We have always had pretty smooth seas on our trips up from Seattle to the San Juans and back down again so it was inevitable our luck would run out. I don't mean to say we have never encountered any wave action or chop but it wasn't too bad for the most part and we managed to get through it without any threats from me that it was the last time I would be coming up the outside.
Sunday heading back from our vacation in the San Juans changed all that. Heading out of Friday Harbor it was calm with little wind. By the time we hit Cattle Pass I was heading up to the deck to find out just whose wake we had encountered. It wasn't boat wake it was tide wake and it just kept increasing.
The winds had started to pick up significantly and the tide was a big change and those 2 conditions together made for some rough seas. Rough enough that I was willing to delay my morning shower for over 6 hours.
I took a look at the charts and realized at the speed we were going it would be a long time before we hit some smoother waters. We were going to be in it for a while. After over 2 hours of constant pounding getting tossed around like a cork I finally started to understand what people meant when they say they just get used to it. I started to get used to it. Mind you I wasn't comfortable still but more just resigned to the waves and tossing. Since we had made it so far there wasn't any reason to think we couldn't make it the rest of the way.
About this time I saw Smith Island and was happy to note that we would eventually be getting to the turn at Port Townsend. A half hour later I wasn't quite as happy to note Smith Island didn't seem any closer. Almost an hour later and it still seemed like Smith Island wasn't any closer. I asked Sam if we were making forward progress and he assured me we were but I was a bit skeptical. Another 30 minutes and we still seemed to be in the same spot. While I wasn't as bothered now by the waves not making any progress was going to do be in.
At times it even seemed like we were going to go by it and suddenly the island would seem to drift back in front of us. Happily we finally did get by it but it took much too long for me. I think even Sam was starting to think the same thing but most of his time and attention was taken up by trying to surf down the larger waves and keep us going in the right direction.
I do know that seeing Smith Island not disappear behind us for so long just proved I am not cut out for a long ocean voyage. If an island does me in I cannot even imagine what would happen being in rough choppy seas and seeing nothing but more water in front of me.
So while I did learn I can become used to rough seas and almost numb to it I need a change of scenery on a regular basis. I now feel I have seen enough of Smith Island to last me for a long time or as Sam has pointed out at least until our next trip up to the San Juans. As for an extended ocean voyage I am out. After all my complaining about when we were going to ever get by the island I am pretty sure Sam is in complete agreement that I am not his top choice as first mate.
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