Cascajun

I participated in the 2008 Dan Harris Challenge and finished first in my class of rowing shell: 1X-R1 (Rec 1, length less than 21 feet). I was also the only entry in my class, but did better my time over last year by about 15-minutes. The rowing conditions on Bellingham Bay were excellent.

I got out for a run and mountain bike ride on a beautiful spring day in Bellingham.

A run over Sehome Hill; over South Hill via Taylor; and down the South Bay Trail.

A mountain bike loop through town, including some of my favorite trials on Galbraith.

I got out for a jog during the lunch hour today.

I had a great ride today on Galbraith Mountain with some friends I know through The Hub Community Bike Cooperative.

I spent Saturday morning on Galbraith Mountain. The weather and trail conditions were fantastic.

I received a Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS receiver for my birthday and have been having fun with it and the data collected on my outings. This past weekend I took it on an outing with some friends. We paddled accross Bellingham Bay to Lummi Island for an overnight stay at the DNR Campsite. I was in my 16-foot open water rowing shell, all others were in sea kayaks.

The Garmin Forerunner 205 is a wrist watch sized training oriented GPS. It came with a USB connector and Garmin has Mac compatible software, so it plays well with my iBook G4. The MotionBased website allows you to upload the data and view it in a number of charted formats, including plots over aerial and satellite photos, topo maps, Google Maps and Google Earth mashups.

I went camping out on Lummi Island over the Memorial Day weekend. Saturday morning I loaded up the boat and rowed out of Fairhaven Boatworks, destined for the DNR campground on the southeast shore of the island. The campsite is part of the Cascadia Marine Trail, an inland sea trail suitable for day or multi-day trips. It’s about 7-miles west-southwest of Fairhaven and sports 5 campsites complete with tent pads, picnic tables, fire rings, and pit toilets. No reservations. First come, first served.

This would be my first camping trip on Puget Sound and a test of my planning assumptions, packing plan, and gear selection. I made what some would consider contradictory selections. For example, light weight backpacker’s tent, stove, cookware, sleeping bag, and food. But, also a bundle of firewood, 5-gallons of water, and ten 12-oz beers in a small ice chest. I don’t see the contradictions, but some insist they exist. I did carry a selection of safety gear: PFD, hand held VHF radio, rescue strobe, flare gun, first aid kit, duct tape, 5200 Marine Adhesive Sealant, and a lot of rope. Yes, I know…I need a whistle and/or horn, a GPS and/or compass and probably more. Suggestions for safety gear and emergency equipment are welcome in the comments.

I pulled away from the dock around 0930. It was showery, temperatures in the upper 40’s F, and winds from the south at about 8 mph - against a fairly strong ebb tide. Dale suggested I might try hugging the shore south toward Larabee State Park before turning west to cross Bellingham Bay. Thus, the south wind might be less opposing and I could take the wind waves at a more favorable angle. (Dale - Thanks for the send off and photo!) However, as I rounded the dry docks and headed out towards Buoy #2, I decided to attempt a direct crossing as the conditions didn’t appear all that bad.

I made the crossing in about 2 hours. I had a slight scare as I was approaching Buoy #2. The San Juan Island Commuter roared out of the Bellingham Ferry Terminal bound for Friday Harbor. The typical route takes the boat precisely down my intended route and present position. I really have no feel for how visible my boat is in the choppy conditions and weather we had that morning. My boat is bright red, but… I decided to quickly turn toward shore and move as far away from his route as possible. I never could tell if the pilot saw me or not, I was well clear of his path and the maneuver was probably unnecessary.

Otherwise, it was an uneventful crossing. I stopped for one break, in lee side of Eliza Island, about three quarters of the way to my destination. I was happy to have installed a venturi drain because for a while it was raining pretty steady and I was also taking on a lot of wind blown splash. I just popped the drain down and kept forward progress and the water stayed mostly drained.

I arrived around 1130, which coincided with the -1+ low tide. Consequently, there was a lot of barnacle covered cobble exposed at the beach. I cringed as the small waves rolled in and grated the bottom of my boat on the ragged cobble edges. Quickly I unloaded gear and staged it well up the beach. On each return to the boat I carried back a large piece of driftwood. I took the driftwood logs and rolled the boat up onto them and slowly worked it out of the water and up onto the beach. Eventually I worked the boat above the cobble and over the less abrasive, well rounded gravels found higher on the beach. Later, at high tide, I lifted my boat up onto some very large logs stranded above the mean high tide line.

I was the first arrival for the weekend and had a choice of spots. After walking the entire campground I selected the southern most site. I think it’s the best, offering two comfy spots to perch above the water and enjoy vast scenic vistas. I set up camp and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon around the campground. Weather conditions improved as the day progressed with excellent boating conditions in the late afternoon. The only other campers for the weekend arrived later on Saturday. Three of the five sites were occupied by a total of 4 campers.

Sunday morning I got up and prepared for my planned circumnavigation of the island. In a nutshell, I planned a counter-clockwise route with the ebb against me on the east side northbound journey through Hale Passage. Based on predicted tides and currents, I defined two critical points of passage. I estimated that I needed to pass Gooseberry Point near the north end of Lummi Island by 0830 and Carter Point at the southern tip by 1330. I left the campground around 0630 with a largely empty boat. I carried only a hydration pack with food and water, a pelican case with my cell phone and digital camera, and my bag with safety gear.

I made very good progress and rounded the north end of Lummi Island before 0900. However, as I turned south for the leg along Lummi’s western shore, I realized I had underestimated the effort it would take to fight the wind from the south, despite the strong ebb currents in my favor. As I rounded Village Point and headed across Legoe Bay, the winds got stronger and whipped up a particularly nasty chop. I became concerned about my progress and the amount of energy I was expending. As I considered the options I decide proceeding as planned really was the best option of all.

I was able to take note of the scenery, despite the annoying wind and worries about fatigue. There are several large beaches on the Lummi’s northwest shores. However, I believe most are private. Further south the development ends and the western shore of the island is undeveloped. Here the island rises steeply to it’s ~1,500 peak. I saw many eagles, including a large group feasting on a beached seal carcass. Lummi Rocks lie several hundred yards offshore. Under more favorable weather conditions I might have spent some time drifting in the area, however, every time I relaxed on the oars I quickly lost precious progress in the 8 to 10 mph south winds. I took two short 10-minute breaks along this western shore. I took one of those breaks along a protected stretch south of Lummi Rocks. I stood on the shore, perched on a boulder beneath the islands steep slopes - smack in the middle of a huge avalanche chute - not unlike many I’ve seen in Colorado. The great difference being that this chute was not created by annual snowfall. It was created by rock slides and judging by the complete lack of vegetation I surmised that it was quite active…geologically speaking.

I rounded Carter Point around 1230 and arrived back at the campsite about 1300. A complete circumnavigation of Lummi Island in ~6.5 hours. I estimate the distance was roughly 21 nautical miles.

I was completely exhausted and didn’t have the patience to work the boat up the beach on another improvised driftwood boat ramp. I quickly tossed the small amount of gear out onto the beach took the oars and rigging from the boat. Then I lifted the boat and stowed it above the high tide line.

Back at the tent I pulled a 600 mg ibuprofen from my first aid kit and a beer from the ice chest. After administering my first aid I retired to my tent for a nap. I emerged two hours later very stiff! I had another relaxing afternoon around camp and polished the evening off with a small campfire and friendly conversation with the neighbors.

On Monday morning I broke camp and returned to Fairhaven. The weather was very nice, a little warm even. It was a wonderful trip.