It was 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning when I heard the pitter-patter of rain on deck above our bed. The prediction of precipitation had finally…
Discovering Washington’s Marine State Parks: Jones Island to ourselves
A thin layer of clouds parted over San Juan Channel revealing sunbreaks and patches of blue sky on a cool fall afternoon as we made…
A change of plans leads to Desolation and thoughts on cruising schedules
Dark-gray clouds shrouded the nearby mountains and an ominous looking squall line moved briskly over the Strait of Georgia as we motored northward across a…
Ladysmith, BC makes for an ideal stop in the Gulf Islands
Approaching the guest dock at Ladysmith Community Marina, I could quickly tell that very little room was available for our 40-foot sailboat. And seeing that it…
Cruising has its high highs, and low lows
The sound of our anchor chain rolling through the windless was like church bells summoning the faithful. We were dropping the hook for the fist…
Boat Notes| Jimmy Cornell’s globe-girdling Garcia Expedition 45
When you’ve written seven successful editions of a book entitled “World Cruising Routes,” there’s a good chance you’re capable of designing the ultimate boat to meet the rigors of…
Boathook overboard! Practicing COB maneuvers will help if it happens for real
Sailing on a beautiful broad reach northward up San Juan Channel this spring, we managed to lose our only boathook overboard. Not wanting to lose a good boathook,…
South Sound cruising favorites
Over the past few weeks — and years for that matter — I’ve had several conversations about cruising the South Sound and it seems that…
Clipper Round the World Race coming to Seattle!
There was big news for Seattle sailing enthusiasts yesterday as the Clipper Round the World Race announced the city as a stopover in the next…
Van Isle 360 Recap: Leg 9 completes an overall amazing, unique racing experience
Double Take’s blue and white spinnaker filled just seconds before the starting horn for Leg 9 from Victoria to Nanaimo sounded off Clover Point. Off…