Southern Man (and Woman)

After a furiously busy month in July sorting out boat issues, visiting with friends, family birthdays/anniversary’s (mom and dads 50^th this year) we finally got everything done that needed to be done (we hope).  We left Tsehum Harbour (Sidney BC for you non island types) on Tuesday morning with the tide and had an uneventful motor to the Royal Victoria Yacht Club in Oak Bay.  No wind of course until the turned the corner into Cadboro Bay.  We had dinner with my folks on Tuesday and then David and Linda from Toketie (boat in Mexico, owners in BC making a bit more cruising kitty) came down with dinner on Wednesday.  Cathy and I grilled them mercilessly after dinner about routes down the west cost, favourite places, rules/regulations, Mexican experiences etc.  They were great and hopefully we can put the knowledge gained to good use.  We had looked at the weather forecast on Tuesday for Juan de Fuca and beyond and it looked like if we went to Port Angeles on Thursday we could leave early Friday morning and just keep going without having to wait in Neah Bay.  Thursday morning, up at 6:00 gone at the stroke of 7:00, dodging deep sea vessels south of Trial Island by 8:00 and then across the Strait to Port Angeles.  We left seeing a small fog bank on the US side and light winds.  Great, we both thought.  Sails went up and the wind continued to build.  We ended up sailing with mizzen and about half a headsail and still made a comfortable 6 knots.  Of course we were going to weather.  Our most cherished wish right now is to get the (*^%(^(%^*%$ out of here and STOP SAILING INTO THE *&%$*^%$*% WIND.  We cleared Homeland Security in Port Angeles without any problems at all.  The customs person that came in to clear us drove up in an early  1960’s lowrider VW van.  Enough said!!  The weather however was not playing in our favour.  The winds continued to rise and the forecast see’s the winds easing to reasonable Saturday morning.  So our first bit of exploration in our journey south will be Port Angeles.  We will stay here today and get an early start tomorrow and head out and south without the Neah Bay stop.