Stella Maris
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2008
- Messages
- 1,500
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-24 C
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Helmsman PH38, 11' Boston Whaler, 9' Boston Whaler
- Vessel Name
- Destiny
Slowly, we make our way through a thick grey blanket of fog. Visibility is less than a quarter mile. We keep our ears tuned to the VHF, Seattle Vessel Traffic Control as they continue to update us to any commercial traffic. At the same time, we constantly peer ahead for any hint of danger.
Thankfully, there is little traffic on the water. Even if there were, more than likely, we would not make visual contact. Our radar though would us alert to any dangers ahead.
Our destination today, Mats Mats Bay. We have heard of it, read of it, and talked of it. Yet, we have never been there. It always seems to be one of those places on the way to or from somewhere else. Since Maureen has a long weekend though, we make it our destination.
Instead of flying back to Denver this Sunday, Maureen will fly to Las Vegas for a couple of days of work (at least that is what she is telling me…). For that reason, she has a late flight on Sunday in place of her normal 14:30 flight. This basically gives us an extra day of cruising. We take advantage of that by stretching our legs and heading for a destination that we could normally not reach and return from in a short weekend.
To aid our navigation, along with our Garmin Chart Plotter, we run two iPads. One run’s the Active Captain App while the other run’s the Ship Finder App. This allows us a “big picture” of our route while also giving us a big picture of the shipping traffic. The Garmin runs the radar function.
As we approach Edmonds; the radar shows two ferries and a Coast Guard ship directly ahead. Ship finder confirms what we see on the radar.
We keep our eyes peeled hoping to make visual contact. Our radar gives us the picture of the ferries making their way to their respective ports. The CG Ship continues on its bearing, directly at us. Maureen adjusts our course to make a port-to-port pass. We peer ahead into the fog. We close to within 100 yards. Still, no visual contact. Now according to the radar, they are directly abeam, and through the fog, we can just make out the shape of the great ship. It slowly continues its way south, we continue our way north.
With both ferries now in port, the CG ship astern of us, there are three less navigational hazard we need to worry about.
We run a course just east of the northbound shipping lanes. This should keep us out of harms way. Still, we keep a close look out on the radar, Ship Finder screen, and visually checking astern every few minutes.
We make our way into Admiralty Inlet, the fog thins. Soon, it is no more than low clouds. We make our way past Foul Weather Bluff. Today, it does not live up to its name. The water is flat. Porpoise leap into the air.
I point the bow at the opening between Colvos Rock and Klas Rocks. Both are marked with navigational aids. Still, we cannot make out the entrance to Mats Mats as it blends into the rest of the shoreline. Once clear of the rocks, I make a course north. The opening comes into sight. Still though, we see no navigational aids.
We will make our turn into the entrance only after we see navigational aids. At last, we spy the first green marker on the southern shore. Next to come into view are the range markers. I line Destiny up, we run dead center down the channel. Slowly, we make our way west. The depth quickly rises. We now show six feet below our keel.
I stay focused on the range markers. Maureen decides to head to the bow and take photos of the entrance. Sometimes, you just need to quit looking at the depth and concentrate on the task at hand.
We reach the end of the dogleg. We make the turn south. Maureen is at my side watching and calling out the depth. Four point five feet…. I feather the throttle just barely keeping forward momentum. We know there is plenty of water in the bay as there are numerous large sailboats as well as two large fishing boats.
We clear the last of the navigational aids, the bottom falls away. We now show fifteen feet below our keel! Deep water at last… Slowly we motor between the moored vessels. They swing on their hooks or a mooring ball. We select our location; Maureen takes the helm as I go to the bow to prepare our Rocna. I drop the hook. Slowly Maureen backs Destiny down. I give her the signal and she drops into neutral. Destiny gently comes to a stop. The heavy chain of her ground tackle stretched out in front of her. I signal and Maureen gently bumps Destiny into reverse again. This insures that our Rocna has buried itself deep into the muddy bottom. Once we are sure we are secure, Maureen shuts her down as I place our three-braid nylon bridle onto the chain. We have arrived.
The weather is now brilliant! Beautiful glorious sunshine abounds. We quickly don sunscreen and head to the fly bridge to enjoy an afternoon in the sun. We have just settled in when Maureen spies a Ranger 27 entering the bay. We quickly determine it is a good friend, Dennis aboard his R-27 “Tug of My Heart II”. We place fenders along the port side. Dennis nuzzles Tug of My Heart alongside. It has been almost a year since we last saw Dennis. We spend the afternoon in Destiny’s pilothouse catching up.
Late in the afternoon, Dennis departs once again leaving Maureen and I alone. What a day. Sunshine, warm weather, no breeze, and an incredible location. We take a bottle of wine to the fly bridge and enjoy a beautiful sunset. We watch as deer graze along the shoreline. An Eagle soars high above. Suddenly he drops to the water. Then, once again, he is airborne, a fresh fish secure in his Talons!
The sun begins to set, the temperature drops. It is time to move back to the comfort of the pilothouse. Maureen mixes up a batch of Margarita’s while I grill Halibut on the BBQ. We enjoy a beautiful sunset over a delicious dinner in a wonderful location.
Darkness falls and we simply sit and enjoy each other’s company. Lights twinkle from the homes surrounding the bay.
The running lights of a sailboat appear in the channel telling us another boat is entering the bay. Slowly they make their way in. They glide to a stop a hundred yards off Destiny’s bow. The running lights are extinguished, the anchor light comes on. It seems we will not be the only ones enjoying the tranquility of Mats Mats Bay this evening.
We wake this morning to high clouds and no wind. The temperature in the cabin is a balmy 42 degrees! I fire up the diesel heater even before starting the coffee. The sailboat that came in last evening is already preparing to get underway. Obviously this was just a resting place on their way somewhere else.
Once the coffee is done and Destiny has warmed up, Maureen climbs out of our toasty berth.
We sit in the pilothouse enjoying our coffee. Soon, we will retrieve our Rocna and point Destiny’s bow south to Shilshole. Mats Mats is definitely a place we will return to.
What a great life we live!
Thankfully, there is little traffic on the water. Even if there were, more than likely, we would not make visual contact. Our radar though would us alert to any dangers ahead.
Our destination today, Mats Mats Bay. We have heard of it, read of it, and talked of it. Yet, we have never been there. It always seems to be one of those places on the way to or from somewhere else. Since Maureen has a long weekend though, we make it our destination.
Instead of flying back to Denver this Sunday, Maureen will fly to Las Vegas for a couple of days of work (at least that is what she is telling me…). For that reason, she has a late flight on Sunday in place of her normal 14:30 flight. This basically gives us an extra day of cruising. We take advantage of that by stretching our legs and heading for a destination that we could normally not reach and return from in a short weekend.
To aid our navigation, along with our Garmin Chart Plotter, we run two iPads. One run’s the Active Captain App while the other run’s the Ship Finder App. This allows us a “big picture” of our route while also giving us a big picture of the shipping traffic. The Garmin runs the radar function.
As we approach Edmonds; the radar shows two ferries and a Coast Guard ship directly ahead. Ship finder confirms what we see on the radar.
We keep our eyes peeled hoping to make visual contact. Our radar gives us the picture of the ferries making their way to their respective ports. The CG Ship continues on its bearing, directly at us. Maureen adjusts our course to make a port-to-port pass. We peer ahead into the fog. We close to within 100 yards. Still, no visual contact. Now according to the radar, they are directly abeam, and through the fog, we can just make out the shape of the great ship. It slowly continues its way south, we continue our way north.
With both ferries now in port, the CG ship astern of us, there are three less navigational hazard we need to worry about.
We run a course just east of the northbound shipping lanes. This should keep us out of harms way. Still, we keep a close look out on the radar, Ship Finder screen, and visually checking astern every few minutes.
We make our way into Admiralty Inlet, the fog thins. Soon, it is no more than low clouds. We make our way past Foul Weather Bluff. Today, it does not live up to its name. The water is flat. Porpoise leap into the air.
I point the bow at the opening between Colvos Rock and Klas Rocks. Both are marked with navigational aids. Still, we cannot make out the entrance to Mats Mats as it blends into the rest of the shoreline. Once clear of the rocks, I make a course north. The opening comes into sight. Still though, we see no navigational aids.
We will make our turn into the entrance only after we see navigational aids. At last, we spy the first green marker on the southern shore. Next to come into view are the range markers. I line Destiny up, we run dead center down the channel. Slowly, we make our way west. The depth quickly rises. We now show six feet below our keel.
I stay focused on the range markers. Maureen decides to head to the bow and take photos of the entrance. Sometimes, you just need to quit looking at the depth and concentrate on the task at hand.
We reach the end of the dogleg. We make the turn south. Maureen is at my side watching and calling out the depth. Four point five feet…. I feather the throttle just barely keeping forward momentum. We know there is plenty of water in the bay as there are numerous large sailboats as well as two large fishing boats.
We clear the last of the navigational aids, the bottom falls away. We now show fifteen feet below our keel! Deep water at last… Slowly we motor between the moored vessels. They swing on their hooks or a mooring ball. We select our location; Maureen takes the helm as I go to the bow to prepare our Rocna. I drop the hook. Slowly Maureen backs Destiny down. I give her the signal and she drops into neutral. Destiny gently comes to a stop. The heavy chain of her ground tackle stretched out in front of her. I signal and Maureen gently bumps Destiny into reverse again. This insures that our Rocna has buried itself deep into the muddy bottom. Once we are sure we are secure, Maureen shuts her down as I place our three-braid nylon bridle onto the chain. We have arrived.
The weather is now brilliant! Beautiful glorious sunshine abounds. We quickly don sunscreen and head to the fly bridge to enjoy an afternoon in the sun. We have just settled in when Maureen spies a Ranger 27 entering the bay. We quickly determine it is a good friend, Dennis aboard his R-27 “Tug of My Heart II”. We place fenders along the port side. Dennis nuzzles Tug of My Heart alongside. It has been almost a year since we last saw Dennis. We spend the afternoon in Destiny’s pilothouse catching up.
Late in the afternoon, Dennis departs once again leaving Maureen and I alone. What a day. Sunshine, warm weather, no breeze, and an incredible location. We take a bottle of wine to the fly bridge and enjoy a beautiful sunset. We watch as deer graze along the shoreline. An Eagle soars high above. Suddenly he drops to the water. Then, once again, he is airborne, a fresh fish secure in his Talons!
The sun begins to set, the temperature drops. It is time to move back to the comfort of the pilothouse. Maureen mixes up a batch of Margarita’s while I grill Halibut on the BBQ. We enjoy a beautiful sunset over a delicious dinner in a wonderful location.
Darkness falls and we simply sit and enjoy each other’s company. Lights twinkle from the homes surrounding the bay.
The running lights of a sailboat appear in the channel telling us another boat is entering the bay. Slowly they make their way in. They glide to a stop a hundred yards off Destiny’s bow. The running lights are extinguished, the anchor light comes on. It seems we will not be the only ones enjoying the tranquility of Mats Mats Bay this evening.
We wake this morning to high clouds and no wind. The temperature in the cabin is a balmy 42 degrees! I fire up the diesel heater even before starting the coffee. The sailboat that came in last evening is already preparing to get underway. Obviously this was just a resting place on their way somewhere else.
Once the coffee is done and Destiny has warmed up, Maureen climbs out of our toasty berth.
We sit in the pilothouse enjoying our coffee. Soon, we will retrieve our Rocna and point Destiny’s bow south to Shilshole. Mats Mats is definitely a place we will return to.
What a great life we live!
