El Commandante and Old Geezer are feet dry and back in Panama City. The last mission of the expedition, BEER, is in the books, and logged as a success. After some more work to clean Old Geezer, the expedition will return to northern California.
Dan reports that the BEER cruise was great fun, especially when winds proved much higher than predicted, and, predictably, on the nose. A highlight of the trip was when Old Geezer cast off from Pensacola Shipyard Marina, and participated in the "Cajun Potter Dance" with Mike Miller and Half Pint. There is complete agreement that nothing quite like that departure has been seen before.
More stories of great people, boats, and fun will be revealed as the log of Potter Expeditionary Force One is reviewed and reported. There will be no embellishment. —Steve Haines
The Montgomery Owners' San Juan and Gulf Islands Cruise is about to begin! Sailors from Washington, Utah, Oregon, California, Arizona, and even Texas are converging on Anacortes, WA for the start of a two week group cruise through the San Juan and Candian Gulf Islands.
My friend, Larry Yake, has once again invited other Montgomery owners to join him for a journey through these beautiful world-class cruising waters. It looks as though there will be around 17 boats/crews joining in for the two-week long trip. There is a tentative itinerary planned, although each crew will decide for themselves when and where they will cruise. Some will choose to layover at certain locations while others change their venue every day. Many of the boats will be returning after having participated in previous Montgomery San Juan Cruises, while others will be attending their first.
The tentative itinerary looks like this:
Fri/Sat June 12/13 - Crews arrive in Anacortes, launch and get acquainted. Sun 6/14 - Blakely Island Marina Mon 6/15 - Blind Bay of Friday harbor Tues 6/16 - Friday Harbor Wed 6/17 - Garrison Bay Thurs 6/18 - Stuart Island Prevost Harbor Friday 6/19 - South Pender Island Poets Cove Sat 6-20 - Ganges Sun 6-21 - Montegue Harbor Mon 6/22 - Wallace Island Conover Cove Tues 6/23 - Bird's Eye Cove Wed 6/24 - Port of Sidney Thurs 6/25 - Roche Harbor Friday 6/26 - Blakely Island Sat 6/27 - Anacortes
Weather and personal preferences will modify the itinerary for sure, but that's the basic layout.
As for us, well we have a little "extra" adventure ahead of us in order to participate, on a couple of levels. First we have a 1500 mile drive/tow each way from our home in AZ to Anacortes, and second, we have a new deckhand on board for the first time. He's only 4 months old, 40lbs and growing, has four paws and goes by the name of "Bosun."
The plan is 500 miles per day for three days starting tomorrow. We'll head out to Salt Lake City, then Boise, and then push on to Anacortes. Departure is set for 0'dark 30 in the morning tomorrow. Hopefully for our sake it'll be an uneventful trip up—of course for those of you reading this, some "adventure" will make better reading! We are hoping to save the adventures for the sailing portion of the trip.
I will try to post once a day throughout the trip if we have the luxury of Wifi. So, that's the plan. Fuel tanks are full, trailer is hooked up, dog food aboard....let's go! See ya in Salt Lake tomorrow night!
By 0845 on June 1st, Dan and Old Geezer were underway and on a mission. Armed with GPS coordinations of uncertain origin, a grid search was undertaken, with the objective of locating and recovering the crate which B. Frank Franklin ran aground on a few years ago.
You may recall that Franklin was at a BEER cruise when he tried to take a shortcut to catch a SeaPearl, but grounded on what turned out to be a large crate of Laphroaig scotch whiskey. Franklin loaded his boat to the gunwhales with the stuff, but failed to account for a falling tide and rising wind, so he was forced to unload most of the stuff. Franklin did not have a GPS, but marked his chart with the accuracy he is known for. How El Commandante came by this information is uncertain.
At any rate, Dan ran a grid search, and reports that about 100 yards from the reported location, in otherwise deeper water, he sighted a group of birds who either had extremely long legs, or were standing on something. What he found, first with his centerboard, and then by visual inspection, was a rocky shoal. He also reports that the birds seemed to mock him as they left, and loudly.
That mission has been scrubbed, and Dan continued to Pensacola Shipyard Marina, where he decided that he should wash his clothes and sleeping bag, rather than burning them. He has also linked up with Ray, builder of his combat rudder, and has been introduced to local culture in places like the Azalea Bar and Jerry's, where burgers and onion rings are top notch.
There has been rain, but the weather should be good for the cruise. Dan reports that several boats have arrived already, and he has helped with rigging and launching. Before heading to the Azalea last night with Ray, Dan reported that 8 or 9 boats were rigged, among them Hunters, Bob Metzger's Seaward Fox, a Venture, and a Potter named Old Geezer.
