Strange day with ash falling from the sky, apparently from Mt St Helens, but just because of wind, no eruption. Caught an excellent ride down the channel and this time I mostly went around the Swirls.

Only had time for a short one today. Rowing by Invictus, Rick Caruso’s yacht was cool

Hit the swirl (that’s what the chart says in the area of Reid Rock) at peak chaos, lots of whirlpools and white caps in the turbulence. Fun route though, taking advantage of currents from the North and the South

Same route as yesterdays row and much faster on the SUP chaotic frenzied chop in the heart of the current was really working the legs.

Smooth in the eddies and rock n roll’n in the tide rips. A late ferry meant I could ride the current back to the harbor in the ferry lane.

That’s a wrap on a good weekend

Started out fast on the end of the flood down the West side with a headwind, until I hit a wall of current and chop near Strawberry Island. Was prepared for a slog the rest of the way, but once I got to the South shore and closer to “slack”, I made decent time the rest of the way. Portaged across the saddle at Cypress Head and went thru the Cone Islands before getting back to the boat anchored at Pelican Beqch. Constant mist but visibility never got worse than maybe 1/4 mile

Fun cruise to Cypress. Slightly choppy and Blakely Pass was pretty swirly against the current but otherwise uneventful. Dropped the anchor in 40 feet and backed right up to the beach.

Quick trip to drop a lunch hook at Roche and pick up Kelly.

Had a theory about catching a North bound counter current a ways off the SW shore of Stuart… it didn’t pan out, so I abandoned it and headed close to shore but the damage was done. It was pretty slow, but a beautiful morning. Lots of Eagles and Vultures, and sleepy Seals.

Smooth sailing after dropping Kelly off for an overnight trip with his soccer team and getting donuts from Roche Harbor Cafe. Was extra cautious thru Stuart Island reef after hearing about a charter boat that missed the cut a few weekends ago. Stuck to the chart and no problem.

Busy start out there to the holiday weekend, lots of wakes

A gray day with a few sprinkles, a nice change from our dry streak.

Been nearly six weeks since I rowed last. Felt great. I’m thinking of painting the interior though. I love the look of the wood, but this boat gets a lot of use, and the prospect of refinishing it as is sounds unappealing. Thoughts?

As my bow plunged thru a bloom of bioluminescence, leaving a neon wake to fold over the stars reflecting off the glassy water, I had a thought. I bet there’s lots of cool planets and stuff in outer space, but Earth… well Earth is pretty rad, and it’ll always be my number one planet 🌎🖤 Made excellent time to start and made it to Hankin Pt in an hour and 45 min. That’s when the hot thermal winds started gusting against me, until I was past Blind Bay, but the current remained at odds with me until I was thru Wasp Passage. Then it was a nice push back to the harbor.

Some motoring, drifting, and sailing. No fish caught, but it was an excellent day to be out with no particular place to go.

Fish jumping all around but none on my hook.

Absolutely ripping current today, and I think I stayed in it pretty well. Confused seas, and especially tall and steep coming back across the channel, right at the rip outside the harbor.

Been a while since I’ve had a Southerly wind to paddle into, but this low pressure system is moving in and it kind of feels like Autumn already 🤔

Drifted and fished around Turn Rock until I lost a lure. Nice sunrise for a cloudy day.

Would like to catch a Salmon off my board. Trying it out this morning. No bites, but the setup is promising.

Calm seas of it weren’t for boat wakes. I don’t mind a few, but it doesn’t take that many boats to make the whole channel rough with wakes bouncing between Shaw and San Juan.