SHEARWATER PASSES BETWEEN GOOD HANDS

 

Shearwater's New Custodian

So here’s a fun small world story.  It starts with Bruce.  I can’t remember when I met him, but it was during college years and there was a group of us with a common attraction to boats, water, and Islands.  And, perhaps, just a little bit of beer.  I had made my first foray up to Alaska aboard a leaky wooden sailboat with no electronics back in 1978.  It must have been ’83 when Bruce and I hatched a plan to take his soon to be new boat up to Juneau and Glacier Bay.  He bought a 21’ Bayliner and called it “Moxee”.  We ended up taking that pocket rocket up to Juneau and Glacier Bay and started tacking more stories to our fairly long list of stories even then.  Bruce still retells them.  Some of them are actually true. 

Over the years, Moxee gave way to Moxee II, then Moxee III.  Power boats all, the last one a Trawler.  Each a platform for fun and adventure with family and friends.  Then he went back to his roots and bought a beautiful blue hulled passport 40, “Shearwater”.

I was fortunate enough to be on her during one of her first shake down cruises.  A rollicking sail over to Friday Harbor with some excitement.  We nearly dismasted it (the starboard upper was the leeward shroud and I just happened to notice it had become disconnected just prior to a planned tack), then we lost the inflatable, and when we cranked on the engine, the chop had shaken sediment laying in the fuel tank and clogged the fuel intake line.  Under sail alone we sailed into Friday Harbor for a picture perfect dead stick landing.  From our perspective.  For the crew on the ‘Silver Shalis’, it was nerve racking.   A nearly 200 feet, the brand spanking new Delta Yacht had its owner on for his first stay on his new Mega yacht.  With the Shalis crew pearing down from above, we greased down the side of it under sail alone to stick the landing in the open dock in front of the Shalis.  The owner had recently received a 4 billion dollar insurance payout from one of his properties.  The downed twin towers in New York. 

Over the years, Bruce and Carol lavished love and adventures on that boat.  It was a fresh water boat and they transformed it into a full fledge all season cruising sailboat.  6 or so years ago I was up in Desolation Sound, ran into Bruce as well as Andy and Jill Cross.  We tied the 3 boats together, enjoyed a great day – so much so we simply hit ‘repeat’ for the next day.  One of the truly great cruising memories.  For 11 years that boat was upgraded, loved, and used.

Fast forward a couple of years.  I can’t remember when I met Kristin Pederson.  It may have been at one of the Sloop Tavern Cruises, but I became a fan of hers.  Solid sailor, competent, and I followed her and Elena’s "Team Kelp" R2AK bid in 2017.  So  much so that I would wake up and yell at my screen when I saw they were sleeping way too much and not attacking the race as aggressively as I thought they should (they had no intention of attacking it aggressively and if I do that race again, I may take a page out of their book).  Kristin has been aboard Cambria with friends for dinner and helped on Race Committees aboard Cambria.  She was always thinking 2 or 3 steps ahead and had knack of being at the right place at the right time. 

My perception was confirmed when I spoke to a very tenured delivery captain with whom she had sailed.  He had a very high opinion of her seamanship skills.  Praise I don’t think he gives out often.

Up until a few weeks ago, Bruce and Kristin didn’t know each other and I’ve never mentioned one to the other.  Two completely different phases of my life two completely different groups of friends.  Bruce lives in Anacortes, Kristin in Seattle.  No overlap at all.  Until I get two messages spaced about a minute apart.

Kristin:  “I think I might buy a boat and the current owner says he knows you.  His name is Bruce Van Iterson”

Bruce:  “Do you know Kristin Pederson?”

And so the beautiful blue hulled passport 40, “Shearwater”, goes from one quality set of hands to another set of quality hands.  It’s been fun to watch.