(no subject)
Saturday Morning, July 15th
Yesterday, we transitted from Cornet Bay to La Conner. We downrigged the fore t'gallant mast and then took off, aiming to reach Rainbow Bridge at just about a +2 tide.
While in transit, Kari and I went aloft to the top of what remained of our masts to tar the standing rigging--coat it with pine pitch. We did that until we reached the entrance to the Swinomish Channel, and then JB and Rob told us to stay out of the rigging, in case we ran aground.
The Lady has a depth finder, but JB wanted a second source of data, so he sent several crewmembers forward with a lead line, which they cast into the water to take soundings in the traditional manner. "FOUR AND A QUARTER FATHOMS!" they would call.
And the captain would acknowledge, "FOUR AND A QUARTER!" We needed at least two fathoms (12 feet) to be safe. Esther rode aloft on the foremast, watching the water for signs of shallows or rocks. The only place where we got into doubtful waters was right at the mouth of the channel.
To get us under the bridge, Esther climbed to the top of the main mast. We passed under the bridge with ten feet to spare, and then there was a set of power lines that were even lower.
We then motored into La Conner with people lining every dock in town. We fired our cannons, made a 180 degree turn, and pulled into our dock, next to Palmer's Restaurant. Oddly, there were two different docks in town with signs saying they were reserved for us, and there were fliers all over town, saying we'd be at the other one.
We moved from Palmer's Restaurant to "F Dock" for the night, so we could fill our fresh water tanks. This morning, we returned to Palmer's.
I learned to tie a Turk's Head knot around my wrist. It's a continuous braid that goes around your wrist nine times. It's made with seine twine, a smooth twine soaked in tar. Traditionally, they were invented by the Turks to bind their prisoner's hands together, but later sailors used them to tie lanyards to, so they wouldn't drop their tools from the rigging. This morning, my turk's head had tightened down and I awoke to find my hand had gone to sleep, so I cut it off and made a new one, this time with a pen stuck in to create a little room.
Yesterday, we transitted from Cornet Bay to La Conner. We downrigged the fore t'gallant mast and then took off, aiming to reach Rainbow Bridge at just about a +2 tide.
While in transit, Kari and I went aloft to the top of what remained of our masts to tar the standing rigging--coat it with pine pitch. We did that until we reached the entrance to the Swinomish Channel, and then JB and Rob told us to stay out of the rigging, in case we ran aground.
The Lady has a depth finder, but JB wanted a second source of data, so he sent several crewmembers forward with a lead line, which they cast into the water to take soundings in the traditional manner. "FOUR AND A QUARTER FATHOMS!" they would call.
And the captain would acknowledge, "FOUR AND A QUARTER!" We needed at least two fathoms (12 feet) to be safe. Esther rode aloft on the foremast, watching the water for signs of shallows or rocks. The only place where we got into doubtful waters was right at the mouth of the channel.
To get us under the bridge, Esther climbed to the top of the main mast. We passed under the bridge with ten feet to spare, and then there was a set of power lines that were even lower.
We then motored into La Conner with people lining every dock in town. We fired our cannons, made a 180 degree turn, and pulled into our dock, next to Palmer's Restaurant. Oddly, there were two different docks in town with signs saying they were reserved for us, and there were fliers all over town, saying we'd be at the other one.
We moved from Palmer's Restaurant to "F Dock" for the night, so we could fill our fresh water tanks. This morning, we returned to Palmer's.
I learned to tie a Turk's Head knot around my wrist. It's a continuous braid that goes around your wrist nine times. It's made with seine twine, a smooth twine soaked in tar. Traditionally, they were invented by the Turks to bind their prisoner's hands together, but later sailors used them to tie lanyards to, so they wouldn't drop their tools from the rigging. This morning, my turk's head had tightened down and I awoke to find my hand had gone to sleep, so I cut it off and made a new one, this time with a pen stuck in to create a little room.