Logbook Day 94, 95, 96
5/24/2007 - 5/26/2007

A Cheap Waterfront Room
"Dad, this is the best boat trip EVER!"

5/24/2007
Twanoh to Alderbrook Resort
Our 9:00 am start turned into 11:30 as usual.  Finally we were all in the truck and headed to Hood Canal.  Traffic wasn't bad and the drive took an hour and a half via the Tacoma Narrows bridge.  Add to that stops for lunch in Belfair and we arrived at Twanoh State Park just before 2:00pm.  We took our time at the launch and working out the parking.  Other than having no stripes in the parking lot (the ranger lady finally came by and showed us were to park) this is a great launch.  Two lanes of new grooved concrete, well protected docks, and plenty of parking.

After launching and hanging around to chat with other boaters for a while we got under way at 2:55 pm.  It was a arduous 35 minute trip of 4.44 Nm to Alderbrook Resort.  We picked a place on the outside at the north end of the dock for privacy and the great view of the Olympic Mountains.  So far we are the only boat here.

Once settled in, Dawn and I left the boys drawing while we went to check in.  We've registered for 2 nights, at summer rates of $1.20 a foot with taxes our 2 nights at the resort costs $67.  When staying at the dock you get full run of the resort just like you paid $250 a night for a room.

We've just finished cocktail hour and now that Mike and Nick are back from the beach Dawn and the boys headed to the pool.  I'll start dinner when they get back.  Dawn radio'd at 6:30 that I should start the food at 6:50 pm.  I preped and cooked the weanies and beanies and hamburgers.  The crew arrived back from the pool and we had dinner at 7:15 pm. 

Once fed and rested everyone was up for more swimming.  The boys and I went to the pool at 8:30 pm while Dawn cleaned up.  The resort is near deserted.  We are still the only boat at the dock and we have the whole pool and spa to ourselves.  The boys swam and soaked in the hot tub, and cooked in the steam room and sauna until 10:00 pm when we showered and returned to the boat.  Dawn had taken the dogs for a nice walk.

We all settled in for reading and gameboys then turned in at 11:00pm.  The night is clear and dead calm, the chorus of frogs on shore can be heard even way out here at the dock.  It's cool to have a private luxury resort for $31.00 a night.

5/25/2007
Alderbrook Resort
Dawn got up around 7:00 am to take the dogs out then curled back up in bed.  Everyone slept until 10:00 am when we slowly emerged from our berths.  By noon breakfast was done, Nick and Mike had completed their aquarium collecting and we were all ready for the day.

We decided to move to the inside of the dock to get better protection from passing wakes.  Since we were going to leave the dock we took the opportunity to practice some spring line departures and arrivals as we have the huge dock to ourselves.  I set up a new 50' line just for this.  We did both bow and aft spring line departures and a couple of bow spring approaches.  We were going to try the spring around the end of the dock maneuver but got frustrated with the motors refusal to idle.  After the last stern spring departure we switched the fenders to the starboard side and went around the other side of the dock.

Around 1:00 pm Dawn and the boys headed for the pool while I organized the inside of the boat and did dishes.  The dogs are being real pains when Dawn leaves.  All is still quiet at the resort but the staff has been a bee hive of activity getting ready for the holiday weekend.  I figure we'll have the run of the resort until 5:00 pm check in time.  At that point we'll retire to the boat for movies tonight and we'll head out in mid-morning back to Twanoh on Saturday.  After playing there until mid-afternoon we'll head home.

Dawn and the boys returned around 4:00 pm and we fired up the computer for a DVD.  The boys have picked "Black Hawk Down".

Dawn and I took the dogs and headed out for a walk.  Once they had worked off some energy we stopped back at the outdoor deck bar for drinks.  After a tasty Daiquiri we decided dinner was in order as we listened to the live music of 'Biff' and his ukulele.  Dawn had the salmon and I had the fish and chips.  We also picked up a couple hamburgers and fish and chips to go for the boys.  We arrived back a bit after 6:00 pm as their movie was winding down.

Finally one other boat arrived way down at the far end of the dock.  Now there are two boats for the 1500' of dock space.

The wind has shifted southwest and gotten stronger as a layer of clouds has moved in.  Up to now it has been a great sunny trip.

A bit past 7:00 pm we decided to go for another movie and started "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", quite amusing with the English over dub.   We finished the second movie just before 9:00 pm.  Since it was still light out the boys decided they wanted to go sit at one of the outdoor gas fire pits.  They headed off but quite quickly Nick came back wanting marshmallows.  We improvised a roasting stick from a jiffy pop handle and he and Dawn headed off to the fire.

I settled in to read and about 1/2 hour later Dawn returned without the boys.  They discovered the resort was showing an outdoor movie in the lawn surrounded by the cabins on a huge blow up screen.  They had mats and blankets along with water, popcorn and cotton candy.  They all stayed for their 3rd movie of the day, "Night At The Museum".  They returned around 11 and we all turned in.  The kid-o-meter reports that this is one of the best boat trips ever. 

5/26/2007
Alderbrook Resort to Twanoh
We're slow and lazy, Dawn took the dogs out at 8:00 am then returned to the vee berth.  Now that it's 11:00 am we're all up and thinking about breakfast.  Mike and Dawn go to shore for coffee (Mike needs his caffeine), Sam and Nick get their cereal and I get the boat ready to leave.

We get under way just after noon charting a course back to Twanoh.  The boys are down below drawing and playing game boys while Dawn and I relax in the cockpit.  The autopilot is driving and we each kicked back in the cockpit loungers and planned our boating retirement.  It's so cool to just chill like this while the boat cruises along.

Today the cloud cover is heavier and the wind is from the north.  It built to 10-15 knots as we cruised along through the foaming white caps.  At this speed (5 knots) with fins down the AP tracks perfect and the ride is easy and dry.    Too quickly we arrived at Twanoh and pulled into the dock.

Loading was simple and soon the boat is on the trailer ready for the road.  It's an easy drive home except for a brief backup east of the Narrows bridge where a small pickup decided to park on his roof. 

We kept the boys around one in the driveway and made quick work of unloading everything.  A good power wash of the boat and trailer along with a motor flush later and we had 'Allegro' backed into the boathouse and ready for the next trip.