Publications of Ghost and her Crew
There’s this place………Stuart Island, Washington
We left Port Hadlock at 4:30 am. The wind was perfect for me to
sail “Ghost” off the hook. I woke up and moved the kids from there
forward bunks into bed with mommy. I am sure that raising the
anchor would wake them. I raise the Jib and let it relax while I crank
up the hook. As the muddy bottom lets go, the bow slowly catches
some wind and starts the day. I secure the anchor, then go aft and
sheet in the headsail. There it is…..steerage. We are not really
scooting along, but with the tide we manage 2.5 knots. No one else
stirs this early. I feel alone and comfortable, but as a precaution I
put on my PFD just incase. Point Wilson is the jumping off point to
crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca. As Port Townsend passes abeam
our port side, I raise the rest of the sails. The wind is steady out of
the west at 10 knots. It is just a little less than 40 miles to our
destination. The current is at its max ebb and the GPS shows 11
knots. We are sailing at 4 knots. It is going to be a perfect day!
A steaming cup of coffee appears from below, and with that Ang
goes back to bed. We pass the channel marker that marks the
convergence of 4 major waterways used by shipping traffic. The
water is boiling around it like a boulder in a raging river. I settle on
heading 330. I can make out the bumps on the horizon that
represent San Juan Island. We are headed to Stuart Island. It
always seems that the first place we seek when we get to the islands
is Stuart. Before we get there we have to cross two major shipping
lanes and some water that has not been affected by anything since
leaving the eastern shores of Asia. Needles to say, the seas can get
nasty in a heart beat.
Adding up, I realize that this is the 14th time I have crossed the
straits in a sailboat. I know that the tides should be timed so that it
is advantageous during the whole day. We left our anchorage with an
ebbing tide and will use it to help push us out into the middle of the
straights, and then let ourselves get sucked through Haro Straight
with the flood tide. Because I want to sail, it will still take us 12
hours.
On the starboard beam and almost half way across, we pass west
of Smith Island and enter Minke whale territory. We see one of
these shy baleen whales on almost every passage through here.
Today however, my eyes are the only pair looking and I fail to find
the black shinny whale breeching the surface.
As we approach the southwest side of San Juan Island, our
anticipation grows because we know this to be the prime patrolling
route for the resident Orca pods. As we glide past Lime Kiln Point
light house, we see everything but whales. Spotting the whales is
easy these days. Not because of the whales themselves, but because
of the tour boats that are becoming more a part of the whales lives
than anything else.
Sailing past Battleship Island we can see the entrance to Reid
Harbor. This is the southern of two harbors on Stuart Island. Reid
faces due east. It is about a mile long and is a constant 20 feet deep
until the very inside. It has state park facilities with many buoys two
floating docks, a linier, and a main dock that hooks up to the trail
heads, camping and registration. They even have a Potty Pump Out
dock. There is very little movement to the water, so it has a lot of
algae growth. The water is so green it is amazing. The beach offers
clamming and there are more oysters than can be
counted.
On one side of Reid Harbor there is a family of Osprey. On the
other, there is a family of Bald eagles and they DO NOT get along.
Every year we come here and without fail these two families of
raptors put on a display. We watch in wonder as the two birds lock
talons and fight over a fish or tree branch. There “peeps” and
“whistles” echo off the steep walls of the narrow inlet.
As night falls, and darkness closes in, the stillness of the air
gathers around you like a big blanket. On one hillside there is an owl
that is calling to a mate on the other side of the island. Both can
clearly be heard. A little down the way, there is a dinghy that is
acting strangely. It isn’t until a few minutes of wondering, that we
realize that a seal is trying to climb into the small boat for a rest or
drink of water. He finally gives up and seeks an easier resting
place.
At exactly midnight an eerie, almost pre-historic howl comes from
the trees on the western shore. The hairs are standing at attention
on the back of our necks. We set down our glasses of rum and look
around trying to zero in on whatever creature could have made such
an unfamiliar scream into the still night air. Then before we can say a
word, a Great Horned owl has found his voice again and made a more
familiar hooting call through the darkness. Apparently the first call
was to let all the other creatures, including the crew of “Ghost”,
know that he was taking over the midnight watch. We heard him
again the next night at the same time.
Reid Harbor is on the Washington State marine trail. There are
always a lot of kayakers camped on the shore. There is a nice trail
system on the island. The two main points to look for are - the
School house at the top of the hill, and the Turn Point Light house.
This is one of three light houses to explore in the San Juans. Lime
Kiln point light house is on San Juan Island, and Patos Island has a
light house. It is .7 miles up the county road that winds and climbs to
the top of a hill to the school house. The vegetation along the road
makes the hiker feel like they are in a rain forest. There is much to
look at and explore for little eyes too. Zak and Ellie stop and gather
treasures for a closer look when we get back to the boat. Watch out
for slugs. There are many varieties in the islands. At the school
there is a treasure chest with island products for sail. The items are
clearly not being sold as a profit making venture for the school, but
are unique to Stuart Island. There is also a museum near the school.
It makes a nice pit stop with outdoor bathrooms and water is usually
there as well.
It’s another easy 1.7 miles to the light house. Along the way there
will be a cemetery, a runway that seems to be cut out of the side of
the mountain, “Lovers Leap”, and then the light house itself. The
light house looks west across Haro straight into Canada. I would take
a lunch and stay a while. Sooner or later the resident whales will pass
by on there patrol. In 1875 the lighthouse was built to aid mariners
through Haro Straight and on to the Straight of Georgia. The signal
building, keepers quarters, and barn where completed in 1893. the
signal was manned until 1974 when the light and fog signal where
automated.
Stuart Island has year round residents. It has a history that goes
back to the days of early explorers and Indians. There has been
commercial fishing through out these islands since the earliest
settlers and even smugglers around the turn of the century. On the
North side of the island there is another harbor called Prevost
Harbor. Prevost is not as protected as Reid harbor however. There
are rocks scattered around that have to be watched at low tide.
Prevost has a linier, several buoys, and a dock that connects to the
island. We have so many memories of Stuart Island that we named
our son after Reid Harbor. Zakary Reid calls it his harbor when ever
we are there. I would make Stuart island a place to explore and
spend a day or two when ever cruising the San Juan islands.
We left Port Hadlock at 4:30 am. The wind was perfect for me to
sail “Ghost” off the hook. I woke up and moved the kids from there
forward bunks into bed with mommy. I am sure that raising the
anchor would wake them. I raise the Jib and let it relax while I crank
up the hook. As the muddy bottom lets go, the bow slowly catches
some wind and starts the day. I secure the anchor, then go aft and
sheet in the headsail. There it is…..steerage. We are not really
scooting along, but with the tide we manage 2.5 knots. No one else
stirs this early. I feel alone and comfortable, but as a precaution I
put on my PFD just incase. Point Wilson is the jumping off point to
crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca. As Port Townsend passes abeam
our port side, I raise the rest of the sails. The wind is steady out of
the west at 10 knots. It is just a little less than 40 miles to our
destination. The current is at its max ebb and the GPS shows 11
knots. We are sailing at 4 knots. It is going to be a perfect day!
A steaming cup of coffee appears from below, and with that Ang
goes back to bed. We pass the channel marker that marks the
convergence of 4 major waterways used by shipping traffic. The
water is boiling around it like a boulder in a raging river. I settle on
heading 330. I can make out the bumps on the horizon that
represent San Juan Island. We are headed to Stuart Island. It
always seems that the first place we seek when we get to the islands
is Stuart. Before we get there we have to cross two major shipping
lanes and some water that has not been affected by anything since
leaving the eastern shores of Asia. Needles to say, the seas can get
nasty in a heart beat.
Adding up, I realize that this is the 14th time I have crossed the
straits in a sailboat. I know that the tides should be timed so that it
is advantageous during the whole day. We left our anchorage with an
ebbing tide and will use it to help push us out into the middle of the
straights, and then let ourselves get sucked through Haro Straight
with the flood tide. Because I want to sail, it will still take us 12
hours.
On the starboard beam and almost half way across, we pass west
of Smith Island and enter Minke whale territory. We see one of
these shy baleen whales on almost every passage through here.
Today however, my eyes are the only pair looking and I fail to find
the black shinny whale breeching the surface.
As we approach the southwest side of San Juan Island, our
anticipation grows because we know this to be the prime patrolling
route for the resident Orca pods. As we glide past Lime Kiln Point
light house, we see everything but whales. Spotting the whales is
easy these days. Not because of the whales themselves, but because
of the tour boats that are becoming more a part of the whales lives
than anything else.
Sailing past Battleship Island we can see the entrance to Reid
Harbor. This is the southern of two harbors on Stuart Island. Reid
faces due east. It is about a mile long and is a constant 20 feet deep
until the very inside. It has state park facilities with many buoys two
floating docks, a linier, and a main dock that hooks up to the trail
heads, camping and registration. They even have a Potty Pump Out
dock. There is very little movement to the water, so it has a lot of
algae growth. The water is so green it is amazing. The beach offers
clamming and there are more oysters than can be
counted.
On one side of Reid Harbor there is a family of Osprey. On the
other, there is a family of Bald eagles and they DO NOT get along.
Every year we come here and without fail these two families of
raptors put on a display. We watch in wonder as the two birds lock
talons and fight over a fish or tree branch. There “peeps” and
“whistles” echo off the steep walls of the narrow inlet.
As night falls, and darkness closes in, the stillness of the air
gathers around you like a big blanket. On one hillside there is an owl
that is calling to a mate on the other side of the island. Both can
clearly be heard. A little down the way, there is a dinghy that is
acting strangely. It isn’t until a few minutes of wondering, that we
realize that a seal is trying to climb into the small boat for a rest or
drink of water. He finally gives up and seeks an easier resting
place.
At exactly midnight an eerie, almost pre-historic howl comes from
the trees on the western shore. The hairs are standing at attention
on the back of our necks. We set down our glasses of rum and look
around trying to zero in on whatever creature could have made such
an unfamiliar scream into the still night air. Then before we can say a
word, a Great Horned owl has found his voice again and made a more
familiar hooting call through the darkness. Apparently the first call
was to let all the other creatures, including the crew of “Ghost”,
know that he was taking over the midnight watch. We heard him
again the next night at the same time.
Reid Harbor is on the Washington State marine trail. There are
always a lot of kayakers camped on the shore. There is a nice trail
system on the island. The two main points to look for are - the
School house at the top of the hill, and the Turn Point Light house.
This is one of three light houses to explore in the San Juans. Lime
Kiln point light house is on San Juan Island, and Patos Island has a
light house. It is .7 miles up the county road that winds and climbs to
the top of a hill to the school house. The vegetation along the road
makes the hiker feel like they are in a rain forest. There is much to
look at and explore for little eyes too. Zak and Ellie stop and gather
treasures for a closer look when we get back to the boat. Watch out
for slugs. There are many varieties in the islands. At the school
there is a treasure chest with island products for sail. The items are
clearly not being sold as a profit making venture for the school, but
are unique to Stuart Island. There is also a museum near the school.
It makes a nice pit stop with outdoor bathrooms and water is usually
there as well.
It’s another easy 1.7 miles to the light house. Along the way there
will be a cemetery, a runway that seems to be cut out of the side of
the mountain, “Lovers Leap”, and then the light house itself. The
light house looks west across Haro straight into Canada. I would take
a lunch and stay a while. Sooner or later the resident whales will pass
by on there patrol. In 1875 the lighthouse was built to aid mariners
through Haro Straight and on to the Straight of Georgia. The signal
building, keepers quarters, and barn where completed in 1893. the
signal was manned until 1974 when the light and fog signal where
automated.
Stuart Island has year round residents. It has a history that goes
back to the days of early explorers and Indians. There has been
commercial fishing through out these islands since the earliest
settlers and even smugglers around the turn of the century. On the
North side of the island there is another harbor called Prevost
Harbor. Prevost is not as protected as Reid harbor however. There
are rocks scattered around that have to be watched at low tide.
Prevost has a linier, several buoys, and a dock that connects to the
island. We have so many memories of Stuart Island that we named
our son after Reid Harbor. Zakary Reid calls it his harbor when ever
we are there. I would make Stuart island a place to explore and
spend a day or two when ever cruising the San Juan islands.
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