Mike
08/16/2011, Sucia Island/Friday Harbor

Well we finnally can say we have been to Sucia Island! The 10th anniversary party for the Pacific Northwest Sailors group was held in Sucia where it all started a decade ago! Isabella motor sailed her way all the way over Orcas Island for the first time (with us as crew) and didnt miss a beat along the way! After two days of good times with good friends we made the jump down to Friday Harbor passing Jones and Waldron Islands along the way. I know I know big deal! But for us it was. We anchord outside of the marina the first night and watched the ferries come and go. Friday we were finnally able to pull into our reserved slip for the Lats and Atts party and as you might expect it was a wonderful time as usuall. We even managed to get a nasty note posted on the boardwalk at the marina! The big news is that Isabella is now the keeper of the best decorated boat contest for this year! Well in actuallity we were second but our freinds on Puddle Pirate refused the title since they are leaving for the south pacific so Isabella was next in line. ILL TAKE IT! After spending $100.00 on raffle tickets and still not winning anything I was excited to take the prize! The crossing home was uneventful and Sharon experimented with cooking underway turing out a great tasting hot lunch in the middle of the straights! All in all a very successful trip and definatley one to remember.

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Mike
07/19/2011, Brownsville Marina

Well we survived the second rendition of a get together spawned by Tom and Jeanie just last year! Of course being world travlers now they were obviously too far away to participate but the Eagle was there in spirit! You know the Native American kind where they dress up and dance and what do you know? LOTS OF RAIN! Of course being locals we knew how to make the best of it and still have a great time. We had four boats this year and one drive in. Thats one more than last and would have made two more with Eagle. We have been victimized into hositng the event next year and are already planning. Maybe we will have it in Mexico so T&J can make it? Anyway we had way to much food, lots of fun and prizes and even grouped together one night with the entire Bremerton Power Squadron (one boat) the really bad part is they won the grand prize by getting the best score on the Islander Freeport Quiz I had put together... SHAME! Isabella is back in her slip but already tugging at her dock lines to get away again! Well this friday we will have a nice sail and dinner with Darren and Lisa from S/V Venus and that will have to do for a week or so.

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Mike sunny and 70's
07/06/2011, Port Ludlow WA

Well our first official 4th of July Raftup here in the bay was a great success! We had fresh crab, shrimp kabobs, fresh fruits and veggies and the list goes on! I brewed a batch of beer for the event and it went over real well in the July sunshine! We stayed the night and had a wonderful breakfast after an incredible sunrise and the obligatory trip to shore with "the dog"...
In the last couple weeks of hit and miss sunshine I have been able to make some progress on Isabella and will take some pics of the results. Happy Summer to everyone and heres hopin for a long one!

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Mike
06/07/2011, Port Gamble Bay WA

Well you wont believe that we had 3 days in a row of perfect weather last weekend! This is the second time for this event and it did not dissapoint. How can you go wrong with some of the best freinds a sailor could ask for all rafted up together and talking story with a cold drink in hand. We brought 5 gallons of home brew along this time and it went over real well. Kevin on Andante as usual went way above and beyond shuttling whole families to shore and back in his large inflatable and never complained. Isabella hosted a small lunch party on Saturday and most were in attendance. As a side note for Tom, we won the vessel with the most flags contest this time!!! Mostley because you werent there. When the raft broke up on Sunday as is our way we moved a little closer in and stayed another day just to have a little quite time. The weather held and we seriously enjoyed a whole day of quiet nothing. Isabella is already jerking at her dock lines anticipating the next adventure. I for one cant wait to go anywhere and do anything with her!

I have never met Marvin but if for some reason he is reading this the seas were calm with winds 5-15 knots out of the west for most of the trip!

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Mike
05/11/2011, Port Ludlow WA

Welcome aboard! Rum anyone? Well my beautiful wife Sharon and I bought Isabella about 2-1/2 years ago and have been learning and dreaming ever since! She is a 1981 Islander Freeport 36 in the B plan and we have found what we think is the perfect cruising yacht! Just ask Tom and Jeanie on S/V Eagle if they agree! We have been making many modifications and upgrades over the last two years and I will share some of them with you just as soon as I round up some pictures. Sharon and I live in Port Ludlow WA and have been cruising the sound ever since we arrived! We used to say we would never go past a certain point in our lifetime but the funny thing about sailing is that the more you do the more you want. I guess its like most drugs only leagle! Still expensive though...

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