The Loop is Closed

Here we are departing Everett, Central Basin about 0800 this morning.

Well.   We completed our adventure and are back in Anacortes.   The weather predictions called for rather unpleasant conditions, so we elected to come back to Anacortes rather than spend the night at anchor in a nearby bay.

We left Everett this morning as planned.  As we steamed up Saratoga Passage, we encountered literally thousands of crab pots.  You know how to find the channel - right?   Just look for the crab pots!   How can this be?   Why are these things in the navigable channels when they are a distinct hazard to navigation?   I don't get it.  Are there any crab left in the area?

A least this one was brightly colored.  It's the gray and white ones that barely float that are the challenge to locate and miss.  Tangling the crab pot line in my prop or stabilizers would really put me in a foul mood!   And we wouldn't want that!

We were squirted out of Deception Pass at about 12 knots as we had a very favorable current pushing us.  Since it was near high tide the waves, eddies, overfalls, etc. were at a minimum, so we scooted right through.

Here are a few more pictures for your edification...

We were planning on going to Hunter Bay in Lopez Sound for the evening, but the weather forecast called for 30+ knot winds and a lot of rain, so we elected to head to Anacortes instead.   

We rounded the lighthouse at Burrows Island.

As we entered Guemes Channel, we passed this red channel marker denoting the inbound right side of the channel.

Hard to see anything as we were approaching Anacortes.

Ahh, the setting sun from our temporary slip at Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes.

And a lovely rainbow for our journey's end.

We are now back where we started 111 days ago. We still have another week to get the boat prepared for haul and the inevitable winter work.  We want Blue Redd well prepared for another year of adventure in Alaska.

Oh, and insofar as the weather that was predicted that changed our plans and brought us to Anacortes a day early... We've seen mostly rain, but very little wind here...  Of course...

From this point, I may blog a bit about getting Blue Redd ready for storage and winter work, but it will be sporadic.  I will also write-up a summary/recap/reflection of our trip, but not tonight.  Tonight, it's bedtime.  I'm beat.