The last lineup.

Sitting here at the Sumas border crossing, waiting to cross so we can get my car to Chilliwack and then return to Olympia. Still four blocks away from the border in a double lineup. This is something we won't miss sailing!

Everything is pretty much ready to sail now. Dave has one and a half days of work left, and a few more groceries to pick up. At 11:30 on Tuesday, a sailing away celebration at the Oyster House. After which, a tour of Cygnus for anyone who is interested.Then we will sail from Olympia one last time. Dave's dream, ten years in the making, will finally be realized!

The last week has been hectic and stressful for both of us. Dave fortunately recognized this last Thursday and booked off Friday for us to go for a sail to McMicken Island where we anchored for the night and decompressed. It was incredibly hot, but we managed to stay cool with a few dips in the ocean. We had a bit of wind there and back, so we had a nice peaceful cruise for the most part. Now this! Waiting in line...just one more block to go.... Oh well.....soon.....we will leave the lineups for the lubbers.

Cheers! Pete.

Well, yesterday I learned a bit about myself and how projects sometimes go on a boat. I'm used to having all my tools and parts accessible and available. Yesterday I learned that things are not always stowed where you expect, and when you need something, you may have to empty a few lockers to get to it. This can add many frustrating hours to what seems like a simple project. I installed a battery integrator. A job that should have taken me a couple of hours, and ended up taking most of the day. Poor Dave had to deal with my gloomy mood after he got off work. But as usual, he was able to put things in perspective and cheer me up. In any case, another project comes off the list.
   We have also installed a beautiful African mahogany folding table and Dave did some much needed cleaning and repairs to the cabin sole near the head. That was a nasty job that was good to get out of the way.
Cheers! Pete.

Dave working in the bowels of Cygnus

New lee cloth for those port side tacks

Pete thinks I might serve him dinner at our new dining table

    Yesterday I worked adding storage space to the hanging locker. No, thats not where we deal with folks that we don't like. That's the nautical term for closet for all you lubbers.
     I added about 11 square feet of shelves in areas that weren't being utilized. This will help tremendously in the search for more space. Boats are like RVs. No matter how big they are, one never has enough storage for all the stuff one accumulates. Adding shelves to an area with no straight lines is somewhat challenging. It took me all day to do a job that would have taken a couple of hours at home. There's not much point in using a level, since there is not really any point of reference that makes sense.
     Dave is finally finished with his teaching. He only has his day job to deal with, and now that hockey is done, we will be full steam ahead striking projects off the list. Today, a couple of last minute touchups to the closet and then to get started with a bed/table extension in the main cabin.
Cheers! Pete.

A Little About Cygnus

Greetings to the Blogosphere, During the spring of 2005 I read the book "Cruising in Seraffyn" by Lynn and Larry Pardey. That is really when the dream began. For the past 10 years I have been planning and preparing for a blue-water adventure. An adventure that Pete and I are now ready to begin. There is a constellation in the northern sky representing a swan flying south. As the idea of a graceful bird flying south fit my dream of sailing south so well, I decided to name my new sailboat after this constellation; Cygnus. She came into my life, and I into hers, in October, 2008. She is a Westsail 32 that was moored at Eagle Harbor (Bainbridge Island), WA. Her mainsail was shot; her galley a gaping, empty hole in the cabin; her auxiliary engine an ancient, smoking, wheezing, rusty mess; ... Her hull was sound though, and her interior woodwork quite beautiful. She was the perfect boat to rebuild and equip for my blue-water dream. The owner was eager to sell and soon I was motoring Cygnus to her new homeport of Olympia, WA. The past 7 years have been a blur of boat projects and adventures. I have replaced the engine, standing rigging, running rigging, bow sprit (old growth, straight grained stainless steel :)), sails, head, holding tank, water tanks, and probably other things I am not remembering right now. I have added a dodger, wind vane steering, tiller pilot, wind generator, radar, chart plotter, and more. Cygnus and I have been to Desolation Sound (twice); Barkley Sound; Glacier Bay, AK; and San Francisco (not to mention all the stops along the way). Yesterday I finished by academic career (for now anyway) by putting in final grades for spring quarter classes. My career at the Washington Geological Survey is winding down. My last day on the job will be June 30th. Pete and I are now putting the finishing touches on Cygnus preparing for departure the evening of June 30th. Our plan is to sail around Vancouver Island this summer, down the coast this fall, winter in Mexico, and then figure out where to go next. (Can you say French Polynesia? I like the way you say that.) Thanks for reading, Dave

Today, I worked on a few organizational issues. Trying to optimize storage etc. on Cygnus. Dave worked most of the day marking last minute class submissions and marking exams. He is so pumped! Got all his work done except for a few late comers that he has allowed until the end of the day. He's such a softie at times, but that's what makes him easy to live with. Later, Dave organized charts and then we did a shopping run for groceries etc. Each day we get closer to being ready to sail. It feels good.
Cheers! Pete.

New Wind Generator

   Today I finally got the wind generator connected. This will help when we're miles from deisel fuel or just not wanting to listen to the constant thrum and smell the foul stink of the engine. Of course we will need wind.
    Dave is working on marking the last of the assignments and exams from his Astronomy and Oceanography classes, then it's out for a special dinner to celebrate the end of Dave's current teaching career.
    Some sad news today. I was reading in Lin and Larry Pardeys newsletter that they have had to sell their sailboat after many years of sailing and inspiring others to take up cruising.  It is the Pardeys that inspired Dave to give up his solid career and fulfill his dreams of cruising on Cygnus.  It is somewhat ironic that this month they have ended their sailing adventures and we have begun ours.
    Cheers! Pete.

Hah! My passport arrived today. It kind of caught me unawares. I have been moping around waiting for it to come so that I can go down and help Dave put the finishing touches to Cygnus before we sail. Dave's been so busy wrapping up his three jobs, that he's found precious little time to devote to getting ready. When the passport did arrive, I realized I still had a raft of stuff to get ready myself. So now I won't be leaving intil the 10th. Oh well, its still earlier than I expected. what a pile of stuff I've accumulated! I don't know how I'm going to get it all on board.
Cheers! Pete.