La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

As August draws to an end, we can start to take stock of a season of travels. We had several marina members travel to Canada and Alaska this summer. One couple I spoke with put their fourth marker on the saloon hatch, celebrating another summer lived with a lot of adventure. They boated, fished and hiked to every hot spring between here and Skagway. Others are just getting back and have not come into the office yet to tell me their highlights, but they will. This is the kind of thing a community likes to share and we are always happy to hear about people’s adventures.

Another marina couple this week cast off their lines for the last time. They and their dog are heading out the Straits and making a left for Mexico. As of now they do not plan to come back. This is pretty exciting! They are living the dream a lot of people have but for whatever reason do not seem able to throw off the lines and just head out. I respect their courage for trying and wish them the best!

Yet another member just got back and is at the midpoint of a lifetime trip. They bought their sailboat in California and headed west, planning never to return. However, they realized they needed some more training and came back to finish the Marine Technology program at Skagit Valley College. They will be here until June and then they will really head west and south, with the intent this time that it is a one-way trip. Never say never, but they are a determined pair and if anyone can make it work they can.

Safety and Maintenance: I mentioned the Skagit Valley College Marine Technology program above. I want to call out this local gem. This program offers practical training for everyone from professional operators to recreational skippers. They have a gas and diesel engine focus or a marine electronics focus, or to be really prepared you can take both over two years. The labs, demonstration materials and instruction are all first rate. The age range of students is 18 – 90. If you want to gain confidence in managing every aspect of your vessel, from engines to electronics and hulls to heads, this is the program to look to.

See you on the Channel!

— Chris Omdal, harbormaster