading boat stuff for a week in Pt. McNeill. Soon after,

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-681485612573667552009-10-13T11:39:00.006-07:002009-10-13T12:15:40.521-07:00

This family of otters were taking a break from the surf. Four gorgeous hooded mergansers. One comes up with a shrimp. Note the wind as it messes up their hairdos.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-58705418013301365662009-10-03T17:33:00.020-07:002009-10-15T10:39:49.095-07:00

We buttoned up the boat for nearly a month to go back to Denver to see our stalwart bachelor Bill get married to Dominique. Bill and Blain go way back to the Leadville Days. We also caught up with the rest of the Leadville/Ft. Collins clan: Clay and Laura, Marty and Marlaina - as the wedding official. Shaun is poking his head in, too. A bit windy for the candle-lighting, but sunny and fine for

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-3227338973618745052009-09-22T10:17:00.004-07:002009-09-22T10:47:46.921-07:00

We made a little movie of life aboard and running a couple of tidal narrows (rapids) and hope you can view it. It was fun to put together. Enjoy! We're now in Denver visiting family and relatives. More later.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-18500398401373060312009-09-16T15:34:00.005-07:002009-09-16T15:53:24.095-07:00

Our last anchorage before putting the boat to bed for a bit in Pt. McNeill on Northern Vancouver Island was spectacular. The weather wasn't bad either. Close to Queen Charlotte Strait, the birdlife was out of hand. Thousands of murres, sooty shearwaters and auklets. We had a visit one evening by two humpback whales, blowing and grunting all night. Our only visitor was this local fishing boat

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-65955665159630288802009-09-13T09:49:00.006-07:002009-09-16T15:31:41.655-07:00

We were hip deep in the pucker-brush, whacking away with machetes to find the lost city of the K'luqx'ha'axtl, when we stumbled upon these wild shamanistic totem poles. We're not sure who carved them, or even if they were carved by humans. We're leaning towards Bigfoot (spotted nearby since the 60's. Coincidentally when recreational drug use became widespread in the region), or maybe Aliens.This

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-53006482627802762272009-09-12T19:53:00.008-07:002009-09-12T21:04:29.258-07:00

Here's what we're talking about. Old-growth forest magic. Viner and Bond Sounds. According to Billy Proctor, the last bit of it left. Chicken-of-the-woods mushroom bonanza. Trees dressed in gauzey sphagnum. A wild-flowing river. Bear poop. GOOD stuff. Really really gooooood stuff - for the soul. Actual bona-fide NATURE. We bushwacked through the old stream channels and salal bushes. Stumbled on

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-76360055967142873932009-09-12T18:25:00.008-07:002009-10-04T00:28:05.497-07:00

Well the fishing hasn't been the greatest. Blain dragged up this Substance from the Abyss. It had the weight and texture of brains. It's a long and gross story of how Blain knows what brains weigh, so we won't go into it. Needless to say, we released this one. So when the fishing is slow we go hiking. And luckily we have better luck there. This little blackie was happily munching grass, keeping

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-42410717464822348902009-08-26T09:37:00.008-07:002009-08-26T10:54:36.222-07:00

Mushrooms!Delectables and delicates, finally with a little rain, the shrooms are coming out and splotching the forest with some much-appreciated color. This little treasure was candy-apple red and about the size of a mouse. After one of our forest collecting forays, we ran into some kindred spirits. Again. Keith and Heather are former Canada Parkies and recently moved from sea kayaks to a

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-52121706714641481412009-08-24T15:34:00.010-07:002009-08-24T21:32:20.346-07:00

These cherry-sized plums were delicious and overhanging the beach at Mamaliliculla. Our first totem pole. This is in the woods, well-hidden by brambles. The famous sea-wolf on the bottom of the pole. The old house posts were still standing, as was the main house and hospital. Written about in the fabulous "A Curve in Time" by M. Wylie Blanchett, in the 1920s, we were thrilled to see it in person.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-49356939480866087182009-08-24T14:52:00.008-07:002009-08-24T15:31:19.275-07:00

We stopped into Port Neville, a former general store, and occupied homestead since 1891. These the place lends itself to B&W photos, so we played around a bit. Inside the store are many of the products they sold along the way and would be a flea-market hunter's dream. Luckily it is now run as a sort of museum by the great granddaughter Lorna. Some of the products on display weren't particularly

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-230906768830897912009-08-24T13:41:00.015-07:002009-08-24T14:50:41.199-07:00

Since August, we've been foraging better, and have managed to find berries, mushrooms, wild chives, mint, apples, plums, and from the sea; cockles, oysters, crabs, seaweed to stretch the pantry. Not doing too good on the fishing, yet. Rest assure, we're eating just fine. Making lasagna from homemade pasta, fresh basil and asiago cheese. Oh my. Mo rolling out some lovely noodle dough.Every once

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-12454952204064679442009-08-08T13:55:00.006-07:002009-08-08T14:20:55.121-07:00

Ren worked for Land Design North with Monique, and Nick is our old canoeing buddy Kevin's brother. They've been living in Vancouver while Ren finishes school. We got to catch up last time we were in town, and we're glad they were up to some fun. We spent a very nice day at the kid's museum - being big kids - and the "BC Day" fireworks show on the water that evening.Yes, more fireworks... As the

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-59378090331761335172009-08-08T12:08:00.016-07:002009-08-08T13:52:08.192-07:00

OK, a little strong, but that's how we felt after Blain's bike was stolen as we were stuck babysitting a 32' powerboat that drug anchor into us. But we'll back up. Timing the gap in Porlier Pass with the tides, the crossing of Georgia Strait was a perfect sail. 15-25 knots of wind on the beam the whole way. We sailed 20 of the 30 miles across.Even though it doesn't look like it, Chance LOVES his

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-64524584125972889102009-07-29T10:06:00.014-07:002009-07-29T11:54:17.999-07:00

When the temp rises to 90... ...the cold water swimming looks more inviting. Shortly after this photo, Chance met his first seal. A pup, noisily missing his mom, swam right up to us. Chance lept into action and plowed down the rocks. We yelled to get him to leave it be, but he ignored us and walked right up to it to touch noses. Satisfied that it was just a waterlogged dog, Chance wandered back

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-48147439456333656522009-07-22T15:57:00.017-07:002009-07-27T10:19:24.567-07:00

Nanaimo - a blue collar city with a silly boat habit.But first, a little aside. We met up with a Peter Briggs's mother, Chriss in Nanaimo. She treated us royally with a gorgeous spread of baked halibut with all the fixings, homeade desserts, and a really fun conversation. We also loved seeing Peter B's baby pictures...Here's a photo of Peter. I didn't think I could safely post anything

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-60891358438330794632009-07-14T10:58:00.011-07:002009-07-14T11:54:03.522-07:00

Our Saturna returned to her namesake Saturna Island.We're sure Wm Garden, the designer of our "Oystercatcher" found charming and compelling many of the same things we did about Saturna Island. That's why he named his best boat after it. Of course. The sandstone cliffs and formations are wildly eroded and Boat Channel funnels the tide through at a fast clip. We saw several thrill-seekers run this

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-49825830460221283422009-07-09T19:46:00.010-07:002009-07-09T20:42:56.609-07:00

Before Canoe Cove repairs, we enjoyed Sidney Spit for the beaches, warm (relatively) swimming, and rhinocerus auklets with mouths stuffed full of fish. Like Blain at All-you-can-eat Night at Skippers. This is where we caught the crab. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~We enjoyed meeting John and Daleen, who saw our boat and came over to say "hi". Their "Omega" is the prettiest Saturna33 we've seen. We also

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-61487026598911798182009-07-07T16:30:00.004-07:002009-07-07T16:51:56.296-07:00

Well, Canadian customs sure enjoyed our request for one year in the country. They must still be laughing about it.Strike number one came when the officer on duty asked the make of our boat. The conversation went like this."There has to be some make besides 'Saturna'.""Well there isn't; It was built in British Columbia...""That doesn't help ma'am." Is there some other name?""Nope, just Saturna.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-42032032703467178192009-06-29T11:10:00.008-07:002009-06-29T11:43:51.504-07:00

Friday Harbor on a gorgeous day. We sought some town-time in Friday Harbor. A pretty little ferry landing, we thoroughly enjoyed the local brew-pub and the chili pepper beer. They had bacon beer, but we stuck to our vegetarian principles. We anchored in Garrison Harbor in front of the British Camp national historical park.These cutouts in the blockade were to be pushed out from inside to shoot

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-20733365536470064542009-06-29T10:48:00.010-07:002009-06-29T11:08:14.762-07:00

Chance went whale watching. Here he is introducing himself to Bob the really nice Orca guy at the Lime Kiln Lighthouse. According to Chance, the conversation went something like, "Whales schmales, I want the milk bone, pal." Blain's cousin Krista came over on the ferry and brought her sea kayaks. A definite whale junkie, she's been kayaking with whales for years and has generously shared an

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-20995524184546635682009-06-22T16:15:00.005-07:002009-06-22T17:15:55.702-07:00

Here are the amphibian photos from Moran State Park. Sure looks like a Columbia spotted frog to me. The newt! Blain gets reeaalllllly excited about slimy critters.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~We pulled ourselves reluctantly from the resort and amphibs, and decided to see a couple of state parks. Spencer Spit was nothing special and really stunk from the lagoon, but James Island is really a

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-3552791538223300632009-06-22T15:57:00.006-07:002009-06-22T16:17:46.383-07:00

One little haiku.American nerdcan't fix japanese camera.All tossed into trash. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~After reluctantly leaving the luxury and fun of Bellingham, we entered the San Juan Islands proper at Sucia Island.Purchased and given to Washington State Parks by a couple of wealthy yachtsmen, the island is a deeply indented thing of intricately eroded sandstone and fossiliferous

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-86720498955296595412009-06-16T19:59:00.015-07:002009-06-16T21:49:21.240-07:00

These photos made possible by the good folks at Force 10 Marine Stoves. Our first muffins from fresh-picked salmonberries!!!---------------------------------

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-33932193524040157182009-06-11T14:54:00.010-07:002009-06-11T15:46:17.879-07:00

On Lummi Island we stopped for the night in Inati Bay. A small, but well protected nook, we dropped the anchor and wandered up the dirt roads to seek a bit of the wild. Surprisingly the salmon berries were already ripe so we gorged.Back at the bay we noticed right away that a second boat had also anchored and seemed to be right on top of us. Sure enough, they had picked a spot right on top of our

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-3937033088726545552009-06-05T09:17:00.011-07:002009-06-05T10:11:13.040-07:00

Sailed from Shilshole to Langley the first day. Some sailing, some motoring. We anchored in 18 feet off the harbor in choppy seas and got into the dingy to motor to shore. Life was good and Chance got to pee. New motor worked great but we had to row a bit to clear the surfy conditions to deeper water to start the motor. Good again. Motored around to Langley to check out the harbor and waterfront.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-40881795148205468732009-06-04T21:22:00.004-07:002009-06-04T21:34:03.381-07:00

We are sailing north from Seattle this afternoon. We're asking for safe passage and wanted to do a proper ceremony. So we googled it and didn't find any two that matched, so we figured we'd write our own heartfelt plea. The cermony:Oh , Ran - and Aegir - Goddess and God of the sea respectively (we know who really runs the show), we are requesting safe passage for our humble craft with leaky

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-71555824246514590682009-05-31T22:39:00.009-07:002009-05-31T23:30:47.856-07:00

Why is there a photo of the toilet in this episode? Well, we've been learning a lot about our newly purchased appliances and appurtenances, lately, and we thought you might want to as well. No siree, nothing like propane and sewage leaks to get the adrenaline flowing around a boat.Blain tried to fix the oven thermostat and wound up blowing fuses and breakers. He finally took it in to a pro shop

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-15160247434708406812009-05-26T22:46:00.005-07:002009-05-31T22:38:21.014-07:00

A quick spin between boat chores to see what the low tide brought in. I'm holding a small goeduck. Think clam strips. Mo is holding a glass of wine. Chance is holding out for a cooked one. Chance and his girl pal Alita enjoyed some shephardy fun. We were wondering why people laugh and take photos when we go by in the kayak with a dog or two. I guess we are a bit of a spectacle.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-257187559079408002009-05-21T18:09:00.017-07:002009-05-21T21:27:10.729-07:00

Our friend Joni, and favorite sister of Petra in Anchorage, braved the rain and came out for a sail with us in Shilshole Bay and a bit towards Seattle.She's got some great photos on her photo page of the event. She's an Urban Planning student at UW and singer/songwriter to boot. She's also a lot of fun and knows Seattle's restaurants well.Here she is wondering about halyards and rigging strength

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-74479042292082055192009-05-12T10:57:00.013-07:002009-05-12T12:10:17.558-07:00

We were planning to rendezvous with some of our float-mates across the channel from Shilshole, but we developed a sewage leak (ewww...). That put us out of commission until we cleaned it up, emptied our holding tank, attached the doggie ladder, lubed the winches (no, this is not double entendre), and did several other necessary projects.The harbor has free pumpout facilities, so that's nice. The

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-80148061954689794162009-05-04T08:17:00.015-07:002009-05-06T10:59:58.547-07:00

The annual Opening Day on Lake Washington was truly cool. It started when one of the canals was opened for the first time linking lakes Union and Washington to the sea. The Ballard Locks near us are what keeps the water in. It was a big deal, so they keep the tradition alive with pomp, circumstance, and, we guess, a lot of alcohol. The dragon boats were first. A little less syncopated than the

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-64501720400470933432009-05-01T09:54:00.005-07:002009-05-01T11:08:15.167-07:00

It's been asked, "Just what language does Good Life and Oystercatcher use the same letters?"In case you didn't guess, the answer is:Upper Glix'wqni. It's a native dialect from coastal BC. After the very hard winters they faced and the supplies of dried dogfish and catfish became dangerously low, the annual black oystercatcher migration would pass through their area. Often, entire villages were

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-62300416245797890362009-04-30T21:45:00.011-07:002009-04-30T22:27:18.095-07:00

Sold one money trap, and bought a new one. Just kidding Laura!!! Our good friend Peter, who in fact is a Landscape Architect, sure signs a mean contract. He forged our signatures on all the house sale documents, but even his sloppy cursive is better than Blain's best writing. It just has to fool Laura. That's all. Don't tell her. Yes! We sold the house. And our friend Laura got a great little

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-21646404448270921162009-04-27T07:41:00.020-07:002009-04-27T10:21:52.674-07:00

It is hot. We Alaskans are still getting used to 70°.Boy did our Alaskan huskypup need a brushing! This pile of hair weighed in at a pound or two and got quite a few comments from passers-by. No takers for a pillow project, though.We drove down to Olympia to buy a bike from Blain's friend Jason (from his U. of Puget Sound days) at his bike shop - Old Town Bicycles, and happened upon a festival.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-49249916688327851912009-04-24T10:12:00.009-07:002009-04-24T10:29:37.503-07:00

Welcome Hollis Reiter Crosby, our newest red-headed buddy to the world on Earth Day. His measurements seem ample at 22"x 8 lbs 2oz, but we didn't get the width and height and are frankly a little disappointed at his architect parents for not supplying the necessary dimensions...Other than that, he looks a little like Gilligan in the sailor's hat, so we've saved a berth for him on Oystercatcher.

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-78704757832676309422009-04-24T09:33:00.007-07:002009-04-24T10:12:54.099-07:00

The new keys. Our first worry - How will Chance be able to get on the boat? He looked at it, sized it up......and lept - squeezing between the lifelines. What a pup. Problem solved......and promptly took over the starboard berth like he'd been living there for years. We're in Shilshole Harbor. A beautiful place with clean stuff and nice people. Crodgety crumbly Whittier seems like another world

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-21470196893704465582009-04-20T09:42:00.010-07:002009-04-20T10:39:47.852-07:00

Hyder, AK, pop. 30, was pretty much closed. But we took a few photos of the ghost town ambiance. We actually didn't get Hyderized because it was just after breakfast. Next time around. Nice fire hydrants in Stewart. I wonder if during a fire, the fire department knows to rush to the 'inmate dog' hydrant. Though we didn't get photos, the robin flocks were really something of a spectacle. Folks in

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1310457020304043957.post-76967410098968561322009-04-16T20:02:00.022-07:002009-04-16T21:43:47.619-07:00

We headed for a soak in the Liard Hotsprings and were glad we did. The wood bison were everywhere along the road and they have to plow trails along the sides to keep them from just staying on the highway. You see, they love the cut grass on the road sides. The amount of bison poop was equally as impressive, let me tell you.The Cassiar Highway is everything it's chocked up to be. The road is in

Oystercatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17414737838053927740noreply@blogger.com2