Cruising Great Northern, Our DeFever 53, Throughout the Northwest
Prevost Harbor, Stewart Island, Sucia Island, and East Sound, Orcas Island; A Pictoral Expression
From Amadeus, the movie:
“EMPEROR: Well, Herr Mozart! A good effort. Decidedly that. An excellent effort! You’ve shown us something quite new today.
[Mozart bows frantically: he is over-excited.]
MOZART: It is new, it is, isn’t it, Sire?
EMPEROR: Yes, indeed.
MOZART: So then you like it? You really like it, Your Majesty?
EMPEROR: Of course I do. It’s very good. Of course now and then – just now and then – it gets a touch elaborate.
MOZART: What do you mean, Sire?
EMPEROR: Well, I mean occasionally it seems to have, how shall one say? [he stops in difficulty; turning to Orsini-Rosenberg] How shall one say, Director?
ORSINI-ROSENBERG: Too many notes, Your Majesty?
EMPEROR: Exactly. Very well put. Too many notes.
MOZART: I don’t understand. There are just as many notes, Majesty, as are required. Neither more nor less.
EMPEROR: My dear fellow, there are in fact only so many notes the ear can hear in the course of an evening. I think I’m right in saying that, aren’t I, Court Composer?
SALIERI: Yes! yes! er, on the whole, yes, Majesty.
MOZART: But this is absurd!
EMPEROR: My dear, young man, don’t take it too hard. Your work is ingenious. It’s quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that’s all. Cut a few and it will be perfect.”
So… for this post… less words, more pictures:
May 8th, 2023: Prevost Harbor, Stewart Island
The “community dock”. A place where supplies, mail, and other necessaries can be delivered.
The mail and supply delivery er… building / room
The refurbished / old post office. Circa 1941-1951
The Ericksen Farm. GN in the distance…
One of the girls. Three American Yaks make their home on the Eriksen farm.
The “Greeter” resting on the bank of the little cove we anchored in Prevost
In the middle of Stewart Island and only accessible by a bit of a hike… there is this pirates chest full of kewl t-shirts that can be purchased. Samples hang on a cloths line for customers to review. No cash is allowed, and payment is on an honor system. Grab a shirt of choice and pay for it on-line. The shirt sales enterprise allows a couple of entrepreneurs to live on the island year around…
The Island schoolhouse. Currently not in use, due to the fact that there are no kids of the right age to attend.
The school library. Always open. No lock on the door. None is needed…
Gigantic skunk cabbage leaves. And Les and Leo of course…
The western grass airstrip
The airport fueling station… although I’m not sure how fuel is delivered to it, or how it stays “fresh”. Not sure what the dump truck is for… unless it moves the tanker around.
The Turn Point Light Station
Turn Point lighthouse only accessible by a 4.5 or 6.2 mile hike depending on which trail or road is hiked to get there and back.
Just another container ship rounding Turn Point on its way to Vancouver
The Light Station smoke house
Les loves lilacs!
Just another Prevost sunset
May 10th: Onward to Sucia Island. From the Wiki: “Sucia Island’s name originated with the Spanish Captain Francisco de Eliza, on his map of 1791. He named it “Isla Sucia”. Sucia in Spanish means “dirty” or in a nautical sense “foul”. This word was chosen because the shore was deemed dangerous due to reefs and hidden rocks” Add slow moving boats and fast moving currents with uncharted rocks and reefs, monsters of the deep, ready and waiting to rip out your wooden keel thousands of miles from home.
We have had some great weather for mid May. On the right is Waldron Island. On the left, Patos the most Northerly San Juan Island. In the distance Sucia Island, our destination. Smooth seas… light wind… favorable currents…
A seagull resting on a piece of driftwood Just Northwest of Waldron Island
Our Sucia Island anchorage. South Finger Island on the Right. Johnson Point on the left. The Northwest end of Echo Bay in the distance
Hiking out the steep trail to Johnson Point… Snoring Bay on the right, Orcas Island in the distance.
Matia Island and Mount Baker from the tip of Johnson Point
Patos Island Northwest of Sucia, taken from the Lawson Loop Trail. It is not too often that a State Park trail gives me the hee-bee-gee-bees… This one did. It meanders along a high bluff along the Northwest edge of Sucia. Parts of it give the impression of exposure… as in mountaineering exposure. The kind that can get you killed if you are not careful. Oh you never really have to scramble, but it is at times, very close to the edge of the nearly vertical cliff face. And… there appears to be nothing but air to tumble through before you hit the rocks and cold water below… after a slip and fall.
5/12/23 07:12 Morning light peering into our little hidey hole South of South Finger Island. Our last morning at Sucia for now… I’m sure we’ll be back later this year.
5/12/23 East Bay, Orcas Island, a modern village with art galleries, bakeries, restaurants, taverns, museums and LOTS OF PEOPLE. A frenetic mosh pit of villagers and tourists… It could have been Laguna Beach or any upscale touristy type of place. I find it interesting that I didn’t take any pictures of the galleries or gift shops… Why bother… Great grocery store tho… we were out of wine, and they had a great selection. HA!
Just South of Sucia and looking at Mount Baker over the Southern end of Matia Island. A vista on the way to East Bay
The path leading from the public dock to the village of East Bay
What’s left of an old wagon parked at the village museum
An interesting lilac
Great Northern in Judd Cove, East Bay
Judd Cove
An ancient lime kiln being reclaimed by the forest
This is a smaller lime kiln about 1000 yards from where the larger one is being reclaimed by the forest
Heron… part of a creation myth of the Tlingit
The evening view off the stern from our anchorage at Judd Cove, East Bay, Orcas Island
5/14/23 Back in Parks Bay for the night. Tomorrow we’re off to Friday Harbor for fuel, gas, propane, food stores, and a hamburger / IPA combo at the San Juan Brewery.
Parks Bay sunset
Just a few more days in the San Juans. We’re waiting for a part for the diesel transfer pump to be delivered to the Philbrooks marine store at Roche Harbor. Once we have that we will engineer a passage to Canadian waters.
Northwest Boating Travels With Blair, Les, and Leo 
Gorgeous photos!❤️❤️❤️Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
LikeLike