Friday, January 3, 2014

Our New Addition

     January 2, 2014 we took the ferry back to Whidbey Island.   I fell in love with her the moment Dave  (The caregiver and previous owner) took the tarp off.  I think Scott did too.  She doesn't have a name (never has), and hadn't been in the water for 17 years.  Our new dinghy is a Montgomery 10.  It is everything we hoped for in a dinghy.  She came with oars, full sailing rig, and a beautiful white sail.  The Bucket is on vacation through January.  He will be the one to name her when he returns home.

     Originally we were planning to use an inflatable and have been watching the ad board here in Port Townsend as well as Craig's list for a used one.  Scott began researching and through that discovered that an inflatable just was not for us.  Together we decided that we wanted something lightweight and we could row, sail, or motor.  And this is what came into our life.  Lovely!  

   





The New Year

      Happy New Year!  It is January 3rd, I know, but if there is one thing I have learned living here in the Puget Sound, it is "Island Time" really does exist.  And it is the new year.  2013 is behind us and we have 365 days of new memories to create.

     We welcomed January 1st with open arms and determination to bring the Velvet Sky out for a sail.  We had met some new found friends of ours on the eve of the new year for a beer and good company.  They are just  beginning their adventures in sailing, the same as us.  They are Eric and Linda Ahlvin.  They are on a 42 foot Valiant, name Rover that just got splashed yesterday.  So, we had a beer, some peanuts, and good conversation, then went back to our own places to watch a movie and bring in the new year.

     January 1st morning Scott and I took the ferry over to Whidbey Island to look at a dinghy we were interested in purchasing.  We returned to Port Townsend around noon.  We were taking the boat out and it was a beautiful sunny day to do it.  The sun and the temperature were pleasant, however, the wind was not going to accommodate.  That was okay.  We would leave the sail cover on and motor out, ignoring the bad form of leaving the sail cover on.

     We were so pleased to have Eric and Linda join us.  We motored out (with our sail cover on) the sound was smooth and still with a mere 1.5 knots of wind.  No matter.  We were with friends, on our boat, on the water on New Year's Day. All was right in our world.

     Predictably, both Scott and Eric thought it appropriate to put the sails up, ("It is a sailboat." Said Eric).  It was made so.  Again, all was right in our world.  We returned to our slip around 2:30.

     It is my belief that if I am near the Ocean on January 1st, I must take the ceremonial dip.  We made the short trip to Fort Warden and I made my way into the icy water of the Sound.  I was refreshed and renewed as I allowed the salt water to embrace me completely and very briefly.

Going.....

Going......

Going.....
IN!

Blessed in 2014