Three Prawns and a Pod of Orcas: Shaking Down Nereus

Seattle to Port Ludlow:

After months of prep for Steve and Patty—and a few days for me—we finally set off on Saturday, May 31. It was cool and slightly rainy, perfect PNW weather. Our first task: transiting from Lake Union to the Sound. With the small lock closed for repairs, we used the large lock. The passage was smooth and uneventful, with few boats waiting

Port Ludlow:

Port Ludlow Resort

Our first stop was a short motor over to Port Ludlow. We spent a couple of days here just relaxing and working on various projects around the boat. As the pictures show this is a fairly developed area but I actually quite enjoyed our stay here. A good place to watch the coming and goings of our fellow boaters.

Morning Coffee – Port Ludlow

Anchorage Location – Port Ludlow

Cypress Island – Eagle Harbor

We were able to get on a mooring ball in Eagle Harbor. This was a very picturesque location and true to it’s name I was able to enjoy watching several eagles during the couple of days we moored here.

Spent the early afternoon helping Steve install our grill to the stern transom. His custom made brackets worked perfectly. To test the new location out we cooked up some burgers and fresh corn on the cob. Surprisingly, the burgers and corn were cooked perfectly.

Sucia Island – Echo Bay

Sucia is one of my favorite anchorages—it’s hard to beat the view of Mt. Baker from this spot. While it can get busy with other boats, Echo Bay is spacious and offers plenty of room to spread out. We spent a couple of days here to take advantage of the short two-day prawn season and to try our hand at prawn fishing for the first time.

That meant we had to launch the tender, which involved some nervous moments as we used the winch and new lines for the first time. Fortunately, we got it done without issue. Once the dinghy was in the water, we discovered the steering piston needed a bit of maintenance before we could steer the outboard. A quick fix later, everything worked smoothly, and the dinghy performed flawlessly. Early the next morning, we set out to drop our prawn traps and see what we could catch.

Heading out to check the prawn traps that we set early in the morning…

Day 1 we got zero….Day 2 Three. We grilled those babies up. Yummy!

Lazy afternoon at Sucia. Watching the eagles, the water birds and the seals do their thing.

(Pigeon Guillemot)

Cocktail Hour – Never gets old

Cocktail Hour Entertainment – Water dancing birds (Pigeon Guillemot)

Nereus’s Glamour Shot

San Juan Island – Friday Harbor:

First stop at a marina since leaving from Seattle. Friday Harbor is always a nice place for a stopover. We were able to get pumped out and refill our water tanks. We also were able to do some provisioning at the well stocked grocery stores. For dinner we enjoyed a nice evening at the San Juan Island Brewery. I have been visiting Friday Harbor off and on for the last 25+ years. It is interesting to see how a place like this both stays true to its quaint roots but also keeps adding new conveniences for visitors. It remains a fun place to stop for a quick visit.

Early Morning Coffee at Friday Harbor (Salty Fox Coffee) after a nice walk around a still sleeping town. Good coffee

Orca Sighting:

It’s not often that you hear your boat’s name coming across the VHF: “Nereus, Nereus, Nereus, this is Daydreamer.” I’ve learned that when you hear your name, you pay attention. The last time we were hailed, it was by a massive tanker doing twenty-plus knots off our stern, letting us know its intentions. This time, it was a fellow boater asking if we had noticed the Orcas just off our starboard side.

We had not, but we quickly powered down as I grabbed my camera and started scanning the horizon. It didn’t take long to spot their black-and-white bodies breaking the surface in a majestic, rolling motion. They were very close—only a couple hundred feet or so. A pod of three, maybe four. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Unfortunately, their appearance was brief; they dove deep, and we lost sight of them.

I have been coming to the PNW to sail for thirty years. On my very first trip, Steve and I chartered a Grand Banks for a week of cruising in the San Juans. It was a beautiful day, and we were motoring from the flybridge when a pod of Orcas surfaced literally a few feet from our boat. They, too, were an amazing sight. Of course, I assumed seeing Orcas would be a regular occurrence. It took thirty-plus years to see them that close again. So, this sighting was a special gift and one I deeply appreciated.

Lopez Island – Fisherman Bay:

Entering this bay was tricky due to its shallow depth—we had to wait outside the entrance for a favorable tide. While the anchorage itself wasn’t especially scenic, the resort restaurant was surprisingly good. We also had a great visit with Doug and Cathy, whom I met for the first time. All in all, it was a memorable stop.

Fisherman Bay – We met up with Doug and Cathy and had a great dinner and visit at the Lopez Island Resort.

Shaw Island – Blind Bay:

Shaw Island is rather small but actually has a ferry terminal. Steve and Patty took the dingy to the Island and had a nice five mile hike. I spent the afternoon reading and working. Blind Bay was a nice place to spend a couple of days.

Blind Bay – Shot through our tented windows to make the sunset more spectacular. This was another beautiful anchorage. We had some beautiful sunrises and sunsets here.

Stuart Island – Prevost Harbor

We last visited this spot in December during our inaugural trip on Nereus, spending the night tied up to the small dock. That evening turned into a bit of a challenge for Steve, as the shallow water at low tide forced us to dig into how our depth sounder was calibrated and exactly how much clearance we had beneath the keel. It was uncomfortably shallow but fortunately we never hit the bottom. Lots was learned and thanks to Patty’s bar bells we were able to do some old fashioned depth soundings to cross-check our electronics.

This time, we chose to anchor out in the bay instead—a much better decision. The setting is beautiful, and we stayed for a couple of relaxing nights. It was also the first location where our cellular coverage started to fade, so we set up the Starlink system for the first time. It worked flawlessly.

Early Morning Coffee Time – Admiring the two sail boats that anchored near us. Pic’s taken through the tented window of Nereus to give a funky shade of light. Who needs filters.

San Juan Island – Roche Harbor:

Roche Harbor is my final stop on this trip. Like Friday Harbor, it’s a convenient spot to stock up on provisions and enjoy a quality meal at one of the local restaurants. We also took a short walk to the Sculpture Park, which I visited for the first time. It was a pleasant surprise—an impressive collection of art in a beautiful natural setting. The weather was perfect, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. Next day I take a morning sea plane to Seattle and then back to Austin. Steve and Patty will continue to journey North for the next several weeks.