It has been a good month since I posted to our blog and I have a lot to catch up on.  Let’s begin with this story and in a few weeks I should become current.

The sun slowly melted into the grey horizon.  No orange, red, or pink colors would be visible in the sky this evening.  The lapping waters of Shallow Bay gave a slight rippled reflection of the darkening tree line along the shore of Sucia Island.  There we were, on a 34 foot sailboat called Libertas, having just finished a rough 16 nautical mile journey from Friday Harbor, barely able to believe this scene might become a regular occurrence.  Lisa and I sat in the cockpit of Libertas and thought, “So this is what sailing is all about?”

Libertas (meaning Roman goddess embodiment of liberty) is one of a number of sailboats in the fleet of Anacortes Yacht Charters.  The 34 foot Catalina was a comfortably sized boat for the four of us.  Mark Brown, our instructor, Austin Murphy, another student, and Lisa and me.  We were lucky to be onboard this particular sailboat.  In many respects it is similar to our 36 foot Catalina.

When Lisa and I tell people about our sailboat (named Syntony, meaning to be in harmony with nature) or our upcoming sailing travel plans, we always get a reaction: “Oh wow, that is so magical and amazing!”  On the one hand it can be pretty magical.  The San Juan Islands barely seem real, and that’s not even getting into the occasional dolphin, seal, or whale siting, or the pristine beaches hidden in remote coves.  But it can also be exhausting and cramped depending on sailing conditions and where we happen to be anchored.  Like almost any travel that takes you outside of your comfort zone, it’s worth it 95% of the time.

Sailing as a form of travel is pretty much like taking your house from place to place, kitchen (or galley, in sailor-speak) included.  Your house just happens to be the size of a large walk-in closet, and more often than not, it's rocking back and forth or tipping one way or another while sailing at a 30-degree angle.

Like any respectable Anacortes-style shoebox apartment that happens to be a sailboat, Libertas has a small galley.  Its got a two-burner stove and an oven that both run on propane and, generally speaking, work quite well.  The whole setup is gimbaled, meaning the stove and oven can rock counter to the boat’s movement, helping to prevent hot pans and spoons from going flying as the boat leans and rocks.  The sink had two faucets, one of which is connected to two 40-gallon tanks filled with freshwater.

Though the boat is relatively small, it has incredible built-in storage capabilities. Every bit of counter space visible in our little galley opened up to become storage for food, cooking supplies, spices, and more.  Food is also stored beyond the galley in a large space under the port settee (bench on the left hand side), or in a starboard cubby.  We quickly became accustomed to the fact that, on a boat, it makes perfect sense to have your clothes stored next to a basket of apples and oranges.

Lisa and I shared a bed in the front cabin of the boat.  Austin made his bed in the dining room (saloon) by dropping the table and adding a cushion on top, and Mark made his accommodations in the rear cabin located under the cockpit.

We began our adventure at 9:00 Friday morning at Anacortes Yacht Charters in a classroom setting.  Mark reviewed the parts of a sailboat, identifying parts of the sail, definitions, rules of the road, navigation, and sailboat safety.  At the end of the day we took the first of three 100 question exams, one taken each of the first three days.  Passing was 80% or better to get certified.  Lisa and I received similar test results (96, 97, 100), so similar you would have thought we had cheated, but we didn’t.  Like any respectable married couple we simply collaborated.  

After class we loaded our provisions on the sailboat, enough food and beverages to last the duration of our voyage.  Since we were “local” we chose to sleep in the comfort of our own bed that night, arriving back at the boat at 8:30 the next morning.

When you are new to sailing you think that you're going to sail off into a lovely sea of quietude and peace. We found this is profoundly untrue.  When we set sail the waters were calm and there was barely enough wind to maintain forward momentum.  By Monday the winds were blowing at a constant 25 knots and the waves were crashing over the bow of the boat and in our faces.  Our tranquility turned to fury.  When it comes to inclement weather, we learned that the sailboat can withstand a whole lot more than a person can withstand.  Sailboats are built for wind and wave and that’s why sailors love to sail and frown on motoring.  We had a lot to learn about sailing.

While we sailed and motored to Friday Harbor on Saturday (located on San Juan Island) we were educated on all things sailing.  We stopped and anchored off Spencer’s Spit (learning the fine art of anchoring) and made ourselves lunch.  Following lunch we unhooked the dingy from the sailboat and motored to dry land to stretch our legs and collect agates along the beach.

Arriving at the Friday Harbor Marina late in the afternoon, we tied the boat up to the dock, took our second written exam, and then had dinner in town with Austin.  Every time we have been to Friday Harbor we have not had a good dining experience.  We got a recommendation on Italian cuisine and tried it out.  Finally, a restaurant in Friday Harbor worth eating at!

Next morning we cooked our first meal using the stove and oven in the galley.  The galley is definitely a one person operation.  While eating breakfast we developed our sail plan for the day, checking current directions, winds, etc.  Hmmm, small craft wind advisories for later in the day, winds 15-25 knots.  Need to keep an eye on this development. 

The three of us students practiced docking the sailboat before sailing north from Friday Harbor to Sucia Island.  Lisa was first to motor from the harbor and position the boat alongside the designated mark on the dock, exactly on the mark.  Good job Captain Lisa!  Austin and I also followed suite hitting the designated mark on the dock.  Our instructor decided we didn’t need any more docking practice and we sailed out of the harbor for Sucia Island.

By early afternoon the wind had increased enough to make our sailing trip more, well, more interesting.  We were sailing “close to the wind” and moving forward at 7 knots (this is fast for our sailboat).  Mark to this time to instruct us on how to correctly set the sails in high winds to get maximum performance, and then when it got too rough, how to reduce the sails (reefing the sails) and make the ride more comfortable.

When we arrived to Sucia Island, Mark took the helm and motored the boat into Fox Cove.  Along the banks of Fox Cove wind and wave have sculptured the sandstone rock into some fascinating fissures.  Sucia Island is considered the crown jewel of the state's marine park system.  It is consistently ranked as one of the top boating destinations in the world.  After a lot of picture taking we continued west into Shallow Bay and tied up to a mooring buoy for the night.  Once again we unhooked the dingy from the sailboat and motored to the island take a look around.  Back on the sailboat we all pitched in to make dinner and then, as the day was coming to an end, we reviewed test questions and took our last exam.

Sleeping “out” is not as quiet as you might think.  Even though we were sheltered in a bay, the wind and waves caused any loose fitting, bracket, or line to slap at the boat to create an almost continuous noise throughout the night.

Before sailing out of Shallow Bay the next morning we got into our rain gear and put on or life jackets as the weather was going to be unpleasant.  You could see from the bay how turbulent the water was just a few hundred yards out, past the protection of the island.  Mark said it was going to be a great day for sailing (but not so great for a couple of us unseasoned sailors).

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before we were sailing in 25 knot winds and rain on our way back to Anacortes Marina.  The weather was actually good for learning how to tack (a maneuver by which the boat turns its bow into the wind through the “no-go zone” so that the direction from which the wind blows changes from one side to the other), and performing “man overboard” exercises.

When our boat was a half mile from the marina the wind picked up and we began to be subject to gusts of wind well above 30 knots.  One gust was so strong it broke the nylon line that was tied to the dingy, and off the dingy went.  Luckily we noticed it happen and Mark quickly turned the boat around.  Our man overboard training from earlier in the day was going to be utilized.  Mark would be at the helm piloting the sailboat, Austin would us the grappling hook to grab the dingy when it was beside the boat, I would take the hook once Austin had the dingy line, and Lisa would be the spotter and would provide assistance as needed.  

Because we were close to the marina we had all removed our life jackets and stored them below.  In reflection that was a mistake.  Once the dingy broke free from its line, things happened very fast and there was no thought given to putting our life jackets on again.  After a couple of failed attempts (if the dingy had been a person they would have been dead), and once the dingy was finally alongside the boat, Mark, Austin, and I were at the rails reaching over the boat.  Just then we were hit with a gust of wind, heeling the boat over, and we all began to head over the rails.  Lisa was quick enough to notice what was happening and grabbed on to me.  I was holding on to one end of the grappling hook while Austin held on to the other.  With his other hand, he held on to Mark.  We were all hanging on to each other.  In hindsight we can laugh about how comical it must have looked at the time.  In reality it could have ended quite badly, with three of us in the frigid waters of Fidalgo Bay and Lisa attempting to hastily put into practice what she had learned earlier in the day.

Once we were at the dock in the marina we added diesel to the boats fuel tank and sucked out the waste from the onboard waste tank.  Once done, Mark attempted to turn the boat around but no luck.  The wind was blowing so strong it made turning the boat around almost impossible.  After four attempts, and by manhandling the sailboat, we finally got the boat turned around and headed to our boat slip.  Because of the wind Mark couldn’t get the boat into the slip and finally had to resort to backing it in.  Finally, we were back home safe and sound.

Lisa and I are glad we took the class and went on our sailing adventure.  We are now confident we won’t damage the sailboat or end up in Davy Jones locker.