Coastal Messenger In Port Angeles

Monday, I rode to Port Angeles with my parents to visit their friends on the "Coastal Messenger". The "Coastal Messenger" is a 52 foot steel vessel operated by
Coastal Missions,http://www.coastalmissions.ca/index.htm#doodad . This is a missionary organization based in Chemainus BC. They operate along the coast of British Columbia and South East Alaska. My parents met them in the late 1980's when they commercial fished in south east Alaska and have kept in touch since then. It was a blessing to be able to visit with them.

The "Coastal Messenger" is making their shakedown voyage following their yearly maintenance period. In late April, they will be underway on their first voyage of the season to the West Coast of Vancouver Island. The boat will be underway until November. There are three crews that rotate at various ports along the coast. During their voyages they will call on many isolated ports and villages in very remote areas. Some of their journeys will take them along the open ocean areas of the west coast of Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands. This port call at Port Angeles was a time for stateside friends and supporters to visit. In previous years(before the price of fuel and Homeland Security became issues) they would trek farther into Puget Sound. I have visited them in Gig Harbor and saw them last year in Olympia.

Roy was captain on this voyage and actually drew the plans for "Coastal Messenger" and was the construction boss along with a lot of volunteer help. My dad actually helped during a visit to Chemainus. The boat is a great example of a very tough, seaworthy, west coast style work boat. It is NOT a yacht. It is built of steel. The accommodations are limited as they only travel with a crew of four. Roy did a great job with the design. On a previous visit, I was given a thorough tour including the engine room. The engine room is spacious and well thought out with lots of room around the machinery for maintenance. The pilot house is large with great visibility all around. The main salon has plenty of seating and also includes a piano that folds down out of a locker! Large amounts of storage space is included through out the vessel. The boat was launched in 1998 and was in service in 1999.

The previous "Coastal Messenger" was a similar sized wooden boat that was a retired BC fisheries patrol boat. I was on board once many years ago. It was in immaculate condition too, but the thing I found interesting was the Rolls Royce diesel engine. It was a showpiece. It was an antique and had been rebuilt. Coastal Missions actually had a spare Rolls Royce diesel that was initially installed in the new "Coastal Messenger" but has since been changed to a John Deere diesel.

It was a great day for a road trip. It was sunny and warm in  Port Angeles. On the way up, we stopped at the Oak Table restaurant in Sequim for breakfast. There were many yummy items on their menu, but I only wanted one thing; their famous Apple Pancake! As always, it was huge and delicious. But I completed the whole thing!

Coastal Messenger(picture from the website)

The Coastal Messenger was looking really sharp following their maintenance period.