2022 cruising, So Where are You Going?

[dmbraaten]

Yes, we bought her in Alusland, NO and brought her down to Varazze in 2019. Equipped her with AC, a watermaker, and solar. She is in Genoa now getting a new Besenzoni gangway and then will be provisioning her next week for our Greek cruise then ending in Barcelona by the end of summer.

 

[rgano]

Greetings from the North Channel (Ontario Canada). Conditions here can be quite extreme.

Ted

I remember it being one of the rougher days I have experienced when I went through there in 1994.

 

[ksanders]

Greetings from the North Channel (Ontario Canada). Conditions here can be quite extreme.

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Ted

Yes, extreme indeed!

 

[ksanders]

Good morning from Washington state.

Today I am heading for Neah Bay and will be heading down the Pacific Coast tomorrow.

 

[twistedtree]

Kevin, we are heading to your old home port. I had forgotten how amazing the cliffs are at the entrance to resurrection bay.

 

[BandB]

Greetings from the North Channel (Ontario Canada). Conditions here can be quite extreme.

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Ted

Wifey B: Yes, a bit extreme. Lake we lived on was seldom so calm. :lol:

Nice to bring back memories though. It was on such a day when we were in the North Channel that we ran across an older couple and their grandson stranded by a dead battery. They had recently purchased the boat. A couple of the girls with us jumped across and rewired to another battery to start them, then we kept close until we reached a destination where they could buy new batteries and they could be set up correctly. Their 15 year old son was quite impressed by a female captain and female engineer being the ones to assist. We've all remained friends. So, for us, the North Channel has a very special meaning but that's part of the loop, you never know where the memories will be made.

 

[BandB]

Cruising between UK and Ireland and then up to Faroe Islands and then to Iceland. Hoping to be in Oban, Scotland by April/May and then off to Iceland depending on weather.

Wifey B: Not making the Faroe Islands last summer was a disappointment. We intended to fly out and back in and spend time there but rules tightened and it wasn't practical. Next time.

 

[ksanders]

Kevin, we are heading to your old home port. I had forgotten how amazing the cliffs are at the entrance to resurrection bay.

And the birds!!!

If you see the folks on Tempest, a 48' Norlund, please say hello for me.

Also there might be a fellow TF'er Doug there on his 30 Willard.

 

[tiltrider1]

Kevin, I am just missing you. I have been in the yard at Port Townsend all week and tomorrow I head into the San Juan’s.

 

[ksanders]

Kevin, I am just missing you. I have been in the yard at Port Townsend all week and tomorrow I head into the San Juan’s.

This morning I am making way for Westport

 

[BandB]

This morning I am making way for Westport

Looks like you have a beautiful day for that trip south. Moderate wind waves and very small swells to Westport. Chamber of Commerce conditions. Grab some fish from the charters in Westport if you can. Interesting old town vibe combined with large boat builder.

 

[ksanders]

Looks like you have a beautiful day for that trip south. Moderate wind waves and very small swells to Westport. Chamber of Commerce conditions. Grab some fish from the charters in Westport if you can. Interesting old town vibe combined with large boat builder.

Yes, today I am having a fantastic day at sea. I'll be in Westport for it looks like three nights, perfect for exploring.

and... This message brought to you by Starlink

 

[O C Diver]

Greetings from Lake Superior.



Nothing wrong with this picture, Superior is this big.

Note to self:
Steer clear of 1,000' ore carriers, they have right of weight ([fiber] Glass is fast, but Steal is real!).


Paul R. Tragertha 1,014' (Queen of the Lakes)

Ted

 

[Fletcher500]

Regarding ship traffic: I was coming out of Long Beach a couple years ago, exiting the main breakwater where the ships come through. Got pinched in between a couple boats and an oil tanker all hitting the entrance/exit point at the same time so I took a direct line behind the tanker who crossed in front of me. Too close behind them. Prop wash from a 20 ft diameter propeller can do strange things to a 45 ft boat. I should have known better. The crew of the ship probably got a laugh out of the idiot in the recreational boat - IE, me.

 

[O C Diver]

Greetings from Lake Superior.



It's not as bad as it looks. Visibility is ranging 100' to 300' from the bow. The good news is that if you normally travel at 6 knots, you don't need to slow down. Rest assured, the AIS, double range radar, and the automated fog signals are all operating. Additional good news is that to have conditions like this requires relatively calm winds (2 to 3 knots out of the South currently), which equates to gentle 1' swells (for now).

So Monday I headed up the St. Marys river with a 15 to 25 knot NW forecast (the river is relatively protected). Rounding the corner at Sault Ste. Marie, the winds had been under forecast, 25 gusting to 30 knots NW. Locking through and anchoring in Whitefish Bay wasn’t going to work. Went back down the river to Sugar Island for the night.

Yesterday (Tuesday) was much nicer weather until the afternoon. Locked through the Soo Locks and headed on out to anchor for the night just below Whitefish Point. Then the Canadian and American Coastguard announced squall and thunderstorm warnings for Whitefish Bay. One of the downsides to traveling at displacement speed is the inability to out run weather. While the squall never materialized, the thunderstorms, rain cells, and occasional lightning were stimulating in a morbid sort of way. All ended about the time I anchored just below Whitefish Point. Pea soup fog arrived at twilight (10pm).

Oh look, in 10 minutes you can literally drive right out of the fog. Welcome to Lake Superior!



And an hour later you can be driving back in.



Tonight's destination is Grand Marais, a Michigan Harbor of Refuge on the South coast of Superior. Tomorrow's forecast is 22 gusting to 39 knots in the morning. Lots to be said for Harbors of Refuge.

Ted

 

[ksanders]

Today I am headed down the Pacific Coast for Astoria Oregon.

I plan on crossing the infamous Columbia River Bar at High slack today, but am still a bit nervous!

 

[tiltrider1]

Crossing the bar is probably a right of passage that you want to add to your bucket list. On the other hand if you really feel uncomfortable you can head another 4 hours down to Garibaldi. A very simple bar to cross.

 

[ksanders]

I am tied up tonight in Astoria having crossed the Columbia river bar.

to folks who do this every day it's no big deal but to me this was a bucket list thing.

this evening I'm having a wonderful meal in the bistro right next to the Harbor and tomorrow I will be heading out to Garibaldi.

 

[tiltrider1]

Looks like you are tied up in front of the Astoria River Walk Inn. The Bistro is one of the nicer places to eat in Astoria.

 

[ksanders]

Looks like you are tied up in front of the Astoria River Walk Inn. The Bistro is one of the nicer places to eat in Astoria.

They have a great, and different version of Clam Chowder.

 

[AKDoug]

I am loading the boat, ready to depart and attempt to catch up with Kevin somewhere along the way. The weather is currently not the best, but hope it will settle around the 4th of July and I will be crossing the Gulf. I have dropped past Twisted Tree's boat a few times, no signs of life aboard and I am shy to knock. Every nook and cranny is almost packed, ready for the great adventure!

I will be back in Seward tomorrow loading the last of my debris on board and making things as close to perfect as I can. More driving back and forth than working on the boat unfortunately, but only so many things can be loaded into a VW Gti per trip

 

[ksanders]

I am loading the boat, ready to depart and attempt to catch up with Kevin somewhere along the way. The weather is currently not the best, but hope it will settle around the 4th of July and I will be crossing the Gulf. I have dropped past Twisted Tree's boat a few times, no signs of life aboard and I am shy to knock. Every nook and cranny is almost packed, ready for the great adventure!

I will be back in Seward tomorrow loading the last of my debris on board and making things as close to perfect as I can. More driving back and forth than working on the boat unfortunately, but only so many things can be loaded into a VW Gti per trip

I cannot wait to share a beer with you at the new harbors along the way!!!!

 

[sunchaser]

It is great to see boats being used for their intended purpose. As we cruise SE Alaska the opening of the border has resulted in many more cruisers than 2021. The North Pacific high has set in with generally calm waters and little rain. Charter fishing and lodges are well booked. Once up here little mention of fuel prices is heard with the exception of the commercial guys hoping catch prices commensurately increase too.

 

[rslifkin]

I've noticed a lot more cruisers in our area as well compared to the past couple of years. Less of the weekend boaters (as expected with high fuel prices) but still plenty of them. I've also noticed a few more planing boats running slowly this year.

 

[ksanders]

I'm leaving Astoria with the morning tide.

Here is a link to my SPOT page.

https://maps.findmespot.com/s/2R02#live/assets

 

[BandB]

I'm leaving Astoria with the morning tide.

Here is a link to my SPOT page.

I think the Astoria Bar just gets referenced and warned about so frequently because of it's level of use. We found it not significantly different than all the other bars along the coast and less challenging than some of the narrower inlets. Each inlet is just different and each has it's own challenges. The East Coast inlets are much the same with many that are best avoided. The main difference is that on the west coast you encounter more swell while the emphasis on the east coast is wind waves.

The other big difference is that the CG has incredible updates for all inlets along the upper west coast as they have operations at most of them. On the east coast, one depends on commercial companies for those updates of conditions.

 

[koliver]

We are in the Pender Harbour neighborhood. Here the traffic is considerably reduced from last year. Poor weather is the real culprit, but overlaid with the price of fuel, is effective.
Reports from others heading down from Desolation Sound are similar. Maybe the beginning of July will see a major influx.

 

[ksanders]

I just left Newport Oregon, heading for Winchester Bay today.

Another easy day at sea. No drama, just heading south.

 

[Muirgen Afloat]

SE Alaska

We are cruising Canada and SE Alaska. It's been amazing so far. Less wildlife than I expected on shore.. but lots of sea life and gorgeous scenery. The Glaciers are incredible.. ice bergs are blue when they start out before they bleach out. Who knew! Waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls... and some many incredible rock formations. Everyone should do this trip.

 

[O C Diver]

Well summer will be over in a couple weeks and it's time for this snowbird to be heading South. Need to be off the Lakes by mid September. Had a great 16 day adventure to Isle Royale and now heading across the South shore of Superior to anchor in Whitefish Bay this evening. Came into Superior with calm seas and heading out 43 days later, the same way.



Ted