A Long Way Home II

1st Pic Early morning after pulling anchor in Port Browning North Pender Is.

Pic #2 & 3 Approaching the bridge separating North and South Pender Is. The current is about 2+ knots.

Pic #4 Somebody's house at the so end of the channel. House on the rocks?

Great photos, Eric.

Here's something you'll probably miss.

Crikey, you traveled through some amazing scenery on that trip Eric. Thanks for sharing. I'd love to get to that part of the world some day. Don't know when though.

1st Pic Harro Strait early in a summer morning.

2nd Pic Ferry landing I think on Orcas Is.

3rd Pic In the Swininomish Channel w Padilla Bay to port. Lots of Herons in this area. Fairly common in SE Alaska too.

4th Pic Approaching LaConner. After 33 days our destination is just ahead.

5th Pic The skipper glad to be home.

Epic journey and adventure, Eric. Thanks for taking us along!

Eric--- Congratulations on your successful and very interesting journey. I'm currently in Seoul, South Korea, heading for Qatar tonight on the midnight plane, and it's been nice to be able to scroll back through your photos as a reminder of what the best place to live on the planet looks like.

Asia, the Middle East, etc. are fascinating and are real eye-openers as to what's really going on in the world as it relates to our own country, but I would not want to live anywhere other than along that stretch of coast that you just traversed.

So thanks for presenting us with a visual definition of what boating is really all about.

Cheers,

Pic #1 On the hard w good company at Lattitude Marine in the very so end of LaConner.

Pic #2 Our house in Concrete Washington from the NW.

Pic #3 From the SW.

Pic #4 From the north. All the property you see is ours.

I've enjoyed posting the trip re-living all the moments of awe and being deep into one of the greatest marine wildernesses on earth. I'd rather we hadn't hit that whale (there is a crack in the cutwater that may be related to that) but for the most part my only regret is that we didn't spend more time in several other places but that always seems to be the case but/and this time on the coast I did better than ever before. Being retired does have it's advantages. The original "Long way Home" remains and I hope this one does too so we can reconnect to the north coast as needed or desired. PM me for whatever information you want or need to bolster your day dreams or plan a trip north.
Eric Henning

Eric,
Just brought myself up to speed with your photos. Darn, I'd bet we could swallow a lot of coffee over boating in our part of the country.
It is tempting to make a voyage to Tolstoi Bay this weekend. My old employer, Southeast Stevedoring has been and is loading a log ship on the hook. Been a few years out of the saddle, but the invite from an associate Super Cargo is so very tempting. Weather has turned NW so you know what that means!
Found your Thorne Bay home on the sales list in the KDN. Nice abode to be leaving yet when the choice is made, it appears you new site holds a lot of future good things.
Thanks for the long list of trip photos. enjoyed each.
Regards,
Al-Ketchikan
27'Marben

Eric,

Thought I had posted but as it didn't appear, I will repeat as best I can.
In bringing myself up to date with your latest photo posting, I had the thought that you and I could have consumed a high quantity of gas boat coffee exchanging stories of our boating world here in the Thorne Bay/Ketchikan area.

It is truly amazing that we had not crossed paths. Yes, I know your boat and it was at the Ketchikan Yacht Club float that I viewed it on occasion. Always admired the Willard line, lusting for the 36 aft pilot house model, roller or not!!(Trust me, our new acquisition the 27 Marben with round bottom would put the Willard to a test on a aft quarter sea!!)
The photos and log of your voyage is worth a Pulitzer prize award and others would agree.

Noticed your Thorne Bay home listed on the Ktn Daily News pages. Had to be some regrets to leave yet, when the time arrives, the offerings and challenges of the new nest will renew adventure.

Tempted to make a voyage to Tolstoi Bay this week end. My former employer from whom I retired as a Super Cargo, Southeast Stevedoring has been loading log ships from the Cleveland side logging show. The invite to make the trip and visit is welcome however, the NW winds this week end in a 27 foot boat in Clarence is really not a good idea this time of year.
With regrets of not meeting you and yours, I remain

Al- Ketchikan
27 ' Marben

Woops!!! Sorry folks


Al

HaHa Al having fun w the site I see. Yea sorry I missed you. Give us a call from Bellingham if you're down here. Trying to picture a 27 Marben. I think they look a bit lobsterish. Yes we'll always miss that house. It was crazy for us to get a 5 BR house but it worked well for us and was actually quite economical. Two gallons a day ave for heat. Yes I agree you need cloud cover to travel in Clarence Strait in the winter. Not that much daylight either. I've been here on TF for over 7 years and will prolly see another seven so you know where to find me.

Eric,

Not quite a lobster hull-

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...s=Feet&access=Public&listing_id=1007&url=&imc

If it comes up.

Regards,
Al
27' Marben

Well that's all folks.

I had a good time reliving all the sights and emotions we experienced on the trip and sharing some made the trip much more worthwhile as fun and adventure along with some practical information emerging for cruisers. Sometimes a bit heavy on adventure but one runs that risk every time leaving the dock or even crossing the street for that matter. Whenever a boater heads north to these waters the amount of adventure and danger is an unknown. I did one trip that was almost a walk in the park. I've met thousands of people that say something like "I've always wanted to go to Alaska" but few actually do and for those in that category here (there may be many) I'm sure my thread was a good thing. And for those that actually will go north I'll bet I've given them a view of northern long distance boating in SE Alaska and primarily Northern BC Canada that will be of value planing and going on such a trip.
Thanks for following along w us and judging from the number of "views" many did. I've been here on TF for over 7 years and will probably be here another 7 and thus available for fact and opinion.

Cheers
Eric

Thanks so much for sharing your adventure all the great photos Eric.

Eric: If there was a more awesome word than awesome, I'd be using it to describe this thread. Meanwhile, if you consider you photography something less than superb, I sure don't know want to know what mine is. This is what forums and sharing is all about. Can't wait for the next ride to who knows where.

Yeah, compared to you Eric, I've been nowhere in my boat.

Thank's all very very much but this is a community here and it's someone else's turn. Besides it's winter here. But after 7years in Alaska we're hoping for a not so wintery winter. Has been freezing here but no winds. Alaska is for young people so we left. Haven't been known to do what other people do before but ... I do miss Alaska but not so much as it's winter.
Thanks very much again and I do look fwd to viewing and listening to my replacement.

manyboats said:

Thanks for following along w us and judging from the number of "views" many did. I've been here on TF for over 7 years and will probably be here another 7 and thus available for fact and opinion.

Cheers
Eric

Click to expand...

Thanks again for sharing your trip. One question, though..... Who's the kid in your last photo post and what's he got to do with your trip?

Marin are you making fun of my advanced age again?

Sure glad you like the thread Marin as you said many times in the past that you didn't like trip stories. I never did tell what kind of sleeping bags we used or what we bought in stores. Seems I lost the chance to bore you and glad of it. Now I'd like to see a thread of a somewhat similar trip on the east coast. Lots of boaters in the Puget Sound area go north over 1000 miles but hardly ever do I read or hear of anyone going to Labrador or Newfoundland and I wonder why. More open water comes to mind but the lure of faraway places is strong in men everywhere. I'm more interested in hearing about and seeing pics of the US east coast than way north stuff. I have so many friends here running their boats over on the right coast and I don't know much about it at least from a geographical standpoint. Hope somebody's listening that likes to talk and has a camera.

I'm more interested in hearing about and seeing pics of the US east coast than way north stuff.

Click to expand...

Eric--- I can help you visualize the east coast. First get a piece of blank paper. Second, get a pencil and a ruler. Using these, draw a line all the way across the paper about midway down. Then using the ruler, measure up from the first line 1/16th of an inch and put a dot. Finally, using the ruler again, draw a line perfectly parallel to the first line through the dot.

The lower line is the water level along the east coast. The upper line is the land.

And there you have it. A perfect picture of east coast boating.

Took these mobile phone shots today. First shot is Doha, Qatar. Next two shots are of a traditional dhow with a communication upgrade. These diesel boats are mostly planked with teak.

Marin,
Fairly fancy communication for a barge! You do travel a bit. AMJ

I would't consider a dhow a barge. They are actually very graceful and fairly fast vessels. They are the standard local trade vessel in the Gulf. The one in the photos is actually fairly small. The two mobile phone shots don't begin to do them justice. Most of the dhows in this harbor had radar and satellite domes. This one was unique in that it had two of them.

I knew that!

Well done MV Willy Nomad, you certainly lived up to your name.

Thank you all.

dhow's were the vessels w lanteen sails that could outrun the pirate ships as I recall. Sorry but I think you stepped in it Al re the dhow.

Never thought of that Andy but I accept.

Here is a much better photo of a dhow as they appear today than my crappy little mobile photos. Diesel powered and capable of going quite fast if need be.

Now that looks quite racey even...

manyboats said:

Now I'd like to see a thread of a somewhat similar trip on the east coast. Hope somebody's listening that likes to talk and has a camera.

Click to expand...

Eric, we have warmer weather on average, softer beaches, beautiful sunsets/rises. BUT we don't have near as many breath taking photo ops, scenery-wise. We have LOTS more Wake-master (I liked that term, gonna hang on to it) and their requisite super considerate Cap'ns (think Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack).
We don't have (atleast in the southern 1/2) those evergreen topped outcroppings that you stare at knowing they've been there for all-time. Finding an untouched niche of society thats had the same population and family names for a hundred years is virtually unheard of anymore.

Twisted,
I like and frequently seek remoteness but different geographical locations and the boaters and boats there are of even more interest to me. On the ferry I saw people that were excited and thrilled about Alaska. It's a very special place as are the people there and the magic never goes away but eventually one starts to settle out and use the Alaskan experience to relate self to normality. There is a normal and we know it as much as we know abnormality. Hot can't be hot w/o cold as a reference. Good pics are good pics but prettiness hasn't got the value of strange and the unknown. We reap joy and pleasure from beauty but expansion requires more information and the experience of relating to same is a much more meaningful experience than pretty pictures. So I'm asking for more than I gave. I'll come to the east coast next year or so I'm not to wallow in the isolation I now find myself but I still would like more pics and lore on the east coast.
Ron (rwidman) linked me a good starter blog and now I know a little bit about the rivers down there. Without the mountains it may be a little like being in the 2nd dimension but if one has never been to Jersey or Long Island Sound they are exotic places. Let the exotic begin.

Nomad Willy said:

Well that's all folks.

I had a good time reliving all the sights and emotions we experienced on the trip and sharing some made the trip much more worthwhile as fun and adventure along with some practical information emerging for cruisers. Sometimes a bit heavy on adventure but one runs that risk every time leaving the dock or even crossing the street for that matter. Whenever a boater heads north to these waters the amount of adventure and danger is an unknown. I did one trip that was almost a walk in the park. I've met thousands of people that say something like "I've always wanted to go to Alaska" but few actually do and for those in that category here (there may be many) I'm sure my thread was a good thing. And for those that actually will go north I'll bet I've given them a view of northern long distance boating in SE Alaska and primarily Northern BC Canada that will be of value planing and going on such a trip.
Thanks for following along w us and judging from the number of "views" many did. I've been here on TF for over 7 years and will probably be here another 7 and thus available for fact and opinion.

Cheers
Eric

Click to expand...

& your post on 'Voyagers and other Boaters on the Go! > Windmills & wine' :

Nomad Willy said:

Pilou,

You like pictures along w many on this thread. Mark's seen it all .. he was there on one of my threads where I posted 144 pics taken on a trip mostly in BC Canada. It's kind of a log book w pictures.
IR has created a wonderful thread here. I love this area and would love to go there. Now more so because of these great pics.
To get to the thread go to page 8 on Voyagers and other boaters on the go. You can pick it up quickly by looking at the # of replies ... 208. My username then was Manyboats.

Click to expand...

Hi Eric
I read last night the first half of your thread, I have just finished reading the last half.
I will write to you further by PM, first at all I would like to express my admiration for your work, to thank you for your time and effort in writing, explaining, posting beautiful pictures.

I was very moved by your post #183. It sums up perfectly well the great generosity and selflessness you have shown in sharing here your boating experience throughout your amazing journey.

Thank you a lot for your great work.

Pilou