Ahoy, Mateys! – Sorry for the delay in updating the blog… we have had the internet off while at sea, feels great to be able to unplug for a few days.  I will try to update more regularly going forward 😉  Posting a quick recap of our first 3 days below with some great videos taking by our friends as we left the dock August 18th.  A new post of our 6 days at sea will be up shortly.  

SV Inscrutable – Vancouver, Cabbage Island, Anacortes & Port Townsend

After a bon voyage party at my sisters, one last boardgame night with the Logan & Cash, and a final get together with friends and family at the marina, we started our year long escapade the morning of August 18.  With a personal escort out of English Bay by our Heather Civic Marina neighbors (Michael, Stéphan & Paul) with left the Vancouver city skyline behind and headed towards the Canada/USA border.  

We made it as far as Cabbage Island our first day and dropped anchor for the night before for crossing the border to the USA the next morning. 

Cabbage Island is a tiny 4.5 hectare island known for its sandy shoreline and lovely views of Mt Baker and Tumbo Island.  Cabbage Island’s marshes and stands of Garry oak, arbutus and coastal Douglas fir offer some of the most intact wetland and vegetation remaining on Gulf Islands.  The island is also an important nesting site of Black Oystercatchers and Bald Eagles!

Our first stop in the USA was Anacortes on Fidalgo Island, where we stocked the boat as we could not bring any fruits, veggies or meat across the line.  Felt so odd to be leaving on a year long trip with no provisions.   We enjoyed a quick bike ride around the Island and were lucky enough to enjoy a lovely visit with family that lives in the area before we departed in the morning. 

Anacortes is a city in Skagit County, Washington.  The name ‘Anacortes’ is an adaptation of the name Anne Curtis Bowman, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman.  Anacortes is known for the Washington State Ferries dock and terminal serving Lopez Island, Shaw Island, Orcas Island and San Juan Island.  Population 18,003 (2002).

After our quick overnight in Anacortes our next stop was Port Townsend, WA.

Port Townsend is a city on the Quimper Peninsula in Jefferson County, WA.  Population: just over 10,000.  The city houses one of two ‘bell towers’ known to exist in the United States.  It is 125 feet tall and was used to summon volunteer fire fighters during emergencies.  The other bell is located in Helena, MT.  The largest employer is the Port Townsend Paper Mill.

The main reason for us taking a minor detour to this quaint town was because over the past few years we had been following the Sampson Boat Co YouTube channel documenting the refit of a century-year old wooden boat – The Tally Ho. The Tally Ho is a gaff-rigged cutter yacht designed by the artist and yacht designer Albert Strange.  The 48-foot (15cm) yacht was built in 1910 at Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex in England.  By 2017 she had nearly rotted away, and was in danger of being scrapped.  Her owners, the Albert Strange Association, sold the Tally Ho to an English boatbuilder and sailor Leo Sampson Goolden for $1, to be completely refit.  June 2024, with the restoration nearly complete, Tally Ho sailed under her full set of five sails in the open water of Port Townsend Bay.  Unfortunately for us, Tally Ho was still out on its maiden voyage so we didn’t get to see the masterpiece in person but enjoyed walking around the boatyard nonetheless.

The Port Townsend Boatyard is a destination of choice for refits of all types.  The largest Marine Travelift on site is capable of lifting vessels up to 150 feet long with a maximum beam of 30’6″, weighing up to 330 tons.  As the home of the Wooden Boat Foundation and the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, the many marine trades businesses that call the shipyard home hold a wealth of special expertise in the maintenance and restoration of all types of wooden boats and ships.  

The Boatyard is also home is the infamous Blue Moose Cafe where we enjoyed a greasy spoon breakfast and the Port Townsend Brewing Company where we had a couple pints of craft beer. 

Another gem we found while walking the streets of Port Townsend was the Pourhouse.  Located on the beach at the mouth of Port Townsend Bay where we soaked up the incredible views.

One day was just not enough so we will definitely be making another trip to Port Townsend one day in the future.

Thank you Colleen for the amazing video as we pulled away from the dock.  Going to miss you and our Heather Civic family.