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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Yup, We are Back in Texas


Walldog, Willie and Jake

Friday, September 10, 2010

Poulsbo Yacht Club

Shortly after arriving in Bremerton for the 2010 Ranger Tug Rendezvous, we had a visit from Dennis and Julie Sheehan.  Members of the Laguna Madre Yacht club will remember Dennis and Julie as they formerly lived in South Padre Island and Port Isabel.  They were and still are members of the LMYC.  Dennis is currently Commodore of the Poulsbo Yacht Club in Poulsbo, Washington.  Dennis and Julie presented Willie and me with a burgee from the PYC.  This burgee has a Viking ship on it depicting the Norwegian heritage of the town of Poulsbo.  I promised Dennis and Julie that the burgee would be displayed at the LYMC in a place of honor.  Thank you Dennis and Julie Sheehan.

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Addendum MV Cade Candies

During lunch at Randy's Pier 61 today, we noticed that the MV Cade Candies was in the water at the Dakota Industries dock.  We could not get close enough for a good picture.

Deception Pass September 3, 2010

The Town of Anacortes is located on Fidalgo Island.  Just South of Fidalgo Island is the Island of Whidbey.  A narrow pass separates the two islands.  This pass is named Deception Pass.

A "local historian" gave me the lowdown on how Deception Pass got its name.  He said that a greek by the name of Fuca wanted to go exploring in the new world and he asked the Queen to sponsor him.  She said we only send Spaniards.  He said then call me Juan....thus Juan de Fuca went exploring.  He mapped the area along the Washington coast and when he mapped the pass, he saw the tidal flow ebbing at 7 to 8 knots and called it a river.  Later the British explored the same area and came by the "river" mapped by Juan de Fuca.  They passed at flood tide and found the pass.  Since they were deceived, they named the pass Deception.  I have not been able to verify all of this story, but some of it seems true, the rest may just be a good story.

The currents in Deception Pass can be very interesting to boaters.  A fast power boat can over come the tidal flows, but a small trawler such as Willie's Tug needs to excercise extreme caution when traversing the pass. Our top speed is only about 8 knots and with flows up to 8 knots we could be in trouble trying to go the wrong way at the wrong time.  Our best time to go would be at slack tide.  The period when the tidal flow starts to reverse.

A bridge built in the 1930s spans from Fidalgo to Pass Island and from Pass Island to Whidbey Island.  Willie and I walked this bridge and took some pictures.  I have to tell you that after walking this bridge so far above the water with large trucks shaking it, I feel safer in the boat in the water below.







It was a clear day, and we could see Mount Baker, the third highest mountain in Washington.




Walldog, Willie and Jake