Washington State: Port Angeles to the Columbia River

Victoria is tucked 65 nautical miles (120 km) southeast of where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean so, although we'd started the journey westward, we were still a couple of days out from entering the open sea. We'd planned to sail from Victoria to the small British Columbia community of Sooke our first day, but as we navigated into the strait we had a sudden impulse to change our course. Neither of us had ever been to Olympic National Park before and it had been on my bucket list for a while. As we perused the map, we realized that Port Angeles, almost due south of Victoria, would be the perfect jumping off point to access the park, and that felt like a big yes to us.

We quickly re-set our course, booked a rental car for the following day, and crossed over to the U.S. side of the strait, where we anchored just outside of Port Angeles's Boat Haven (shout out to some of the friendliest and most helpful marina staff we've met). After completing our official customs and immigration to enter the U.S. and taking a walk around town, we went to bed early, ready for a bright start the next day.

Olympic National Park

The spontaneous decision to explore Olympic National Park turned out to be the right one. What a vast, stunning, and ecologically remarkable place it is! Though we didn't make it out to the park's protected coastline (we knew we'd be sailing directly past that in a few days' time anyway), we were able to access both of the other two biomes the park is known for--alpine peaks and old-growth forest--in a single long day.

After visiting the Olympic National Park Visitor Center, where we learned that the Olympic Peninsula is a World Heritage Site and home to several endemic species of plants and animals that aren't found anywhere else on earth, we spent the morning driving up to Hurricane Ridge. Here, we were able to view glaciers and hike the Meadow Trails, feasting our eyes and souls on uplifting panoramas, our lungs and fingertips tingling in the cool, clean air. It was an exhilarating and memorable experience for all of us and the kids' first time seeing snow, even at a distance, in quite a few years:

In the afternoon, we made the circuitous drive to the Sol Duc Falls trailhead, where we were engulfed in the timeless stillness and vitality of moss-muted Sitka Spruce and Douglas Fir groves towering to the sky. We all agreed that the waterfall was one of the most exquisite we'd ever seen and lingered in the area, playing on boulders and appreciating the view from numerous perspectives, until it was time to make our departure. Olympic National Park is definitely a place we'd love to do one or more backcountry trips with our kids in the future and remains on our bucket list as a destination to return to!

Neah Bay

From Port Angeles, we briefly dipped back into Canada again for a foggy night in Sooke and then crossed the strait one final time to anchor for a couple of nights in Neah Bay, on the very brink of the Pacific Ocean.

Neah Bay is part of traditional Makah territory and we were fortunate to have a chance to explore the reservation's town site, purchase deliciously warm and fluffy fry bread from a local family, and visit the Makah Cultural and Research Center Museum, which had beautifully presented cultural displays from a local archeological site--a Makah village that was buried in a mudslide approximately 500 years ago. Our family had the opportunity to enter a traditional longhouse and view cedar whaling boats close-up. The experience made an impression on both of our kids and was a natural jumping-off point for some meaningful discussions about history, culture, and religion.

Out of the Strait!

On the evening of September 20, we sailed out of the Georgia Strait and into the sunset--and then immediately into disorganized waves that tossed Mohini around with sickening lurches, stalls, and smacks. Deltas are always chaotic, and with the tremendous volume of water exiting the strait we had expected some bumps, but the experience was immediately more overwhelming than I'd anticipated.

As I sat white-knuckled at the helm, trying to take deep breaths between swells and listening to Yael retching, I briefly questioned everything we were doing. The sun had just set, casting a luminous orange glow over the tumultuous water when, directly in front of my eyes, an unimaginably immense jet-black silhouette suddenly blocked everything from view. For one breath-stopping instant, I thought we'd missed a hazard on our charts and would wreck on a lighthouse or pillar rising from the depths of the ocean. Then, a shock of spray higher than our boat revealed the truth: A humpback whale had just breached off Mohini's bow. I was the only one who had witnessed it and was quite literally speechless. Nico and the kids had a good laugh at my expense as I recovered my wits from that truly awesome and unforgettable sight.

Nico reassured the kids and me that the waves would soon become calmer and more organized, and he was right. Aaron and Yael fell asleep on the cockpit couch and, within about 90 minutes, we had found our rhythm and were en route south down the Washington coast. I slept peacefully, lulled in a predictable pattern of swells, and relieved Nico early next morning in time to take in the splendor of sunrise over the distant mountains:

Up the Columbia

Our passage down Washington's coast was a smooth one and we took full advantage of the good weather window, only stopping for a few afternoon hours in the seaside town of Westport to get off the boat and stretch our legs. Here, we encountered our first of many Stellar's sea lions--truly some of the loudest, biggest, and smelliest beasts you'll ever meet and with attitude and personality for miles. The kids and I agree that they're so hideous they're actually adorable.

Aaron and Yael tried their first taste of saltwater taffy in Westport and then we were back on Mohini for another smooth night at sea. As dawn broke again the following morning, we could see the mouth of the Columbia River ahead--yet another powerful delta. Though the tides were against us and the going was turbulent at times, we made slow but consistent progress up the legendary Columbia, which divides the states of Washington and Oregon. Soon enough, the chaos smoothed and we found ourselves surrounded by a multitude of salmon fishing boats of every shape, size, and vintage as well as commercial traffic including barges, tankers, and cargo ships.

The kids and I captained our way up the river while Nico rested below and, by the afternoon, we'd moored Mohini at the Port of Astoria on the Oregon side almost directly underneath the iconic Astoria-Megler bridge, which spans 4 miles from shore to shore. We'd successfully navigated down the coastline of an entire state and were ready for the next leg of our adventures!

To follow our inland adventures in Portland, Oregon and the continuation of Mohini's journey down the Oregon coast, read our post, Oregon State: Astoria to Crescent City!