Cruising on the MV Lillian Belle: Nov.18-20th Anacortes to Steveston

Sun, Glorious Sun!

Anacortes and back to Bellingham and then on to Steveston

November 18^th, 19^th and 20th

At the end of my shopping day in Anacortes, David and I met up at the Majestic Hotel right downtown. It is a beautiful historic hotel and we happen to arrive during their “Happy Hour”…fancy that! It is a very comfortable, well appointed and cozy bar and the bartenders were quite attentive. David handed me a Northwest travel magazine and while thumbing through it, I found a recipe for a Pumpkin Pie Martini. I shared it with the bartenders and suggested that it should become a Thanksgiving holiday special at the hotel. David suggested that they experiment with the recipe and create one for all of us to taste. They obliged. It was like drinking dessert…yum! Now, David has a new holiday drink to share with the family.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

(although David has no idea why this non-gin drink is considered a martini…probably because it is served in a martini glass)

1 ¼ oz. Absolute Vanilla Vodka (the bar used whipped vodka)

¾ oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream

¾ oz. Kahlua

1 ¼ oz. Pumpkin-flavored Liqueur (the bar used pumpkin syrup like they use in coffee)

Pinch ground cinnamon and nutmeg

A dollop of whipped cream on top

Orange twist (optional)

Cinnamon Stick (optional)

We both did not sleep well last night for whatever reason. It was quite stormy with high winds and rain that was falling horizontally first one direction and then the opposite. It was still blowing fiercely this morning at 6 a.m. when we were deciding on our next destination. David suggested we return to Bellingham (where the trip began for me) so that he could check out the Marine Hardware and Salvage Store for a used pump for the bilge. I wanted to go to Blaine but after much discussion, it made sense to return to Bellingham.

It was only about a 2 ½ hour journey but the winds had certainly roughed up the seas. We had a sun break this morning which was glorious but temperatures were in the low 40’s. This trip was most likely a “5 bruise” trip for me with all the walking around the cabin I needed to do while 3 and 4 foot waves knocked us about. It was like riding a wild bronco at times winding our way around a minefield of crab pots.

We arrived at the marina and docked rather smoothly, I think. David took off to find a pump and I went in search of wifi. I found a connection at the Bellwether Hotel but, unfortunately, David had no luck finding a pump. There were five shelves of used pumps to wade through but none had a float attachment which he needed. We met up at the Bellwether Hotel Lighthouse Bar for…you guessed it…Happy Hour! I tried a ginger martini which was quite delicious.

We left the next morning again in the dark with freezing temperatures. It was 32 degrees with the sun shining the entire 7 ½ hours of our cruise. The seas were really churned up which kept me in my seat for most of the trip until we came around Pt. Roberts three hours later. We are now in Steveston and have just checked in with Canadian Customs. They let us back in!

We arrived in Steveston with tourists taking pictures and movies of us as we attempted to dock and it was not going well. The current was working against us, and David could not get close enough to the dock for me to safely get off the boat. There were a lot of people just standing around observing (probably did not want to get involved for their own safety!) until one gentleman came running down the dock eager to help. He and his wife were our “docking angels”.

After we were secure, they shared with us that they had a 58 foot boat at one time until they found it too difficult for just the two of them to operate. The wife had to have knee surgery, and they sold their boat and bought an RV. They had great empathy for us trying to land this thing and lucky for us, came to our rescue and saved us from backing out and taking another running start at it.

Steveston is the first stop on the Fraser River. It is primarily a fishing town and fishing boats have priority when it comes to available moorage. We got a spot right near the pier where there are several restaurants and shops. Steveston has become quite a popular tourist destination, and I read that this quaint town has been featured in local movies. There are several fishing boats along the docks selling their catch...now, that's fresh!

We will leave tomorrow morning around 9 a.m. and it will only take about 2 hours for us to reach our home port in New Westminster. We just called Ron and Lynne to see if they could meet us for dinner here tonight. It is only a 20 to 30 minute drive for them in comparison to our two hour cruise...slow and steady...that's us!

While we waited for Ron and Lynne to arrive, Dave and I stopped at two establishments for a drink. At the Blue Canoe I sampled an Australian wine called Handshakes Shiraz...wonderful. We walked around town, but I was so cold I suggested trying out the Buck & Ear Pub. We warmed ourselves there and then met our friends at the Steveston Seafood House. We have gone there several times with Ron and Lynne and it has always be fun and delicious. This time was no exception, and it was great to have time to visit with our marina manager, Lynne, and Captain Ron.