Catching up-Blake Island Party

This party was a total blast! Steve, Jamie and Karl all came down from Alaska and we did a hike to Lake 22 before heading out to the island the next day.

Heading out to the island! We spent Friday night out there with the Alaska crew.

Everyone else showed up on Saturday...good times celebrating!

Surprise sailors (Adrian and Matt) arrive by dinghy, assisted by human lighthouse (Peter).

Awesomest photo ever!

Thanks everyone for making it a great weekend!

Exciting times!

Life is so exciting I can't stand it. Jay's birthday party was fun, now we have friends arriving from Alaska this week and then we're going to Blake Island for 4 days to celebrate our 10th anniversary along with friends and fam! And, work is winding down for the year and I'm going to the UK to visit dear friends for 10 days. When I come back, it will still be summer and lots of hiking and camping adventures to be had! Yay! Can hardly stand it.

Jay was supposed to guest blog here about the Swiftsure

But, we keep not getting around to that, so I'll try to summarize:

"It's like going into your bathroom with four friends and shutting the door. While you're in there, the bathroom goes into the back of a truck which is driven around fast over potholes. While this is happening, two of you must be in the shower, one of you must be lifting weights, one of you must be playing chess by phone with someone on the other side of the world, while one of you sleeps in the cupboard under the sink. Every two hours you switch, and you do this for 30 hours. And, it's great."

Great weekend! (Vancouver Island and Swiftsure)

Oops, I put these pics in mixed up order...oh well! Above, with Rose at Botanical Beach, below, sunset at French Beach...

Swiftsure start

Finished! Tired but happy!

Botanical Beach

Peter, Matt, Brandon, Adrian and Jay getting ready!

What a great weekend...and total change of pace to get ready for things to be at a different pace for the summer!

Jay crewed with Adrian on Idefix in the Swiftsure (race from Victoria to Neah Bay and back). I'll let him guest blog his experience separately.

As for me, I took the ferry up and met them for the festivities on Friday night, then saw them off for the race in the morning. After that, I spent a lovely 24 hours camping with my dear friend Rose, which involved driving a beautiful road, taking a beautiful hike, seeing the perfect bear and having dinner on the beach at sunset before smores and crashing in the tent.

Sunday I welcomed them all back after their awesome win and we all headed for home.

This even gave most of a holiday to chill out and home and get a few things done.

Amazing: great people, great camp and pub food, lots of sun, new experiences, beautiful scenery, on and on!

Blake Island State Park: Location of 10th Anniversary Party!

When we were there before last summer, we didn't know we'd be having the party there! We're there with the sailing club again in May, so I'll take some photos of the campground, picnic shelters/areas and other facilities and post them then! Above is the beach at one part of the campground. Below is the view back towards downtown Seattle. West Seattle in the foreground (looking east from the picnic shelter areas).

View southeast of Mt Rainier and Vashon ferry

Looking north across Blake Island harbor....

Oops, forgot a funny one!

Hawaii Highlight Pics

First night sunset

Beach near Kona and Petroglyphs-Black sand from lava mixed with white sand from coral

Two nights camping in Hawaii Volcanoes Nat'l Park

Honu on the Black Sand Beach!

Jay walking up to see sunset on Mauna Kea

Jay photographs the sunset on Mauna Kea

Looking down, down, down!

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Where Kilauea is adding on to the Big Island!

2003 Lava flow that closed more of the road

Coffee farm-yummy and fascinating!

Our favorite beach! Too bad we found it at the tail end of our last day...oh well, more to see next time!

Look closely you can see Jay snorkeling!

Flashback-Mt St Helens

Jay stitched my summit photos together! super cool!

What was so great about Hawaii?

I WILL post some photos soon, but before I forget, here's what was awesome about it:

1. Spending all day every day with Jay
2. No computer or tv for 6 days
3. Dinner and sunset with cocktail first night....followed by a sweet luau show we could see from our balcony!
4. Varied beaches-white sand, black sand, rocky, black and white, etc
5. Honu! (sea turtles)
6. Kona Coffee
7. Fruit of all kinds, and avocados! and mac nuts
8. Showing Jay a banana tree
9. VOLCANOES-especially the glowing crater and all the really amazing lava formations everywhere
10. Kilauea lava lake glowing steam with the Southern Cross behind!
11. Sunset and stars from Mauna Kea
12. Finding a Humpy's on the 50th state
13. Petroglyphs
14. Flowers
15. Really great people everywhere
16. Crazy rainstorms
17. The Japanese room at the Manago Hotel, and the Manago Hotel in general was a great find.
18. Tour of the historic coffee (and orange, avocado, banana, chocolate, mac nut, vanilla) farm
19. Pounding waves
20. Warm weather
21. Wearing flip flops
22. Watching Jay snorkeling
23. Honokohau Beach

Whoa

Have I not posted ANYTHING since Christmas? Wow, that is not ok.

Writing the blog, even just a few sentences, is a challenge for me since I don't really like writing (so I use a lot of pictures).

Still, this tells me that things have been way out of whack the past 3 months, which, they have.

Now I'm off for the next 10 days! Hooray! So grateful.

Part of this vacation is about getting back in balance. Much needed. Welcome spring!