The Dungenator

Julie and Ava puked all night long.  Ava was a super trooper and hardly even complained.  At one point they were both puking at the same time, Julie holding Ava’s hair so it didn’t get doused. 

As they tried to recover Skylar and I kept checking the crab pots.  A few more Rock Crab and a few Dungeness we weren’t doing too bad. 

As we pulled the last pot of the string, Skylar was looing over letting me know the catch.  “I see some - oh yea there’s a few – wow one is huge!”  As I get the pot to the surface I look over and saw a huge shape – absolutely the largest Dungeness crab I have ever seen!  The problem is, it was not even in the pot!  It was on the bottom of the pot just hanging on by his monster legs.   If I just pull the pot up carefully maybe he’ll stay on, I thought.  No such luck.  As I grab the pot he lets go, slowly drifting toward the ocean floor 150’ below.  I am not letting this thing get away! I said to myself.  I reached down and grabbed the crab with my hand and pulled it to the surface, but he didn’t want to come easy.  Just as he broke the surface I could see him going crazy and I thought for sure my finger was coming off.  I had to let him go.  As he slowly sunk once again even deeper I was determined to give it one more shot.  With my whole arm in the water I quickly grabbed on, yanked him out of the water as fast as I could and threw him in the boat!  My adrenalin was racing and I couldn’t believe what just happened.  A guy in a boat 100’ away yelled over “That was awesome!  The coolest thing I’ve ever seen!  Wish I had a video camera.”

And he was huge!  9.5” and I have the shell to prove it!

With water running out, and flu-infested laundry, we took off at 12:45pm for Fair Harbor in Grapeview. 

Traveled 16.69nm

Flumegedon

Another beautiful morning as the sun came up over Oro Bay.  Time to check 4 pots we set the night before, so all 4 of us piled in the dinghy to reap the bounty of the sea.  No Dungeness crab but each pot had a large Rock Crab.  We figured we better keep them, as it may be all we get. 

12 noon, Julie says…I’m not felling very good.  Oh no! Skylar may not have had food poisoning after all.  Being sick on a small boat is not fun - cramped quarters and only one bathroom, no one can escape the toxic fumes and everything seems germ ridden.  The puke just kept coming so I had to get the kids and me out of there.  After a tiny dinner – no one really wanted to eat – we went up to shore for a fire. 

9pm – Ava says…. My stomach hurts!  I knew what was coming but didn’t say anything.  No way we were going back to the boat, she was going to have to puke outside.  Face turned white and sure enough, here it comes.  We couldn’t quite make it to the grass so Flumegedon spewed all over the sidewalk.  Now two of them sick on the boat – all I could think about was my turn! 

Ava and Julie were banished below deck to wallow in their flu while I tried to keep things disinfected.  What a start to the trip!

Skylar pulling up a pot

Skylar caught this little crab with his fishing pole

Mt Rainier from Oro Bay

Poor Ava

2014 Cast-Off

Another big summer boating trip is about to begin!  Here's the plan - July 29 cast-off for our adventure.  Return.....  Well we're not sure yet, sometime at the end of August.  We decided to visit some cruising grounds we are very familiar with - the San Juan's and Canada Gulf Islands.  We've cruised these waters every year for the last 12 years but there’s always more to explore.  Our goal is to visit as many new places as possible but of course hit our favorites as well.  

But before we go north, we will need to turn south.  Julie's big family reunion - Pirates Cove near Allen in the South Sound - is the weekend after we leave and our contribution is to bring as much freshly caught crab as possible.  

Weeks of preparation, the boat is almost ready to go.  Two days before cast-off, 3am, I hear the horrible sound of kid puke permitting the house.  I run to the kids’ bathroom - no child.  Not good - there’s going to be a mess to clean up.  Skylar is sitting at the edge of his bed puke all over his bed and floor.  How do you deal with this, especially in the middle of the night!  Julie and I rallied and got everything cleaned up and disinfected but poor Skylar was not doing well.  After dry heaves all mooring and into the next day, he was starting to feel better.  No body aches, no fever, we wondered what he had and thought we might have to postpone our cast-off date.  Ahhhh.... the seafood chowder he ate the night before at Crockets.  Food poisoning - must be it, no one else is sick and he's getting better pretty quick.  Thank God, no worries about making our cast-off date even if late in the day.

After loading the last of our belongings we cast-off for Oro Bay on Anderson Island - Tuesday July 29th 4:55pm.  Oro Bay will be our home base for the next few days while we hunt down the crab!

Dropped 4 pots in the water for a nights soak, had dinner, played some Gin Rummy and went to bed in hopes of the mother-load tomorrow morning.

Arrived at 6:50pm

Traveled 13.73nm

Total – 13.73nm

A Celebratory Drink For Cast-Off!

Boat is ready for crabbing

The Narrows Bridge