Where we will be . . .

The first week will be spent getting to Desolation Sound from Washington.  Here is where we will be going. 

 Anacortes to Desolation Sound

 

1. Anacortes, WA

2. Sidney, BC

3. Salt Spring Island, BC

4. Nanaimo, BC

5. Comox, BC

6. Cortes Island, BC

 

 

Once we arrive, we will be exploring Desolation Sound.

Desolation Sound

More to come . . .

Getting ready . . .

 
Purchasing a previously owned tug from the factory provided us a warranty period and the Ranger Tug delivery experience (2 days on-the-water training with the factory and with an experienced captain).  With all the comforts of home (shower, toilet, microwave, cooktop, oven, and BBQ), the Kenji Maru has enough fresh water to stay "on the hook" for 3-4 days, with a boating range of roughly 200 nautical miles. 

In order to increase our ready made meal options (and to ensure a supply of ice for cocktails!), we added a portable freezer. 

Because we plan on anchoring in quiet coves, we outfitted our tug with a larger anchor, dinghy and motor, and stern tie rope.

 

A stern tie enables us to run a line from the boat stern to shore, stabilizing the boat and permitting anchoring in tighter spaces that would otherwise be unsafe.


Because Don is a redundancy guy (translation: safety minded), we also carry an extra anchor, extra VHF radios, and even an EPIRB.  

An EPIRB is an emergency beacon that emits a distress signal to search and rescue teams.  While we hope to never need it, we are glad to have it as part of our safety inventory, and are happy that someone cares enough to want us to make it back (love you too, Glen).



So now we are ready to set off on our first extended boating voyage!




In the beginning. . .

2005 marked the beginning of our plans to explore the Pacific Northwest.

Intending on relocating to Washington in retirement, we found a house with an ocean view--something we had always dreamed of having.

Of course, seeing the water led to our thinking, hey, we should get a little boat to have fun on the water!  So in 2006 we purchased our first boat, a 1983 Larson runabout.

Anyone who is into boating knows that, sadly, it never stops with one boat.  We are now on our fourth boat, a 2011 Ranger Tug 27'.  I have been assured this will be our last and final boat (seems to me I've heard THAT before), since it has all the features for cruising the waters of the Pacific Northwest.  From my perspective, it also has the necessary creature comforts I desire!

I have to say in all honesty, I never thought I'd embrace boating to the extent that we now do.  The turning point was when we chartered a 64-foot yacht with our boating pals Scott and Lily, and ventured into southeast Alaska.

 

  

It was a fabulous trip, and one that fueled our desire to make our dream of boating in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska a reality.

 

 

This trip with fellow Ranger Tugs marks the kick off of our official Pacific Northwest adventures!