Sketches from the last days of this trip

Just a few more sketches in my book before we get home.


Sometimes my drawings of boats are right on. Other times I miss the mark and they look completely un-seaworthy. This sketch looks right to me.


LaConner, Washington has a beautiful quilt museum. A new exhibit of Japanese quilts and textiles was really interesting but the colors were odd to my American eyes. Orange with magenta and pink looked garish to me, but must make sense to Japanese eyes. I favored the crazy quilts and wondered about the women who put them together.

The end of this trip is in sight and brings a mixture of feelings. Endings are sad. But they make space for new beginnings.

Not crazy!

I'm sure my sketchbook makes me look like I'm a little crazy. I assure you, I am no crazier today than I was last week.

I was looking for sketching subjects when I noticed the light on the water. At first I thought, "the sun looks like an hourglass on the water." I sketched that shape. Once, twice. Six times. The water was moving as the tide pulled and the current shifted it. The dark shape in the middle kept changing. Deep water that pulled and pushed. I kept sketching. More than an hour. Observing. Sketching. Again and again. I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but something that pulled me to notice and sketch it will probably end up in a painting. We'll see.

All day yesterday I wondered about the seals. Where were they? Usually the area near Eagle Island is filled with the sounds of their snorting, their curious dark eyes on me as they paddle around the boat, the early morning splashing and frolicking. When I looked to the island this morning, I saw what looked like logs on the beach.

Not logs! Seals! Must have been nap time. Except for this guy. I think he was waving to me!

Eagle Island

It's been a while since I've been boating and I can tell that I am rusty at it. I couldn't seem to grab the ring on the mooring buoy, and it took several attempts (maybe 7 or 8!) before I inserted the boat hook into the ring and got a line attached. The folks in the sailboat nearby had some unexpected but jolly slapstick comedy to watch! By the 5th time, I was laughing so hard, I could barely speak! Another go round for moderate embarrassment! And again, for total humiliation! To be fair, the wind and current were against us, but no matter. Laughter is good for the soul!

Once we were secured, I made a big cup of coffee and pulled out my sketching gear.


I did this sketch while we were en route. The area is called "Devil's Passage." I could barely see the Cascade Mountains in the distance.