Island Art

I went to Canada’s Gulf Islands National Park Reserve in June to explore the edge. I didn’t make any big crossings. I didn’t push my limits. I just crept along the fringe of the land and sea. 

South Again

I admit it, I’m fascinated by the South Salish Sea. It’s not just that it’s closer than any other salt water site to my home. There’s something about its intimacy, its understated beauty, and its less developed shoreline that draws me back year after year. 

Messing About with Merry

It can be hard to get a teenager out of the house at times, but when you do, the results can be quite good. Case in point: When the Columbia was roaring along during the spring freshet I convinced Merry to come mess about in the backwaters of Smith and Bybee Wetlands.  

Why I (Still) Love RowBird

I got the chance to take the helm of a 30 foot keelboat last weekend. It had soft cushions, a head, a bimini, and a nice big electronic chart above the wheel. Music drifted out of two speakers strategically placed in the back of the cockpit. When we got tired of fighting the current, we cranked on the diesel engine and motored back to the dock. There was good company on the boat, but I didn’t enjoy the sailing as much as I do on RowBird. To be fair to the keelboat, it could have been a Herreshoff, but because I’m in love with RowBird, it wouldn’t have mattered.

Rounding Cape Horn Again

Bill is one of those friends always up for an adventure. After a fine dinner with him last night, I was reminded of a story from a few months ago… It’s 27 degrees outside, and although I yearn to go sailing, it doesn’t seem like the wisest idea. But maybe I should reconsider. After all, on at least one of the occasions Bill and I rounded Cape Horn together, the waterfalls were frozen; so it must have been pretty cold then, too. That day, like many others, we were driven by unknowable forces to leave the couch, break away from our electronics and experience the raw elements.  Read the rest across the jump at Three Sheets NW.

The Mad Man of Mats Mats Bay

Mats Mats Bay is a tranquil, protected spot in a lightly settled land about 30 nautical miles northwest of Seattle.