Another Forest Sails Away

The log ship which arrived on September 1 was not fully loaded until September 8. Suddenly (well, I was thinking about other things until I noticed the work was finished) the loader machines were parked on the dock, onboard cranes shipped, workmen making last checks of the tie-downs.

Pacific Basin's Cape Flattery, getting ready to sail to Lianyungang, China, on September 8, 2012. (Click for larger image.)

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Hawsers still tied her to the dock, though, and there was no sign of the tugs; so I went out on the Hook. From the harbor side you could see how low she was riding in the water. The Crowley tug Valor was anchored near the eastern end of the harbor.

View from across the harbor. Valor at anchor. (Click for larger image.)

After a while the tug Response came in off the Strait and headed for Cape Flattery, and Valor came across the harbor from the other direction. Action time. I headed back to the dockside. It all happens very slowly. Another watcher pointed out a great blue heron on one of the floating booms. There was a kingfisher. And gulls. The birds on the floating booms did seem to be watching.

Valor lining up to pull the bow of Cape Flattery out from the dock. (Click for larger image.)

Slowly the ship began to move. She was all the way clear of the dock before the captain blasted her horn (startling the bejeezus out of me).

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And gone.