Anacortes, Wa & Surrounding Areas
Hello everyone,
It's been two weeks since I left Portland. My time here in the San Juan's has been amazing. It still hasn't quite hit me yet that this is my life now. I feel like I'm on vacation, which isn't a bad thing. ;-)
Just yesterday, the last two of my crew had to go back home. We returned to Anacortes after having so much fun sailing throughout the islands! We hit the almost northernmost and westernmost island in the chain, peering longingly over at Canada, wishing we could visit. Luckily, the San Juans are just as beautiful!
It was quite bittersweet saying goodbye to Leila and Brad. Tears were definitely shed! Sending off my cruising mates meant saying goodbye to the last bit of the home I’ve known for 15 years and finally facing the reality of being a solo sailor.
This morning, I woke up as the only soul onboard, knowing that I was scheduled to leave the comfort of the slip I had spent two nights in at the Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes. I had decided to make my way up to Bellingham, just a 16-mile sail north, to visit long-time friends. I should have been excited, but my nerves robbed me of that until the last 30 minutes before I cast off my lines.
The thing with single-handing a boat in a marina is that there are many other boats to avoid making contact with! You have the boats bobbing in their slips, and then you have the ones going in and out of the marina to watch for. Doug, one half of the couple living on the boat next to where I was tied up, was kind enough to help me back Wahine Toa out of the slip. He and his wife then offered me encouraging words as I motored down the lane towards open water!
Once I successfully dodged all the traffic and found myself safely outside the marina, I had tons of crab pots to contend with! The water was pretty choppy, making it hard to see the floats. I engaged my auto helm and took up post closer to the bow to keep a better eye out. This is also when I cleaned up the dock lines and put away the fenders.
Unfortunately for me, the timing of my departure coincided with a decent current coming hitting me right on the nose as I traveled north to Bellingham. I was only making 3-4 knots of speed with my engine at the top RPMs. I resolved myself to the fact that it was going to be a long day.
Just over an hour into my trip, the current began changing in my favor and the winds picked up. At first, I felt that accomplishing my first motoring day solo was enough; however, the wind coming up changed my mind. I decided to throw out the headsail, even though I knew it meant tacking (changing directions) more and following a zigzag pattern, adding distance to my travel. I felt having the practice would be worth it.
During this sail I found myself tacking between lines of crab pots and a small island until I cleared a little spit of land that had me out in the open and free set my sail, heading straight towards Bellingham. It was AWESOME! I picked up speed, which countered the extra distance and shaved time off my ETA. I was so excited!
Arriving in Bellingham, I had the task of anchoring on my own. I found my spot, circled around checking depth and distance from the breakwater where I would spend the night just outside of, and then pointed my bow into the wind to prepare to drop the hook. It didn’t go as planned the first time.
I discovered a current stronger than the wind pushing me up and over where I dropped the anchor. No bueno! I brought the anchor back up and tried again. This second time, I felt more confident that I got the anchor set, but I stayed onboard for an extra hour to make sure my boat didn’t go anywhere.
The thought of motoring away from my home and the entirety of my possessions felt like a lead brick in my gut. I knew I had to trust myself and be confident that I had followed all the rules for anchoring. What helped was that the winds had died down, leaving the bay completely calm!
Stepping into my dinghy, I headed to shore to meet up with Ryan and Linda, two dear friends who used to live in Portland. As we sat at a picnic table eating the burritos they had provided, I kept looking out at the breakwater to see if Wahine Toa was behaving herself. My nerves kept me on watch
Following the setting sun I steered the launch back out to my sweet boat for my first night on the hook in a 'foreign' port. She was right where I left her!
It was a big day for me. Now that I’ve done it once, I imagine my confidence will continue to build. Don’t get me wrong, though—I know there are many more mistakes to be made, and I’m sure to feel deflated countless times from here on out. But today, I learned that I could sail my boat on my own!
Much love to you all,
Cheryl