I've been working, with The Coho Ho Ho Rally, for the last four years, to help sailors prepare for the serious trip down the PNW coast. The Coho Rally does impressive series of seminars covering sails, weather, provisioning, etc. There's a Port Townsend Rigging survey and field trip, a diesel engine class at MSC in Anacortes, and this year a great raft-up in Blakely Harbor. There really is a social side to the independant sailor, even if this was the first raft-up, for some.

Kathleen & I sailed over to Blakely Harbor, leaving Shilshole with Debrah & Paul on Three Quarter Time, the big LandFall 44 from Alaska. Of course, I tried to get shots of all the boats I could, even if they weren't "Coho boats". Before we could get to "the rock", we could see Bruce and Margie's newer Wauquiez 40PH Ska'ana entering the harbor. When we arrived, Donald on the Halsey Herreshoff 38 s/v Cool Cat was standing off, waiting to raft up. Suddenly s/v Mobert, Richard & Deven's Jeanneau 45, s/v Respite, Chris & Janet's Beneteau 39, and Caroline & Ryan's 40' Fontaine Pajot Waponi Woo, had joined the raft too. Steve brought his C&C 36, s/v Crazy Love, yea another C&C - for two of a kind, and we were the small boat again - Simplicity is a C&C 35-II.

With eight boats rafted up, of course, serious food was involved, and you can see from all the grins and stories it was "all good"! Waponi Woo was a great platform for all the food and people. We had a surprising number of dogs, which needed dinghy rides. I love the grins on the Mobert girls, blowing bubbles or bouncing on the Waponi Woo net.

With boats from around the sound, most had to head out Sunday, for the trip home. As we left Blakely Harbor, we were straffed by Havoc, a well known T-bird, sailed by Adam & Alicja who have the C&C 39, Blackwatch in the Coho fleet this year - great to see them too. I got sailing shots with Seattle, Mt. Ranier, and even Mt. Baker in the background. What a great weekend! I hope you enjoy the pics! Thanks, Lee