Aeolus moved and back from travels to Rome and Corsica

I think this has been the longest I have ever gone without posting on this blog but that's what being on the other side of the earth from your boat will do to you. We are just back from three weeks of traveling in Rome and on the island of Corsica. This is a specialty blog just about things involving Aeolus, but I will post one picture (from a 14th century Genoese watchtower on a headland about 1,500 feet straight up from the Med) and state that Corsica is a paradise for explorers and I cannot recommend it highly enough for anyone who loves ocean, mountains, hiking, French food, or Mediterranean history/culture. Rome was, well, thoroughly and enjoyably Roman.

In the days just prior to flying off to Europe I did manage to move Aeolus down to Shilshole Marina in Seattle. The weather cooperated enough that I didn't face anything more than 25 knots and by far the roughest conditions I faced were just off the south side of Lopez Island. While cutting the corner toward Smith Island I got caught in some pretty nasty chop from an eddy going against the prevailing swells. It was a ton of fun, really, but would have made most people puke. Seas about 4-5 feet and steeply slopply. This photo is my parting shot of Friday Harbor, a sentimental moment for sure.

Anyway, that was about it for anything even resembling drama. There was a south wind my entire trip, on the nose, which prevented sailing in the tight channels. I motored down to Port Ludlow and grabbed a slip for the night as I was tired and didn't feel like hoisting the dinghy off the deck to row to shore for dinner just to have to put it back on the deck for the next day. This last photo is of Port Ludlow that late afternoon. The next morning I did the jump over to Shilshole and there you go. Smooth as butter.

My feelings are mixed about having the boat in Seattle as opposed to Friday Harbor, along predictable lines, but my overriding emotion is one of excitement. It will be a lot of fun to be playing around down there among the big city sights.  And the views of the Olympics are better and you gotta love that.