Desolation Sound...In a Gale

Sitting in Laura Cove with a well-set anchor and stern-tied to a large piece of rock. Not too bad in here although the gusts shake us about a bit. Looks like being home for Monday likely won't happen unless the Weather-guesser is as wrong as he usually is. Gales all around Vancouver Island except the very bottom, maybe not in Puget Sound? Well outside my area.

Oatmeal on the stove to fortify against the first Fall blow. Third pot of coffee. Went swimming and kayaking yesterday, today all the sailboats have let go their stern ties as the oysters start appearing with the tide fall. Full moon tonight but we won't see it. Wonder if the oysters will cut the stern line?

What's the temperature

Sounds like time for a good book. We are a little overcast and temps are down from yesterdays 101f. Chance of rain due to your storm, should still make the low 80's. Water skiing tomorrow if this clear a little. Perhaps a wood stove would be a nice addition up there.

There is a gale warning today in Puget Sound too. After that blows through, it looks like back to normal weather patterns.

Yup, down here around the Narrows the wind just hit. Some pretty big gusts going through. Unfortunately, I am home working on last years taxes.

Big wind is supposed to hit Seattle about noon. It's blow'in 20 to 30 now in Mt Vernon. We're on the way to the boat in LaConner now. Tied her up loosely so as not to damage the fresh varnish. Needless to say wre'e going to tie her up good as soon as we get there. Still working on our heater fuel system. May be power out when we get home.

Our winds in SE Washington started kicking up around 0900 this morning. Lots of dust in the air and visibility about 1/2 mile at best. We're supposed to get a real blow this afternoon with sustained winds in the 30's to 40's and gusts over 50.


I just got back a bit ago from adding 3 extra dock lines on the boat and making sure all the snaps were snapped. The last blow that went through here almost took away one of my seat covers on the fly bridge. The only thing holding it was where it zipped together over a railing. I'm not taking any chances!

Due to family commitments we returned to Campbell River a couple of days early; otherwise our plan would have been to come in today (Saturday Aug. 29). Good thing, or we would have been stuck in the Octopus Islands for a few more days. Oh wait.

Stern tied in a gale you say, humm.

Past few hours at Sandheads lightship. Gusting to 47 kts, last hour.

I'm in Calgary and can't check on the boat in Steveston.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum

It's sporty in Anacortes. Gusts of 50 sound about right. Power out all over town and downed trees everywhere. Watched 50ish ft sailboat making its way out of the straight into the fidalgo channel a bit ago - didn't look fun out there.

Astoria/Ilwaco SW Washington was to get 60-70mph south winds today. Up river where I am the highest it got was 40mph. The wind just changed direction a few minutes ago and is a gentle breeze out of the west.

sunchaser said:

Stern tied in a gale you say, humm.

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While not gale force, the winds were building enough to set up our second anchor off the stern quarter, on the windward side...worked like a charm.

JDCAVE said:

I'm in Calgary and can't check on the boat in Steveston.

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Hey Jim! Hope you had a great trip, and look forward to hearing you drop occasional "pearls of wisdom" gained from your experiences

MurrayM said:

Hey Jim! Hope you had a great trip, and look forward to hearing you drop occasional "pearls of wisdom" gained from your experiences

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You'll be waiting a long time to hear of much wisdom from this old fart. I'm a bit of a newbie to this nautical stuff. It's been a steep learning curve.

Would like to catch up with you sometime up the coast next summer. We are definitely going back to McMicking next year and also go to the west side of Aristazabal Island.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum

40 gusting 50 knots at Grief Point. A good blow for the summer. Nice to wear shorts and a T-shirt in it as opposed to the fall/winter storms. Added a tie down on the dinghy and brought the table and chairs in. Saw a Nordy at the Beach Gardens getting tossed around. Would've been hard to read a book on in comfort.

Northern Spy said:

40 gusting 50 knots at Grief Point. A good blow for the summer. Nice to wear shorts and a T-shirt in it as opposed to the fall/winter storms.

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I love a winter storm and today was a good appy.
Probably a good 30 to 40 here in Sidney at about 1400.

I watched a juvenile eagle learning the ropes in his first big blow. What fun he was having. Got pretty much flipped right over a couple of times dropped 10 or so feet, recovered and got right back into it. Soared way up there and raced down to the waves. Watching him practice being static in the wind was just so cool.

Anyway Spy, you do get some incredible blows at Grief Point.
At Myrtle Point the winter SE-ers moved all the gravel around the point and the summer Westerlies brought it back in big furrows.

A right proper southeaster. SSE 37 gust 46 at Entrance Island light at 1pm. But the core appears to be past us now, SSE 7 and barometer rising.

spent the day in reed harbor on stuart island--gusts to 45k-- snagged a wayward dinghy and pulled it up on the float we were moored to---- bunch of fun---back in our slip in Anacortes where the entire ttown has no power--- safe seas--- steveandtina

This West Coast front is now hitting Southeast Alaska. Sitting in Wrangell awaiting for Tuesday weather promise of 15 knots NW and 3 foot seas in Clarence Straits. Currently calling for 40 knts and 6 foot seas tomorrow . Been here in Wrangell from planned departure date of Friday. Good place to be! fresh apple pie baked this afternoon, loads of coffee, Trawler Forum access. What could be better? Well it was Steak Night at the Elks, so the suffering and standing by is not too bad, now if the rain will let up for tomorrow, a round of golf is in order. Tough duty.
Al-Ketchikan


Dixon Entrance East
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT
ForecastWeather ConditionsIce ConditionsWarningsSynopsisWinds
Issued 09:30 PM PDT 29 August 2015Tonight and Sunday
Gale warning in effect.
Wind westerly 10 to 20 knots backing to south 15 to 25 after midnight then increasing to southeast 35 to 45 Sunday morning. Wind veering to southwest 25 to 35 Sunday afternoon then becoming west 25 Sunday evening.WavesIssued 04:00 PM PDT 29 August 2015Today Tonight and Sunday
Seas 2 to 3 metres subsiding to 1 near midnight then building to 2 to 3 late Sunday morning.Weather & VisibilityIssued 09:30 PM PDT 29 August 2015Tonight and Sunday
Showers.Extended Forecast
Issued 04:00 PM PDT 29 August 2015
Monday
Wind southwest 15 to 25 knots.
Tuesday
Wind variable 5 to 15 knots.
Wednesday
Wind northwest 10 to 20 knots.Stay connectedATOM

List of Official Text Forecasts
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Dixon Entrance Central - 46145 East Dellwood - 46207 Middle Nomad - 46004 Nanakwa Shoal - 46181 North Hecate Strait - 46183 North Nomad - 46184 South Hecate Strait - 46185 South Moresby - 46147 South Nomad - 46036 West Dixon Entrance - 46205 West Moresby - 46208 West Sea Otter - 46204

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Hawgwash said:

Anyway Spy, you do get some incredible blows at Grief Point.
At Myrtle Point the winter SE-ers moved all the gravel around the point and the summer Westerlies brought it back in big furrows.

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I know, and if you told anyone, they wouldn't believe you, but I've seen it. And If we were in Florida, we'd be discussing a tropical storm right about now...

Just looked out the window and saw Xsbank going by... In between the weekend storms.

Hi Spy! Enormous 6 knots SOG, spray over roof. Interesting swells by Grief Point! Lovely day.

I'll send the admiral out to wave a tea towel!

Well our big winds were a no show. We had winds in the 30's in the late morning but they never got as big as was predicted. By 6:00 they had died to a light breeze and by 7:00 were calm.


We were at a party at the club last night and afterward stayed on the boat. IT was quiet all night and only kicked up a bit this morning to about 15mph.


Where else but a weatherman job can you be SO wrong, SO often and still keep your job?

GFC- The blood running down my chin is from biting my tongue!!
al

Hawgwash said:

I watched a juvenile eagle learning the ropes in his first big blow. What fun he was having. Got pretty much flipped right over a couple of times dropped 10 or so feet, recovered and got right back into it. Soared way up there and raced down to the waves. Watching him practice being static in the wind was just so cool.

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That had to be one of the most magnificent events in nature to witness. A future master of flight learning the basics of flying in the wind for the first time. "So cool" is right!!

Looking forward to the videos that you must have gotten on your iphone.

FlyWright said:

That had to be one of the most magnificent events in nature to witness. A future master of flight learning the basics of flying in the wind for the first time. "So cool" is right!!

Looking forward to the videos that you must have gotten on your iphone.

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It was like watching a 3 year old on his first pair of skates, maybe even with more affection. The best part was watching him try to be stopped still in the gusting wind. So much concentration. Like he was standing one legged on a clothesline. Incredible.


Is that what the crank on the side of my phone is for? Makin' videos?

Seymour Crown was out in it, off Powell River....

Tad Roberts said:

Seymour Crown was out in it, off Powell River....

View attachment 43858

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What a great west coast shot Tad.

Georgia Straight

Xsbank said:

Sitting in Laura Cove with a well-set anchor and stern-tied to a large piece of rock. Not too bad in here although the gusts shake us about a bit. Looks like being home for Monday likely won't happen unless the Weather-guesser is as wrong as he usually is. Gales all around Vancouver Island except the very bottom, maybe not in Puget Sound? Well outside my area.

Oatmeal on the stove to fortify against the first Fall blow. Third pot of coffee. Went swimming and kayaking yesterday, today all the sailboats have let go their stern ties as the oysters start appearing with the tide fall. Full moon tonight but we won't see it. Wonder if the oysters will cut the stern line?

Click to expand...

I took my boat up to Tenedos Bay on September10th and returned on the 22nd. We had a northerly headwind of about 35 Kts from Patos to Nanaimo, and seas of 5 to 6 Ft. Video attached.

Northbound Georgia Straight

Sharpseadog said:

I took my boat up to Tenedos Bay on September10th and returned on the 22nd. We had a northerly headwind of about 35 Kts from Patos to Nanaimo, and seas of 5 to 6 Ft. Video attached.

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https://youtu.be/soCIqmE6wVY