Tuffy to Alaska

Post from the Passage

Article by John Hughes

With several last minute “hair pullers” behind me, and more than a few restless nights sorting details and contemplating a launch date closing in too fast, Tuffy and I are tied to the dock in Fossil Bay, Sucia Island. The plan is to ride the morning tide to North Pender Island, clear customs at Bedwell and, after slipping through Pender Canal, make way to Winter Cove (my favorite spot to anchor just inside Winter Point) where the rhythm of Boat Pass sets the mood for a passage through the Gulf Islands.

Pulling Tuffy from the river at Scappoose Bay, towing her up the I-5 speedway and launching at Boat Haven in Port Townsend seem like a distant dream, all transpiring without a hitch. Love Port Townsend… I enjoyed catching up with a bud over dinner before some final stowing of gear and settling into the bunk that will be my bed for the next two-and-a-half months. The full moon was peeking through my hatch cover as often seems to occur for some reason as I start a trip.

A proper indoctrination:

Tuffy and I motored out into Admiralty Inlet on a calm, dry and light wind morning after topping off the tanks at the Fish “N” Hole. The lazy 2-foot swells were welcomingly well spaced, as I’ve crossed these waters before and know the potential tide rip hazards. It was nearing the end of the ebb so I hoped the wildness had past and I felt ok about heading out, still plotting a route well wide of the point “just ‘cause.” I thought I was clear—but the swells tightened up and grew—not exactly haystacks, but probably twice as big and much closer together, and now starting to break… “just a little too early, darn it.” As I worked my way farther east, closer to Whidbey, they continued to grow, stretching nearly all the way across the inlet, and all the gear I had stowed so securely started to fly, along with my coffee and water bottle. Time for that clean up later! As happens once you get far enough east, or far enough out, or far enough through the ebb tide, they stopped breaking, then diminish in size. Next time I’m taking the cut to the back door of Anacortes! The Point Wilson tide rips gave me a proper send off for my journey.

The rest of the day was one of those perfect Salish Sea specials. The tide turned to flood just as I entered the south end of Rosario Strait. I rode both wind and current all the way to Sucia, at times hitting 9 knots in my 6 1/2 knot boat. The Fossil Bay inner dock was empty so I pulled around pointing bow to the wind and took the end position. Soon a trailersailer friend arrived in his San Juan 21, having launched at Washington Park, to tie up right behind me. We signed on for two nights (the forecast being an inch of rain the following day) and after an early dinner set off on foot for Shallow Bay to watch the sunset. Gotta love these long days.

True to the weatherman, today was rain all day… but Tuffy’s trip has started! My buddy boat, Snow Goose, is departing Anacortes in the morning and with similar tide/current karma will meet us at Winter Cove in the evening. We’ll head north as three, until the San Juan drops off to return to Seattle reality, and Bob and I continue north to Inside Passage fantasy. It’s finally time! •SCA•