Coyotes and Longboats

I don't have too much to report from this past week or have many pictures. On Tuesday, I was invited to partake in rowing a longboat off the Port Townsend Harbor. It is the kind of boat that explorers used back in the day. It has three masts and can be used as a sailboat but there are also 4 oars on each side for rowing. Ironically, everyone that showed up was female so we had an entire female crew including the captain and first mate. It was a lot of fun and the boat although small was sturdy and I felt plenty safe. We ended up singing shanties (songs) as we rowed as that the ladies taught us. It was a neat experience and great to see Port Townsend and the area from the water. I didn't take my camera for fear of getting it wet but I'll be sure to take it this coming week and post some pix.

I have also finally dusted off my bike and began riding it. I first took it on a test run to my friend Flor's house and did alright and took a route with few hills. It is quite chilly at night though and I have to do a better job of remembering to cuff my pants or keep a rubberband with me. I need to invest in a bike light eventually as well. I took my bike down to the marina for the longboat experience and summited one of the largest hills in PT w/o stopping! I'm in better shape than I thought. I guess all the morning tank cleanings aren't as tough as they used to be for me either. I'm still keeping up on the swimming as well. I found a masters swim team here. It's a 20yard pool. It took me a few lengths until I finally figured out what a 40 was (like a 50 minus 10yards). The workouts have been a fun and I get the blood pumping but I'm still waiting for my absent swim caps that I ordered on the internet!

Lastly, on my way home from the longboating, I finally saw my first COYOTE! I've been hearing about them ever since I got here and have heard them howling and even talked to my neighbors that said they were right outside the trailer but I missed them until this past week. I actually thought it was a dog until I got up pretty close and zoomed past on my bike. A pretty small dog really and now, I don't think I'm too scared anymore. I have went up to the paths on the hill behind the trailer also which originally gave me the creeps since there are abandoned military bunkers and batteries there but have found some trails that are really beautiful and have amazing views of the water and coast (it's all up on a huge hill with steep bluffs down to the water, probably 300+ feet up). So now I've been going up there and running and enjoying it instead of being creeped out. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. I don't have coyote or boat pictures but I have some from up on the bluffs. I hope to do a beach hike tomorrow and go on a puffin cruise tonight. I'll surely have some photos to post of this w/in the next few days.