I had hoped to do some shopping on Orcas Island as the wind predictions on Windy and Predict Wind agreed that there would be light westerlies. The San Juan waterways did not cooperate! Hoping for the best I left Blind Bay and headed for the long East Sound of Orcas Island.
The south side of the sound had light southerlies so I decided to see what kind of push I could get from the Genoa. As the wind was still light and Estrella was under power I went forward and deployed the whisker pole for my very first time!
After a few adjustments, I got the pole out most of the way on the working Genoa sheet. Note, I think two lines at the end of the pole should allow better positioning on the working Genoa sheet.
Now for the main! I set up my preventer and let out the main. Using the preventer and main sheet, Estrella was now wing to wing sailing up the sound.

Soon the winds picked up to 20 knots and we were having a sleigh ride at 6 knots!
As I approached the north end of East Sound I carefully pulled in the Genoa, disconnected and stowed the whisker pole and furled the Genoa.
At 20 knots on a run, furling the main was troublesome. I ended up turning into the wind so the main would furl properly into the mast.
Having completed sail furling, I motored by several boats at anchor tramping badly in 20 knot winds.
As the bottom at this end of the sound is deep, sandy and rocky I decided that I shouldn’t take the chance of anchoring and leaving Estrella. Instead, I motored south and found some protection from the southerlies north of Spencer Spit which is on Lopez Island.
Spencer Spit offers protection from northerlies or southerlies depending on which side of the spit one chooses to anchor.
Estrella and I rode out the winds nicely after a couple of anchor adjustments!
PS: NOAA marine weather for the San Juans was spot on!