Summer of Wekeend Cruising - Part VII.

Weather permitting... this was how every Saturday and Sunday morning were this summer.  

M laying in the (COLD) water like a beached whale while K tries to move the dinghy.

BLISS.  It already seems like it was forever ago. 

The last of the "Summer of Weekend Cruising" photos... 

On to bigger and more content oriented posts.  T and I have been hard at work on our big to-do list and I am excited to share everything that we are learning!

Summer of Weekend Cruising - Part VI.

Echo Bay, Sucia Island, Day Two -

Baby Feet - Baby M

Baby M - 15 Months

Baby M - 15 Months - Still not walking...

Surprise visit from Nana and Papa

Miss K - 2 1/2 years old.

FRESH crab for dinner.

Crowded anchorage...

Summer of Weekend Cruising - Part V.

We motored up to Sucia Island in Mid-August for a perfect weekend of "cruising"....

Buddy and I hanging out after the kids have gone to sleep for the night (still underway).

K soaking up the beach in Echo Bay, Sucia Island (Saturday morning).

T & M

Fascinating rock formations around Echo Bay (during my evening kayak).

Rock Formations - Sucia Island.

Ma'alahi at anchor - busy weekend in Echo Bay.

Summer of Weekend Cruising - Part IV.

Our trip to Ganges, Saltspring Island, British Columbia... 

Out on the water later than planned... (but beautiful)

Anchored in Glenthorne Passage near Ganges.

Famous Ganges Farmer's Market

T multi-tasking at the playground next to the market! (while I shopped)

Amazing day... appreciating the details around us (on my evening kayak)

Evening paddle.

Evening Paddle

Family time...

Summer of Weekend Cruising - Part III.

Miss K up "on deck" with Daddy.

Baby M during bath time in the cockpit.

I caught a BIG crab.

T & K having quality time bellow deck.

M - a master climber, while underway,  at 15 months (still not walking).

Summer of Weekend Cruising - Part II.

Ma'alahi anchored in Bedwell Harbor, BC

T displaying the unique topography.

More topography - Bedwell Harbor, BC

Kids fighting over the iPad while underway.

Happiness I.

Happiness II.

Happiness III.

T and Buddy on their "evening walk" in Bedwell Harbor, BC

Summer of Weekend Cruising - Part I.

I had the best of intentions... I did.  But IT.IS.FALL.

I was going to describe, in detail, all of our cruising destinations.  However, time has escaped me... so we shall have to do with a photo montage...

Evening Kayak, Henry Island

 The kids are getting so BIG.  (Seattle Yacht Club Henry Island Outstation)

M

K

K

Henry Island Sunset

Friends visiting us at Henry Island!

We spent a week at the Seattle Yacht Club Henry Island Outstation (after T's birthday) and then headed north for a weekend in Bedwell Harbor (just over the border into British Columbia).  T was able to commute (via dinghy) to work while we were at Henry Island.

No Excuses - Things are GOOD.

I have no excuse for my lack of posting.

Except for this:

We are thoroughly enjoying this Summer.  We go out on the boat EVERY chance we get.

When we have "down time" we are crabbing, polishing, waxing, and equiping Ma'alahi for the future.

We just purchased a used 9hp 2 stroke Yamaha outboard to replace our existing 4hp motor.  We are actively looking for a used watermaker (with the expectation that it will need a new membrane).

Things are good.  Life is awesome.

Stay tuned...   

Prevost Harbor, Stuart Island & Roche Harbor, (SJI) - July Boat Trip, Part 2 -

On day two of our trip (Saturday) we motored from Spencer Spit (Lopez Island) to Prevost Harbor at the north end of Stuart Island.  The trip took exactly three hours and we saw porpoise and sea lions while underway.

Photo - Wikipedia

Photo - San Juan Islands Website

Our anchorage in Prevost Harbor was relatively crowded, but we were able to find a good place and set anchor without much trouble.  K lead us in an, impressive to us, one mile loop hike to Reed Harbor and back.  T carried M (28 pounds) on his shoulders. 

We had a great time in Prevost with the exception of an un-courteous "stink-potter" motor boat that ran their generator for three hours and spread nasty exhaust around the harbor.  The fumes were so bad that we had to leave the cockpit.  There was ZERO wind and the air was stagnant to begin with.  Oh well.

Lighthouse on the north end of Stuart Island

 On Sunday morning (T's 30th birthday) we headed southbound to the Seattle Yacht Club outstation on Henry Island (right across from Roche Harbor).  While underway, we saw some large shipping traffic (likely headed toward Vancouver, BC?).  Although not at all rare, this is the first time, aboard our boat, that we have encountered container ships as large as this.

To celebrate T's birthday, we dinghied over to Roche Harbor and had a casual (the only realistic low stress option with two toddlers) dinner at Roche's Lime Kiln Cafe.

Fine dining at Lime Kiln Cafe

My handsome thirty-year-old husband (kids reflecting off sunglasses)

Baby M on the dinghy ride home - the term "Lady Killer" is often used to describe his piercing eyes. 

M - 13 Months

Miss K is coming along well with her talking - she says "I talk so nice Mama" - K wishing her Daddy a Happy Birthday: