Down the straight, Paddling time.

Lady Washington at anchor.

Well, we've finished up our latest adventure and returned the scouts to Bellingham.


Some trouble with our RADAR and heavy fog delayed Lady Washington's departure, but Hawaiian Chieftain carried on. Just this morning, we have joined up with them and anchored in Neah Bay.

Keeping an eye ahead while in transit.

We are here for the Quinault Paddle, a large gathering of canoes from surrounding tribes. This year it is being hosted by the Quinault nation, we have been invited as guests of the event in hopes of strengthening relations between Gray's Harbor's historical mission, and that of the indigenous people.

Lady and Chieftain in Neah Bay.

Crew craft night!

Fog over the San Juans.

As signs of good will, we have dressed our head-rig with cedar boughs and peace tied our guns.

It is an exciting event, and we are being treated with greetings and songs from many canoes as they passed us here in the bay. Various groups are coming aboard for tours and a elder from the Suquamish tribe will be staying aboard.

Canoes on display for the Quinault Paddle.

Weather is going to be rough tomorrow, so they've decided to delay the departure of canoes and other vessels by a day. This will give us time for some much needed rest and maintenance.

 I should get some rest before my anchor watch at 01:00.
Cheers!

Island hopping, and back to the internet

Woo, Back to civilization.

The view from bow watch. Not too bad, eh?

Anchor watch under the full moon.

We've been island hopping in the San Juans for the last few days. Exploring with a group of teenaged "Adventure Scouts". It's been great so far. They're a really fun group, and are picking up on the rough points of tall ship sailing. I'm on the long boat crew, ferrying camping groups ashore on Gray's Harbor's 2-ton Long boat the Capt. Matt Peasley.




The best part?
The kids are totally into sea shanties!
I've been getting requests to sing this one, or that one. We've been keeping rowing rythms with everything from South Australia to Bring 'em Down. AND they treated me to their own version of Diamond with the refrain sung in a round! Heck yeah!

I was able to spend last night, camping on Sucia Island. It's was nice to stretch  my legs while we hiked out to the sand stone caves. The kids did a lot of climbing, and I was able to follow them up a series of tunnels back to the trail at the top of the cliffs. All of it, a blast!


Winds have been fair and weather is wonderful. We were able to enjoy some swimming, swinging from splat lines off the catshead into one of the warmer bays (as well as practice some MOB drills).

Taking a swing at it!

The Lady holds station off of Cyprus Island.

 Lady Washington seems to have welcomed me back into her loving embrace. I've been enjoying being back aloft, and have the new experience of weighing anchor with a tradition rig. Hoisting the 250lb fish anchor each morning, by hand, with the windlass.

Our long boat underway.

 Inside the sea caves.

I am relaxing aboard tonight and the boat has dipped over to Anacortes for fuel and little crew respite ashore. The local beer is good, and cell phone and internet service has been restored.

I'm sorry to see one of our volunteers, Steven and two crew members, Emily and Charlotte taking off in Bellingham, tomorrow. But I suppose, eventually, we must all return to that other life ashore.

  Until then, good sailing and keep the shanties coming!

Hawaiian Chieftain, in the mist.

Another Day, Another Sail

Look at that gorgeous furl!

Hey all,
It's been a great day.
Some much needed maintanance, (sanding and varnishing hatch covers, wooo?)
Tours and an evening sail.

I got recertified for going aloft and I think I'm getting back into the grove of things.
Furled the main t'gallant sail this evening, all by myself!

A few more pictures.
We take on Boyscouts tomorrow early early in the AM, then set off for a week in the San Juans.
I'm not sure about internet/phone accesibility for a few days. So I'll post if I can.

Cheers!

Our dear Lady Washington.

On the dock.

Both boats, end of the day.

Back aboard!

This is what window seats are for.

Sight for sore eyes.

Long time coming, and I'm back aboard!
Flights went on without incident, and I got to see a few gorgeous views coming into Seattle.
After a train and three buses, I met up with the Lady and Chieftain at the harbor in Bellingham.

A few quick introductions and I'm donned in my funnies ready for the sunset sail that very evening! It was a whirlwind. I've got a lot of catching up to do, certainly a lot of information that I'll need to remember/relearn. But my new crew mates seem really great, and one familiar face, Liam, from my last time aboard.

My bunk is now squared away, and I'm enjoying a bit of Muppet Treasure Island with the Chieftains in their great cabin before turning in. Night all. It's been a long day, more to follow.

Moon rise on the boats.

My bunk is all cozy. I get the entire main hold to myself...for one night.

Blog altered! Plane Ticket Purchased! Summerfest's Closing day! Departure...delayed.

Well I've resurected and retooled this old travel blog.
Thanks for checking it out.

I'll be returning as a deckhand aboard the Lady Washington for a chunk of July and August. 
Yay!
I'm terribly excited, but not quite ready yet.

I've had to push back departure date in order to take much needed (and well paid) calls with IATSE Stage Hands union, working calls for Milwaukee's annual music festival, Summerfest, and loading out for the tour of Wicked.

It's been such a whirl wind fortnight, that I have barely had anytime to prepare for departure. I've been waiting over a year to get back on board the Lady Washington. It's hard to believe that it's actually happening...and that I'm not at all ready.

On my way (back)

Well, I'm sorry everyone.
I really didn't think this whole thing through.
I'd been considering my options way back in Texarkana and just couldn't bring my self to pack it in. Again in S. Padre Island, so very close to my first international boarder.

The decision was hard, terribly hard. Mostly because of the long time in planning this whole thing, and for all the people I misled by telling them my grand scheme.
I've decided to pack it in.
I'll have a more detailed report later, (I'm just on my mobile device now) but I've been terribly lonesome for much of the last two weeks, I'm constantly stressed about the mechanical shortcomings of the bike, as well as the general dangers of motorcycling. My family is worried about me, and doggone it, I'm spending a ton of money and not having any fun!
I've limped my ailing motorcycle back across the boarder(to reclaimed my visa deposit) collected my things and caught a bus, a plane, another bus and a train to surprise my girlfriend, Emily with an early home coming.

I'm in New York for now, planning my next move(not through adventuring yet)
But hoping to be back with my family and in Wisconsin soon.
If you're reading this, sorry for the delay in GPS updates, and I'm even sorrier that I didn't follow through on my words.

But 2,200 miles, 3 weeks, 5 states, 2 borders, and four breakdowns in, I think I've had my adventure. I've learned a lot about myself.
Mostly that when I started planning this journey, I was in a different place in my life, and had different motivations.
As I said, not through yet. Em and I will be back in Mexico for her thesis research so I will keep you all apprized.

Thank you all so much,
Phil

The dangers of mexico

200 miles of Mexican Hwy and a night near San Fernando.
The danger statistics:

Gun tote'n, red headed tourist kidnapping, drug cartels: 0
Military checkpoints: 3 (+1)
Crazy-ass drivers: 2
Donkeys: 0
Speed bumps from outta nowhere : 4
Natives cheering me on: 7