Wednesday, August 22, 2007
1100 hours
So I went home for my brother's wedding, and what a glorious shindig that was. The tricky part turned out to be getting back to the boat, which was in Coupeville the day after the wedding. The crowded Greyhound (sold out for the weekend, as Amtrak wasn't running) got me as far as Everett, but then what? Coupeville is at the north end of Whidbey Island. Everett is south of Whidbey Island. The closest ferry to the island leaves from Mukilteo, the next town over from Everett. There are buses between all the towns and ferries in the area -- but most of the buses don't run on Sundays. And of course it was a Sunday.
So... I walked four miles, with a pack that weighed 23 or so lbs. (darn that laptop), to the Mukilteo ferry. And then I called the Chieftain from the ferry, and they said they'd send somebody for me when they got back from the evening sail. Some very generous and hospitable Coupevillains drove the length of Whidbey (about 40 miles, if I recall correctly) to pick me up and, it being very late by the time we got back, took me in for the night. Which meant that I got a much-needed shower that I wouldn't have got otherwise, and slept on a much better mattress.
It was totally worth it, of course. But next time I try to travel by public transportation in northwest Washington, it will not be on a Sunday.
From Coupeville to Everett, to Seattle (Lake Union), to Brownsville, which is north of Bremerton, and which is where I am now, on my day off, watching the Chieftain from the window of the port office. And in between, by little and by little, I am getting better both at sailing and at pursing. I am less exhausted and more even-tempered. There are several people aboard who are newer and know less than I. When people ask how long I've been aboard, I have to guess because I've lost track. And I am not tired of it yet.
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4 comments:
It's heartwarming to hear from you. Ike and I were just wondering about you this morning.
isn't that eleven bells ? ;) Not that I know a damn thing. Seattle was heartened to hear you did, indeed, have a permit, and further really jazzed to hear that that damn blasting noise saturday afternoon was a cannon battle. We had a great time, as I've repeatedly told you.
Do you think that the Historical Seaport would be interested in developing a zeppelin fleet? Because I would totally run away to the sky, see.
Brownsville!!
That's where we always put in! (Well, always signifying the boat we had most of the time I lived at home. The boat before that, which was smaller, we put in at Seabeck. And before that, we put it in at Bangor Base, which wasn't an active Navy base at the time. (And which I hear isn't even called Bangor anymore...))
thus is why i didn't see you at church after your brother's wedding...blast that boat! cursed.
how's my pirate-eee lingo?
janell
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