The Schooner Adventuress: Coupeville to Bellingham, WA Part Two

People for Puget Sound isn't an entirely humorless non-profit organization but it's hard to keep your sense of humor when battling for legislation to protect this essential body of water from a myriad of destructive forces threatening its health.  I won't list the number of ways this organization is working to better educate and instruct in positive Puget Sound management but urge you to visit their website (pugetsound.org) and read for yourself.

Likewise, Sound Experience (soundexp.org) doesn't joke about environmental issues affecting our "Salish Sea" nor do crew members of its Schooner Adventuress take lightly ship board responsibilities and safety.  If you are looking for deck chairs and cocktails don't venture toward the Adventuress.  On May 15, 2011 the six shivering passengers who boarded ship at Coupeville, Wa, on that dismal, cold, morning needed strong coffee and some cheering up.  But nobody laughed when Rob suggested changing our destination from Bellingham to Oahu and nobody answered where's the "Yo, ho, ho and a shot of rum in the java?"  With the sails stowed and the 133ft schooner motoring at a mere 7 knots,  with unrelenting rain and mist obscured islands,  with dark clouds above and still six hours to go I couldn't imagine the ship pictured below.

Historic Schooner Adventuress not pictured on May 15, 2011

Now here was the Schooner Adventuress that would warrant a loud "Oh my, I'd love to be aboard that."  But that ship was nowhere to be found.  Also missing was the skinny little girl who used to swim in Puget Sound until her lips turned blue, and her cousin Nancy who could fish with a hand line for sole from the anchored dingy "Clamshell" off the family cabin bulkhead for hours rain or shine, and the jovial professor Rob telling Irish jokes, and the hardy Hobie Cat sailor making the Three Tree Point to Vashon run on a December afternoon.  They'd been replaced by four whiney, soaked to the skin, grumpy old wimps who barely managed to keep from slapping their 20 perky and passionate fellow shipmates as each told name, reason for being on board, and favorite hot beverage, during the icebreaker friendship circle held in the rain on deck after breakfast.  (I never knew there were so many ways to prepare chai tea!!!)  There was one light moment when it was DB's turn and he announced that his name was Duane and he was an alcoholic.  After "muster" we were informed that now we would all do ship chores until lunch.  I think I heard Rob whimper.

"When does this story become happy?" you ask.  It becomes happy when Nancy scores the chore of washing breakfast dishes in hot hot water in the toasty ship galley.  When Sally finds we can trade in our not rain-proof, not rain-resistant but rain-absorbent jackets for the extra rain slickers stashed in a storage locker on deck.  When black rain boots are offered to replace soaked Mary Jane exercise shoes. When DB and Rob inhale the cinnamon smell of freshly baked coffee cake.  When the perky and passionate laugh at our jokes. When pouring becomes sprinkling becomes drizzling becomes misting.  When dark clouds lighten,  and fingers warm.  And finally, when someone who will go unnamed, gets to play skipper.

Big cheers to People for Puget Sound and the terrific crew of the Schooner Adventuress.