This year we were hoping to get away earlier, and more frequently, rather than waiting for the 'official start' of the beginning of May. However, between Lisa's, the Kid's, and my schedules, that plan just never materialized. We've missed too many activities with our boating friends already this year, and we just plain needed to go! So while we would have loved to attend the Bellingham Sail & Power Squadron's Roche Harbor Cruise (Langley Squadron and BSPS have been doing a lot of things as sister squadrons), I wasn't able to get away until Sunday morning; Roche was just too far to have to turn around and come back the next day. However, we've just joined/been accepted to the Point Roberts Yacht Club, and they were doing a club cruise to Shallow Bay on Sucia Island -under half the distance. They were okay with us being late comers, so it was settled.
Sunday morning I was hopeful of the forecasted weather (8-10 knts. wind), but only 2-4 materialized, so it was a motor trip down. Sunday night was a full moon and this was to be our first time into Shallow Bay.... I had visions of being the 'newbies' who found themselves aground on their first club event. After checking depths around the end of the 'raft', I figured we should have 2+ feet under our keel for the -1.9ft tide on Monday morning, so all was good; tied onto 'Reality's' port rail and cracked a cold one. Lots of introductions during the ensuing events, the first of which was a variation of the old '500' baseball game I remembered playing as a kid. It was lots of fun, but everyone learnt pretty quick to stay out of the kayakers way... this was more than a sandlot game to them! Supper had everyone enjoying a Potluck up on the shore, with the Club supplying & BBQ'ing fresh salmon for everyone. Lots of chatting, meeting more members, and music making around the campfire. A very social group.
We held off raising our sails on departure, but after rounding Patos, we had a close reach all the way home. It got a little lumpy and Lisa became a little cold & hungry, so we dropped the sails and motored the rest of the way home. Although too short, we were out, and had a wonderful weekend.