Burial Cove

                                                  Blue Heron

 BURIAL COVE

HALLALUJAH!!!!  We finally had a bear sighting!  A cinnamon mama bear and her two cubs walked right pass a house on the shore.  The dogs and birds were going crazy, and David spotted them first and yelled to me from the dinghy.  I’m still smiling.

 Mama and cubs ran right in front of this house...not quick enough with the camera!

                    

 I was able to find cell coverage on our way here. It had been 8 days since we had contacted the kids. I texted Ashley and then she called right back. It was so great to finally get to talk with her and catch up on the news at home. Not being able to text or call for days on end has been the most difficult aspect of our trip. Next time, we will try SPOT so our kids can track our progress, and we can send out frequent short notices to let them know we are OK.

We lost our wooden wedge (peg) that we have been using on the anchor wheel to stifle the squeaks as the chain shifts from the pull of the anchor. I didn’t notice that it was in place before I started to lower the anchor, and it popped into the water. We watched it float with the current to shore, but David has taken two exploration trips searching in the dinghy with no luck. It’s out there somewhere. It’s one of the originals so would like to find it.

                  Saw a winch just like this at Billy's museum. This one looks like it is still being used.

There are at least four houses on shore along with two large boathouses. The extending docks and floats are certainly limiting the amount of anchorage available in this small cove. The two golden retrievers who inhabit one homestead seem right at home riding in their owner’s dinghy and wandering the docks. Their barking is what alerted David to the bear on the shore. He happened to be taking the dinghy right to the spot where the bears were headed. Good thing he was still in the boat and not on the shore…mama bear may not have been too pleased to see him.

While we were sitting in the wheelhouse reading, a bright orange boat with orange clad occupants glided over to our boat. The official looking young men were members of the Canadian Search and Rescue Team. They are based on Vancouver Island but also serve the islands here. They were just on an exploring expedition to familiarize themselves with the area. One friendly gentleman was very curious about our boat, and David was more than willing to share its history.

The next day was a rainy one. It’s great to have some much needed moisture, but it puts a crimp in our plans to jump in the dinghy and explore the area. We have spent the time cleaning, reading, working on the radar system, and enjoying David’s crab bisque. There is a sense of satisfaction when the boat is shipshape, but I could sweep the floors twice a day and they would still not stay debris free for very long. Having to limit our clothes washing makes clean sheets and towels a great cause for celebration on the Belle.

                        We were surprised to find so much development here.

                         

 

We need to navigate through the Johnstone Strait tomorrow and it is notorious for its unforgiving winds and waves. We will be listening closely to the weather report later this afternoon and will make a decision when to leave here or if it’s wiser to stay another day. It’s great to have the flexibility to change plans. We have been under some strict time constraints on past trips which demanded that we push forward in spite of reservations, and it was often not the best decision.

                                       Heading for Johnstone Strait

  

The rain let up allowing a brief window of opportunity for a cruise in the dinghy. I finally got smart and grabbed one of our float cushions to sit on and it definitely made the ride more enjoyable and drier. We discovered more houses in the area and disturbed many a heron as we glided past. Tried again to find our wooden wedge but only found huge rocks in shallow waters and a widespread kelp bed.  Looks like our lost wedge will be calling this home.

Cribbage update:  David is 3 games ahead. Every game has been a close one within two or three pegs.

Another Fun Boat Name:   Plan B