Home Port Corinthian Yacht Club of Bellingham 122º 30' 06" W 48º44' 55"N October, 2008 Volume 23 Number 9 Around Vancouver Island The Cook’s Cruise Two CYC members circumnavigated Vancouver Island this summer in two separate boats in semi-singlehanded fashion. That is, they and their wives sailed up the Inside Passage to Port Hardy, where the wives left them to fly back to Bellingham. The two men—Ray Gobush and I—then singlehanded south back home down the outside of the island, Ray in his Islander 30, Miramar, and I in my Cape Dory 27, Sangoma. If an army marches on its stomach, a singlehanded small-boat sailor in remote waters sinks or swims on his stores. CYC members complete “semi-solo” circumnavigation Vancouver Island sticks out from mainland British Columbia like a detached thumb. It runs southeast and northwest for about 250 nautical miles, and its western coast, wide open to the restless North Pacific, is one of North America’s last wild frontiers. It’s almost all forest and mountain wilderness, with five major indentations that form spectacular fjords, sounds, and bays filled with countless little uninhabited islands, rocks, and reefs. From white sandy beaches, steep mountains push up high to a central, snowcapped ridge. My part in John’s Vancouver Island circumnavigation was planning the food and provisioning the boat for six weeks on the water, half of which would be on the West Coast of the island, far away from dockside grocery stores. There were two challenges. First, our little boat is very basic. No refrigeration. We choose not to take ice, because of the hassle, or cool boxes, because of the lack of space. The alcohol stove has two burners. No oven. Second, John doesn’t like cooking at the best of times, and for the outside half of the trip, he would be singlehanded. That would make it difficult for him to rustle up meals under way and leave him reluctant to tackle any major cooking after a long day of looking after the boat. OK, so our basic boat food is canned and packaged food, along with fresh produce, eggs, cheese, butter, and bread (bought in Canada, of course, at the grocery stores dotted conveniently up through the islands when you are going up the inside). Very few roads penetrate the stark beauty of this deeply fissured wilderness. This is still the domain of the tall conifer and the sinuous madrona, the eagle, the bear, the salmon, the otter, and the whale. We knew before we started that comparatively few yachts have sailed all the way around the island. Time is a big problem. You need six weeks or more to do the trip properly. Thick coastal fog during the summer months is another problem. And then there are big tidal ranges, fast currents, whirlpools, narrows, races, and bars where the current reaches 8 knots or more. I use lockers under the cabin settees, where the hull is against the our chilly Northwest waters, as a cool box. I find that all our fresh food, plus long-life milk, keeps well for days. I don’t keep leftovers or anything temperamental. The beer stays slightly cool, and if we want it colder we tie it up in a mesh sack and sink it deep enough to be in icy water once we are at anchor. Doesn’t take long. There’s also Cape Scott, the rugged northwestern tip of the island. Currents flowing along both sides of the island collide at Cape Scott and produce heavy seas and overfalls dangerous to small craft when the wind opposes them. The cruising guides aren’t encouraging. “It is reported that even in calm conditions seas can emerge seemingly from nowhere,” warns Robert Hale, publisher of the well-respected Waggoner Cruising Guide. “Cape Scott’s seas have capsized and sunk substantial vessels. If you find yourself in trouble off Cape Scott, you are in trouble.” Another well-known guide, Northwest Boat Travel, notes that a circumnavigation of Vancouver Island is Our menu isn’t elaborate, but I don’t just heat up the baked beans. I always try to add something to the canned stuff, say, by frying an onion to add to canned stewed steak and boiling fresh potatoes; or turning the canned steak into a curry with the addition of canned tomatoes with jalapenos and fresh onions and garlic, plus boiled rice and chutney; or by combining a can of chicken chunks or tuna with a package of a pasta or rice side-dish and tossing in some olives. Continued on page 7 So my basic shopping list is cans of meat, tuna, chicken, chili, soup, corned beef, fruit, a few small cans of vegetables, such as Continued on page 5 2008 CYC Bellingham Officers Commodore Don Beasley 922-0168 [email protected] Vice Commodore Wendy Barrett 756-8028 [email protected] Secretary David Cunningham 366-0357 [email protected] Treasurer Bob Cooper 738-0934 [email protected] Administrative Officer Laurent Martel 739-2860 [email protected] Membership Ray Gobush 647-9004 [email protected] Race Chair Mick Corcoran [email protected] Cruise Chair David Barrett 756-8028 [email protected] Reciprocity Steve Clevenger 384-6731 [email protected] PIYA Rep Mick Corcoran 595-2198 Commodore’s Corner Greetings From The Wickie September, 2008 As usual I am amazed by the talented energetic supportive members of the Corinthian Yacht Club. Thank you all for your help and assistance. As we move from summer towards the cooler months we have national elections and CYC elections in the immediate future. During our last dinner meeting the issue of how members are inducted was explored with an eye toward a by law change. That coupled with issues relating to the need for a nominating committee and a racing chairman for 2009 lead me to another request for volunteers from the membership at large. We need a nominating committee. It seems unfair to ask those now serving in other capacities to raise their hands for another responsibility While I truly appreciate the efforts of members now fulfilling various roles in the organization it seems blatantly obvious that we would be a more efficient club with the involvement of other club members who are capable and willing to support club efforts. Your Board of Directors listened to the club responses that related to a desire for more social activities and Lesli Brewster and her committee are busily developing a Motown dance that is sure to be a please the masses. Please look for a nominating form for the best cruising boat of the year and one for most interesting cruise of the year. Both awards will be awarded this year. I am not sure where Mike Reed will place the form but I am certain he will find space in this publication. If you would like to be involved in some of the club planning and development please call, email or otherwise hail anyone on the Board and make your wishes known. Please remember to attend our next general meeting as we will be voting on new officers for the 2009 season. Respectfully Donald Beasley Commodore, Corinthian Yacht Club PHRF Rep Rob Galbraith 671-9146 Newsletter Editor Mike Reed 733-4252 [email protected] 2 September’s General Meeting CYC of Bellingham Executive Board Meeting Report Ted Schlund, Sucia Island Park Ranger, gave a wonderful presentation on what is happening in our San Juan Island state parks. During a presentation accompanied by photos and maps, Ted took us on a tour of many of the parks and presented us with the improvements and unimprovements being made that will have an impact on us as boaters. For instance, additional buoys are going into the coves of Sucia, new docks are in store for Jones and Sucia/Fossil Bay and a variety of new campsites and shelters are planned. Tuesday 9st of September 2008 Board Members Present: Don Beasley, Wendy Barrett, David Cunningham, Kaye Clevenger, Laurent Martel, Ray Gobush, David Barrett, Steve Clevenger, Rob Galbraith, Mike Reed Members present: Lesli Brewster The meeting started at 18:05 (6:05 pm) with the secretary having forgotten to bring the minutes from the last meeting. Kaye Clevenger gave the Treasurers repost, as Bob Cooper is still out cruising. We are still in the black and have not yet spent the money allocated for educational activities so there was discussion about moving forward on some educational programs for next year. Concerning news came in the form of his announcement that both Matia and Turn Island State Parks may become off limits to boaters. While the intent here is to protect the flora, fauna and wildlife, not all are convinced that this is the best approach. Committee reports Race, Mike Reed gave the report as we still do not have a formal chair for this committee. He indicated we had a very successful season with some informal races during the summer after the formal season closed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /|)~~ /|)~~~~~~~ /|)~~~~~~~~~ October’s General Meeting Reciprocal, Steve Clevenger had nothing to report but Lauren reported that someone from Friday Harbor called the Port and got no help about moorage, so Steve will work on a dialogue with the Port people about how to improve that. At the October 21 get together we will host Joe Gaydos from the Sea-Doc Society in Friday Harbor Marine Ecosystem Health program. He will be discussing the research being done for the restoration of Puget Sound and the 10 commandments for redesigning a healthy Puget Sound. Membership, Ray Gobush reported we had one new application, which the board approved, but not without some discussion about member participation requirements. Mike Reed will head a committee to look into proposing a change to the bylaws to help better define that. Ray also reported he will be sending out the renewal letter to all members the first of October. For a more complete idea of what the SeaDoc Society is about visit them at: www.seadocsociety.org Administrative Officer, Laurent Martel reported on some of the upcoming speakers for the meetings including a park ranger, a weather person as well as someone to talk about winterizing boats. At this meeting the budget and slate of officers for 2009 should be presented so it will be an important meeting for everyone to attend. If you know someone who has not been to a general meeting for a while, give them a call and invite them to come. Cruise chair David Barrett reported that the cruises have been fairly thinly attended this year, but we did have a good turnout for the BBCBC event last weekend. ~~~~~~~~~~~ /|)~~ /|)~~~~~~~ /|)~~~~~~~~~~~ Homeport newsletter, Mike Reed reported the USPO has chewed up quite a few of the newsletters and he will look into what needs to be done differently to prevent that. November’s Turkey Fry Get ready and set your sails for one last adventure before you put the boat away this winter. The cruise on November 1st and 2nd is our annual “Turkey Cruise” to Blakely Island. It has always proven to be a fun event. Vice Commodore Wendy Barrett reported on the community boating event last weekend at the Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center where we provided 9 boats and took 125 people out on the water. We had some inquires about our club and BBCBC collected about $500 in donations. This was a resounding success for all! For those of you who have not been before, Blakely Island marina is in Peavine Pass between Blakely and Orcas Island. It is a full service marina with bathrooms, showers, and electrical hook ups at the dock. There is a covered Cabana with fireplace for the big feast, and plenty of room for after dinner dancing and telling cruising stories about the past year’s cruising. Old Business: Commodore Don Beasley announced that we will be taking applications for the cruising trophies and that there will be a nomination sheet in the next newsletter. Generally we have the place to ourselves at this time of year. We need to do just a small amount of planning ahead for this one, so here are the details. Dinner is at 4:00 PM on Saturday, please bring a side dish or dessert. The deep fried turkey is provided for those that RSVP so please RSVP to Dave and Deb Jones (380-3538) by October 25th so we can be sure to have enough bird for all. Member Lesli Brewster offered her report on the proposed dance this winter with the suggested date of February 28th. It was suggested we invite the members of the other Yacht clubs to attend and she will head a committee to move forward with that. Mike Reed asked that a committee be set up for board nominations for the coming year and Don will take charge of setting that up from the general membership. We also need to know if you intend to come for our phone tree if there is a change of plans due to Mother Nature. The meeting adjourned at 19:45 (7:45pm) Come and join us for a great time. David J. Cunningham, Secretary Dave and Debra Jones 3 La Conner Cruise or Why join in on a CYC cruise? All of us who have made it to a CYC cruise know that this is a great way to get to know other members and to see new places that you may not otherwise experience. The September trip to La Conner was a fine example of this camaraderie and exploration! Our host, Bob Cooper did all the planning guaranteeing dock space and reserving one large table for dinner. All we had to do was to get there and then enjoy a good time with friends old and new. Your Boat Could Have Been Here! The trip south was smooth with a bit of wind for sailing out to Samish Island and then a beautiful motoring trip through the Swinomish Channel. Waterfowl of every kind, otters, seals and the beginning signs of fall on the trees made for a most delightful voyage. Arriving in La Conner we found dock space that was posted as reserved for CYC along with Bob and his friend Bill Simmons waiting to grab our dock lines. Bill’s Grand Banks “Grace” had a warm salon with snacks and refreshments awaiting our arrival. Shopping provided a wonderful opportunity to stretch out the sea legs and as we did so we ran into Mike and Paula Jacobsen who on their way to a family reunion stopped in La Conner to track down the CYC boats. Late afternoon turned into a gathering on Grace with all who had made the trip; hosts Bob Cooper and Bill Simmons with Grace, Vicky and DeLayne Brink on At Last, Kaye and Steve Clevenger who had driven down and brought their friends Sara Beth and Frank Clevenger, along with we Reeds on Islander. With Bill, Sara Beth and Frank all being being from Texas, we learned what sailing in that neck of the woods is like. Later on we walked to the La Conner Steak and Seafood restaurant where Bob had made reservations to continue the tradition of fine eating at CYC functions. Sunday after breakfast ashore, At Last and Islander headed back to Bellingham with Grace headed south to continue their circumnavigation of Fidalgo Island. Our trip north started cool and overcast with a gentle southern breeze which slowly but surely gave way to warm sunshine and flat seas. An impromptu stop at Saddlebag Island was called for so as to hike and cleanup the beach. Getting back underway the breeze returned as we reached Samish Island which resulted in a most enjoyable, sunny, warm reach back into Bellingham Bay. Our only regrets for the weekend were that you weren’t there to share the sailing, camaraderie and memories. Perhaps we’ll see you on the next cruise. Karen and Mike Reed Seen on at T-Shirt at Cama Beach: Is it better to be lost at sea, or found at work? 4 The Cook’s Cruise is continued from page 1 mushrooms or artichokes, pudding cups, and fruit cups. Plus basic stores, of course, which always includes pickles and relishes, spreads and spices, chocolate and such. Stowing it all so that we can find what we want easily is a problem, since most of it has to go in side lockers behind the settee cushions. So before we go I sort out the ingredients for the main meal of the day for as many days as we will be out and tie each batch up in a plastic grocery bag. Sometimes I label the bags, sometimes I don’t. But when it’s time to fix a meal you have several pre-sorted options or you can just reach in and grab a bag and take potluck. That works best for John, who doesn’t want to have to think about what to eat. For the Vancouver cruise, I packed 40 meals into bags. There were plenty of bags left when I got off the boat in Port Hardy, but I also filled the iceless ice box (which is where I keep the basic stores and the corned beef and such for lunchtime sandwiches) with snack foods – trail mix, cookies, jerky, salami, muesli, chocolate (lots of chocolate), boiled sweets, granola bars, fruit cake, dried fruit, nuts, snack crackers and such. Lots of it, because a person can live on that stuff. In addition, I put in small cans with one serving of, say, smoked oysters or mussels, beanie-weenies or soup or Vienna sausages or fruit, easy to grab, heat or not, and eat. John did cook up an occasional stew with the canned steak, and he was glad of eggs, which keep well in the cool locker, but mostly he snacked his way through his three weeks off West Vancouver and rushed ashore for fish-and-chips whenever he hit a town. He did come home 14 pounds lighter, but he was quite happy about that. He was never faint from hunger and always had a bunch of options. It’s variety of choice of high-energy foods that I think is most important for the feeding of the singlehanded sailor. At least, the one I know best. I know that my methodology is not very scientific, the menu not very adventurous, and the amount of food I take along is not reckoned out very precisely. But we never run out--of stores or choices. And the cooking is easy. June Vigor Kanaka Public Dock at Ganges If you haven’t been to Ganges in awhile or are planning on going, this may be of some interest to you. In the past, they have had only three marinas, Salt Springs Marina and Ganges Marina and the old government dock. In the past few years, the BC Government has turned over quite a few of their government docks to local authority. The new Kanaka Public Dock is one of them. As some of you may know, the old Salt Springs Marina and Restaurant has been sold to the Seattle Yacht Club. They still have limited guest moorage. The docks are the same--not so great and still hard to maneuver once you are inside even for a small boat like ours. It is a healthy walk to town. Ganges Marina has had little or no maintenance in the past few years and is also in rough condition. Last month we had the pleasure of staying at the Kanaka Public Dock which is located just past the Coast Guard and right below Mouats and Thrifty Market. The docks are new with 400 ft of visitor moorage, water and 30 amp power. Rafting is not required but encouraged. The present price is 50 cents per foot and electricity is extra. The showers are located at the Harbor Authority Office and are well maintened. They are short a walk from the dock. Garbage is also disposed of outside the Office. The employees are very pleasant and go out of their way to help you. The other boaters on the docks go out of their way to help you find a spot and are willing to tighten up boats to fit you in. It is a little hard to see what is available on the inside 2 docks but there is plenty of room to maneuver. September is a wonderful time to visit Ganges--less crowds, great weather, and lots of things to do close by. We recommend it highly. Larry and Barbee Folenius ✻ ✻ SAVE THIS DATE! ✻ ✻ CYC WINTER DANCE Pray for Sun, Wind, and Sailing Party or Just have a fun time with your sailing friends in the dead of winter ✻ Date: February 28th, 2009 ✻ Where: Majestic Hall 1027 N. Forest Street, Bellingham ✻ Time: 6:30 to 11:00 or until you can’t boogie anymore… ✻ The Band: The Motown Cruisers More Details to follow Chair: Lesli Brewster 201-1669 Committee: (Guaranteed to plan a great Party) Susan Plum, Debra Jones, Delayne Brink, Sharon Ivey, Laurent Martel & Paula Jacobson [email protected] 5 Make Friends With Boating! Saturday, September 6 was a great day on Bellingham Bay: sunny weather, light winds and 9 CYC boats giving rides to 125 community members. “Make Friends With Boating!” is a partnership with the Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center and the Corinthian Yacht Club. 24 two-hour sails provided a free opportunity for community members to experience first hand the pleasures of sailing, many for their first time. th Wendy and Dave Barrett took the lead to coordinate the CYC boats, gave rides all day on their boat Amphora, and then hosted a wonderful potluck at the end of the day. CYC member Rob Wells was in charge of dinghy organization, and made many trips throughout the day to shuttle people to the CYC boats, who tied up atthelinearmoorageinFairhaventoloadandoffloadpassengers.OtherCYCparticipantsincludedDelayneBrinkonAtLast,SteveandKayClevengeronK-Lynne, BobCooperonLadyAnn,JonMartinonOscarMax,BruceHenningeronTopocketaToo,MikeJacobsenonTrueLoveIIandGlennandJennyGellharonVindsang. Guests included young families, people with some sailing experience, people with disabilities and locals who had never been on the water. There were some folks from the east coast and even the British Isles. Everyone was impressed that our club was offering this opportunity to the community. A number of people wanted to know how they could get started in sailing. One guest kept commenting on the peaceful, quiet and relaxing motion of the boat. Mary Dubrow, from the Boating Center, said that people were coming off the boats saying that they had a terrific time and that it was “the time of their lives.” Over $500 was raised by the Boating Center, which will go toward purchase of an upgraded RIB rescue boat. This was a great community event, and one that will be sure to continue in the future. Bellingham Bay is a great place to sail, and it was fun day for everyone involved. Jon Martin Cruising Cuisine Recipes collected by Barbee and Larry Folenius Mahogany Rub for Chicken ✁ • Rub is equal amounts of paprika and chili powder and salt to taste. • Your favorite barbecue sauce (we use Sweet Baby Rays.) - Apply rub liberally on both sides of chicken and massage it in. - Let set for 30 minutes while grill is warming up. - Grill using indirect method or on very low temp skin side down for 20 minutes and then one side down for 35 to 40 minutes. - Remember to cook slowly. - Add barbecue sauce last five minutes or serve on the side. ster Marine Cabinet Ma Jon Lopez-Ma ker Matt Hardin Licensed and Insured Owner Design, Construction and Installation of Top Quality Yacht Interiors phone – 360) 961.2568 fax – 360) 676.1738 shop – 360) 734.2502 3843 Brownsville Dr. Bellingham, Wa 98226 [email protected] [email protected] (360) 319-3638 6 Around Vancouver Island is continued from page 1 “a shorter trip than the Inside Passage to Skagway and Glacier Bay, Alaska, but in several ways more difficult and more dangerous.” Winds of 30 to 40 knots surprised us in the lee of Brooks Peninsula, which we thought might be sheltered from the blustery northwester, but we made it safely to beautiful Columbia Cove. But, for me, the lure of the island was too great. I decided it would be all right to singlehand if I was very cautious. In keeping with my training as an ASA sailing and navigation instructor, I took along more than 100 paper charts, four cruising guides, three tide and current tables, three hand-held GPS receivers, two handheld VHF radios, two hand bearing compasses, and four anchors. We took the inside route around Nootka Island. The fjord-like passages were breathtakingly lovely, with sheer mountains rising to snowy valleys and peaks 5,000 feet overhead. I lost my buddy boat in Ucluelet when I cautiously decided to wait another day for more favorable winds, and Ray, chafing at the bit, chose to push on homeward on his own. When Ray heard of my plans he elected to tag along and be my buddy boat—a plan that was to benefit both of us, as it turned out. But he was braver than me. He took electronic charts, a laptop computer, and an outdated cruising guide. I found a delightful little anchorage in bleak Port San Juan, a one-boat hole among rocks and kelp in a partially protected bight called Woods Nose. With a second anchor out astern I enjoyed a peaceful night. The next day brought fog with 100 yards visibility and no wind, but I had programmed waypoints into my GPS, so I motored to Sooke, two miles offshore all the way, without seeing land, ships, or anything else except two surprised seagulls floating on the water. We experienced good weather, including a heatwave, on the trip north with our wives, June Vigor and Lynn Gobush. We explored the southern Broughton Archipelago on the way, including the fascinating abandoned Indian village of Mammalilaculla. As soon as our crews left us in Port Hardy, the weather changed for the worse. For much of the remainder of the trip it was gray, cold, drizzly, and foggy. My boat is very basic. No heater. (There were cold rainy days up north when my breath condensed in the cabin and I had to climb back into my sleeping bag to keep warm.) And no fridge. I learned to drink beer just slightly cooled in the bilge. The weather improved greatly after that. I was squirted around Trial Island at 10 knots in calm, sunny weather on my way to Roche Harbor and warm winds prevailed all the way from there to Bellingham. Having stopped to smell the roses, I arrived home six days after my buddy boat. It took me six-and-a-half weeks for the whole trip. There were many times when I was anxious, one or two when I was frightened, and plenty when I was cold and miserable. But there were also days of sublime beauty in the wilderness, which compensated for everything, and, now that it’s all over, an abiding sense of pride and accomplishment. John Vigor We were leaving the anchorage in Bull Harbor for Cape Scott when I looked aft and saw steam coming out of the exhaust. I shut down the engine, and Ray towed me back to the anchorage. I couldn’t find any cause of the overheating and we eventually concluded that a plastic bag, or a piece of kelp, had covered the cooling water intake on the outside of the hull--though how that could happen at 5 knots was a great puzzle. I was able to return the favor when we were 10 miles out of Winter Harbor, en route to Cape Cook. I noticed my buddy boat falling back and called on the radio. Ray’s engine had sprung an oil leak and pumped most of the oil into the bilge. There wasn’t anything he could do in the swells rolling in from the open Pacific. He asked to be towed back to Winter Harbor. I wondered if my smaller boat could manage the task, but it turned out fine. It took me more than three hours, bucking the swells and a light wind on the nose, but we finally made it back to harbor where Ray was able to clean up and make a repair. Our route from Port Hardy took us to Cape Scott via the Tatnall reefs, thus avoiding the notorious Nahwitti Bar. It was predictably rough at the Cape, though the wind was light and we soon got a lift from the current to Sea Otter Cove, where we anchored for the night. Premier Properties ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /|)~~ /|)~~~~~~~ /|)~~~~~~~~~ Classified Ads Wanted: Autohelm 3000 autopilot complete or parts. Mike Reed. 360.733.4252 _____________________________________ For Sale: San Juan 24. 1975 with furler, spinnaker, 4 stroke Honda and lots of xtras. Gate 9, slip LE-9. $3500.00 obo. Former members Pat and Rod Hicks. 733-1265 7 CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB OF BELLINGHAM P.O. Box 101 Bellingham, WA 98227 Inside This Issue: CYC Events Calendar October Board Meeting . . . . . . October 7 October General Meeting . . . . . October 21 Octoberfest Sail . . . . . . . . . . . . TBA Turkey Fry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 1 & 2 November Board Meeting . . . . November 4 Around The County Race . . . . . November 8 & 9 November General Meeting . . . November 18 1 - Around Vancouver Island The Cook’s Cruise 2 - Commodore’s Corner 3 - Board Meeting Minutes General Meeting Info Turkey Fry 4 - La Conner Cruise 5 - Winter Dance 6 - Make Friends With Boating
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