Angering the Sea Gods

Doug and I got the bigger-boat-bug a couple of years ago. We looked in California last fall and toiled many hours over internet brokerages.

Our New Boat

This spring we found our last boat - a 55 foot Pilothouse Symbol which we renamed without ceremony: SeaDrifter.  She is a beauty with three staterooms, two heads, a washer/dryer,  a spacious salon and dinner seating for 8.  The galley is lovely with granite counter tops, a trash compacter, a dishwasher  and a Miele/Gaggenau range and oven.  

The interior wood is maple which lends an airiness to the sometimes gloomy northwest. 

The Pilot House

Old friends, Bruce and Kristie joined Debra, Ralph, Doug and me  for a crab feast.  I really did not believe that we could catch more crab than we could eat.  But I was wrong try though we did! 

It was a Friday morning when we left  Puget Sound.  Although our season was shorter than is typical it promised to be a good trip.  We even remembered to stash our black suitcases on board to fly south to the family reunion.

  

First on the agenda was a trip through the Ballard Locks to resolve some electrical issues. Navigating the Locks with a fishing boat tied alongside was a bit of a challenge but our crew (Debra and Ralph) made it happen. 

Crewing through the Locks

The Hiram Chittendon Locks were built in 1906 to link Puget Sound with Lakes Union and Washington.  Prior to the building of the Locks there was a stream that flowed out of the Lakes and into the Sound.  Today there is are two sets of locks that allow boats of all sizes to navigate the 22 foot difference on a mean tide.

Jan Handles Lines 

We left  Seattle after a breathtaking sunrise over the Cascade Mountain.  We spent our next night anchored in Port Ludlow.   Dreaming of big prawns we cleared customs in Bedwell.   The Canadian Customs came on board and asked if you had any citrus or pets on board.  No citrus and Jan pointed at our only pet - a wooden tabby she bought in Paris.

We provisioned in Nanaimo and headed north.  Ten miles out of Nanaimo we dropped a valve in the port engine.  This is not a good thing at all.  Many $$$$$

.

Hauling the SeaDrifter in Port Townsend

Removing the Engines through the Salon Floor

Without realizing it we angered the sea gods in six different ways.  Can you find the six superstitions embedded in the text and pictures?  There will be a short blog tomorrow with the answers.