A Tall Ship in the San Juans

I had the delight of renewing my acquaintance with one of the most beautiful areas of my state recently: the San Juan Islands. My husband and I honeymooned and spent our fifth wedding anniversary there, and I have camped on one of the islands several times in college and during my early career days. But it had been a long time. The verdant green islands rising from a sapphire sea I expected. What I didn’t expect was to combine the visit with one of my true loves: tall ships.

My friends and I were staying in Friday Harbor, the largest city in the archipelago, on San Juan Island. After a sumptuous dinner overlooking the harbor, we strolled the docks looking at the marvelous crafts riding at anchor. (One is even a bed and breakfast—new bucket list item!) I kept seeing these tall cedar masts rising above everything else. We finally found her: the Spike Africa.

Isn’t she lovely? I envied the owners and crew. Then my wonderful critique partner, Kristy J. Manhattan, discovered that the ship was available to take visitors out on the water during the tourist season. She contacted the owner, who agreed to start his season a week early so we could sail Saturday evening.

Oh, what a lovely sail!

The Spike Africa is a two-masted gaff-rigged schooner. She was originally built in 1977 to designs reminiscent of 18^th century coasting schooners. She takes her name from a famous West Coast sailor. She has won racing trophies, served as a support boat for other races, and been featured in a number of films (such as Joe Vs. the Volcano) and television shows. Can you imagine standing on her deck in a gentle breeze?

Olympic Mountains beyond the islands, anyone?

Perhaps another ship passing?

As many of you know, this is the third tall ship I’ve had the privilege of sailing on. She did not have all her sails up at the time of our passage, and one of the crew told us that she was fighting the tide, so the pace was more leisurely than on my previous jaunts. But the view and her sleek movement through the water was nothing less than spectacular.

If you are ever in the San Juans, I highly recommend a sail. You can find out more information at www.schoonersnorth.com. My thanks to the owner and Captain Kenny for allowing me to post pictures.

Four Things on a Friday, Summer Edition

So many interesting things, so little time! Here are four that came past my gaze in recent weeks I thought you would want to know about as we move into summer:

• A free Regency paper doll to print and color. Flora looks like she would be oodles of fun, besides being nicely period correct. Find the doll here and her clothing here.
• Summer reading. Not sure how long it will last, but one of the lovely Timeless Regency anthologies, Spring in Hyde Park, is on sale for 99 cents. 
• Eye candy when you’re inside hiding from the heat. I’ve been slowly adding to my Pinterest boards, with nearly 300 tall ship pictures, more than 200 cowboys, and nearly 150 of drool-worthy English estates. I generally don’t go mad for a certain designer, but oh, the House of Worth! That board has more than two dozen historical gowns and more coming.    
• More ideas on dealing with the heat. Check out this lovely video on how historical ladies and gentlemen stayed cool.

Here’s to a lovely summer!

Watching the Ships Come Sailing In

I have a book due July 31. I have galleys to proof for my 2017 Christmas book with Love Inspired Historical. My editor would like input on the cover for my spring 2018 book. I’m weeks behind in revising The June Bride Conspiracy for reissue. So, how did I spend a good chunk of my day yesterday?

Watching the ships come sailing in.

This week marks Tacoma’s Festival of Sail. More than 20 ships sailed down Puget Sound to join in. They ranged from turn-of-the-century racing yachts to replicas of nineteenth-century square riggers. Even my beloved Lady Washington was in attendance.

Here’s some I caught on camera as they arrived. (The colors appear washed out--that's because it was pouring rain on shore and shrouded with mist at sea. My family and I were some of the few who braved the storm to watch.)

Ah, my Lady Washington, our state’s tall ship. I’ve blogged previously about my short time sailing on her.  Today, she led the Parade of Sail, her canon booming. It’s enough to set a girl swooning.

Here’s the Cutty Sark (though not the original in Britain). This one was built in 1957, the first of ten ships in the Mayflower class. She’s made of teak. Such graceful lines!

And this is the Merrie Ellen, a schooner from 1922. Oh, could she skim the waves!

Finally, the Hawaiian Chieftain, the Lady Washington’s companion ship. I’ve also had the privilege of sailing on her. Such a beauty!

Marissa kindly shared the link to the Boston Tall Ship Festival, which starts this weekend. Even though the East Coast boasts many more distinguished vessels, and some came from South America and across the Pond to visit, Tacoma has one thing Boston cannot claim.

The World’s Largest Rubber Ducky.

Six stories tall. No lie. Those are the perks of living in the wilderness.