Picture: Tacking under the Narrows Bridge; note the turbulence in the water.
End of the day miles: 60
Miles since Mexico: 26,360

Weather: Cloudy with periods of strong rain, sunny later in the afternoon.
Wind: Sustained S to SW wind to 35 knots reducing to 12 knots about 5 pm.
Boat speed: 1-8 knots with sail and motor.

Breakfast: Breakfast bar, coffee.
Snack: The last of the mixed cereal and apple.
Lunch: Instant potato soup with chick peas.
Snack: Sardines, avocado spread with multi-grain crackers.
Dinner: Cheese omelet, leftover potato soup.

I was cozy and warm in bed when Ted woke me and urged me to get moving. It was seven in the morning, barely light and the wind was still howling. I questioned him about leaving during such a high wind. His response was that the wind will subside later according the weather forecast. As we prepared to drop the mooring lines, a man in the boat across from us was watching us. He was in his bathrobe with a cup of coffee in his hand. As we pulled away from the dock, he looked at me and waved, as if to say, “You are crazy to leave in these conditions.”

Indeed he was right. As soon as we got out of the harbor, I wished we never left. Ted remained optimistic and consoled me, saying that the wind will ease. Soon, he realized that the forecast might be incorrect. Our predicament was that there was 30 to 35 knots of wind from the South and 2 or 3 knots of current from the same direction. Of course, we wanted to go South but under these conditions we were getting nowhere. To make matters worse, the short and choppy waves were continually lifting “Shuang Yu” up and dropping her down with a loud bang. After an hour of this painful, non-productive ride, I decided to lay down because I felt an onset of seasickness and hoping that when I wake up the nightmare would be over. I did not sleep but prayed instead.

Like a miracle, when I got up an hour later, the waves had flattened somewhat and we were able to move about 1 to 2 knots (speed over ground). We hoisted the main sail, reefed to the maximum, and started to tack using the wind to move us. We could not hoist the sail before because of the combination of high wind and rough seas. Now, with the sail up, we were finally losing sight of Shilshole Marina after two hours of battling.

The relative calm did not last long, as soon as we came out the shelter of the headland, we were hit by the wind blasting straight out of Colvos Passage. It reminded us of the time we passed by Icy Strait coming out of Juneau; 40 knots wind came out of nowhere. This time the wind was 30 to 35 knots! Colvos Passage is a shortcut for us, but not today, the wind is far too strong!

Larry, our friend from Shelton Yacht Club, was tracking us on the “Marine Traffic” website which uses our AIS (Automatic Identification System). We were surprised that he called us at Shilshole Marina and then again when we were outside the marina. It was assuring to know that someone is tracking us in these horrendous conditions. Larry suggested we stop at the Tacoma Yacht Club if conditions in “The Narrows” were too unbearable. However, it turned out that the first part of The Narrows was a sanctuary, calm and peaceful. There was a moment of pleasantness and appreciation of the houses near the shore and on top of the cliffs. However, as soon as we rounded the corner towards the bridge, the wind and waves resumed. We continued to tack and look for less turbulent water. By this time, we had favorable currents so we were moving reasonably fast despite the fact that we had to tack back and forth.

After we passed the State Penitentiary on McNeil Island at about 5 pm, we were able to stay on course because wind had subsided to about 12 - 15 knots and the currents were with us. We let out a sigh of relief! But, soon darkness came upon us as the sun retired for the night. We discussed if we should anchor somewhere before our final stretch in Hammersley Inlet. But, like a horse trotting back to the barn after a long journey, we decided to aim for the finish line.

About the time we passed Steamboat Island, I put on my big waterproof coat with a hood and gloves and stood at the bow to look for logs or any obstructive objects while Ted slowly guided the boat home. Ted is familiar with the inlet so it is an advantage and comforting to know. We called Larry and our neighbors, Peggy and Susan to let them know we would be passing by. Larry flashed his light as we passed and Susan and her company came out to her deck and flashed their lights. It was like a hero coming back from war!

We finally reached the Shelton marina and proceeded to dock the boat. I jumped off as usual and secured the middle line, the stern line, and, when Ted handed me the bow line, I took it and started to pull the boat backward and I almost fell in the water! The pontoon was narrower than I thought! Also I was rigid with cold after being out on the bow for two hours. In addition, being on the boat for three days meant I had my “sea legs”, not my “land legs”. All in all “Shuang Yu” coming home was dramatic! One thing for sure, she has been proven time and again in adverse conditions and has shown herself to be a strong, seaworthy boat, and Ted is an experienced sailor and captain!