ON THURSDAY EVENING, Astoria Bay, a 610-foot cargo ship that took on a load of logs that were harvested off Merrill & Ring’s private land holdings in Western Washington, eased off the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 3 and set a course for Lanshan, China.
Platypus Marine, the full-service shipyard, yacht-repair facility and steel-boat manufacturer on Marine Drive, had Lu-Lu Belle on the hard at its facility for a brief stint.
I understand personnel replaced valves on the vessel’s fuel tanks.
The 75-foot boat is owned by Fred and Megan Rodolf of Port Angeles.
Every year since 1979, Lu-Lu Belle has taken guests on wilderness cruises around Alaska’s Prince William Sound that include close-up peeks at the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline.
Typically, Fred, Megan and Lu-Lu Belle head north to Alaska on May 1 and arrive around the middle of the month.
However this year, I understand their departure has been delayed until Monday.
They’ll spend a week or so getting the office and its surroundings in shape for the tourist season, which begins for them on Memorial Day weekend.
For more information about Columbia Glacier and Wildlife Tours, visit the Rodolfs’ website at www.lulubelletours.com.
Whatta Ryde
Earlier last week, Platypus put Whatta Ryde back in the water.
She is a new 92-foot Selene yacht that was on the hard to allow a surveyor to perform a new-build survey of the vessel for the owner.
How to use GPS
I recently received a news release from the BoatUS Foundation and US Power Squadrons about the newest online course they are offering that is titled “How to Use a GPS.”
If you’ve ever wondered about all of the features and functions on your boat’s GPS or chartplotter, this is an opportunity to learn by taking this course, which is available for a $30 course fee at www.BoatUS.org/gps.
Director of Education Amanda Suttles Perez said, “This course is great for novice or experts with any size boat, and you don’t have to be an experienced navigator to understand the material.”
The course is divided into four chapters including an introduction with sections on setting up, using the GPS and integrating electronics.
Short quizzes throughout give one the opportunity to test their knowledge and then go back to review the material again.
Harbor happenings
On Monday, Tesoro Petroleum provided bunkers to Western Lucrezia, a 613-foot bulk cargo ship that is flagged in Cyprus.
On Tuesday, Tesoro bunkered Jasmin Joy, a 751-foot Bahamian-flagged crude oil tanker.
On Wednesday, Tesoro refueled Alaskan Legend, a 941-foot crude oil tanker flagged in the United States.
Tesoro also bunkered Silver Stacie, a 600-foot Panamanian-flagged petroleum products carrier.
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David G. Sellars is a Port Angeles resident and former Navy boatswain’s mate who enjoys boats and strolling the area’s waterfronts and boat yards.
Items and questions involving boating, marina and industrial activities and the North Olympic Peninsula waterfronts are always welcome. News announcements about boating groups, including yacht clubs and squadrons, are welcome as well.
Email dgsellars@hotmail.com or phone him at 360-808-3202.
