The crew of Ohana Northward is again on home soil. The ship rests in her slip on Bainbridge Island. She has served us well again. We tested skills and developed new ones. We managed intense currents, winds and waves. We negotiated Seymour Narrows, plowed into the teeth of Johnstone Strait and learned when to duck and run. We shared the waves with Dall Porpoise, sailed beneath the cascades of Lacy Falls. We enjoyed the peaceful nature of remote anchorages and even golfed off of a float plane dock. Our challenges were not off the West Coast of Vancouver Island this trip, but the initial spirit of circumnavigation infused us with a certain sense of exploration that took us places we may not have otherwise seen. The trip around Vancouver Island awaits, as well the Inside Passage to Alaska and places not yet imagined.

Oh yes, and there was the matter of a monster Ling cod...(the leaded minnow lure is about 6 inches long!)

Sailing toward Admiralty Inlet through Juan de Fuca on a crystal blue day. We would enjoy a freshening north wind as we made our way south into Puget Sound. The main would be furled and the jib and staysail would billow and pull us closer to home. We would make home port by 1600 hours. On a good day, with big tides and friendly winds, we knew the San Juans were within comfortable reach.

We made this crossing of Juan de Fuca just three weeks ago heading north. Bedwell Harbour in a day, Deep Bay in two and Campbell River early afternoon on the third day. It seemed long ago. Months maybe. But the memories are detailed and vivid and you know they will last.

After making rapid progress on the strong ebb into Juan de Fuca from James Island, we shut off our Yanmar engine and hoisted the sails. The soft sounds of sailing in a light breeze on such open water were soothing to the soul. We kicked back in the cockpit, relaxed and enjoyed the lap of the water on the hull.

Sunrise at James Island. The ebb current has begun its migration. The strong current would soon carry us out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and southward toward Puget Sound and home

The passing ferry bound for Orcas Island made for a memorable view and a rolling wake which gently rocked us to sleep at our James Island mooring buoy. We were fortunate to complete our plan for the day and discovered a vacant buoy at James. This position would allow for a comfortable cast off at 0730 the next morning as we entered the pulsing ebb of Rosario Strait.

Austin eyes the turbulent waters ahead as we begin to push against an unsuspected ebb that had wrapped around Pender Island from the Strait of Georgia. Our more tide friendly course would have been running down the Strait of Georgia from Silva Bay past Waldron Island, but then we would not have enjoyed the calm waters inside the Gulf Islands. We motor-muscled through the current with additional jib catching 20 knots following wind and still slogged along at 4 knots. We would still make Roche Harbour and Customs checkin only slightly after the 0800 opening and be on our way through Mosquito Pass to capture the remnants of the ebb into Juan de Fuca.

We pushed through a slight eddy approaching Active Pass but then quickly received a 2 knot boost as the strong ebb surged southward