Logbook Days 36, 37, and 38
2/27/2004 - 2/29/2004

An early season trip.

2/27/2004
Newport to Carillon Point
We arranged for the kids to spend Friday night at the neighbors while we had a night out, on the boat.  We launched at dusk in Newport Shores and went north up to Kirkland's Carillon Point marina.  Entering after dark and tying up we prepared for a relaxing evening.  After checking in and getting the card key, we went up to the Grill for a nice dinner.  Tucked back in the corner by the fireplace we savored the food and private time.  Such a quiet and relaxing evening.

2/28/2004
Carillon point to Blake Island
Rising the next morning, Dawn headed to Starbucks for our breakfast while I got the boat ready to go.  We motored back to Newport Shores and tied up at the launch dock.  After un-hitching the trailer, Dawn took the truck up the hill to get the kids while I puttered.  It wasn't until after 1:00pm when she arrived back and we headed out.  Delayed again by the endless challenges of the kids, good thing we love them so much.

We rode the coattails of another sailboat passing under the Fremont bridge and tied up at the small locks to wait for the next cycle.  A tour boat played cuts and made us wait until the second cycle.  At the head of the full lock we descended to the Sound and headed out.  A quick stop for fuel at Shilshoe and we were off for Blake Island.

We pulled in just after 5:00pm, later than we had planned.  Dawn ran up to get the show tickets while I BBQ'd a quick dinner of salmon and steak.  We then headed out to watch the Indian dances in the longhouse.  After the show and some fun time touring the displays, we bought a bundle of wood and headed to the dark and deserted beach for a fire and marshmallow roast.  Once the tour boat left it was a beautiful quiet night.  It was still a bit nippy at night so all the boys slept inside in the aft berth.  Placing Nick in the middle worked much better.

2/29/2004
Blake Island to Newport
A lazy morning dawned clear and sunny.  Because it was so cool we had a lot of condensation inside the boat on the liner.  We messed around through lunch then headed back.  We pulled in just as the locks opened and were the last boat in the large lock.  Rafted to a large powerboat it was a easy ride up.  On casting off the motor died just as we released the lines and once restarted the bow was at the wrong angle and we had a tight departure avoiding the neighboring boat and the lock wall.  We had to wait at the bridge as we just missed the previous opening from the early boats out of the locks.  After a few circles we were through and it was a quick trip back to the launch and home.