August 16th to 20th Dodger Passage to Home

August 16^th to 20^th Dodger Passage to Home

After a spectacular sunset in Dodger we have a short night.  We turn on the engine at 0455 and slowly motor out of the anchorage in the dark.  Off Foger Point we point the boat to 145 degrees and head out for the top of the “tow lane.”  The tow lane is an agreement that allows a “crab pot” free area.  We traverse it all the way from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Columbia River Bar. 

Across the entrance to the Strait we cross all the large traffic lanes with ships all around.  We make it through all the ships only to have to slow down numerous times for humpback whales.  Many close in and breaching.  We also see sea lions in the area and five Orca, always a treat.

As we continue south into the end of the day there is no sunset per se but the moon rise is awesome, huge, bright orange orb with the craters clearly visable.  The photo does not do it justice.  Pam enjoyed the moon rise on her shift and Carl had another great whale show on his shift.

Making it safely back across the bar on the beginning of the flood tide we circle outside West Basin awaiting space on the “customs” dock, otherwise known as the very busy fuel dock.  Carl’s brother Jim hops on board after we clear customs and continue on up the river on the flood.

We enjoy a peaceful evening tucked behind Refuge Island in our favorite new anchorage.  We talk into the night in the cockpit.

The next day we drop Jim in Rainier and continue up the river.  We approach the home port during the end of the Tuesday night race.  We weave through the racers and tie up at home around 6:30, 1244 miles under the keel for our circumnavigation of Vancouver Island.