The Grounding of the Odyssey

   So once upon a time we were anchored off Sucia Island. By once upon a time I mean the week before last. We had left Lake Union, Seattle, through the locks early that morning and arrived at the island around 1700 that afternoon. Coming in we passed the sea scout tallship Odyssey, -a pretty yawl almost as big as our own vessel- moored up to a mooring buoy in the little bay.
   We dropped our anchor, and after dinner we were allowed two hours or so of shore leave, being ferried to shore in groups of three by the small boat. Random fact about the small boat: the HC's smallboat is named "Pele," which amuses me because it's the name of my parents' cat -- what's more, both the cat and the boat are named after the same Pele, the Hawaiian god of volcanoes and mischief.

   Around 2000 or 2100 the Lady Washington finally caught up to us, having taken a different route that took them through Deception Pass, and having had to anchor for a bit down there to wait for the currents to be right to get through the pass. They rafted up to us (ie moored up to us as if we were a dock) and that night both boats stood an anchor watch. For anchor watch one person was on duty at all times (mine was 0400 to 0500). In addition to being on deck, everyone during their hour was to heave the lead line (6 and a half fathoms), note it in the log, take down the bearings of the same three points and note them in the log, note some other things in the log (est wind speed, direction, etc), check the bilges, etc. I got the hour before sunrise, so I didn't get the sunrise itself but I got the gathering pre-dawn light.

   Again that morning we had two hours or so on shore. The entire island is a state park and it's beautiful with really nice hiking trails. I was very excited by the thought that we'd be anchored off the island or one like it for a week for the then-upcoming youth camp.

   Returning to the rendezvous point around 1100 we see the Odyssey at the far end of the bay leaning over to a very alarming angle, and are informed our pick up is going to be delayed because the small boats are all busy pulling people off the Odyssey.
   It seems the vessel struck a rock as it was attempting to leave the bay. Attempts to motor it off only resulted in frying their transmission or some such. As the tide continued to go out the boat tilted at an ever greater angle until it looked almost on its side.
   Meanwhile our two vessels were full of boyscouts, hanging around nervously discussing how they'd miss their ipods and/or other prized possessions left on the boat, should it sink. For our part, while cheery music blasted from the ship's sound system some of our crewmembers took turns climbing to the lowest yardarm on the Lady and diving in from there, or swinging out into the water from "splashlines" coming down from the forecourse yard. It was basically like a pool party for us all afternoon.

   Meanwhile our engineers and command staff spent most of the afternoon working on mitigating the Odyssey situation. Park rangers had come out in a boat with an oil boom to put around the Odyssey but didn't know how to deploy it so our guys ended up doing that, something for which they'll apparently be paid by the state (much to their surprise)
   Low tide was at 1400, the Odyssey was pretty well sideways at that point. But water didn't come in the hatches at that point and from then on things would get better as the tide came in.
   Around 1700, once it was clear the Odyssey would be okay the Lady Washington departed for Blaine. That evening the Odyssey was able to float free from the rocks and we got her tied securely to the side of our boat (towed "on the hip" as they say), and we weighed anchor and proceeded south to Friday Harbour with the Odyssey in tow.
   Arriving there around 2200 we recognized the schooner Zodiac (picture is of it leaving the area the next morning) anchored in a little bay across from Friday Harbour and radioed them for the assistance of their smallboat. They readily sent it over (a zodiac from zodiac?) and we used our two smallboats to maneuver Odyssey on to the dock.
   For our efforts the Odyssey captain signed a salvage contract with us, awarding us "two cases of ginger beer, a bottle of rum, and merit badges" -- the latter in the form of the unofficial "superhero" merit badge apparently.
   Then we all went to the bar and drank copious amounts (but it wasn't as wild as last time we were there).

( More Pictures From These Adventures )

( The very very detailed official report )

Peace Corps Ho!

   So I had an interview with the Peace Corps a few weeks ago in Seattle. As many of you already know from my facebook status update, they got back to two weeks ago and the answer is "yes."

   What happens at this stage is if the recruiter likes a candidate they find a specific program to nominate them to (and presumably talks to the program director about whether they want the candidate, because I wasn't told anything about them potentially not wanting me at this point). The recruiter described me as "an almost perfect fit" for this program -- the "almost" being that I don' happen to speak fluent French.
   But she has officially nominated me to a program. The details are a bit vague at this point but I know it's in sub-saharan west Africa, in a French speaking country. It's an agricultural extension program that's doing beekeeping. It may also involve fish farming and tree nursury-ing (which presumably someone will give me training in, since the extent of my agricultural expertise right now is keeping bees in boxes), and depending on the needs of the program could end up not doing beekeeping at all. I'm excited about whatever the adventure has in store.

   Most surprising, it starts in February. Which though seven months away is sooner than I expected.

   In the mean time I'll be receiving a "medical packet," which I believe will have instructions on all kinds of doctor visits I'm going to have to make, and there's going to be a background check on me. In the mean time I've been requested to study French as much as I can and to continue working or volunteering in an agriculture related field.


Totally Unrelated Picture of the Day


Living the dream!
My shipmate Landon (AKA "Lando") in Roche Harbour (AKA "Disneyland for yachters")

Roche Harbour!

   Just a week or so ago we hit an all time low in numbers of crew, Pony as acting captain, myself acting first mate, with Will and Maple Syrup rounding out our crew of 4. As we didn't have a sail that day the captain and his girlfriend the cook had taken the day off (so really there was a crew of six). That night Will was off with his ladyfriend so it was only Pony and I sleeping in the main hold and Maple Syrup in the first mate's bunk in the forecastle (because she's been dating involved with the first mate, who himself had been gone for most of the two weeks around the time).
   In the morning the Captain and cook came back, two crewmembers from the schooner Zodiac joined us (underage kids who couldn't go on the wine tour that boat was about to embark upon) and the awesome miss Josie.

   The other night for the first time the 9 of the 10 usable bunks in the main hold were occupied for the first time I can remember, and we're now burgeoning with 13 or 14 crewmembers. We finally even have an engineer! And there's not one member of our crew that annoys me AND most of them are downright awesome! (:

   I feel like here's actually been a little bit of animosity between the boats lately. Normally there's none at all because nearly all the crew who have been around very long have served on both and consider thme fully two parts of the same thing. However the last battle sail or two I noticed instead of the usual purely witty "jeers" being slung back and forth between the boats many of the jeers emanating from our boat were verging on a bit genuine. I think it's because of my counterpart on the other boat, Brennan. From the start he's been genuinely competitive about saying their boat is better and putting down our boat. As I've said, this is totally not the usual attitude of anyone around here, but he's persisted with it for the month or two since he's been around. Always in his shrill screechy voice in a manner that sounds just a little too serious to pass off as joking he's making comments putting us down in front of us, and it's generating some real resentment.

   We're presently in Roche Harbor, San Juan Island. We've decided it is "Disneyland for Yachters." The only thing here is a big marina full of giant yachts, two restaurants, a hotel, and an airstrip. The marina employees seem to be entirely either attractive blonde girls or douchey looking guys with spiked hair, all between 20-22 years old. When we first arrived we tossed our first mooring line to two such guys on the dock, they let it fall limply to the dock between them and looked at it like it like someone had just dropped a wet towel on their floor and one asked "uh, want me to put that on the pin for you?"

   Sun is still setting around 9pm. Yesterday after dinner several of us went off into the forest in search of a flooded quarry we'd heard about and went swimming. The water was very clear and quite pleasant. As we were walking back through the forest we came upon a free outdoor performance of Shakespeare's "Henry V" at a little wooden stage. ...I like other Shakespeare plays but Henry V apparently is kind of dull and we all snuck off presently and returned to the boat.

   Today I have the day off. Spent an hour this morning fighting unsuccessfully with the internet and then struck off into the forest in search of adventure. Found a big mausoleum and the sculpture park, and just beyond the sculpture park was a nice nature trail. I'm not into crap hippie shit but I found a beautiful little glen with a rustic little bench and the light drabbling down between the leaves of the trees and I daresay it felt so peaceful there I couldn't but sit down and space out until the shrill cacophonous noises of hideous little children coming down the trail rudely brought me back to my senses and caused me to flee the scene.


Picture of the Day


Will on his way up to truck the mast to unfoul "George" (the Washington State flag), with Maple Syrup a little way below him.
As seen from the mizzen truck.


   My parents (yes the illustrious furzicle!) are coming up to visit in about a week. The end of my contract is now in sight, ending just after a five day hop that will bring us down to San Francisco on around Oct 11th. I really wouldn't mind staying on longer but I need to get things squared away for the Peace Corps and earn some real money before I disappear.

   In the meantime I'm going to take the opportunity to do some more hiking in the forest.