Pickering Passage to Blake Island
Although I had planned to launch on Friday, I changed my plans at the last minute to have a more relaxed launch on Saturday. Imagine my surprise to get a phone call from Frank saying he was in Jarrell’s Cove at the state park!
Zittell’s Marina to Penrose Point
We left Shelton about 8 am and arrived at Zittel’s Marina on Johnson Point about 9 am. We were rigged by 10 am and launched about 10:15 am. The launch fee was $10 and parking was $5 a night.
Under a blue sky devoid of wind, we slowly motored out of Zittel’s into the Nisqually Reach. Turning southeast, we cruised in the ebb current around the south end of Anderson Island, hitting over five knots at half throttle.
Jarrell Cove and Fair Harbor
Pickering Passage is an odd body of water, at least to me. Even though we launched on a flood tide, the main current was flowing south. Because of a back eddy, the current at the launch was flowing northward at about one knot. Weather at launch time was windy, with strong southerly winds with frequent heavy gusts. The combination of the south winds and south-flowing current in the middle of Pickering Passage created a steep chop with breaking whitecapped waves.
Dockton Potter Party
The day dawned with a promise of glorious weather. This was to be Whisper’s debut with the Northwest Potters, and I had washed and waxed the hull to make our 2005 P-19′s burgundy hull gleam in the sunlight. But in our haste to launch, we managed to put a significant gouge right through the gel coat on one side. Whisper was perfect no more!
