Great Delivery Sunday! Trip report.
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 7:58 am
Sunday moring I arrived just a few minutes early at the dock where Whisp was moored. We were to move her from the North end of Lake Washington through the ship canal and back up to Edmonds!
The owners arrived moments after me. With all the stormy weather around here I was loaded with foul weather gear, a thermous of coffe, multiple GPS's, my own VHF, Life jacket, and even my notes I'd made prior to the trip!
We left the dock without any issues and motored almost 2 hours to ship canal. At the entereance we refilled the fuel and headed in. We had no issues slipping under the first 4 bridges and into Lake Union.
Exiting the ther end of Lake union is the Aurora bridge with plenty of clearance and the Freemont bridge only 30 feet of clearance. We'd called an hour ahead requesting passage but only got voicemail. At the bridge we requested passage with one prolonged blast and one short on the air horns. The request went unanswered. So we waited a few minutes and again requested passage but this time on VHF. We were immediately responed to with 5 short blasts indicating there would be a wait before the bridge opened. So we circled for about 10 minutes when finally the bridge signaled it was opening. We snuggled up close to the bridge wo we could go through as quickly as possible.
The next bridge we met was opened for a much larger sailboat so we slipped through it also while open.
Then the locks. We were first to arrive and again the large lock and small lock displayed the stop signal or do not enter signal so we circled. The owner asked if I would take the helm at this point. No problem. We continued to circle for about 15 minutes when all of the sudden we had 5 very large fisshing vessels headed for the locks. They literally dwarfed our little 24'er! We slipped off to the side since the larger vessels always enter first. They all entered and the red lights came on. Awe man! So we circled for another 5 minutes or so. Then we noticed yet another huge fishing boat coming in so we moved to the side again. Following the fishing boat was a 36'er. So we circled around ang got in line behind the 36'er. Again, bigger goes first. The fishing boat went in, tied off, and the green lights came on! YEAH! So in went the 36'er and we followed. With a heavy stern flow of fresh water it was like being in a river. So we slowed to a very low idle and still made 3kts SOG! Much to our surprise as the 36 'er was coming along side the fishing boat to tie off it suddenly turned hard to starboard and just hammered the fishing boat! OMG! Why'd they do that? Sure glad we held back a little! We watched as the crews of the fishing boat literally laughed at the 36'er as it now no longer looked PERFECT! You see it had just been professionally polishe dand waxed! We slid in and were instructed to tie off to the 36'er. We did without incedent. The locks lowered all the boats to the level of Puget Sound, the doors opened and the fishing boats ahead of us left one by one. Then . .the 4th fishing boat maybe 75' long or better decided to just throttle up and go! You can't do that in the locks! You get slammed into the wall! They did slamm the wall and powered forward dragging all their starboard gear on the cement when they went THUD and came to a very sudden stop! The fishing boat threw her into reverse backed up getting uncomfortably close to us and hit forward again. Again, they did not turn the boat and slammed the wall yet again! OMG! This is a full on commercial vessel and the skipper has no clew on how to driver her! YIKES! On the third attempt the boat just made it out of the locks! WOW!
The next boat left and it was our turn. We were tied to the 36' sailboat who inturn was rafted to a huge fishing boat. The owner of the 36'er ran to our boat and let it go. Good deal. Unfortuantely were at a slight angle and pointed at the wall. So I held off untiing the stern so we could weather vein into to the current and point straight out. The 36'er owner came over and promptly let us off his cleat and said " your free"! I grabbed his stern rail and said NOT YET! I held on as our bow slowly turned down current and we were pointed straight out of the locks. Moments later I let go, we drifted straight out as I put the outboard into gear and motored full speed without incedent out of the locks under the train tressel, and towards Puget Sound!
Once we got past Shilsho Marina the owner took the helm again and we motored uneventfully to Edmonds. At their new home port the owner again let me take the boat to their new slip and in.
What a great delivery! We had zero negative events, saw some spectacular scenery, experienced many new boating events ( for the owners ) transited 7 bridges, one train tressel, the locks, and went from fresh water to salt! I had estimated 6 hours. The new owners had asked around and were told no way. 4-5 hours max. We left the Northlake marina at 9:00 am sharp and entered the Port of Edmonds Marina at 3:05 PM! Dang I was off by . . . . . . 5 minutes! LOL!
We saw no rain, I spent 6 hours with a very nice couple on their boat having a very nice time, they managed the boat for most of the trip, they gave me a ride back to my PU at the first marina, and we parted knowing much more about each other as friends!
As I drove home to my bride my pocket had an envelope full of cash and I was just smiling to myself and thinking . . . . I wish I could do that every day!
Scott
FYI, I did not take my camera figuring I'd use my cell. I forgot my cell so no photos. Sorry!
The owners arrived moments after me. With all the stormy weather around here I was loaded with foul weather gear, a thermous of coffe, multiple GPS's, my own VHF, Life jacket, and even my notes I'd made prior to the trip!
We left the dock without any issues and motored almost 2 hours to ship canal. At the entereance we refilled the fuel and headed in. We had no issues slipping under the first 4 bridges and into Lake Union.
Exiting the ther end of Lake union is the Aurora bridge with plenty of clearance and the Freemont bridge only 30 feet of clearance. We'd called an hour ahead requesting passage but only got voicemail. At the bridge we requested passage with one prolonged blast and one short on the air horns. The request went unanswered. So we waited a few minutes and again requested passage but this time on VHF. We were immediately responed to with 5 short blasts indicating there would be a wait before the bridge opened. So we circled for about 10 minutes when finally the bridge signaled it was opening. We snuggled up close to the bridge wo we could go through as quickly as possible.
The next bridge we met was opened for a much larger sailboat so we slipped through it also while open.
Then the locks. We were first to arrive and again the large lock and small lock displayed the stop signal or do not enter signal so we circled. The owner asked if I would take the helm at this point. No problem. We continued to circle for about 15 minutes when all of the sudden we had 5 very large fisshing vessels headed for the locks. They literally dwarfed our little 24'er! We slipped off to the side since the larger vessels always enter first. They all entered and the red lights came on. Awe man! So we circled for another 5 minutes or so. Then we noticed yet another huge fishing boat coming in so we moved to the side again. Following the fishing boat was a 36'er. So we circled around ang got in line behind the 36'er. Again, bigger goes first. The fishing boat went in, tied off, and the green lights came on! YEAH! So in went the 36'er and we followed. With a heavy stern flow of fresh water it was like being in a river. So we slowed to a very low idle and still made 3kts SOG! Much to our surprise as the 36 'er was coming along side the fishing boat to tie off it suddenly turned hard to starboard and just hammered the fishing boat! OMG! Why'd they do that? Sure glad we held back a little! We watched as the crews of the fishing boat literally laughed at the 36'er as it now no longer looked PERFECT! You see it had just been professionally polishe dand waxed! We slid in and were instructed to tie off to the 36'er. We did without incedent. The locks lowered all the boats to the level of Puget Sound, the doors opened and the fishing boats ahead of us left one by one. Then . .the 4th fishing boat maybe 75' long or better decided to just throttle up and go! You can't do that in the locks! You get slammed into the wall! They did slamm the wall and powered forward dragging all their starboard gear on the cement when they went THUD and came to a very sudden stop! The fishing boat threw her into reverse backed up getting uncomfortably close to us and hit forward again. Again, they did not turn the boat and slammed the wall yet again! OMG! This is a full on commercial vessel and the skipper has no clew on how to driver her! YIKES! On the third attempt the boat just made it out of the locks! WOW!
The next boat left and it was our turn. We were tied to the 36' sailboat who inturn was rafted to a huge fishing boat. The owner of the 36'er ran to our boat and let it go. Good deal. Unfortuantely were at a slight angle and pointed at the wall. So I held off untiing the stern so we could weather vein into to the current and point straight out. The 36'er owner came over and promptly let us off his cleat and said " your free"! I grabbed his stern rail and said NOT YET! I held on as our bow slowly turned down current and we were pointed straight out of the locks. Moments later I let go, we drifted straight out as I put the outboard into gear and motored full speed without incedent out of the locks under the train tressel, and towards Puget Sound!
Once we got past Shilsho Marina the owner took the helm again and we motored uneventfully to Edmonds. At their new home port the owner again let me take the boat to their new slip and in.
What a great delivery! We had zero negative events, saw some spectacular scenery, experienced many new boating events ( for the owners ) transited 7 bridges, one train tressel, the locks, and went from fresh water to salt! I had estimated 6 hours. The new owners had asked around and were told no way. 4-5 hours max. We left the Northlake marina at 9:00 am sharp and entered the Port of Edmonds Marina at 3:05 PM! Dang I was off by . . . . . . 5 minutes! LOL!
We saw no rain, I spent 6 hours with a very nice couple on their boat having a very nice time, they managed the boat for most of the trip, they gave me a ride back to my PU at the first marina, and we parted knowing much more about each other as friends!
As I drove home to my bride my pocket had an envelope full of cash and I was just smiling to myself and thinking . . . . I wish I could do that every day!
Scott
FYI, I did not take my camera figuring I'd use my cell. I forgot my cell so no photos. Sorry!