Memorial Day 2010

I do not have to many picures for this trip, but I will do better next time..

Peggy and I had a great trip to Bellingham for the Memorial Day weekend. We headed over on Saturday and back on Monday. The trip up was slow, as we were fighting acurrant the whole way (down to 5 knots at times) and had some rough water by Bellingham both up and back It was also raining most of the weekend. You might think we did not have a good weekend, but it was great. We found all the leaks, which is good to know. On the way up I switched on the inverter and Peggy cranked up the sewing machine and sewed away the whole trip. We saw a bunch of eagles (see picture) and of course you cant pass up a picture of a Foss Tug. The one sad part was passing the Black Raven 2, by La Conner (see pictures). It is not being taken care of well and is sad to see.

We had fun up at Bellingham Marina. We saw the kids and went out to dinner with Jennie and Lucy. We spent many hours reading and snoozing, which is just the best. So good trip all and all, and veru relaxing.

Mothers Day 2010

Mothers day was a great day, not only for a boat ride on the Luct Bell, but also to be a mom in the Stanford/Hicks/Dyer clan.

The ride over was great, especially since I had some great help. Lucy acted as lookout (she esepecially liked it when she looked at me about 15 feet away and I made faces) and also took some serious turns at the helm. She was a big help and great company.

The Festivities were many and varied

There was a bunch of food to be had. Gift were aplenty (you can see Jen with a Mimosa and a gift bag. We went up to the KAPAWS for icecream and then a walk around Coupeville. Lucy and Brielle (Bell) were the hit of the party, as always. We even had a kid on the dock stick his face in to be a part of the party. The girls all took turns at telling stories about what they remembered about Peggy as a mom. The part that I did not get a picture of was all 6 of them dancing (I was going to join them but I had to drive the boat. After all was said and done Kim and Brielle got a little tired, and then they all did and Lucy and I were the only ones left awake.

The boat did great and really looked good at the Coupeville dock. The day was beautiful and the ride over and back was great. The best part of the day was that Peggy was with all of her girls and the boat was perfect for the 7 of us. As can be seen , Peggy could not have been happier. Her girls did a great job. 

So I know that this is kind of a repeat post, but since we have been so busy the past few weekends, I have to live vicariously through myself.

The first picture is just a good picture of Kim

The next three cover the trip to the Ballard locks, with highjinx ensuing

The next three cover the trip up, with me at the helm, us racing the ferry, and the ugly skies that we were lucky to always be around, but never rained on.

SO I will try and get a new adventure going soon so I do not stauy repetatitve.

New Home

No pictures but good news. We got our new home on C Dock, which I am told by some of my new neighbors, is the best dock in the Marina. It is a 36 foot slip with docks on both sides, so I do not have to worry about hitting another boat. Lucy Bell looks good there. I will follow up with a picture.

First Toby's run

This was a big moment, a Toby's run. For those of you not familiar, Toby's is a tavern about 45 minutes, by boat, from Oak Harbor. This was important because Toby's runs are a staple of boating. Peggy and I had a great ride over on a sunny day.

Ran at about 7 knots and had a good docking at Coupeville. Then it was up to Toby's where there was a line. I got antsy, peggy got anxious at my antsyness, I suggested we try another place, we left and saw no other place, so we went back and got in a now longer line.

Anyway, lunch was great. After lunch I insisted we go to a quilt shop. Peggy got mad and did not want to go, but I was determined. After that I also insisted we go get ice cream.

The cruise back was great. Peggy laid down on the floor to create a tent over the heater, for a toasty ride home. Of course the docking was a disaster. Nothing got hit or damaged, accept for my ego. It took two people on the dock to help me in. Oh well, it was still a great Toby's run 

Ballard Locks

I should not let it get away that we made it through the Ballard Locks. I will admit that I was a little nervous but it all went well. We first went to fill up on fuel (Peggy was so impressed at how I could really rack it up at $4.00 per gallon).

After that it was past, or under, the Ballard and Fremont bridges. It was fun to watch them go up and down for the sail boats. 

When we got to the locks, the light was "red" so we tied up to the waiting area for awhile.

Then it was green light time. My fears melted away with Kim on the bow leading the way, and Rob manning the stern line.

A larger boat went in first and then a sail boat. Then it was our turn. To see if we would fit in with the sail boat the lockmaster yelled to Kim and Peg "What is you beam". When he got no reponse he again yelled "What is your beam". When he got no response, he used his many years of service to the Ballard Locks to assess the situation, and yell "How wide are you". So in we went to raft up with the sailboat. Only fifteen minutes later and it out onto the wild blue sea

Easter 2010

We did not waste any time in starting the fun. We wanted to introduce Lucy and Bell to their boat. What better than an Easter egg hunt. So the bunny hid the eggs while we slept and Lucy and Bell came down on easter day to take a look. Lucy did a really good job, but Bell got a little tired and had to take a nap.

We then took a quick ride around the bay to scope out the action. While we were out, a good friend called me. He was looking out from a house on the bluff and took a guess that this was the new boat. Little bit of a rough landing, but a good day on the boat all in all.

While I am new to Blogging, I am not new to boating. My hope is that this blog will chronicle the adventures of the "Lucy Bell".

First, some background:

I have owned two wooden boats. The first (seen on upper left) was a 34 foot, 1929, bridgedeck cruiser, the "M.V. Falcon". She was a sweet boat that I and my family got years of great cruising in.

My second "woody" was the "Black Raven ll" (bottom left). She was a 52 foot, 1931 retired Fisheries Patrol Boat. I lived on her for several years, until I met and married my wonderful wife, Peggy (seen with her daughters at right, and if I might say, is very beautiful).

Now she has not been a big "boater" in the past, which might have something to do with the utility type boats I have been attracted to, so my hopes of getting back on the water were pretty small. While I have been kinda looking for several years (married 4 years on June 9th, 2010), finances and work on our 1929 farmhouse (why am I attracted to old house, boats, and cars?) prohibited the expense of a boat.


In January of this year, I looked at a small Grand Banks (28 feet, only a few ever made) as a way to "get back on the water". When Peggy looked at it she was pretty impressed. I have since gleaned that my attraction to old, working type, smelly, small spaced boats had turned her off. Once we looked at a "pleasure boat" she was much more open, so the search was on.


After 3 months, and trips to Vancouver BC, Victoria BC, La Conner, and Seattle, we found the boat for us.

She is a 1955 (still has that new boat smell to her) Monk designed sedan. We found her in the Ballard area, and both Peggy and I feel in love with her. So after about five weeks of surveys, paperwork, title searches, etc, we took possession on April 2nd, 2010. We had our ride up to Oak Harbor, WA (new home port) on the 3rd. A six hour trip, after the Ballard Locks, in 15 MPH winds. Since we were going with the wind it was a comfortable ride, with some nice "surfing". To top it off, a gray whale came up right off our bow just north of Langley WA.



So the last piece of the first blog is about the name. We worked long and hard on this one. Many names made and vanished from the list:

• Flying Geese (Peggy is a quilter)
• To many combinations of our combined 5 duaghters names to list
• Miss Peggy
• Morning Mist
• Jack (just looking for an excuse to include a picture of my dog )
• Diana (after my mom)

Anyway, you get the picture. It was finally suggested that we work off of a combination of our two granddaughter names (Lucy Isabella and Brielle Bell) so the "Lucy Bell" was born. I know you ask what happens when we get more grandchildren, and we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

So that is it for the beginning of the adventures of the Lucy Bell. I hope to add many entries on the times that Peggy and I, Our 5 daughters, and two granddaughters have on her.