bareboatin'

We did our bareboat charter class this weekend. Wicked fun. We provisioned the boat Friday morning and practiced some docking-without-crashing maneuvers. Of the two types of docking, apparently this is the preferred method.

We then pointed our J35C out into the Sound and beat into a south wind all the way to Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island where docked at the marina and holed up for the night.

The next morning, we motored south through Rich Passage and on into Port Orchard. We hoisted sails here for a nice broad reach to the north until we landed in Liberty Bay. We anchored outside of Poulsbo and rowed our hapless little dinghy ashore for some good Scandenavian fun in downtown swinging Poulsbo. Afterwards, we motored south about a mile and anchored up again for a good nights sleep.

The next day we came back through Agate Passage, Port Madison and back into Puget Sound. We beat down the west side, crossed the shipping channel without getting run over, waved at the seal lions hanging out on the mid-channel bouy, and ran back up the east side to Shilshole.

Great fun but also a huge confidence boost for me. I would wake up at 3AM stressed out about the notion of docking a 40' boat. Once we hoik up money for a boat, I'll probably still stress about it but I just feel so much better about it after this experience. We had a great instructor and fun people to sail with.

I wanna go back.


Skirting south of the Bainbridge ferry.


Our instructor, Pierre, and Christy checking out wind direction.


s/v Astraea nestled onto an end tie in Eagle Harbor.


Cute.


Pierre and Shawn (at the helm) spot a mooring bouy in Rich Passage.


Christy driving.




Astraea anchored up outside of Poulsbo.


"To Poulsbo, Jeeves!"




Steve was so gracious as to row our lazy asses into Poulsbo.




Where in the hell is that dinghy dock??


Poulsbo Marina.


The brain trust calculating our next morning's passage. From left to right: Pierre, Steve, Shawn.


If I knew math was involved, I might have thought twice about taking up sailing.


Fun!


Shawn has been fishing in Alaska for the last 12 years so he knows a thing or two about boats. Here, he's showing Pierre how to do a back splice.


They expressed their displeasure in when we interrupted their nap.


Hanging out Ray's afterwards for some cold beer.