Sept 23-30
Hi All,
We left Friday Harbor around 7am for the 36nm passage to Port Angeles. We knew it was going to be sporty for the first half of the trip but then calming….and, indeed that is what we had. 10-15G20kt winds off the starboard quarter but 2-4′ windchop seas…splashes/spray everywhere!!!! And a 3kt foul current in Cattle Pass then a 1-2kt foul current across Juan de Fuca….made for a very slow trip….ugh!!! We made it to our slip in Port Angeles Boat Haven Marina around 12:45pm and wow, was it raining….yikes!!!
We did have one issue…..the 300amp Balmar alternator stopped working and it started a clanging noise. We did make it to the marina and found the retaining bolt that holds the pulley and fan had come loose and the fan was rattling, making the clanging noise….really…..arghhhhh!!! I tried to tighten/loosen the bolt and found it stuck, would not loosen or tighten more than a few treads. Now I need to remove the alternator….which is big, heavy and awkward to remove…Kathy has requested for me to get someone else to help….and take to the doctor along with its brother that died a few months ago….I guess the year of bad alternators!!!
Hmmmm…people have used a few terms for the next 6-months of work on Mystic….rehab, TLC, SPA time…..Kathy likes TLC so that is what we are going with, but a 6-month SPA treatment seems to fit the $$$$’s we are spending:))))
John’s week: cleaned dinghy (requires a good wash, then use a degreaser to get brown grit off Hypalon, then wax bottom, then treat Hypalon w/303), then patch a dinghy tube leak (must have caught a crab trap or fish hook….took me 2 days to find the leak!!), clean and shine up BBQ, a day in engine room working on alternator (yep, a bit of sailor yelling ensued), took 8 different oil and coolant samples for lab analysis, clean all sea strainers, flush Yanmar and GEN w/fresh water, clean everything!! Then, clean out 5 different outside cabinets….threw a bunch of stuff away, bagged the rest…..then finally pack for boat work and being back in Pleasanton!!
Katy’s week: cleaned and bagged 5 different outside cabinets (I was informed she has “her” cabinets and I have mine:))), cleaned out freezers and defrosted GE freezer, took off all window screens and cleaned, cleaned entire inside of boat/bathrooms/sumps/laundry for 3 days….then Pack….yep. we stayed busy!!!
Here are the final stats for 2019:
Just the facts ma’am:
-266 Days; ~9 months, from 12/30/2018 when we arrived in Sitka Alaska to September 23 when we arrived in Port Angeles
-Traveled 2992nm
-443 engine hours, now have 8085.6 total
-487 GEN hours; now have 9482 total
-0 nights at sea; NADA, ZIP, ZILCH…..NO OVERNIGHTERS….Kathy wanted an easy season!!!!
-124 nights at anchor, 142 nights at a marina; 84 nights in Sitka during the winter months!!!
-3 oil changes, 1 for Cummins, 2 for GEN
-Fuel Used: 2,781 gal
-Dollars spent on Fuel: $10,777, Avg $3.38/gal, highest at Kitimat at $4.66/gal, lowest Sitka at $3.09/gal
-Liquor Consumed: for me to know and for you to come onboard Mystic Moon and find out:)))))
-2 countries: USA and Canada
-Worst Wind & Seas: Are you kidding me….there are no worst seas in SE Alaska….easy peasy!!!!
-Calmest Seas: The entire SE Alaska…well, except for a few open ocean openings
-Most traumatic moment: Maybe not traumatic as we really had none, but most frustrating was losing both the 300amp Balmar alternator and the Cummins starter!!
Critter Stats:
Dungeness Crab: 91 total
Prawns: 156: 96 Spotted, 14 Coon Stripe
Whales: 234 total; 205 Humpbacks; 11 Orcas; 18 Minke
Salmon: 14: 3 King, 11 Cohos
Halibut: 1; 48-lbs off Lowe Inlet entrance
Bears: 93 total: 74 Browns, 19 Black
Wolves: 10
Otters: 982
Sand Hill Cranes: 4
Mountain Goats: 42
Dall’s Sheep: 3
Moose: 3
Alaskan Husky sled dogs: 60
Stellar Sea Lions: 950
That’s our story and stickin’ to it!!!
The Plan: We haul Mystic on Tuesday Oct 1 at Platypus Marine in Port Angeles where she will be painted for ~8 weeks. Kathy goes back to Pleasanton on Thursday, 10/3; her parents arrive hopefully soon thereafter, so lots of parent and grandkid time for her. John-boy stays a working dog with Mystic in PA but hopefully goes home on Friday 10/11 to join the festivities. I’m sure we will both be back and forth to PA over the next few months!!
Hope all is well!!
John
Mystic Moon
Port Angeles WA
PS: I did get another gallery posted. This one is from Craig to Kitimat and our time with Adam and Cindi:
http://mysticmoonvoyages.com/photo-gallery/nggallery/main-album/Craig-to-Shearwater,-Visit-from-Adam-and-Cindi
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