August 17

We head for the northern islands. They are smaller and house fewer boats so thinking midweek is best. We're able to sail up San Juan Channel for a while then the light winds shifted to right on the nose so we gave up and motored. The granite cliffs of Waldron Island blocked the cell signal from Orcas Island so we had to continue on around to Sucia. There are lots of places to anchor around Sucia. Our first choice was Shallow Bay and was full, mostly power boats, so we continued on around to Fox Cove. The one remaining mooring ball was under water and out of commission so we anchored out off the passage between Sucia and Little Sucia. There is current so I (Doug) rowed out our stern anchor. In doing so one of the oarlocks on the inflatable dinghy broke. Doesn't anything stay working? After getting the anchor set so we don't swing in to shore too far, and having dinner, I rowed over to the little island to deflate the dink and try to fix the oarlock. It will work, as long as I don't try to tow the sailboat against the current anymore. Small power boats tended to zoom through the cove most the evening, and between the wind and the current it was a very rocky night.