Exciting Fourth!
Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:57 am
What a Fourth! With our dismal spring the weather gods were relentless! We left our marina in Destiny bound for the North end of Camano Island to meet with friends who own a house there. Knowing the guest count was around 40 folks we opted to bring our own accomidations! Saturday was perfect. upper 60's ( remember, that is warm relative to what we've had for the last 9 months ) however zero wind so we used the iron lung to deliver us safely to Utsalady Bay. We had a great evening visiting our friends Saturday evening and an even greater night aboard Destiny. Our daughter and a couple of her friends were aboard and they slept in the cockpit. Diane and I comfortably nestled in our birth! Saturday we woke to dead calm and 50 degrees. Heavy over cast did not deter us! The weather man said NO RAIN! So, up went all the flags! Makes me think of the old CSN song Southern Cross ". . . . I had my ship, and all her flags were a flyin' . . . .".
After breakfast we took the dink to shore. At 11:00 there is a local parade where all the towns people simply walk about 1/2 mile waving flags to a retired military guys house over looking the harbor. He still has connections and gets a military flyby every Fourth! Given the cloud ceiling the planes could not make it but a military helicopter came by and honored the crowd for several flyby's ! Very cool! Lunch/dinner was had around 3:00 and was delicious! The kids made one last trip to Destiny to get our fireworks and we started our fun! By 5:00 or so the wind started to pick up. Hmm, no mention in the weather or NOAA. By 8:00 the wind and waves had picked up to the point that some run about boat owners were woried they'd break loose or get sunk at anchor! Destiny was fine however her flags were all still flying! By ten, the wind was howling with even greater gusts! Fireworks went sideways, all showering cones would simply blow over and roll down the street. Mortors and such went up but when the exploded, they were a house or two over and simply blew away! Large bottle rockets could be shot at angles to allow an overhead burst but were pretty well blown away. By 11:00 even the kids surrendered to the wind. At midnight, Diane and I took a flashlight to the beach to confirm trying to reach Destiny would be crazy. It was. We'd dragged our 10' RIB up past the tide line earlier just to be safe. However the waves were so agressive we found her full of water. So we drained her and dragged her up onto the drift wood far above the tide and wave line. By 1:00 am we all had places to sleep and were curled up and cozy. The next morning we saw Destiny had weather the storm fine howerver the winds shredded our 5' X 8' flag at the top of the mast. Bummer. Guess I'll just have to go get that bigger one I've always wanted! We did notice the neigbors flag pole was bent by the winds!! Monday was a nice upper 60's kind of day however still mostly overcast and again, no winds so the iron lung was again our means to get home. We picked up a couple more teenagers for the ride home and Destiny was stripped of all edible items. We arrived safely at home, watched Water World, ate pizza, and then sent a bunch kids to their homes!!
Destiny showing off her goods!
View from the friends house
Monday morning dink
Hmm, it seems summer has finally arrived. we are now expecting weather in the upper 80's and lower 90's this week. Yeah, I know, most of you laugh but hey, it took is over 9 months two have two days above 75 degrees this year. Be warned, you'll here some whining soon! LOL!
Hope you all had a great 4th!
Scott
After breakfast we took the dink to shore. At 11:00 there is a local parade where all the towns people simply walk about 1/2 mile waving flags to a retired military guys house over looking the harbor. He still has connections and gets a military flyby every Fourth! Given the cloud ceiling the planes could not make it but a military helicopter came by and honored the crowd for several flyby's ! Very cool! Lunch/dinner was had around 3:00 and was delicious! The kids made one last trip to Destiny to get our fireworks and we started our fun! By 5:00 or so the wind started to pick up. Hmm, no mention in the weather or NOAA. By 8:00 the wind and waves had picked up to the point that some run about boat owners were woried they'd break loose or get sunk at anchor! Destiny was fine however her flags were all still flying! By ten, the wind was howling with even greater gusts! Fireworks went sideways, all showering cones would simply blow over and roll down the street. Mortors and such went up but when the exploded, they were a house or two over and simply blew away! Large bottle rockets could be shot at angles to allow an overhead burst but were pretty well blown away. By 11:00 even the kids surrendered to the wind. At midnight, Diane and I took a flashlight to the beach to confirm trying to reach Destiny would be crazy. It was. We'd dragged our 10' RIB up past the tide line earlier just to be safe. However the waves were so agressive we found her full of water. So we drained her and dragged her up onto the drift wood far above the tide and wave line. By 1:00 am we all had places to sleep and were curled up and cozy. The next morning we saw Destiny had weather the storm fine howerver the winds shredded our 5' X 8' flag at the top of the mast. Bummer. Guess I'll just have to go get that bigger one I've always wanted! We did notice the neigbors flag pole was bent by the winds!! Monday was a nice upper 60's kind of day however still mostly overcast and again, no winds so the iron lung was again our means to get home. We picked up a couple more teenagers for the ride home and Destiny was stripped of all edible items. We arrived safely at home, watched Water World, ate pizza, and then sent a bunch kids to their homes!!
Destiny showing off her goods!
View from the friends house
Monday morning dink
Hmm, it seems summer has finally arrived. we are now expecting weather in the upper 80's and lower 90's this week. Yeah, I know, most of you laugh but hey, it took is over 9 months two have two days above 75 degrees this year. Be warned, you'll here some whining soon! LOL!
Hope you all had a great 4th!
Scott
Standing on the side of the cockpit with the tiller above my hip she wouldn't turn downwind to block the jib... We decided to take the jib down & mellow out the ride because the wind stayed at 38 to 40 mph for the next 15 mins. 
)