Once More, With Feeling: Making Music While Cruising
The man by the fire pit was getting weepy. Sure, it was late and a number of microbrews had been sampled, but he was clearly moved by something deeper than alcohol or fatigue. “I haven’t heard those old songs in ages,” he…
The Cruising Cure
With Jill at the helm and me working lines and placing fenders, we coaxed Yahtzee off the dock against the protests of a stiff cross-breeze at Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes. It was one of those winter southeasterlies that…
Anchoring Etiquette
4 Keys to Being a Good Neighbor On the Water From the July 2020 48° North issue Whether it’s the most popular bay in the San Juan Islands, a quiet cove in south Puget Sound, a tiny nook in British Columbia or a…
Return to Alaska
With their beloved boat Yahtzee on the hard for hurricane season, the Cross family returns to their old haunts for the summer and finds their way onto the water. Rows of sailboats and fishing vessels of all shapes and sizes…
How-To: Get Away From the Dock, Stay Away from the Dock
This article was originally published in the September 2021 issue of 48° North. About a year ago, my partner and I made the decision to leave our costly liveaboard moorage and make an attempt to stay at anchor for as long as…
Exploring Local: Kilisut Harbor
Making the most of a pandemic holiday, I did what sailors do — I sailed. I left Boat Haven late Friday morning bound for Scow Bay, at the southern end of Kilisut Harbor. A Gale Warning had been declared for the evening, with…
How have we never been here before?
Rediscovering a sense of surprise and wonder while cruising close to home From the October, 2020 issue of 48° North. I’m a little embarrassed to admit we’d never really heard about Watmough Bay near the southeast tip of…
Savor the Season
Fall means new sailing adventures await With Yahtzee in a full sprint southward down Padilla Bay, I sat to leeward, looked up at the jib, and gave a few cranks on the winch. Leaning back against the rail, I was glad that…
Island Life 2020
A Potpourri Of Perspectives about Cruising in the San Juan Islands From the August, 2020 issue of 48° North. For many boaters around the Pacific Northwest, the San Juan Islands are the quintessential destination for summer…
