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Sailing the San Juan Islands - Transport via the RV Magic Carpet

Tanya

Well Known Member
The time finally came for our summer adventure. Our planned trip to the Bahamas with our friends Roy and Sandy was canceled due to Covid. After Oshkosh also hit the skids for the year, we started talking about a sailboat trip with them in the San Juan Islands. It had been on the radar since our trip down the island chains to Grenada, but it was destined to become a reality in 2020.

A couple weeks before the adventure was to commence, we noticed a crack in the side of our nose wheel tire. So, off to buy a new tire to replace it. A few days later, a new tire was on and 22C’s nose was sitting proud again. After closer inspection, we are very glad we didn’t launch cross-country with it as there was a little damage on the bottom as well. We got our money’s worth with the tread sneaking up on the wear markers.

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Mother Nature always has her say, and this trip started out with her voice being heard loud and clear. As departure day grew near, a tropical depression formed in the gulf. A couple days later, it turned into a tropical storm named Hanna. On departure day, we made a beeline out of Austin as she turned into a hurricane. Once again, we were thankful for the IFR capability as Hanna’s outer bands covered Austin with solid overcast that persisted a good hour into the flight.

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The first fuel stop for the day was Borger, TX, KBGD. A great little West Texas airport with jolly, helpful staff and superb fuel prices. Nobody can complain about $3.20 avgas.


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The next leg was up to Cheyenne, WY. It was all happy at 10K with a full meal service. While you may not be able to rotate the CQ1 mic out of the way as you can with an over-ear headset, just a quick tug to the side keeps it out of the way since it stays exactly where you put it.

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We were awfully close to joining the club of exploding chips in the cockpit. Scott’s bag was already in auto-open mode with the seal half torn. Another 1000 feet, and we would have experienced that terror first hand.

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The easy flight time ended due east of Denver. That’s when the bumps started, and the happy campers started to turn grumpy. We descended into CYS for fuel, all the while watching the rain showers to our north and west. It wasn’t anything heavy, but with mountains all around, we were concerned the rain could push us a direction we didn’t particularly care to go. So, we filed another IFR flight plan to make sure we played nice with Mother Nature. It turned out that the rain dissipated and we had great visibility, but it sure made the leg less stressful.

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We landed at Rawlins, WY. The FBO folks were great to work with. They offered up some hangar space in case the winds picked up. We were planning to leave before they opened and the forecast was good, so we declined. We picked the stop because it had a hotel within walking distance, about a 1/2 mile. We are trying to keep our people interactions to a minimum while still being able to enjoy our magic carpet. So, off to the hotel with frozen dinners in tow for our evening dining.

The airport is at 6800 feet, but it has a 7000 foot runway so no problem, or at least so I thought. A few days before the trip, we saw a new NOTAM that the 7000 foot runway was closed! The crossing runway is 4000 feet. While we hate to leave fuel on the ground, this was one of those times that being on the heavy end of the envelope with a forecast density altitude of 9,000 feet (even at 7am) didn’t seem wise.

Time to rest up for another 800+ day tomorrow.
 
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We landed at Rawlins, WY. The FBO folks were great to work with. They offered up some hangar space in case the winds picked up. We were planning to leave before they opened and the forecast was good, so we declined. We picked the stop because it had a hotel within walking distance, about a 1/2 mile. We are trying to keep our people interactions to a minimum while still being able to enjoy our magic carpet. So, off to the hotel with frozen dinners in tow for our evening dining.

Sounds like a cool trip!

Just a few days ago I finished my solo “social distanced” trip from Houston to the PNW, which included buzzing around the San Juan Islands and some of the Oregon coast. My trip planning sounds similar to yours; on my 7 day trip I didn’t use any courtesy cars or Ubers, just did some research to find hotels close enough to walk from an airport. Nope, I don’t camp... and the Hampton Inn there at RWL was on my list.

One good surprise I found in Seattle was at Auburn, S50; at the far S end is the transient ramp with a walk gate... there’s a Days Inn just outside the gate. It’s not the nicest hotel, but dang, it’s convenient! Also, if Montana is on the way back, check out Red Lodge, MT. Nice little mountain town with an airport on a bluff right on the west edge of town. There’s a trail down the hill, 15 min walk to nearest hotel.

Y’all have fun!
 
Also, if Montana is on the way back, check out Red Lodge, MT. Nice little mountain town with an airport on a bluff right on the west edge of town. There’s a trail down the hill, 15 min walk to nearest hotel.

Y’all have fun!

Red Lodge is a great little town. I live only a couple hours drive away from there and fly there from time to time. Right at the base of the mountains. Expect a downdraft on approach for 34 if winds are from the north.
 
Red Lodge

Also, if Montana is on the way back, check out Red Lodge, MT. Nice little mountain town with an airport on a bluff right on the west edge of town. There’s a trail down the hill, 15 min walk to nearest hotel.

Y’all have fun!

We aren’t sure what the return plan is, but Red Lodge is now on the radar. We will certainly comply with the request to have fun!
 
Travel Day 2

We had to break the seal on the hotel door to get in. Oh my, COVID strikes again.

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After a low-key evening in Rawlins, we cranked the engine just before 7am. We know flying in the high desert is most enjoyable in the very, very, very early morning. We waved goodbye to a fellow, but unknown, RVer and headed west.

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We had calm winds and departed on the short runway toward the mountains, which deceptively looked like a significant upslope that wasn’t, and made a circling turn to the right to right to avoid the rocks. We jogged due west for a while to catch a GPS T-route to give ourselves some warm-fuzzies that we’d be well clear of any terrain, and plugged KGNG in as our destination.

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Gooding, ID turned into an amazing stop, with good fuel prices. We heard 4 RVs either in- or out-bound during our short stay, saw an RV in an open hangar as we taxied by, had a couple more GA aircraft in the patter, and a turbine helicopter and crop duster at work. Clearly, nobody expects any trouble, but this would be a place easy to find help even if it is technically unattended on the weekend, with a bonus of some floor space for a place to crash in a bind (or if an air mattress and sleeping bag were in the baggage compartment.). We packed a lunch of PB&J for our in-flight lunch service for this leg.

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After a SMOOTH morning run, and full tanks, we turned our sights to our next stop in Washington. We flew by one of our favorite unplanned stops from a few years ago, Boise, ID. We watched the terrain rise, and then fall for thin final time on our outbound legs.

For us flatlanders, these big rocks are mesmerizing every time we see them. Over 100 miles out, we could spot several of the big boys in the distance.

Mt. Adams went by on the right.

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Then Mt. St. Helen’s on the left.

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A quick fuel stop, at KCLS, we headed off for the short flight to Orcas Island. We flew up the west side of Washington and enjoyed the green terrain on one side and blue water on the other.
 
Your first fuel stop didn't even get you out of Texas :)

So, at Rawlins, with DA of 9K a 4000 ft runway, with less than full tanks, what was your required runway length afterall? Would it have been worrisome at gross weight?
 
Orcas Island

I am really eager to hear all about your trip. Jenni and I have talked about making this our next RV adventure. Getting to close ferry distance of Victoria and Vancouver without having to cross the border is a plus.

Wish I could figure out the sailing thing, but as an old centerboard dinghy sailor, I'm not qualified (on paper) to charter a sailboat.
 
Bet you Will have a great time there. We have flown into Port Angeles several times and then spent a week island hopping. Steve, they have week long sailing courses there to get your ASA 101,103,204 ratings. Si also same as charting plus you learn to sail.
 
We arrived Sunday afternoon to a packed airport at Orcas Island. Out of about 50 or so tie-downs on the pavement, there were only two left. There was also grass parking available, so no concern there, but Roy said they’ve never seen things quite so busy. The winds weren’t all that strong, but it was a sporty landing for Scott as the terrain played with the wind on approach. Of course, he still greased it on.

After a long couple of days on the road, we enjoyed a quick stop at the local brew pub before heading to the marina.

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We arrived to finally meet Tranquility.

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We have heard about her stellar service for years. She is a 36-foot Catalina with everything needed for a comfy trip. Captain Sandy promptly gave us permission to board, and it was time to get the tour and safety briefing. We also got the skinny on how to sneak away on Peace, the trusty tender.

Scott and I owned a 34-foot Hunter sailboat for a few years, so we were excited to get back out and under sail. Captain Sandy was happy to take us out for a quick afternoon jaunt and we did have enough wind to move us around, albeit slowly. That didn’t matter, though. It’s all about using the experience and tools to get every ounce of performance out of he two vertical wings hanging on the rigging.

The quick afternoon sail had a secondary objective...Roy needed to collect his crab pots. It’s crab season, and oh, I do like crab! The fisherman caught two that day to add to the collection. He cooked up a few crab for the next couple of days, and I got my lesson on how to clean them. I must admit, not all of the deliciousness made it to the fridge.

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We stayed at dock Sunday evening and wandered over to the local pizza joint for dinner, Island Pie. They had an amazing seasonal squash pizza that I wish I could get at home. Dinner had a view overlooking the marina.

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Time for a nap, and then off to explore an island or two.
 
Nice write-up, reminds me of our trip a few years ago.

Hi to Roy and Sandy for us. You and Scott too.
 
Your first fuel stop didn't even get you out of Texas :)

So, at Rawlins, with DA of 9K a 4000 ft runway, with less than full tanks, what was your required runway length afterall? Would it have been worrisome at gross weight?
I think it took about 1700’ to break ground and were climbing at 700fpm at 2500’. We left 10gal on the ground to accommodate the unfamiliar territory factor that Tanya described. But it really is a nothing burger.

Of course, he still greased it on.
Aww shucks. I must have done something right today.
 
Sucia Islands

Monday morning arrived, and it was time to fuel up on a full breakfast. Thanks Sandy! Then, off to the marina for a shower. You buy tokens and get 7-minutes of water per token. Scott and I both hatched a plan for an abbreviated shower, but it turned out seven minutes was plenty of time if you treated it like a clearance from tower that include the words ‘No Delay.’

The second mate on the boat is Pippa. She inspected our quarters.

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Echo Bay on Sucia Island was the planned anchorage for the night. We made our way that direction. Unfortunately, the wind was a direct headwind. That didn’t stop us from sailing some and enjoying the water and wind, but we didn’t make much progress to the destination. In fact, one of the tacks had us moving further away. At some point, play time had to come to an end and we motored into Echo Bay.

From an early age, my dad taught me to read maps, from road atlases to navigating in the Boundary Waters with a chart and compass. When Sandy handed me a chart atlas of the San Juan Islands, I buried myself in it for a while.

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Sandy and Roy are a great team when setting an anchor. It was a perfectly choreographed dance. One selection, one drop, one anchor set, and it was time to relax.

We did have a request from Roy before we left. He needed a mic muff for their anchoring communication tools and asked if we had a couple extras. Of course. into the CQ1 mic muff research stash, and out came the perfect mic cover. Packed, and check!

Sucia is a designated as a wildlife rescue area. We loaded up on Peace, and ferried over. The area is beautiful, both from the boat and on land. We did a
little exploring, filled up our water bottles, and motored back to Tranquility.

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It was a rough afternoon in the hammock.

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Oh, then it was even rougher with afternoon snacks.

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Please keep it up, I’ve been dreaming of visiting Roy and Sandy during the summer on a trip like this. Amazing adventure!
 
Kayaking

Consider popping over to Roche Harbor for kayaking with San Juan Outfitters. Five hour tour is nice. Minimal people contact. WA09 is private, PPR is not really enforced, but apt mgr Dan Root 425-773-2307 can brief you on ops. Stroll down to the resort and marina.

How's the grass surface for camping at Eastsound this year? Happen to know if the shower/loo is open in the hangar area?

Other resorty/backcountry airport mgrs have told me traffic is up this year; escape from quarantine.

John Siebold
Boise
 
Boat Day

Tuesday morning started off with a run back to shore for a quick walk through pine trees and across the isthmus. There were plenty of boats in the bay on the other side as well.

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Roy hauled up the anchor for our departure from Sucia and picked up half the mud off the the ocean bottom. The cleaning method of choice around here seems to be a crab bucket with some of the juice left in it, and a few bucketfuls later the mud was returned to the whence it came.

The nav plotter had a very familiar magenta line, but add 3 IFR pilots and an inexperienced person at the helm, and it becomes a comedy of errors. Somehow, the magenta line knows precisely how to plot a GPS route to miss land with the minimal amount of clearance. Two hundred feet off centerline looks HUGE as it’s a full two boat icon lengths.

We found some wind on the way to Stuart Island and hoisted the sails. The winds were from the perfect direction and we were moving along at a nice clip. That entertainment lasted about 45 minutes, and the we ended up in a wind hole, and then another, and then another. Down came the sails, and we motored our way into Prevost Bay.

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Sandy took a quick dip in the bay, but we didn’t join her. The water up here is COLD! Note to self, never agree to any kind of charity event in the San Juan Islands that might include a dunk in the water.

Scott and I came into the trip with a camping mindset and not expecting the accommodations we encountered. We had a comfy stateroom with all the space we needed, lots of shade in the cockpit, plenty of water and beverages, and the food, oh the food, was 1,000% better than what I feed Scott at home. The Thomas know how to treat guests like royalty. My favorite were the crab melts with homemade bread and goat cheese with a bean salad with all sorts extra yummies. Scott favored the fresh caught prawns in a marinade that is an ancient, family secret.

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The evening entertainment included watching other boats anchor, some needing 4 tries, kayak races and a little bit of math with three scientists in the cockpit. I just watched this round of hilarity as an observer. The problem was how to determine how much propane was left in the 6 pound propane tank. Both solutions included using Pippa as either a weight on a balance or to calculate her displacement. The people were amused, but Pippa, not so much.

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After some relaxing, a huge part of the trip and so welcome for a couple Type A personalities, Roy and Sandy took us up to the spot they got married. They packed a picnic, and we told lots of stories, some true and some a little embellished.

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We enjoyed a fantastic sunset with enough clouds for some color like home. Oh wait, no, that’s not right...(per request) ignore the sun and clear summer days and shorts, the weather was rainy and cold...

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Stuart Island

The day started off with another gourmet breakfast of crab omelette and an oven-baked-heavenly concoction of granola and fruits. Hey Sandy, can I get that recipe?

Roy cooked up the rest of the crab. While I love crab, I had never cleaned one.
I got a lesson on the first day and honed my skills with the morning session. Another first for me.

Our shore excursion for Wednesday was a hike through the state park and then onto a jeep road out to the old schoolhouse and further to the Turn Point lighthouse on Stuart Island. It was about a six mile round trip trek.

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Along the way, we passed a tiny private airport. It is a grass strip with a steep slope carved into the landscape and ends very abruptly into the trees. You’re definitely committed to landing once you cross the threshold, there’s no going around.

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A Cessna seems to live there.

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There are actually two airports on the island. The other was right at the end of Prevost Bay and our anchorage was right on the approach path. If the arrivals we watched were SOP, the arrival procedure is to parachute down to landing.

Mount Baker in the background. The airport is actually behind us.

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Sandy had packed us all lunch, and we had a picnic overlooking the water and into Canada. Generally, there was very little commercial traffic on the water. We have only seen one cargo ship and one Canadian ferry. The recreational traffic and anchorages were very busy even during the week. Apparently both are very unusual.

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After getting plenty of exercise for the day, it was back to our floating hotel.

We typically make a couple shore excursions for Pippa. For most, the trusty dinghy Peace revs up her electric motor and efficiently shuttles us back and forth. However, she did also have oars on board. I’ve spent plenty of time with a paddle in a canoe, but oars were foreign to me. Of course I had to give it a try. The first trip included a few figure 8s. The next improved to be just s-turns, and the third trip only required minor course adjustments. I could hear the cackles from the peanut gallery in the cockpit, but I was entertained.

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Nice trip!

Looks cold but fun! Thanks for sharing. That dingy looks too small for 4 adults.
Tippy dingys can get you wet
 
Looks cold but fun! Thanks for sharing. That dingy looks too small for 4 adults.
Tippy dingys can get you wet

Correct. The max gross on the dingy is 2.895 adults in calm water. It also has some pretty small crosswind and density altitude limits that we didn’t test.

Tanya is a day behind, but we woke up in Ogden UT this morning after a bumpy afternoon. Time to Fly!
 
Tanya is a day behind, but we woke up in Ogden UT this morning after a bumpy afternoon. Time to Fly!

If in the mood stop by 33U. Walk to my trailer and relax there. Beer in the fridge. Key in the cars (take Jetta) stay for couple days. I am out for AZ till Sunday :D
 
MSO

Or, stop by Missoula on your way home. We plan to be in the San Juans in a couple weeks, one of our favorite destinations. Let us know if you're planning to stop here as I will offer the brewery tour.
 
Hey Guys,
Funny thing is being a Texan in Florida for 48 years I know nothing about the San Juan Islands. So I googled the area to see what the area was like for sailing. Up pops a picture on google maps very similar to your school house picture.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stuart+Island/@48.6760417,-123.2082438,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipPNcIecoI0K3-ijFoqq18fua96IkjRwArnQnAMZ!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPNcIecoI0K3-ijFoqq18fua96IkjRwArnQnAMZ%3Dw114-h86-k-no!7i4032!8i3024!4m5!3m4!1s0x548f617706e0fe69:0x2b6aaea2dfb770dd!8m2!3d48.6774209!4d-123.2162139
Looks fun.
 
Disembark Day

The sun rose on our final morning. It was departure day. The shore trips were completed and up came the anchor. Once again, the magenta line kept us clear of shore, and with almost no wind we motored home.

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As we left Tranquility for the last time (at least for this trip, we hope to be back), it felt as if we just arrived four days ago. The time passed as if we had entered a time machine.

Tidying up after arriving back at the dock.

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Bye Tranquility
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We stopped at the grocery store to pick up some rations for dinner at the hotel and travel food the next day. Then it was back to the airport, which looked deserted compared to Sunday’s arrival. Scott and I chatted a bit with an EMS worker that flies a Cessna 150, while Roy and Sandy visited with another couple that parked next to us. Remember the airport at the end of Prevost Bay with the parachute approaches (not the one that ended in the trees)? It is a private airport that requires an invite from a resident. Well, Roy and Sandy got their invite as that couple lives there. It’s amazing how great things happen when you are simply friendly to the folks around you.

I’m pretty sure that tears would have swelled my eyes as we said goodbye to our good friends if it weren’t for the fact it was time to operate. There just wasn’t time for that as the flights ahead required all of our focus.

It’s about 1600 nm from Austin to Orcas Island and requires at least two days of travel. The plan was to head towards either Boise or Salt Lake City, and see how we felt in the afternoon bumpies. The fuel stop in Pendleton, KPDT, was HOT! We were surprised to land in 104 degrees in Oregon. The bumps weren’t too bad, nowhere near the teeth rattling sessions we’ve endured before, so we pressed on to Ogden, UT.

Sandy packed us kids sandwiches with her homemade bread. They tasted great up at 12.5 and allowed us to keep moving.

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We landed in Ogden at 7pm local for a well earned rest.

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Our COVID-friendly dinner included some microwaveable sustenance and an in-room nightcap. It turned out way better than expected. The ramen noodle bowl may end up in the pantry at home.

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Next up, the 1000 nautical mile run home. We have a dog to pick up, as well as headsets and RV E-Lifts that need to make their way into the world.
 
Is it cold there? I see Scott is wearing a jacket in the motorboat.

The temps were highs in the low 80s / upper 70s with lows in the 50s. The mornings warmed up quickly and it cooled down just as rapidly in the evenings. Being on big water, it wasn't very humid. The dinghy rides tended to be early morning or late evening, so the cooler parts of the day.

Hey Guys,
Funny thing is being a Texan in Florida for 48 years I know nothing about the San Juan Islands. So I googled the area to see what the area was like for sailing. Up pops a picture on google maps very similar to your school house picture.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stuart+Island/@48.6760417,-123.2082438,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipPNcIecoI0K3-ijFoqq18fua96IkjRwArnQnAMZ!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPNcIecoI0K3-ijFoqq18fua96IkjRwArnQnAMZ%3Dw114-h86-k-no!7i4032!8i3024!4m5!3m4!1s0x548f617706e0fe69:0x2b6aaea2dfb770dd!8m2!3d48.6774209!4d-123.2162139
Looks fun.

I didn't actually get a picture of the school house. The picture you found is Turn Point Lighthouse on the northwest point of Stuart Island. It was pretty amazing watching the water flow over the underwater terrain and plants. I need to do some research on the significance of the maker there.

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Quite an interesting piece of history. Thanks for providing the impetus for me to look it up!

Carl, thanks for tracking down those details. For me, this is the fun way to learn history when it isn't all just from books.
 
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Here I am sitting at anchor on the Canadian side (called the Gulf Islands). The San Juan’s on the US side are an extension of the same archipelago The UK lost the San Juan Islands to the Yanks in the Pig War of 1859.

The entire archipelago is considered some of the finest cruising waters in the eastern Pacific and the view from the air is also spectacular.

Unfortunately, my boating time is cutting into my flying time, so it’s time to return to my home port. Now hockey will cut into my flying time too, sigh. Too many toys/hobbies/jobs/interests.

You know, an electric VTOL ultralight would fit on my top deck (the BlackFly), so there is hope yet. The range of the BlackFly would cover most of the islands.

V
 
Point the Nose Toward Home

Being exhausted is a tremendous sleep aid. My head hit the pillow a little after 10pm, and I’m not sure I moved until the alarm went off at 6. We are crossing desert and high terrain, a combination for rough air, so we try to get out of Dodge early. I was moving before Scott, so I ran for coffee and muffins to deliver to the other half and returned just as Scott was becoming consicous. And we weren't behind schedule...YET. So far as our hosts knew, it was still 5-something in the morning.

We packed our food rations for the day, grabbed a couple bagels from the hotel breakfast to supplement our grocery store purchases, and made our way back to Ogden-Hinckley and CB SkyShare. The FBO did great. There wasn't a lineman to park us, so we self-parked, but they didn't make us move the airplane. They sent us off with a courtesy car the night before that took 15 blades to get started and was sketchy, but we were happy to have it as it delivered us to the hotel and back. In the morning, we walked in, droped the keys, and paid the fuel bill as the airplane was already fueled. We each did our typical tasks and it was off to attack the day.

The controllers were great to work with, which is always especially nice when you’re unfamiliar with the field and airspace. The tower coordinated clearance through the adjacent military airspace, and we were off to the VFR transition down the I-15 freeway on the east side of Salt Lake City.

We flew by the Salt Lake County Flight Park. Their website says "Flight Park is an 80 acre area in Draper. The park is designated for hang gliding and paragliding use, where gliders can fly off the winds from the north side of the Point of the Mountain." It looked like a blast, but there were so many paragliders I would have certainly bumped canopies. I don't know if that is as bad as trading paint, but I'd really rather not experience either.

We climbed up and over some terrain and stayed clear of the higher terrain. A friend calls it cumulogranite, way less friendly than the ever-grumpy cumulonimbus.

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The first stop was on a mesa in Aztec, NM. Here's a place that landing short or long could put a damper on the day. There wasn’t much there, but it had the basic necessities and turned into a 23 mintue stop from shutdown to startup.

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There was a bush plane flying low and fast both in the pattern and immediate vicinity of the airport. Out here it is pretty easy to maintain 500 - 1000 - or even 5000 feet away from any person or structure. He saw us taxi out and let us know he'd be remaining clear during our departure. Perfect, that's all the info we needed. He said he was breaking in a cylinder, so the operation made sense with the altitude limiting performance and cooling. It was a very healthy sounding engine, and we enjoyed the low-level airshow.

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Rations at 13K included tuna packets on the acquired bagels, with mayo and mustard stirred in, and bananas. Not only does lunch in the air save time on the ground, it also makes the time in the air go by faster. Win-win!

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The next stop was at Lamesa, TX, which, conicidentally is NOT on a mesa like our previous stop. It was quite cooler than our stop in Oregon, which was a welcomed surprise. I do have to make a plug for Lamesa, KLUV, for VAF pilots. This fuel stop is just south of Lubbock, with superb fuel prices, a brand new terminal building that was sparkly clean with good wifi and a couch for a nap, courtesy car, and recently resurfaced runways. Unless you require an attended airport, this is a great place to add to your flight planning options. There was nobody there, but there were 3 numbers to call in foreflight (one more than on the airnav page) if you were to need assistance, and a courtesy car was available.

A not-so-subtle reminder of the times we are in...Hand sanitizer at the fuel pump
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The last leg home into 40XS was relatively easy, even though the radar rertuns paint a completely opposing narrative. We had been watching the weather build since before our stop in Lamesa, and the reds and purples just kept grabbing more than their fair share of the color scheme. We chose to deviate to the north of the exciting colors and planned to turn due south into Breakaway once we passed them.

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It's amazing just how accommodating ATC is when there is actual weather around. I think you could have asked them for a cup of coffee, and they would somehow have made it appear in the cockpit. There was one pilot on frequency that had been told his destination wasn't accepting traffic (towered airport). About 10 mintues later, the controller advised the field had just opened and the reply was 'thanks, you're awesome'. The controller advised us that we'd passed the cell with the extreme precipitation, and our eyeballs out the window agreed. I could easily have echoed the words of the previous pilot. We scooted in to Breakaway without a single drop of water hitting the canopy.

We hopped out of the plane and made a beeline to pick up Skylar. She bolted out of the boarding place, galloped to the car, and leapt in. Ah, yes, back to normal.

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Many of these flights were on an IFR flight plan. I find it quite a bit easier when going long distances. Avoiding clouds becomes annoying and detracts from the more strategic thinking necessary when weather happens or in unfamiliar territory.
 
Debrief

Route
All 3402 nm of it. There was some VFR, some actual IFR, and some IFR for convenience and guarantee of terrain clearance.

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O2 Postmortem
We don't talk much about our oxygen system, but it was critical on this trip so I thought it was worth a mention. We have the mountain high pluse-demand O2 system. In the early years, we used it with the mindset to conserve when we could. With more time in the seat, we've challenged it more and more. Now we've gotten to the point of 'if you got it, smoke it'. This trip started out with the bottle around 1800 psi, not quite in the green since our 'high' pressure tank wasn't quite as high as when new. We ended the trip with the needle starting to creep into the red, but it was still pulsing out O2. We flew for 23 hours, and 2 pilots used the system for probably 85% of that, so about 40 hours of supplemental oxygen use on the D5 setting (flows oxygen when the cabin altitude is over 5,000 feet). For our missions, the price of entry is so worth it to be more alert during the flight, less fatigued at the end of the day, and not have to be in search of a fill somewhere along the trip.

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Performance Postmortem

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Route
All 3402 nm of it. There was some VFR, some actual IFR, and some IFR for convenience and guarantee of terrain clearance.

i-XrtnF9C-M.png



O2 Postmortem
We don't talk much about our oxygen system, but it was critical on this trip so I thought it was worth a mention. We have the mountain high pluse-demand O2 system. In the early years, we used it with the mindset to conserve when we could. With more time in the seat, we've challenged it more and more. Now we've gotten to the point of 'if you got it, smoke it'. This trip started out with the bottle around 1800 psi, not quite in the green since our 'high' pressure tank wasn't quite as high as when new. We ended the trip with the needle starting to creep into the red, but it was still pulsing out O2. We flew for 23 hours, and 2 pilots used the system for probably 85% of that, so about 40 hours of supplemental oxygen use on the D5 setting (flows oxygen when the cabin altitude is over 5,000 feet). For our missions, the price of entry is so worth it to be more alert during the flight, less fatigued at the end of the day, and not have to be in search of a fill somewhere along the trip.

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Performance Postmortem

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Great analogy, I also “smoke it if I got it.” I also have the MH pulse demand and 647 bottle and use it often above 10, I arrive much more “refreshed” and it also extends my 2 hour bladder to 3+. I chose it so I could fly to either coast From Kansas without a refill for 2 people. It’s easily paid for itself in fuel and time (engine reserve), extra tail winds or turning headwinds into crosswinds not to mention the extra options altitude allows for weather and emergencies. Only time I had to refill on the road was when I spent most of the flight from KS to California and back at 170-190 due to wx and winds, didn’t want to run out over the Rockies on the way back. 12-15 would’ve had enough O2. Oxygen really lets you utilize the performance of the RV, the O2D2 lets you not half to fill up on the road!
 
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Roy and Sandy

How do you know Roy and Sandy? They must live on their boat ? Do they a charter their boat to other couples?
 
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If in the mood stop by 33U. Walk to my trailer and relax there. Beer in the fridge. Key in the cars (take Jetta) stay for couple days. I am out for AZ till Sunday :D

Man, if I'd known that offer was on the table, I'd have dropped in and cleared out the fridge while flying past a coupla weeks ago!

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How we know Scott and Tanya, other info

Scott (Scoot) and Tanya (Cookie) were a delight to have aboard. We could have asked them to do all the boat operations and we would have been in good hands. We really appreciated them flying from TX to visit.

(Jay) I first met the Cards at 2016 Airventure walking to the RV-6 group photo. They probably don't remember. They do remember meeting us at 2016 Petit Jean. Tanya was our flight lead during the 2017 "Rosie" trip from Fla to St. Kitts, Grenada and St Croix. We became friends during the 2017 Rosie trip and have become better friends since then. Sandy and I each think we chatted with you at the homebuilders pavilion at Airventure 2018.

Sandy is Capt Sandy on VAF. She earned her US Coast Guard Captains License so we COULD charter, but we don't. We do live aboard SV Tranquility during the summer months.

RV7avtor asked "How's the grass surface for camping at Eastsound this year? Happen to know if the shower/loo is open in the hangar area?"
There were lots of campers at Eastsound airport this weekend. I did not check the surface. The new shower/loo is operational. Code required. I heard that neither courtesy car is operational at this time.

The Tender to Tranquility is Peace, a Ranger Minto sailing dinghy. Scott's capacity estimate is about right, The sail rig is in our hangar waiting to be refinished. We think the EP Carry, electric outboard is great.

Scott did not mention that they have a Beringer nose wheel that uses a tubeless tire.

Regards,
 
Scoot and Cookie,
Kelli and I got to enjoy a similar and equally fantastic week with Capt Sandy and Roy last fall. We absolutely enjoyed the week: I tried my first hand at helming the Tranquility, and it only took me about 10 minutes on the reach to turn the wheel the wrong way and dump cabin shelf items onto the floor (doh!). :eek: I'll stick to piloting RVs. :D

Roy and Sandy are marvelous hosts. Roy already had crab pots dropped into the sweet spots: Dungeness for dinner! And you should see the many buckets of blackberries we picked while there. Sandy whipped them into a marvelous cobbler, chased with great Washington wine.

Now, we didn't get to fly KELLI GIRL to Washington like y'all got to fly your -9 (we cashed in AA employee space-A to Seattle). But I got to sit in the seaplane's right seat to Orcas. Roy and Sandy had hip pocket plans to get us back from Orcas to Seattle when the seaplane ops had to shut down for low ceilings. Two words: Anacortes Ferry.

We love the Thomas, and absolutely admire their chosen lifestyle and the land (sea, and air) in which they've chosen it. Kelli and I are thrilled you got to visit them.

PS: Did you dingy out to harass the seals on the floating dock? Kelli and Sandy did. :rolleyes::cool:
 
Alright, alright, enough of this vacation / retirement looking stuff. Everybody back to W-O-R-K! :).

S/V Tranquility was so similar to S/V "Full Deck" from a previous life, stepping aboard felt like being instantly transported back to fond memories of another time many years ago.

Thanks guys, that was Epic!
 
Scott - Check Your PM Please

I sent an off topic note about flight hours per day.

Thanks, Bill
 
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