We purchased our 1974, 35-foot


Dufour Sloop knowing we would take her for a world bound voyage. To help prepare us for this adventure, we moved onto our vessel to save money for our trip. As liveaboards we were able to sail her often. Not an easy task with all our possessions on the boat. But we figured this was good practice for when we cut our dock lines. With every long weekend and


week-long vacation available to us, we sailed our vessel, Moorea, to many of the islands, marinas and quiet bays within the Pacific Northwest. We were “Cruisers in Training.” Each time we took our vessel out, we would try to learn a new skill. It might have been practicing how to set the hook, making our dinghy deploying equipment functional, or testing our gear and electronics. All of this practice was beneficial


but there was still uneasiness with the thought of sailing beyond the cruising grounds we knew and loved. The big question we asked ourselves was if we were really prepared to test our sailing ability on the ocean and areas beyond. Now that we have returned from


our four year circumnavigation, both of us realize that we honed most of the nautical skills we needed for our journey within the waters of the Puget Sound and British Columbia. It was the conditions and situations we faced sailing in our home waters that enhanced our abilities. For example, the weather—especially fog, currents, tides, kelp, submerged rocks & shipping traffic, trained us to stay alert at all times. The time on the Sound also allowed us to get to know our vessel. To be organized and ready to react if something goes amiss. Below are some of the situations


we dealt with in the Pacific Northwest and how it got us ready for cruising. Fog: It seemed like every long


sailing holiday we had as “Cruisers in Training,” there would be a day where we would find ourselves encased in fog. We didn’t encounter much fog on our four-year journey. But the fog in our home cruising waters taught us how to use our radar. Our radar came in handy during inclement weather and night sailing. Currents: In the Pacific Northwest, the Washburn tide tables is more handy


48° NORTH, FEBRUARY 2012 PAGE 35


than an I-Phone—No batteries needed! It helped us plan when to go through Deception Pass or explain why our vessel was suddenly making less than a knot of speed. We learned how to maneuver our vessel going against and with a strong current. Though we didn’t see huge tidal


swings in the areas we cruised, there were channels in atolls we had to navigate. When an atoll fills with water, the current is light. As the atoll expels its water, the current is strong. There was one channel in Fakarava,


a Tuamotus atoll in French Polynesia, we thought the water was slack in the channel. As we navigated out towards to the open ocean, we realized the current was going out. The ocean’s swell coming in was building short steep waves. When we hit one, water buried the bow and huge amounts of spray doused us in the cockpit. As I recall…this was something we experienced off of Port Townsend as we entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Our boat shuttered and almost stopped its forward momentum, but within a few long seconds it recovered and slowly moved us forward.


Regardless of where a strong


current is located, they can be a challenge to navigate. Learning how to handle our vessel in these currents made it a bit more tolerable when faced with an unfavorable situation. Tide: Anchoring just off of Whidbey


Island for the night, we had another couple with us. They wondered why we didn’t anchor closer to shore like the other sailboat. The next day they knew why. The boat was sideways on its keel. There were places we anchored


that were very shallow for our 6’1” draft. But we knew the tidal range in those areas were slight. If there was any question, we would anchor in deeper water.


Kelp: Can tangle the rudder and


prop. Keeping an eye out for this floating vegetation is key in certain areas of the Pacific Northwest. It seems like outside of the States


we had to keep an eye on fishing nets and floating debris. Submerged Rocks: Watching


out for breaking waves is a sign of submerged rocks along the coastline. This prepared us for keeping an eye out


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