Narratives:

Friday, July 15, 2005, dawned with a promise of glorious weather. This was to be Whisper's debut with the Northwest Potters, and I had washed and waxed the hull to make our 2005 P-19's burgundy hull gleam in the sunlight. But in our haste to launch, we managed to put a significant gouge right through the gel coat on one side. Whisper was perfect no more!

It was about 2:00 pm, the tide was just past slack, and we were extremely anxious to get on the water and attempt to intercept Hamada and Second Wind as they emerged from their passage through the Narrows. As we motored out of the Point Defiance launch past the Tacoma Yacht Club, I glanced at the rigging to make sure all was ready to unfurl our striking Egyptian Cotton mainsail and genoa...and saw I had forgotten to rig the boom vang, and that the genoa sheets were still wrapped around the furled headsail! And then we saw Hamada and Second Wind coming around the point!

After we cleared the ferry route, I handed the tiller to Jan while I scrambled to fix the rigging...before Derek and Jim could see how unprepared I really was! With a gentle breeze off our port bow, we raised sail and glided out to greet them. I'm sure we looked completely calm, but for several minutes, the scene was disorganized bedlam as we fixed what we had forgotten to do while launching. Whisper did seem a little coy as she presented her bow and starboard side to Hamada and Second Wind, hiding for the moment her portside scar.

With our first significant ding out of the way and the boat properly trimmed, we hailed Hamada and Second Wind, and fell into formation, trailing slightly out of respect for their journey through the Narrows...and because we had so much stuff on board that Whisper was sailing sluggishly in the light wind!

We had sailed to Dockton a few weeks prior as a rehearsal, making today's passage to the park uneventful. Knowing we were new to the group, we moored stern first in the slip, tacitly inviting others to visit Whisper.

It was about this time that I realized this was a very relaxed group of folks. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, but also self-contained and respectful of each other. We immediately felt at ease. After introductions and some visiting time -- including many inspections of Whisper! -- we worked up a quick dinner before heading to shore for the evening campfire.

We had hoped to visit some friends on Vashon Island on Saturday morning, but they were still out of the country, so we had a slow, pleasant morning of cooking, reorganizing, visiting, and preparing to sail. About 11 am we cast off from Dockton and motored into Quartermaster Harbor in search of wind. (This time, I had the sails rigged and ready to go!) Looking at the few wind ripples on the water, it appeared the wind was going to build slightly out of the east, so we headed out of the wind shadow of the eastern shore to the west side of the harbor where we picked up a light breeze, enough to fill the genoa. We sailed an intercept course back to the group still ghosting in the near-shore calm.

Sailing loosely as a group, we headed for the mouth of Quartermaster Harbor, tacking back and forth in the light headwind. After many tacks, we noticed a houseboat moored near the western shore was not falling astern. Our forward progress was being perfectly matched by the tidal current, preventing any forward progress. In company with Harry P, we fired up the outboard and motored into open water where we caught some sporadic wind.

Clearing Point Dalco, I looked up Colvos Passage and saw darker water, remarking to Jan it looked like whitecaps were about to form. No sooner had I said that than we got hit broadside by strong gusts of wind with all sail raised. We pointed Whisper into the wind, furled the genoa and dropped the main, enjoying the crossing under motor. As we neared Gig Harbor, the front that had blown through and unnerved us passed, leaving a stunningly beautiful afternoon in it's wake. The lighthouse at the harbor entrance was glowing in the sunlight that danced off of every wave.

Our mother ship, Kokomo, was waiting opposite the Tides Tavern, and was impossible to miss. Helpful hands assisted in rafting us to Kokomo's port side, and we enjoyed another round of introductions.

No cooking on the boat on Saturday! Instead, Frank ferried us in Kokomo's tender to the Tides where we had a nice dinner and chatted. A glass of port, some sweet treats and pleasant camaraderie in Kokomo's cockpit under a star-filled sky marked the close of a great Potter day.

On Sunday morning, the mood was a bit more somber as folks prepared to head back. Hamada and Second Wind were going to "shoot the rapids" as a flood tide roared through the Narrows. Around mid-morning, we motored slowly to the head of the harbor to wish Hamada a safe passage, then we found a space barely long enough for Whisper on the public dock. We strolled through the art show that was underway, and visited with my sister who had found us at the dock. After lunch, needing to get home but delaying as long as we could, we headed out of the harbor toward Point Defiance.

On the way to the boat launch, we encountered a group of at least 50 seals leaping and playing in a large tide rip. What a great way to cap an eventful first outing for Whisper!

Tom Salzer

Dockton Potter Party Cruise Report

Frank Coletta's P-19 Harry P., Bob Olson's Montgomery 15, Sequel, Tim Pattison's P-14, Jeebie Gee, and Pat and Emily Coffee's P-15 Sparkle Plenty launched from Point Defiance on Friday evening, July 15, 005, kicking off the Dockton Potter Party. We got a late start thanks to the infamous Puget Sound afternoon traffic jams that delayed Tim coming from Bellingham and the Coffee's from Portland. As we rigged we watched the Stars and Stripes standing stiff in the wind at the Tacoma Yacht Club.

As luck would have it the winds faded. With diminished winds and sunset fast approaching we resorted to the Iron Jennies to push us over to Vashon Island and up Quartermaster Bay to Dockton Marine Park. Quartermaster Bay sure is long when you are racing the sunset. We ultimately got a chance to practice nighttime seamanship.

The DPP was the Harry P.'s maiden voyage her new skipper, Frank. As with any new boat was a minor glitch. A mainsail slug jammed in the mast track and was stuck at half-mast, much to amusement Derek Jenson on his HMS 18 Hamada, Jim Sinclair on his P-19 Second Wind, and Tom and Jan Salzer on their P-19 Whisper awaiting us at Dockton.

Once our Potters, plus the Monty were secured we unloaded the firewood we each brought for the campfire. Frank played Boy Scout and impressed Jim Sinclair by getting the fire started with only one match! We all sat around and talked about our small craft and cruising experiences. The warm evening made for a perfectly enjoyable social opportunity. The only thing missing, we later learned, was that we forgot to roast marshmallows to put together with chocolate and graham crackers to make S'mores.

Saturday dawned with cloudy skies and a little rain. Frank led the cruise briefing and was accused of being too organized. Derek later said that organizing sailors is like herding cats. Once everyone finished ribbing Frank, we cast off for Gig Harbor. We found very light and variable winds. We gave it the old Potter try, but once we started going backwards we (except diehard sailor Tim on Jeebie Gee) resorted to the outboard to get out of Quartermaster Bay.

We enjoyed our best sailing going west on Dalco Passage to Gig Harbor. The currents were slack and the afternoon turned warm and sunny. Jim Sinclair on Second Wind had so much fun he turned around and did a second lap before heading into Gig Harbor.

We reached Gig Harbor by about 4:00 PM to find the Kokomo, our 42-foot Sabre mother ship anchored under a palm tree flag. Denny and Becky Flannigan generously offered their beautiful yacht for us to raft to. Denny was hoisted up the 60 feet up the mast using his power winches to take aerial photos of the event.

As we enjoyed the sun, refreshments and great company we noticed a large privately chartered tour boat come into Gig Harbor with a wedding party aboard. Denny and Becky decided to offer a proper salute to the newlyweds. They loaded their miniature black powder canon and as the boat passed the canon roared and smoke bellowed. Denny fired over the bow of the Salzer's brand new P-19 Whisper. Becky was quick to sweep up the cannon fodder residue that settles on the Whisper. This was the first time any one could remember having a cannon fired at the NW Potter event.

Frank made several trips with the Kokomo inflatable dinghy ferrying the group the short distance to the Tides Tavern. We got a large table and enjoyed the good eats and drinks the Tides Tavern is known for.

Back on the Kokomo Denny and Becky entertained us in the large cockpit of the Kokomo as the sun set. Later we enjoyed chocolate deserts and Port Wine, a fitting conclusion to a great day of Pottering.

The next morning most of our friends departed early to take advantage of the favorable current conditions reroute back to Point Defiance. Tom and Jan on Whisper decided to stay out cruising an extra day and toured Gig Harbor. Derek and Jim Sinclair "Shot the Narrows" to return to their South Sound launch site at Zittel's.

We judged the Dockton Potter Party by the smiles and favorable comments. The weather turned out to be beautiful. We were sailing our Potters, Becky and Denny were great hosts and their cannon was a blast!

Frank Coletta