The first scheduled CYC cruise of the year was to the Kingston marina, for a get together and pizza dinner in town.  April 14 was a beautiful sunny day with a nice breeze in the morning.  Doug and Joan Stewart and Mike and Patti Irish, on Madrugador left from Shilshole in the morning, had a nice sail, and found the Kingston Cove Yacht Club reciprocal space open.  They arrived in time for the Kingston Kite festival, which was a delightful surprise, and later they watched a river otter who was cavorting on the breakwater.  Later in the day, Puffin, with Jim and Ceci Medley, Outlaw, with Derek Storm and Cindy Gossett, and Troika, with Bill and Melinda Mains arrived, but they all missed the morning wind and motored across the sound in a dead calm.  Outlaw was able to take advantage of the other reciprocal slip.

We had snacks and some wine and beer on the boats, and were joined by the Irish’s daughter, Lauren , her husband Adam, and their two girls, Elena and Madeleine.  They drove to Kingston from their home in Bremerton.  Although only slightly older than 1, this was Madeleine’s second CYC Kingston cruise.  Elena, at 3½ is an experienced crew member on Madrugador, and felt right at home.

For dinner we went up the street to the Luna Bella, for their top notch pizza.

Sunday morning there was a cloudy sky but a 10-knot SE breeze, which shifted to SW in time to bring Outlaw from Kingston to Shilshole on one tack.  Around noon the sun came out and the wind died.

The next cruise is on Memorial Day weekend, to Mystery Bay.