Broken Battery at Jones Island Hardly Slowed Us Down - Or is it more proof that paying it forward really works

This post could go several ways
  I'll list a few  

1. More proof that paying it forward is alive and well
2. Evidence that being prepared helps (well duh)
3. Dumb luck favors the ignorant (not true, but it reads well)
4. Redundancy - redundancy - redundancy
5. Do County Cops work late?
6. Do regular auto parts work on boats?
7. enough already

I'll try to just hit the important points. 

     We were on the hook at Jones for two days, the battery switch was clearly on #1, saving #2 for starting.  Lights and the fridge killed #1 as expected.  But what we did not know, was that #2 had shorted while we sat and only held 10 volts -it sounded like this -- #2 click click, #1 click click, oh crap!  #all click click, shit!  

I fired up the portable Honda 2000 and plugged in the shore-power cord, plus I plugged in my portable smart charger, only to discover that my on-board Guest 2 bank smart charger wasn't smart enough to coexist with my portable smart charger meaning nothin worked -  grrrrrr.

One and a half hours later, after separating wiring charging circuits and waiting and waiting, the diesel fires up.  We are of course not going to turn it off for anything.

Previously I had pulled the stern anchor, against my own advise to not pull anchors until the motor is idling. So I'm frantically re-anchoring my dead boat from the dinghy - nice show for everyone watching and wondering.

When we arrive at the San Juan County Dock in Eastsound 2 hours later, I squeeze our thirty feet onto fifteen feet of dock right under the sign saying four hours max. (or is it two?)and -no over-nighting-

At midnight the local constable wrote us a warning and taped it to the stern rail. It said -vacate immediately- or risk getting cited.  Midnight!  I know it was midnight cause he wrote 11:55 pm in the box.

The next day a really nice guy living offshore in a boat, gave us a ride to NAPA,(he owned a rusty Land Cruiser)(it was his inflatable I squeezed) and he carried the new battery down to the boat for me (see, paying it forward works).

By noon we were in good shape and on our way back to Jones Island.

        OK, lets wrap this up.   Our misadventure turned out to be slightly inconvenient at most.  We got to bike around Eastsound and had breakfast out.  The battery I bought, I would have bought anyway.  We met a nice guy.  It was creepy knowing a cop had been hanging around our boat while we slept.

The lessons learned are:

1. don't pull anchors until the motor is running or your ready to hoist sail
2. don't leave home without the Honda. (we have a Honda kicker too)
3. get an old fashioned dumb charger for the tool bag
4. have two batteries that work if your going cruising overnight
5. stuff happens, and things break at inconvenient places -  be prepared
6. be flexible, take it easy  (and bring a credit card)

Current Page Tables for use with the Canadian Current Atlas of the San Juans

Here is the url to find tables for use with the Canadian Current Atlas - I checked it and it worked as of  August 2015

http://code.borsboom.io/current-atlas-tables/


If you don't know what this is referring to, you need to go to the Current Atlas guide posting several years ago  >> go now by clicking this link 
Current atlas for San Juans and Gulf Islands


BTW if you find something you like, or helps you, you should say so.  Lots of people work for nothing, not even a thank you!

No No Not me, I work for nothing cause I'm bored
JR

What's new at Stuart Island Lighthouse

First I need to tell you that as of this posting date, Boundary Pass Traders is still in business selling T-shirts along the road to Stuart Island Lighthouse.  For those of you that don't know, Boundary Pass Traders is a local family business, they have two unmanned sales kiosks complete with fresh water.(after hiking up the hill you will appreciate a drink) They sell screen printed t-shirts on the honor system.  One booth, (more like an opening in the trees that resembles an upscale homeless camp) is next to the schoolhouse at the top of the long grueling hill coming up from Reid Harbor.  The other and newer location is at the intersection of the road coming from the county dock.  This means if you walk from the state park you will stroll by both, but if you walk from the county dock at Prevost Harbor, you will only see the one.  Moving along - You  make your choice from ten or more San Juan Island themed shirts, and then when you get home, mail them a check in the provided envelope. (or pay online) that's right, they trust you! We picked out an adult size replacement shirt for our youngest son, (think "Pirates of the San Juans")  to replace his stretched out, frayed, and faded child size he picked out many years ago.

Volunteers at Stuart Island Lighthouse keep a pretty spiffy privy

more - click here

Are you throwing away FREE MONEY ?

Why not Give it to someone that wants it!

Boat Dollars

Here is the deal. Lots and lots of people that you know have web sites (like this one) and advertise products. When a click is registered or a product is ordered the web site gets paid. (same as boat dollars)

For instance someone clicked an Amazon advertisement on this site and bought a $25.00 item, since they started here (this site) and ultimately bought something, this site got about  a buck (boat buck)

So, if you are planning to buy something from  Amazon anyway (You know they sell everything in the world) why not give someone the free money.  Go to your favorite site first,(this site) then click an Amazon ad, then buy anything you want, it does not need to be what is advertised.

Now go tell everyone you know to come here first -- to order anything Amazon sells.

(free boat bucks stop here)

~John~

TRY THIS link TO YOUR FAVORITE EATERIES AND COFFEE SHOPS -  Restaurant gift cards

Puget Sound is not the San Juan Islands, but if you want to try cruising somewhere new, it's a logical choice.

      Puget Sound is different things to different folks.  If you read a few articles  or listen to more than one traveler you will likely come away with some overlapping opinions. Lots of people think the San Juans and Puget Sound are the same.  They are not.  On your noaa chart, there is a place labeled Puget Sound, it's offshore from Seattle all the way up to Whidbey Island.  Virtually every body of water is named something.  Names sometimes include a descriptive hint, such as bay, passage, inlet, cove, strait, and of course sound. Did I miss any besides canal, and channel? Oh yeah, bank, shoal, flats...

       Some of us consider, Puget Sound (as an area) to encompass everything salty, from the Strait of Juan De Fuca south.  So this means both sides of Whidbey Island are included, but not the northwest side that faces the San Juans and Vancouver Island, or Anacortes, or Bellingham. I like to think of Bellingham as on Bellingham Bay and Anacortes as up Guemes channel a bit from Rosario Strait. So where does that put Olympia?

     We started in Olympia, at Swantown Marina, and so should you.  There are numerous ramps scattered around the area, but nothing compares to the Port of Olympia facilities, they have the welcome mat out more than any (boating) city we have ever visited, bar none.  I haven't forgotten the praise I lavish on Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham, but the entire waterfront at Olympia is boater friendly, which bumps them to the head of my list.

       At Swantown, is a two lane all tide ramp, open 24/7 with a long term parking lot for only $3/day.  Transient moorage is abundant, both at the ramp and a short walk away, at the old town waterfront.  Don't make a mistake and think of Olympia as simply a place to splash the boat and take off from.  Plan your trip to include one or more nights or days at the dock, and bring your bikes, you will be glad you did.

      Rather than gush over Olympia, let's get going north. On this trip our turnaround point is Lake Washington.  This means we will wander a circuitous course to Seattle, visiting as many Marine State Parks as we can.  At Seattle we will go through the Ballard Locks, through Lake Union (Lake Union is the downtown area you see from the freeway) and into Lake Washington to spend the night anchored at Seward City Park.  All total we will visit eleven parks, bike and hike most of them, spend seven nights at docks, one at anchor, and motor about 175 miles.  Wow-- when I write the specifics it sounds rushed, but we relaxed the entire time.

       Day One: We are in the water and on our way at 5pm, this may seem late to get going, but we only have 8 miles, maybe 16, to our first nights stop.  We ran the 8 miles to Hope Island State Park, but all the buoys were taken so we continued to the dock at  Jerrel Cove State Park, another easy 8 miles, and with plenty of daylight, why not?  You sail-boaters should know that we encounterrd a low 31 foot fixed bridge providing vehicle access to Harstine Island. You can avoid the bridge by taking the long way around Harstine. Jerrel Cove has two docks, and across the way is a private marina with a store and transient space.  The park is well kept with onsite rangers, car campers, a mile or two of trails that are rideable, and of course you can head out onto the island roads and ride to your hearts content.  Perhaps I should remind you that, unlike most of the San Juan destinations, all of the places we spent the night are car accessible.  This means you can plan a Puget Sound rendezvous with friends or family to re-supply or switch out crew members.

Jerrel Cove at low tide, the ramp is as steep as we have ever seen.

Day two: click here

Fast Track to the San Juan's and Patos Island State Park

In keeping with this sites purpose to help newcomers get to the San Juan's, you will find listed below selected posts and links.

These posts are the bare essentials needed to get you off on that trip to the San Juan's, the rest is up to you. (click on the links)

1. Where to launch your boat and park your rig!
• Where to Launch your boat and park your rig
• First choice = Bellingham - (Squalicum Harbor)
• Close runner up = Deception Pass State Park (Cornet Bay)
• La Conner city ramp (Swinomish Channel)
• Washington Park - Anacortes
• Cap Sante - Anacortes (sling only)
2. Suggested Itinerary!
• Suggested Itinerary
3. All the Parks with complete descriptions and chart snips!
• All the parks with chart snips
4. Rent if you don't have a boat!
• Rent a boat in Bellingham or Anacortes
5. 12 fuel docks- marinas - resorts - you should know about before you take off into the unknown!
• 12 Places you should know about

Is this all you need?

Of course not, but if you are a competent boater, the above posts will answer many questions you want answered.

Patos Island Anchorage

Did you know you can ask silly questions? Use the e-mail box on the left side somewhere.