M/V DESERT VENTURE
June 12, 2009

As mentioned in the last blog, we scratched our trip to SE Alaska, and have decided to stay in more southerly waters until we can resolve some health issues. That doesn’t mean we have been sitting at the dock, twiddling our fingers waiting for time to cure all that ails us. In fact, we have been going enough that I have had to flip back and forth to our cruising log. The “Cruising Log” is an Excel workbook that keeps track of where we have been, for how long, at anchor or a dock, how far from the last place, and what/if anything we paid to stay. The log also tracks engine hours from one trip to the next. We use it to tell us when it is time to do maintenance on the main engines and generator. We also have a sheet that tracks engine hours and fueling. We found out early that this information must be recorded and we use it extensively for planning purposes and as a reminder of where we have been. There is also a hand written Ship’s Log. It is documentation of our voyage from one location to another noting navigation input such as when we passed a particular point of land or identifying landmark, and highlights of our time along the way.

We decided to make Olympia, WA and the South Puget Sound our cruising waters. We took three days to get from Anacortes to Olympia. We anchored one night in Port Ludlow, then moved on to Bremerton for one night. It was timed perfectly so that my son could come have dinner with us. Off the next morning, we had a rendezvous waiting at Dockton State Park on Vashon Island. We managed to get a place on the public dock so that our friends, Bob and Joanne, from the S/V FLYING FISH could come have dinner with us. We hadn’t seen them since La Paz, Mexico. Bob had worked with Bruce about 30 years ago, which we found out in a wild way down in Ensenada, MX. We were just arriving the dock and a couple fellows were waiting to help me with my docking lines. After a couple bad experiences I had decided I wasn’t handing a line to a fellow, no matter how salty he looked! So, I politely refused their help – several times, offering them the spring line and bow lines. After we were all tied up we got to talking and what a small world to find out this fellow was a past fellow mate! This world is getting smaller every day. Bob has since forgiven me for not letting him take my line. (I haven’t changed my mind about giving my stern line to kind fellows on the dock.) We ended up cruising with them south from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas – which is another blog entirely!

We spent several days in Olympia taking care of business and doing some provisioning since we got our car back from friends. I had been waiting to get my summer flowers started until we got settled into our plans. Top of the list was to find my favorite bedding plants. It was a minor success. A few days after I made my purchases I found what I had really wanted. Oh well, there will be other years and what I chose is already going strong. The Olympia Farmers Market has a reputation far and wide. And I will do my part to spread the news. It is really great! Among all the fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, fresh meat, jerkies, salsas, and so many other wonderful arts and crafts, they start out the season with several nurseries offering their bedding plants – flowers, shrubs, trees, veges, herbs, etc. I had decided I was going to expand my summer greenery with a pot of herbs. I have a combined pot of cilantro, rosemary, chives, basil, and Moroccan mint (for mohitos!).  One of the venders had a lettuce six pack of mixed lettuces and I was hooked. So, I now have lettuce, herbs, and flowers! I love my little garden.

Earlier this spring I found some dishes that I thought would coordinate with what we already had. The more I thought about them the more I really liked them. In fact I just LOVED them. 😉 So on our last trip to Portland they were on our check list. I am very happy with them. In fact, I think they show off my first grown lettuce salad quite well.

We left Olympia on June 8, bound for Hope Island in South Puget Sound. It was an idyllic anchorage. We both had projects we planned to get done while out this time. We were the only ones there, as it was mid-week, and the weather was beyond perfection, not only was it truly summer-like weather, it was early June! It was so nice at Hope Island that we found ourselves topside, soaking up the sun (instead of doing projects), enjoying the day, counting our blessings, and talking about what is to come in our future. One thing we know is that we are fortunate. We have the luxury of time and serenity to contemplate the world, and manage to find quiet in spite of all the turmoil. 

After plenty of sun, we moved down to the aft deck, and still in a daze from the sunning, we watched a boat come into OUR anchorage. Well! We quickly realized it was good friends stopping by to say hello. See? I told you we are blessed! DUTCH TREAT came alongside, we side-tied her to D/V, and Peter and his friend Dave came aboard for a coke and conversation.

This little bird stopped by for a visit, too.

After a couple days hanging out at Hope Island State Park we went back to Olympia for an appointment and to prepare for a rendevous with friends. Though we didn’t get any projects completed we had a great time soaking up the sun – at home today – in the anchorage at Hope Island State Park.