Two Views of NW Sailing in August

[D & DM Cahill]

We finally got out for a week of cruising during the last week of August (which was great) but again confirmed our fickle NW weather and the need to always be prepared. Attached are two views taken during that cruise. Any other NW Ericsons out cruising the San Juan & Gulf Islands from August 25 to September 2? Dave Cahill, SV Amazing Grace

 

[Frank Langer]

We joined two other boats in a cruise leaving Nanaimo, BC on Aug. 21st to Maple Bay, Sidney and then on to the San Juan Islands (Friday Harbour, Rosario, through Deception Pass to Anacortes, Echo Bay at Sucia Island and then back to Canada via Poet's Cove at Bedwell Harbour, Clam Bay and then home to Nanaimo on Aug. 30th.

We only had about a half hour of light showers one day, and though it wasn't hot, we were often in T-shirts and jeans. With the exception of one day of light winds, the sailing was great--in fact, a little too much wind coming into Anacortes in 30+ knots of wind.

While weather/wind is often a "crapshoot", we have had an unusually windy summer in the Nanaimo/Strait of Georgia area, with literally no rain measured in the month of July this year. Sailing has been great! But now fall is in the air, though we keep our boat in the water all winter, and sail year round, though bundled up a bit in January/February.

Frank

 

[D & DM Cahill]

Hi Frank. Sounds like you had a really great cruise with good weather and great sailing. While the feeling of fall is now in the air, many of our favorite destinations are now not so busy. We tend to use our boat all year also. Perhaps we will cross paths sometime. Nanimo is a great place to visit. We hope to get there in the future. Thanks for the response. Dave

 

[Rowan]

We we out from Aug 21 to the 26 down here on the Columbia. We also experienced the variable NW weather. It was hot and dry with great wind the first few days (BTW laundry dries incredibly fast when sailing upwind in hot dry weather), then cool, cloudy, with some sprinkles (but very little wind). Either way we had a great time.

 

[D & DM Cahill]

Hi Rowan. Great pictures. We always try to take some pictures on each cruise. They help get us through those short gray wet days of January/February. Thanks for the reply. Dave

 

[footrope]

September Cruise: San Juan & Gulf Islands

Great pictures and a good illustration of the way the weather has varied this year.

During the last half of September, we got away for two weeks in the islands and despite the frequent rain, we didn't get wet much during the day when we were moving around.

Attached is a "fogbow" in the otherwise clear early morning in Reid Harbor, Stuart Island (U.S.) and then a sunny shot at Royal Cove at the north end of Portland Island (Canada).

The winds were light except for the 18 to 22 knots, on the nose, from Port Townsend back to Seattle at the end of the trip.

Cheers,

 

[D & DM Cahill]

September Cruise: San Juan & Gulf Islands

Hi Craig. Great picture of the fog rainbow! I have never seen one of those before. We also got some good pictures of the fog as we were moored at Reid Harbor in September. I am glad the cold temperatures, snow and high winds we have had this week have passed on. The pictures of the summer cruises make me want to go out again. Thanks. Dave

 

[footrope]

Thank you, Dave. It was a first for us also. Nothing like a fogbow to start off a day of cruising.