Serious about appropriate distancing, we decided to spend some time at Neah Bay and learned something important: The end of the world is clearly visible from Neah Bay. Join us in our adventure.
Having some experience with the Strait of Juan de Fuca, we left at first light. Sunrise over Mount Baker is a sight to behold. We had traveled only a few hours when the Strait started spitting at us. Anchored in Port Angeles which is a bit rocky.
We were slightly disturbed by the Blackball line ferry, Coho, doing training exercises by aiming at us and turning sharply to dock. Neither of us had the presence of mind to photograph the event. Somehow it paralyzed us but the Captain of the Coho in anticipation of our fear called us on the radio with assurances. Thanks, Cappie!
At first opportunity we raced out to Mushroom Rock braving some pretty fierce swells and immediately caught a nice 25 lb King. We smiled and thought who needs Canada? Intending to recreate that fine day, we spend the next day trying to navigate 12 foot swells to get out to the calm of Mushroom Rock which is sheltered by Tatoosh Island. Not a safe thing to do! We needed to distance from those seas.
The next day the weather had settled and we made the remainder of the transit without incident. Neah Bay was an American post during WWII complete with big guns and submarine lookout stations. This would be part of the remaining structures.
And then the next day Fisheries closed the season for King Salmon. OH WELL, we needed to get things done and halibut opens four days a week. But the seas roared and the waves slapped.
So we entertained ourselves with sanding the teak, watching the heron and Jan knitted and knitted and knitted.
If you would like to see the other 1000 pictures that we have of the heron, just drop me a line!
This is a scarf that I knitted for our dear daughter-in-law, Tammy!
Several times we tried for halibut but with no luck, Doug, my shy engineer, noticed that the 24 foot boat anchored nearby had people CLEANING halibut. That was cause for investigation and finding out exactly what we were not doing right.
And hour or so later Doug came back to get two 5 gallon cans of fuel and to ask if it was alright with me to stay alone on the boat tomorrow. That was fine. Doug and his new friends (after a discussion about their safe distancing philosophy) headed out. They fished 15 miles out in the ocean in 15 foot swells at a depth of 500 feet. They caught and released a lot of small halibut and snagged a nice 35 lb fish for our freezer. Doug was whipped - fishing like that is for the youngsters!
Neah Bay has one road in which is closed and no one can dock. Anyone who leaves the village is not permitted to return. This has resulted in zero cases of Covid 19 but had apparently been the cause of significant boredom among the teenage boys. When they circled our boat in a skiff emitting loud war hoops. We just smiled and waved. Apparently, we aren't much fun for the activity was not repeated.
At first weather opportunity we returned to Sequim Bay which has crab, calmness and sun needed to finish our teak cap.
The new lighthouse at Dungeness Spit was a welcome sight!
Apparently, our favorite Kingfisher missed his perch which also doubles for a salmon net at times.
Tons of sandpaper and seven coats of finish later, our project is almost done!
