Interesting day...

It rained this morning (big surprise), but let up before we went to work around noon.  Merv and Kathy came by the boat while we were prepping it before our trip...

I had a boat full on our 1:30 trip, and we saw whales... including a fairly new calf - it was still peachy colored on it's "white parts."  The guests were loving it.

While viewing the whales, I looked to the south and saw a squall blowing in.  The wind built fast and the temperature dropped... it was pretty apparent that it was going to get ugly.  Most of the other boats that were out there headed south, since it was the shortest route back.  I went north, mostly to avoid wave action on the beam.  It wasn't pleasant, but I could hear the guys on the radio that went south and they were getting 4 to 5' waves... we were seeing 2.5 to 3', and they weren't on the beam (a very big plus when you're sitting at that tall flybridge.

About half way back, the squall reached us, but by then we were in the northern lee of San Juan Island in Spieden Channel.  The visibility dropped, I turned on the radar.  Even in the lee, I was getting spray all across the flybridge.  Nothing I could do about the wind, but I had to slow down for the visibility.  The guests seemed to be enjoying the "white water ride."

With the boat back in the slip, I didn't have another trip, so I headed for the boat... after all, it was time for Izzy's supper.  Along the way, I ran into David and Maureen (friends of Herb and Wilma) on the dock.  They invited me to their boat for happy hour and snacks (apparently the 3 couples who are traveling together go to David and Maureen's boat each evening because they have plenty of room).

I went back to our boat to change out of my uniform and feed little Izzy.  David and Maureen's boat is beautiful - lots of pretty teak and holly, and a great layout.  They offered my an adult beverage, but I wasn't feeling like it... I did accept a Diet Coke.  Good thing, because right after that I got a call asking if I could do a charter this evening.  Apparently, a couple was supposed to fly out of Roche Harbor on a sea plane, but the plane couldn't get out of Seattle... they had to get to Deer Harbor this evening to get on the ferry to get to Seattle to fly out of there.

They took a cab from Roche and arrive shortly after I got back into uniform and got the boat prepped.  I had a lovely new first mate: the Blonde.  She hasn't ridden on this boat, yet, so I gave her the "short course."  We put the nice couple onboard, stowed their luggage, and shoved off.  The crappy weather from earlier had moved on, and we had a beautiful sunset cruise, dropped our passengers off at Deer Harbor (Joan handled lines like she's been doing it forever), and had an absolutely beautiful ride back to Friday Harbor.  The best part for me was getting to have my pretty first mate with me up on the flybridge.

Coming back into Friday Harbor, there was a cute little blue-hulled SunCat sailboat (we used to have one of those) out sailing and enjoying the day's last rays.  Joan tied me off at the dock, then went up to the office to close it down for the evening, while I put the boat to bed... again.

I have said, "It's never the same thing twice with this job."  Yep.