September 6, 2010

There should be an exclamation mark after 2010.  How did it get to be September?  Where did summer go?  Surely we could have a few more weeks of summery weather…

The flowers are mostly gone from my pots.  The lettuce gave up about three weeks ago.  I still have herbs, and hardy flowers to keep me company. I gave away some of the flowers.  The temperatures, day and night, are dropping – we put on another blanket and I wore fleece last week! Last Saturday I mentioned to Bruce, with the drop in temps, I expect to see fall colors on the hillsides.  Everything was still green. The next afternoon we were walking with friends on San Juan Island, at Roche Harbor, and the trees had fall colors!  Our friends said the trees had been green the day before!  Yes, it is official – fall is in the air.

We are in Port Angeles and it is raining.  We come here to wait for a weather window to head out the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to go south.   Due to high winds forecast for the Strait of Juan de Fuca, we decided to come early to wait and do final projects.  The Pacific High is stubbornly remaining in its summer place.  There is a hopeful/probable window coming at the end of the week.

For review on how we watch weather refer back to my posts on Weather from the spring.

Weather Forecasting Tools – http://wp.me/pc8m5-fe

Weather Forecasting Tools – One More – http://wp.me/pc8m5-fQ

You are all invited to watch the weather with us! I believe some of you will be able to guess when we depart! Be aware that not all boaters watch weather like we do, or have the condition requirements that we like. In fact, we have watched many boats depart here in the last three days, headed south, mostly to Oregon. We just don’t enjoy that much excitement on the ocean. And, we do try to enjoy our voyages. A good time to mention one of life’s motto’s – It’s the journey – not the destination. For many it is the destination – they just want to get where they are going as soon as possible. We will do our best to enjoy the journey!

The oil in both main engines and gear boxes are changed.  Check! Final provisioning, final spare parts, and final check out of the watermaker will all take place in the next couple days. Stowing and securing for sea will follow once we have everything aboard.

We plan to continue our 2010 cruising, down the west coast of America, to enter Mexico around the first of November. This was our plan last year and circumstance changed The Plan.

I hesitate to put it in black and white, even now, as we have no desire to tease destiny.   I have wrenched a promise from Bruce – there will be no turning left at the Columbia River.  No left turn at the sea buoy, no looking left, no thinking about fuel prices left – no.  We keep going.   I felt I was a hostage of the Columbia River last year. It was sobering to hear from an Astoria resident, this past spring, that the river takes you hostage.  That was enough for me – no left at the Columbia River!

So, our goal and wish is for south – to a dryer, sunnier, and warmer climate.

And, as always, the caveat – Be careful what you wish for – Cruising 2010!