posted 06-23-2004 12:28 AM ET (US)        

Having talked with several of you I know that everybody is having a busy summer but let's see what dates might work for most of us. I suggest we try for a Saturday like last year but let's avoid Seafair weekend (August 7).

posted 06-23-2004 12:49 AM ET (US)            

I have accepted Dave's gracious offer to co-host this event with me in abstentia.

This means that Dave's participation will be limited to sending me his credit card number to pay for the event (which includes a free fuel tank fill-up for everybody who attends.)

Thanks Dave!

posted 06-23-2004 01:56 AM ET (US)            

My wife and I are interested! I don't think I can be a co-host, tho. I can host you and your kin in Sekiu, however, if you can stand the smoke and noise of that old 235.

posted 06-23-2004 02:08 AM ET (US)            

Does ShrimpDave's fuel tank fill ups include the boat and the truck?
How about a full tank coming and going for both the truck and the boat? :-)

I am interested in coming but may not be able to bring my Outrage 18 due to the time schedule.

Does anyone have room in their boat for a guy from the West Coast?

Are you piloting a Whaler Tom?

posted 06-23-2004 04:33 PM ET (US)            

My family would like to attend. We have not been able to go to one of these yet but we will try hard this year. Are there any proposed dates yet.

Thanks

John L.

posted 06-23-2004 04:48 PM ET (US)            

JohnL as I just live up the hill from Edmonds a ride in your 23 would be great.

The sooner a date is set the better so I can make arrangements.

posted 06-24-2004 12:31 PM ET (US)            

If the dates work out you are most welcome.

posted 06-25-2004 11:05 AM ET (US)            

I would be interested in participating. Blake Island sounds great. The 17th, 24th or 31st of July would all work for me. Let me know what I can do to help.

posted 06-26-2004 11:42 PM ET (US)            

Let's assume we do this on a Saturday (I am mindful of Dick's work schedule so this not need be cast in stone) then we are looking at the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th. All these dates work for me, but the 7th is SeaFair weekend so that narrows it to the 14th, 21st and 28th.

posted 06-28-2004 01:09 PM ET (US)            

Aug. 28th works for us.

posted 06-28-2004 01:10 PM ET (US)            

The 21st works as well.

posted 07-03-2004 10:44 PM ET (US)            

Not sure we can make it ... but we are going to be up in that general vicinity. We are in process of closing on a house on San Juan Island which we'll use in late August and September this year, and summer next year.

posted 07-04-2004 01:14 AM ET (US)            

The ranger I spoke with said it is not on the reservation schedule because the shelter needs repairs and they didn't think it was fair to take money for it (in the form of a reservation). It is still available on a fist-come-first-served basis. I explained our group's experience the last two years to the ranger and told him we just need the area not the shelter itself; the barbecues are still up and running.

He has us informally penciled in on the island's calendar so the island staff will know we are coming but that does not preclude somebody else showing up and using the area themselves.

However, he went on to say that there was going to be a group of 50 at the other picnic shelter on the 28th and there is a group of 20 reserved for the camp area. The point he was communicating was that the marina dock space may be in very short supply that weekend. As far as the ranger knew, there were no groups scheduled for the 21st.

posted 07-07-2004 09:14 PM ET (US)            

I told Tom That I would assist him in hosting the event. Unfortunately the only Saturday in August I have available is the 21st. After Tom’s conversation with the rangers on Blake it sounded like the 28th might be very crowded with a group of 50 all arriving by boat. The 21st works for Tom but it sounds like the majority here would prefer the 28th. We need to decide on a date soon, so based on the crowded docks on the 28th and Tom’s description of how much space the Whaler group has used in past years, I would suggest Either the 21st or we look at picking a Sunday in August.

Our thoughts, prayers and best wishes go out to the Clark family during this difficult time. I look forward to all of your thoughts for the rendezvous.

posted 07-07-2004 09:41 PM ET (US)            

I have been there, May God Bless All.

Pete

Thanks for stepping in, I dont know yet if I can attend but if I can assist in ant way please let me know.

posted 07-15-2004 09:44 PM ET (US)            

I have not been able to attend a Rendezvous and had hoped to be able to make this one - but already some other events which will have priority are starting to appear on the horizon.

posted 07-22-2004 01:19 PM ET (US)            

We now have a computer set up at my Mom's house so I am now back online, if only periodically. I am counting on Pete to keep this thread near the top and to encourage an agreement on a date.

posted 07-26-2004 04:17 PM ET (US)            

The person to contact would be Bob Walker, the sales manager for the 3 local stores. His office is at Lake Union Sea Ray 206-284-3800.

If you would like I would be happy to contact him. Let me know.

posted 08-03-2004 02:42 PM ET (US)            

Since I'm in Sekiu anyway, anytime is O.K. with me.

It'd be fun to have a Whaler fleet out here.

Tom, The Revenge and it's crew are at your service. 'Hope your brother and nephew can make it too.
(I'm "lookin' ta buy" a Scotty electric downrigger. I think it can be mounted on my Penn mount.)

posted 08-04-2004 12:43 PM ET (US)            

Do you happen to be the same Eldon that used to own Sequim Marine?

posted 08-04-2004 04:02 PM ET (US)            

Sequim Marine used to be on the right just across the river on the way to PA.
I haven't been over there in several years and didn't know that Clallum had closed shop, doesn't leave you much.

One that I have great respect for is Anchor Marine, it's on the left as you enter PA. Dallas is the owner and you couldn't ask for a more honest person.

posted 08-05-2004 01:40 AM ET (US)            

Dallas is the guy I took my engines to after I did all the maintenance on my engines but was still thinking the temperature guages were showing too hot. He was kind enough to fit me in with pretty short notice while the other guys were 2 weeks out. And on my old boat, when I replaced my steering, he lent me his file for cleaning out the tube when I couldn't find one to purchase. I didn't know he was the owner but I agree that he is an impressive person.

posted 08-09-2004 07:05 PM ET (US)            

Are you going you going to moor your boat at one of the docks, or launch and pullout every day? I park mine at Van Ripper's dock for the season.

posted 08-21-2004 07:23 PM ET (US)            

Next month is looking like Sekiu month. Matt is up there the 11th and 12th. All is up there from the 16th through the 19th. I think Taylor and I will be there the 25th and 26th but I may also go up one of the earlier weekends as well.

Should we have one of those weekends in September be the official Rendezvous weekend at Sekiu? I know Russ will attend.

posted 08-21-2004 07:29 PM ET (US)            

http://www.olsonsresort.com/webcam/cam.jpg

A fixed aerial image of the town can be seen here:

http://i6.ebayimg.com/02/i/01/43/d7/3a_3.JPG

posted 08-23-2004 03:04 PM ET (US)            

Foolish? No, just a really long haul. You would need to watch the weather and make use of the tides as best you could, but is going to be a 6 to 8 hour trip. If the wind kicks up and you have to pound into it it will be a very long 6 to 8 hours.

posted 08-23-2004 04:36 PM ET (US)            

Later, at home, I discovered that my laptop wouldn't boot. So, I'm using my daughter's computer now.

My son-in-law has a lower unit that he thinks will work on my engine. I don't know how long it will take to fix. Several days anyway, I suppose.

I'm taking my laptop into town tomorrow to be fixed. 'Don't know how long that will take, either.

Also, Sunday afternoons from Sept. 12 to Oct. 10, I'll be out of town taking kayak lessons. I built a Pygmy Arctic Tern, and now I have to learn how to use it.

Tom, I'll try calling you. I think I have your number.

We caught about ten fish, but only two had clipped adipose fins. It was foggy, and the water was bumpy for awhile, but it smoothed out. 'Good day 'till the engine stopped.

posted 08-28-2004 10:13 AM ET (US)            

I will heading to Sekiu on September 10 an staying through the weekend. I will also be there the weekend of the 25th and 26th.

I know others are going up but there doesn't seem to be a consensus about a gathering. I think that if there was one weekend several of us were gong to be there, a little fishing tournament might be in order.

René,

It would be fun to meet you. Perhaps some of us could gather for a beer some weeknight while you are in town?

Russ,

posted 09-02-2004 11:35 PM ET (US)            

'Got the computer back, too. It's almost back to normal.

I hope to see you Whaler folks who make it out here.

posted 09-30-2004 09:34 PM ET (US)            

I was out there last weekend with Tom Clark and my son George. We had a great time.

We camped up at Fisherman's Hideaway, which is nicely situated above the bay to the west. Weather was very good- no rain and just a little fog.

Saturday AM we saw six foot swells and almost no wind. We got four keepers - 8 to 10 lbs and all fat sleek fish. We went out Saturday evening just before sunset and got two more which limited us for Saturday.

web3.foxinternet.net/taylor_clark/Taylor_and_George.jpg

During the middle of the day we drove out to Neah Bay. The Kalakala was gone, so we had lunch and then went on a fun little hike at Cape Flattery. Tom said it was pretty calm that day, and then as the waves crashed on the shore and we watched a small boat avoid the rocks he told me about a trip from Neah bay to Cape Alava for silvers in his Outrage 18, and another trip to Swiftsure bank for halibut. I'm going to have to get a new engine before I trust myself out there.

Sunday AM was about as good as fishing gets on the Strait - at least that was Tom's claim - but judge for yourself:

web3.foxinternet.net/taylor_clark/Tom_at_sekiu.jpg

No doubt.

We got into a school of wild fish. You can tell when you grab the pole that they are wild, they act differently. We only got one hatchery keeper before we ran out of bait. Six dozen herring in two days.

Following Tom's suggestion we stopped on the way back at Lake Cresent for a very different lake boating experience - we had the lake to ourselves and the water was a pale translucent, almost iridescent pale blue. Very different than the green saltwater in the Strait. The side effect was that we flushed our engine.

posted 10-01-2004 01:01 PM ET (US)            

I remember John Anderson's (skookumpoint's) 15 Super Sport from the Rendezvous two years ago. Nice boat. There
is a picture of it in Cetecea on Washington Whaler page (#64)

posted 10-02-2004 02:58 AM ET (US)            

Were you the group on the observation platform above
Cape Flattery on Sunday about 11am?...on a lark, I was out at Neah Bay for the 25th-26th, bottom fishing with a few friends (3 boats, 9 people, my Revenge the only Whaler) If that small boat avoiding the rocks below Flattery was a white 18' w/ red trim, that was one of our group.

Fishing was good...lot of black and blue rock action out around Strawberry Rock (Mukkah Bay, halfway between Cape Flattery and Cape Alava) on Saturday while we played around Duncan Rock (just north of Tatoosh) and inside from Tatoosh on Sunday...limited out both days on rock fish, and my neighbor brought in a couple nice lings (one at 32", 17#).

Wonderful weather that weekend. It was a good (smooth water) day--in fact, Saturday swells of about 6' inside the straight gave way to very calm seas outside on the coast. Back in June, we were out there in about 8' swells on the ocean side. That trip, I did go down to Umatilla Reef (just west of Cape Alava, about 10-12 miles south of Flattery) where the action was even faster--we limited out for four people and returned to Neah Bay by 11am!