Back to Francis Marina

                        Our home away from home..we dock just in front of red and white Ocean Cape

Back to Ron Francis Marina

The tension I felt riding a moped doesn’t even come close to what I was feeling on our way across the Strait of Georgia today. We, of course, checked the weather channel and the report was for swells up to two feet with winds 10 to 15 mph.  We had been in much worse conditions before and have heard similar forecasts and experienced a flat calm crossing…so we decided to go…but they lied.

Going through Active Pass was easy but once out in the Strait the waves grew in intensity. For three hours we were pounded by waves up to four feet. I was feeling quite nauseous and with the rocking of the boat, I stayed glued to my chair. We were moving into the waves so the boat’s motion was a forward rocking motion but then we got hit broadside and the boat pitched from side to side. The first casualty was the small desk in the wheelhouse which shook loose and crashed to the floor with phones, cameras and David’s computer hitting the floor and scattering.

About that time, David said that it was going to be another 2 hours to English Bay or we could go another 45 minutes and get to the Fraser River. I didn’t hesitate…”Head for the river!”

Up to that point we knew that there were items on the floor in the galley and salon which were knocked off their shelves. We heard a whirring noise and could not figure out what it could be. David climbed over the desk and the mind field of pans, pots and cookbooks and found that it was the blender that somehow had been turned on!

                                                    Galley Chaos!

I was heartened by the knowledge that the river was not far away but when we entered the Sandheads which is just before the mouth of the river, all heck broke loose.  We were getting hit on our side over and over by waves.  The boat pitched over so far that I truly believed that it was going to roll over. The aft bilge alarm started sounding but we knew the pump was on and it was not safe to move about to even check.

The big fear is certainly taking on water but you also have to be concerned about something being flung into the engine. There was nothing for us to do but have faith in our vessel and hold on. David was busy at the wheel while I kept very quiet and thought about all the actions that might have to be taken. I thought this misery would never end.

Once safely in the river channel, we surveyed the damage. What a disaster! Once I was able to walk around, I got busy cleaning up and that helped calm my nerves. There was tomato sauce and sausage on the floor that had splashed out from a pot that was still on top of the stove along with spices (some bottles broken), tea bags, pots, pans, and books. Miraculously, only one plate was broken! 

The biggest mess was in the machine room. David’s tools were everywhere! On the boat deck we found that our skiff had slid off the rear cradle and the bottom had been punctured by the sharp edge of it. How the strap which is secured over the motor came unfastened, which would have kept the boat in place, is a mystery to us (we do know that it was secured before leaving). The large table housing our chairs and large float scooted across the upper deck and over a 2 inch high 4 inch wide ridge of metal.

                                             Machine Room Mess!

The paint locker on the deck opened up and also the latches on the bulwark doors somehow became unlatched in the rolling and pitching, and we figure we lost at least two gallon cans of paint overboard.

There were many lessons learned from this experience. This was the scariest crossing in all the years we have been cruising, and we have had some tense crossings in the past.  We both have a renewed confidence in the Belle and how well she can handle perilous waters.

The docking at our home marina was our final challenge, and we had to fight against a swift current. I said a silent prayer pleading that after what we had just been through, a smooth docking would be most appreciated. Someone was listening.

Hope you have enjoyed our tales. Stay tuned…there will be more to come!

                                                                                           Dave and Pat Hitchcock

                                             Our mighty and much loved hero...

June 3, 2014 Galiano Island..Day 2

June 3, 2014

Galiano Island…Day Two

The night was beautifully still but this morning brought along some breezes. The little café looked interesting yesterday so we motored over and had some coffee and muffins. We had called the moped rental guy earlier and he was meeting us at noon.

Ralph and Rocky, husband and wife and owners of the rental shop, met us and they were as delightful as could be. Ralph spent a great deal of time pointing out on a map where all the points of interest were on the island. We selected our helmets (mine was sparkly gold) and headed for the mopeds they had chosen for us. They knew that I was a newbie so had me do a few test runs. Ralph had said, “If you can ride a bike, you can ride a moped. All you need is balance.”  I had not been on a bike since the kids were young, and that balance thing is getting harder to sustain.

When David and I were first married, he had me try out his motorcycle (Honda 360). It was exhilarating when I was zooming along…it was the stopping that freaked me out. I would stop but never get my feet on the ground fast enough. The bike fell over on me twice!  Once I got on the moped the fear of stopping took over me. Instead of using the brake efficiently, I would try to stop it with my feet…I was going to be sure my feet were on the ground…it was a gradual stop.

Rocky watched me as I practiced. I wasn’t wobbling but David said I definitely looked tentative…I am glad they didn’t see the fear in my eyes! Rocky kept asking, “How do you feel Pat. Are you OK?”  “Oh, I’ll do fine. Just need to practice.”  I wasn’t hyperventilating at that point so able to speak.

Rocky suggested taking the park road first to get used to it which we did. David had me slowdown and practice using the brake over and over again which greatly helped.  I would only go about 20 to 25 miles an hour and David had difficulty controlling his bike at that slow a pace (his bike was a smidge bigger). Going downhill scared me to death…I never liked downhill skiing or going downhill on my bike either and there were several hills to navigate. Those hills, however, did provide great braking practice.

It was really the cars coming up behind me that would make me question my reasons for doing this. At one point a truck with a light bar had to slow down behind me on a winding road. I finally was able to get over to the shoulder and slow down (there were no safe places to pull over and stop) and as it passed, I realized it was a RCMP officer!  A big dump truck was breathing down my neck at one time, as well. I am sure the drivers of the cars behind me were using some choice words but they were kind enough not to share them with me.

We made one stop at Lover’s Leap which was quite tempting!  You first, David!!  My neck and shoulders were so tense and my hands hurt so much from gripping the throttle and brake. David was kind enough to massage my shoulders for me and just getting off and walking for a time was the break I needed.

                                                                     A much calmer me

We cruised to the north end of the island and back about 30 miles. It took us nearly 2 1/2 hours!  On the way back I broke 40 mph at one point (which was the speed limit), and I was able to keep up with David much better.  The more I drove, the more I relaxed and the more I enjoyed it. I wasn’t really able to sightsee along the way because I wouldn’t take my eyes off the road but we did encounter some deer that were frozen in amazement as we zoomed by. One of the more difficult aspects of my experience was that I could not brush away the hair in my eyes or the bugs on my face…wouldn’t take my hands off the controls!!

David was ready to zoom into town but I had had enough for my first attempt. I was a mass of tight aching muscles. Now we have something left to explore on our next trip here. I’ll pray the pub bus will be running.

We had discussed getting a two person moped for the boat to have for shore exploring but after over 2 hours on these contraptions, we both came to the same conclusion…they are just not that comfortable for the long haul. My legs were just too long, and I could never find the right spot on the seat so that my back was not strained. I suggested bikes instead…as long as the tires are wide and there aren’t a lot of scary hills, I will be fine. 

We leave tomorrow via Active Pass. It will be about a 6 hour journey. We hope to anchor in False Creek at Granville Island which we have never done together. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

                                                         A humorous sign at the harbor

                                                        David is three games ahead!! Drat!

Montague Bay on Galiano Island

                                                 Look what we pulled up with the anchor!
                                                                   Catch of the Day!

June 2, 2014

Montague Bay on Galiano Island

We hit the motherlode with our crab pots this morning! We snagged 15 but unfortunately, only four were keepers. Oh, well, better than an empty pot. Our prawn trap yield zero. We need to do some reading up on prawn trapping. It probably wasn’t deep enough. The prawn bait we bought was some of the stinkiest stuff I have ever encountered!  Once again, the chicken in the crab pots was all gone but we think it’s the smell of the prawn heads that is really attracting them.

                                                                     Fresh crab tonight!

Our trip here was about 2 hours. I suggested that we tow the skiff behind us. Most boats do, and I thought that in an emergency situation, having the skiff already in the water in case we needed it would be a good thing. We made it to Montague Bay without losing it, but when we were anchoring, David started to go in reverse to test how secure we were, and he remembered the skiff line. Don’t want it to wrap itself around the propeller…bad news. So he had to bring it along side before reversing. Another procedure to work on and master!

After washing off all the anchor mud that had accumulated on the decks and putting away all the trap gear, we sat down and enjoyed a margarita. David shared with me his conversation with the Canadian Customs agent a few days ago regarding the booze on board. We were fine because our spirit bottles were only partially full. Many years ago when we were checking in, David reported that we had a number of bottles of spirits and wine. The agent informed him that a duty of $500 would have to be paid!  Needless to say, David was dumbfounded. The agent put him on hold for a time and when she got back she said they would only charge us $250. They conveniently take Visa or Mastercard over the phone. We now carefully watch how much alcohol we are carrying. They always ask about cigars, too.

There are a lot more boats here compared to our visit last time in autumn. We were disappointed to find out that the summer bus to the Hummingbird Pub from the marina doesn’t begin until June 14^th…missed it again!! We will probably stay here two days before heading across the Strait of Georgia. Can’t believe it’s already June!

While filling up our fuel tanks on the skiff, David met Dan who had just purchased the marina two weeks ago! Sure hope he will be ready for what’s sure to be a hectic summer. At the marina there’s a small grocery store with lots of souvenirs, an art shop, moped and kayak rentals and a coffee and bakery café.

We cruised around the bay and stopped at the Lady Ann, a Pilgrim 40 which, in my opinion, was the sweetest boat in the harbor.  The owners sold their home in 1998 and have been “live aboards” ever since. This is their final cruise. They are selling their boat and buying an RV.  They are tired of the maintenance and physical labor that living on a boat takes and will be trading in their propeller for wheels.

                                                         Lady Ann

We sat out on the bow waiting for the sunset. Apparently there is a spot on the island that has been voted as having one of the world’s best sunset views. Ours was pretty spectacular from where we were sitting. We enjoyed our books, sipping on wine and listening to Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. David kept saying, “What have we done in our lives to deserve this?” It was definitely a special moment for us.

                               A boat, some crab, a glass of wine and a camera.

 Yep, it was another wonderful sunset                                                  

June 1, 2014 Lyall Harbour, Saturna Island

                                                         Wanna come sit with me?

June 1, 2014

Lyall Harbour, Saturna Island, Gulf Islands

I’m getting used to these lazy mornings. We didn’t weigh anchor until almost noon and it only took 1 ½ hours to arrive here.  We have a fishing license for Canada so readied our crab pots and decided to drop a prawn pot for the first time, as well.

We just watched a boat pick up two of his pots and he had some crab so we are hopeful. We dropped our prawn pot in shallower water than we wanted…only about 90 feet…but we didn’t want to venture out too far into the Sound in our skiff.

                                                       Hope Floats

We have never explored this bay before and it was quite easy entering and anchoring. It’s a cozy little spot with lots of homes peaking out amongst the thick woods.  We are surrounded by steep rocky shores and for the time being, we are the only boat anchored in the bay.

There’s a ferry dock at the entrance to the bay. We are sure that Monday morning we are going to see some action as some islanders head back to work or out for some fun.

We took a “nosey cruise” around the bay. The main street in the small village is named Sunset Blvd which I thought amusing but it does offer a great view of the sunset each evening. We ate at the Lighthouse Pub near the ferry terminal and sat outside enjoying the beautiful evening. Took a stroll uphill from the pub and found the Double Decker Bus Café which is actually housed in…you guessed it…an old double decker bus.

                                                             Double Decker Bus Café

We stopped at the Town Hall to read the bulletin board and on it was a poster advertising the photo show of a local artist. She had taken portraits of the “Sirens of Saturna” and if the rest of her photos are as fun as the ladies’ group picture on the poster, it would be well worth viewing. Hey, Jan, how about doing a photo shoot of the "Sirens of the Sierra"?  Ha!

                                             A "table" with a view

                                           David's famous lamb shanks

May 29 Back to Blind Bay

                                                          Another beautiful sunset
                                           

May 29, 2014

Back to Blind Bay, Shaw Island and on to Stuart Island for the First Time…then back to Canada

Fierce winds blew last night which caused a restless sleep for both of us. We took off around 7:30 this morning and headed for Shaw Island. We cruised through Thatcher Pass for the first time…some strong currents. It’s also a ferry route so needed to be vigilant.

We saw two whale watching boats and I suggested we just follow them! No way could we have kept up with them. When they slowed down, I noticed loads of people on the bow, so grabbed the binoculars convinced that a whale had been spotted but, alas, no luck.

We are now anchored in Blind Bay on Shaw Island for the third time this trip. This has been a real find for anchoring. We were going to head for Fisherman Bay on Lopez Island but were discouraged by shallow depths, rocks and boaters’ cautionary tales in Oak Harbor. It was recommended that we try Stuart Island where we have never been, so tomorrow we are off to Reid Harbor.

After a very leisurely morning, it took a little over 2 hours to weave our way through many small islands to reach Reid Harbor on Stuart Island. This island is the northwestern most island of the San Juans and practically leans on the Canadian border. We have never been here before and it is always exciting to make new discoveries. There is a State Park on the island with a long trail leading to an old schoolhouse and lighthouse which we plan to explore tomorrow morning. It is a beautiful little spot, and we are happy to be here.

This would be a perfect spot to kayak but not sure I will be able to convince David to give it a try again.  We don’t have the hooks necessary to clip our boat ladder on so it would mean another gigantic step down into the kayak which was nearly our undoing the first time. I suggested that we tie the kayak up to the side of our skiff so we would be level with it and just roll ourselves into place. I think David is just too fearful of us getting into real trouble. We’ll just practice at home. There have been several kayakers gliding by our boat. Someday, it will be us. 

                                               A lovely coastal path

There is such great protection in Reid Harbor that the evening and morning were so still…just lovely.  We took our dinghy to the State Park dock around 10 a.m. and decided to do the eastern coastal walk making our way through forests of madrone, pine and cedar.  It was a narrow up and down path…a work out.  We realized once we had finished our trek that the school house we had been told about was off on a separate trail along private property so we missed it. Oh, well, next time. We will be back.

One of my jobs is to clean off the anchor. This time it was the worst muddy mess I have ever encountered!  The mud was thick and sticky…like wet cement and had shells encrusted in it to make it even more challenging. It took me forever to get it washed off. I get so involved with this task; I sometimes forget that we are actually moving. I have learned to always wear a life jacket because I have to lean over the bow…one rogue wave, and then it’s one big splash!

On our way to Bedwell Harbour to check in with Canadian Customs, David called me over to see a group of whale watching boats that seemed to have spotted something. There were at least six boats and a few sailboats idling near each other. David saw something in the water and handed me the binoculars and, by golly…THERE WERE WHALES!!!

 Five or six orca whales were being most cooperative giving the passengers their money’s worth. It was the first time we have seen whales while boating and this was a special moment for us. The whales were quite playful splashing about in the water giving everyone quite the show but much too far away for any good photos. You will just have to take my word for it!

On the radio there was a report that a kayaker had paddled the wrong direction away from his group of eight. The Coast Guard put out the word and he was spotted by several boats. One boater was able to hail him, surprised him by knowing his name, and then told him he needed to turn around. There was also another sailboat taking on water near Bellingham and was quickly assisted by another boater.  In a stern “teacher voice” a woman Coast Guard radio operator gave strict warning about allowing your children to play on the radio.  Summer has begun!

No problem with Customs…they let us in again with just a phone call.  When we spoke to boaters in Oak Harbor they had told us that they had been boarded more than once by the Canadian Coast Guard. Sometimes they have just come along side them while cruising and asked to come aboard. We never have experienced that…knock on wood. (Hey, Geoff, they asked if you were with us!)

                                                 One of the jaguars on view at Poet's Cove

Took our dinghy over to the dock at Poet’s Cove resort. David had to get on the internet to do some work and a beer sounded mighty good to me. We discovered a display of jaguars…vintage and new…just outside the bar. The proud owners obviously had polished up their engines for the occasion because those with their bonnets up were pristine.

Have to figure out where we are headed tomorrow. Somewhere new, I hope. So much from which to choose!

Boat names…

C-Shel

E-Ticket

Water Rat  (simply messing about in boats!)

Crew’s Control

Cribbage update:  David is ahead by 2 games…

                              That poor dog was sitting patiently in the sun!

                                            A dinghy named Water Rat

                               

May 28th Oak Harbor

                                  Just a minor miscalculation! Time flies when you're having fun!

May 28, 2014

Still Oak Harbor

After a romantic anniversary dance in our salon, we headed for bed.  I woke up in the middle of the night with a raging headache (must have had a wee bit too much to drink) and when I was reaching for the Advil, I thought of our son who is turning 34 very soon. Then it dawned on me, if Bryan is turning 34 then we have been married longer than 35 years!

When I got back into bed I said to David, “Honey, I think we have been married 36 years. If you do the math…subtract 1978 from 2014…you get 36.”  David sleepily responded, “Do you even count that first year?” Geez…

When we were waiting for the taxi last night, David could see our boat and he noticed that I had left all the fenders down on the port side. I had put them down when we docked to get fuel and forgot about them. I was concentrating on preparing the starboard for docking at our moorage space. He chastised me, and we laughed about how shabby it made the Belle look not to mention the tackiness of it all having the unsightly fenders dangling over the side…never claimed to have any class.

Took advantage of the free Island Transit and took a ride to Coupeville which is a sweet coastal town with a small historic section.  We stopped in for ice cream which was my plan all along.

We stood and watched seagulls on the shell encrusted beach pecking at the  mussels. They would pick a shell up in their beaks, fly into the air and drop it to break it open. Pretty good for a bird brain. This area is known for their Penn Cove mussels.

Later that day we walked over to the Oak Harbor Yacht Club. When I called to make a reservation for dinner, I was asked what yacht club we were members of…I quickly said, “We met JJ last night and he invited us.”  That’s all it took.  We saw JJ this evening and he introduced us to a great group of people with whom we shared a table. JJ is the Vice Commodore and you could tell he was a well respected gentleman.

                           Ordering a cocktail at the Oak Harbor Yacht Club

One of our table mates was trying to convince us to buy a house near him in Mariner’s Cove which has a 60 ft dock…a mere $575,000.  We were also told that there was space available here at Oak Harbor Marina, and if we moored here we could then become Yacht Club members. We have only encountered the nicest people here.

The rain that was expected rolled in around midnight last night and today was dry.  It is now quite windy and cold. We will decide tomorrow morning whether we stay or set off for either Friday Harbor or Blind Bay as a half-way point back to Canada.

                                            View from the bar-b-cue station at the Yacht Club

                                                                  Crane on the dock!                   

May 27th Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island

                                                   Belweather Hotel in Bellingham

May 27^th

Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island

Rain and wind conditions were expected so we decided to stay another day at Bellingham. This bonus day gave us a chance to get the Belle shipshape and our bodies a bit more rested. This vacationing takes a lot out of you!

Took a walk and found some fish and chips at the Bella Dona near the fishing boat marina. Out of curiosity, we walked into the Harbor Office and asked about moorage. To our astonishment, we were told there was a 10 year waiting list!!  We were only looking for maybe a couple of months but even that isn’t a possibility unless someone vacates their spot for that long.  Quite a popular place!

It was a 6:00 shove off this morning (ugh!).  The weather was perfect and the ride through Deception Pass was trickier than David expected at slack tide but manageable. When we cruised by the La Connor Channel we witnessed a convoy of crab fishing boats speeding out off to work.

 After almost 6 hours of cruising, we arrived at the fuel dock in Oak Harbor. We were going with the tide so reached almost 12 knots…we were racing across the water!  David had checked fuel prices and once again the best bargain was here, plus we got free moorage for filling up!

David is in his element here in Oak Harbor. We have had several curious boaters visit us on the dock asking questions about the Belle. David loves “show and tell”.  For whatever reasons, good or not so good, she definitely stands out wherever she goes.

We are celebrating our 35^th wedding anniversary today!  The fuel dock operator gave us a recommendation for a “gourmet” restaurant in walking distance.  The wine will flow tonight!  Hopefully, we lovebirds will find our way back to the boat…

We have surpassed our 3,000 total nautical miles (since connecting our navigation system) on this trip.  Cheers to us!

                                        Enjoying watching the chefs at work

It’s 8:30 in the evening right now and we have just returned from a marvelous dinner at Fraser’s.  We sat at the bar and watched the chefs perform their magic before being seated at our table. They put on quite a show for us. I had black cod (sable fish) in a saffron sauce that was amazing! We reminisced about our 35 years together…what a ride!

We are trying to decide whether or not to stay another night.  There is another storm coming in tomorrow, and we were invited by one of the yacht club members to come over to their “club house” for a chicken and steak dinner Wednesday night…”Best deal in town”.  

While waiting for our taxi tonight (my dress shoes were not walking shoes), the fuel dock attendant and the VP stopped to ask us if we wanted a ride to the restaurant. This has to be one of the friendliest marinas we have ever visited. David was engaged in conversation earlier today for at least 30 minutes with a gentleman who shared his tales of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean and working various jobs in all the different ports. Fellow boaters here are quite helpful and gregarious.

                                         This was absolutely delicious!

 A monument to the grand purse seiners which was another lifetime for our Lillian Belle.

May 24th Bellingham, WA

                                                         Story time in the wheelhouse

 May 24, 2014

Bellingham, WA

We arrived here in the late morning and our usual guest moorage spot was taken so we went over to “O” dock for a change. Two other boats soon snuggled up to us and the docks were full by late afternoon. There is a “Ski to Sea” Wounded Warrior event this weekend so plenty of people have arrived to either participate or cheer for their team.  It was raining during the kayaking and running portion of the event. Washingtonians never seem to let the rain get in the way of fun…and with the amount of precipitation they get a year, a tolerance for damp weather is certainly a necessity of life!

David was exhausted so the ladies thought we would take a walk and give him some snooze time. We walked over to the park thinking that Ada might like the slides. By the time we got there, she was out like a light. We sat and watched the kite flyers. There were several and all had rather sophisticated kites with two handles controlling them. One fellow was being powered on his skateboard by his kite. We were sitting enjoying the show when one kite dive bombed into the tree above us! 

We had a lovely dinner onboard and then just played with Ada until bedtime. Lights out for Ada…lights out for Nana and Papa!

On Sunday we walked to town. David showed Ashley and Ada his favorite hang-out…the boat shop… and we strolled the streets searching for a lunch spot. We found “Bayou on the Bay” which served the best Cajun Bloody Marys, shrimp and grits, gumbo and pork po’boys. Ada sat near the stairway and she would wave to everyone coming up and going down.

                            Papa has found a new favorite restaurant!

                           Papa took us to the Boat Shop Basement

                                

We have been to Bellingham on several occasions but this time I saw it in a new light. I could live here. The town is just the right size with theaters, lots of cafes, galleries and path around the marina is a huge asset to the community, and it has a wonderful maritime history. I suggested we look into an extended moorage during the summer one of these years. The kids could easily fly up to see us and there is plenty to do with the San Juans in easy reach.

 

Ashley and Ada headed home at 3:00 today. We are back on the boat and it is far too quiet.  

                                             Saying "Good-bye"

                                                      I'll be back!