A week underway

First anchorage, Hope Island

If our logbook is correct, we are on day 7 of Living the Dream. It really does feel like a dream: we have truly begun a new life and it’s still a little shocking and hazy. These first few weeks are going to be bumpy, we remember this from our past trips but especially our two weeks up in the San Juans last summer. It takes a while to get the rhythm going. This past week has been filled with many goodbyes as we make our way north. That part is hard. It’s easy to forget that we won’t be passing the same place twice very often from now on. That gives us butterflies too, since each day is wholly unique and it’s oh so very exciting to think about all that is ahead of us.

Already we have to look at the calendar to know what day of the week it is; even just a week in, our days no longer have names but are known by events, places, memories. After arriving at Hope Island a week ago we relaxed, hiked, slept and stowed as planned. Two nights later we motored in flat calm to Point Defiance (Tacoma) where we visited our favorite little zoo one last time. We slept that night anchored at Quartermaster Harbor (Vashon Island), continuing north to Seattle the next day with plans to borrow a friend’s slip at Shilshole for a couple of nights. We were enjoying a lovely sail with SW breeze, the skyline of Seattle to starboard and Blakely Rock to port in the distance. Leah notices what’s on the port side and exclaims “I can’t wait until we go back to Blakely Rock!”

“Why not?” Michael and I shrug and we turn the wheel to port, now sailing towards one of our favorite Seattle anchorages. That’s what this life is about right? Traveling on the wind and a whim.

Saying hello to our elephant friends at the Point Defiance Zoo

We hadn't planned on taking a carseat with us, but it's quickly become a must-have item for our 2-1/2 year old cruiser

The Puget Sound really is lovely in July

Leah summits Blakely Rock