Friday, 25May2012: Skyline to Poulsbo

Weather:  Sunny and warm.  Winds:  Variable.  Seas:  <1ft.

West winds 8-9kt early on allowing for a great reach to Admiralty Inlet.  Winds became southerly and we beat to Kingston.  Motored the rest of the way into Poulsbo with dinner underway grilling sausages as we crossed Port Madison.  Arrived in Poulsbo around 2030 and since we did not have the dogs, anchored out for the evening.

A several items of note:

First, a monohull was motoring directly south as we beat back and forth across the Puget Sound.  We were making 6-8kts.  Both of us kept the same VMG and crossed paths several times.  Strider would gain a little on one tack, loose a little on another.

Second was an encounter with a flotilla of northbound cruise ships.  The last, "Rhapsody of the Sea," was coming north fast, like it was late for something and started blasting its warning horn about 5 miles south of us.  Since we were crossing the southbound shipping lane on a westerly heading, we did not think much about it.  As the damn ship kept getting closer, its horn sounded more and more often.  Constant bearing, decreasing range and the law of gross tonnage dictated we change course.  Since we were motor/sailing it was not difficult.  Still, by rules of the road, Strider had the right of way (coming from the right and in the southbound lane).  Pissed me off and made a radio call on 16, "Way to go Rhapsody of the Sea.  Last I checked this is the southbound lane and you are northbound.  You are in the wrong lane."  I refrained from swearing.  Radio call went unanswered.

Third was our first encounter, and unrecognized, with the Puget Sound Convergence Zone.  Off shore, Pacific Ocean winds are split by the Olympic Mountains.  Those on the south side of the Olympics hook counterclockwise and enter as southerlies into the Puget.  Those winds split north, enter Admiralty Inlet as westerlies and hook clockwise into the Puget Sound.  Normally, these north and south winds meet somewhere and uplift, creating clouds and rain, usually in vicinity of Everette.  Usually, there is a dead zone where the CZ sets up.

In this case, west winds to Admiralty Inlet then becoming south was a hint.  Obviously, writing in hindsight it is easy to say it would be several more encounters before the lessons would sink in.