Woke up to a misty morning today, anchored off the east shore of Blake Island:
The sun was still barely strong enough to lit up the cells on the panels
But let me tell you how we got here.
We kicked the weekend off in intensive fashion. Adriana tried the paddle board with a little help from Paulo and Raquel, while i did some final errands in pursuit of replacement parts:
The three of them having some serious fun (and no paddling at all) with the paddle board
Then it was time to let the lines go and set Pesto free for the first time on this journey. Raquel and Adriana took the honors:
We were on the move:
First, a little stop at the middle of the lake to freshen up one last time
Then we engaged the throttle, and started steaming off:
One last look back … this place was home to me for over 5 weeksIt was cool to watch life go by one last time. On the water …… and above it.And then, Pesto was not there anymore.
The way out starts with a channel, and a couple of draw bridges:
It’s time to look forward. And, boy aren’t we!Slowly, the draw bridges open, getting us closer to the ocean.The draw bridges have always inspired a bazilion questions on Paulo … and once this boy gets started ….There’s high traffic along the channel, especially on a sunny saturdayNot to mention the crowd
Next comes the locks, which allow all vessels to step up or down the 20ft difference between the lake and the sea:
The locks also attract tourists, who come to see the boats maneuver and go up and down. Having them there, watching our every moves just adds to the anxiety already intrinsic to this task.The crew of the locks are very helpful though, and help boost (restore?) confidenceAdriana and Raquel tightening the lines at the bow
The skipper doing one final check (note the anxious smile)
While we were busy handling the lines, Paulo took over the camera – and the sequence below was distilled down from the 100’s of random pics he took within a few minutes:
Well, the lock was emptied, we were lowered the 20ft or so, the huge doors opened up, and we were floating for the first time on this journey on salt water. The transition was not over yet:
The rail bridge is the last hurdle on the way out. We arrived there just a minute before a long train was a bout to cross. Guess who had to wait.While the train passed, silence reigned on Pesto. I wonder what was going on each one’s minds.. Anyway. eventually the bridge lifted …… and we were off to the sea. Well, for now still within the secluded waters of the Puget Sound.
Our destination was Blake Island, just one hour away from Seattle.
Que maravillosa aventura. Buen viaje!!!!
Buen viaje!!!