7/7/2006

I had an uneventful flight, although it was very full (left first thing on Friday morning) and I had a middle seat. I met up with Dave (returning friend from last year’s trip), my uncle John, and his ladyfriend, Wanda, then we headed to Bellingham. On the way, we swung by Spud’s on Alki Beach for some fish and chips. The fries were excellent as well. Stay away from the iced tea, though!

Dave needed a sunglasses strap and Wanda needed some fleece so we popped in to Bellingham’s local REI. As a side note, I’d like to mention that Bellingham might be the perfect town. It is very pretty, sits right on the water, close to hiking and camping, and has an REI. I think I love it.

It was great to see the boat again. The most noticeable difference was the addition of davits on the stern. Their job is to hoist and hold the dinghy between the two hulls. Last year we had to tow it around. This year we also sprung for a motor for the dinghy (spared no expense!). Oh, precious motor!

That night Dave and I grabbed a six-pack from the Web Locker–the shortest walking distance from the slip–and checked out the boats. Just like last year, the good folks at San Juan Sailing grilled up some brats for the charter guests. Delicious!

On to Day 2.