JUNE 19, 2016 SQUIRREL COVE, DESOLATION SOUND

                                                BREAKFAST IS SERVED
JUNE 19, 2016

SQUIRREL COVE, DESOLATION SOUND

We have been conserving water as best we can but we have already drained half our tank in just 7 days. We need to do better.  Knowing that Bruce had set up everything for us to take on water from his well, I took a much needed shower and even washed our sheets. It is Father’s Day, after all!

Bruce and Anita’s slice of heaven here on Cortez Island has always been a lovely destination for us. The only thing missing is, Anita and Bruce!  They left to attend a granddaughter’s graduation in Surrey. We spent the day cleaning, doing laundry and tackling minor projects. One of the neighbors came by admiring our boat and took some photos. That always puffs us up.

Another neighbor and his son went off fishing in the early afternoon returning with some beauties…rock fish.  We were told the secret to their success was using a Gibbs lure. We checked at the Squirrel Cove General Store across the bay but they were sold out…not such a secret, eh?

                                                 ONLY AT HIGH TIDE FUEL DOCK

We filled our 5 gallon tanks on the dinghy. We calculated the cost was about $5.00 a gallon. We won’t be filling the Belle here, that’s for sure! Met one of the new owners of the store…he seemed quite happy to be here and had the most pleasing and friendly manner. We wish him luck.

We were sitting on the bow reading when we heard a loud thump. Upon investigation, David realized the tide had dropped so rapidly and drastically, that we were now stern on rocks. What is it about rocks this trip?

We tried several times to move the Belle forward but it just kept sliding back. All there was to do was wait for the tide to flow back in and lift us up before we could move the boat forward away from the rocks. When we came in, we lined the Belle up with our friend’s boat the same way we did on our last visits. We did not notice that the WestBerg was now set further back closer to the rocks to allow their skiff to be tied up in front of their boat rather than behind it as was the case during our last trips here. We were not as observant as we should have been

                                                        TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT

We have been spending 2 days at each destination on this trip so far. It’s a much more relaxed trip and that’s a good thing. David loves to tinker and this gives him time to do that without being rushed.  Right now he is installing a pulley on the dinghy for pulling up our shrimp pots. You have to drop them in 300 ft+ waters so hauling them up by hand is an exhausting task. David did it once…never again. This will save us the energy needed to prepare and eat them!

Father’s Day was made perfect by a phone call from Ashley and a text from Bryan and his good buddy, Brandon. We were not able to get the Warriors game on the radio and couldn’t go to bed until we found out what the outcome was. Called Ashley and just the mournful sound of her, “Hello” said it all. There’s always next year, right?

Our friends are building their own small cabin on their property. Last time we were here, it was just a shell and Bruce was working on the loft floor. Now it is all enclosed and siding, decks and walkways are taking shape. They are doing such an amazing job and we marvel at what they have accomplished on their own (with some help from neighbors and family). By next year, they should be snug in their new home looking out at their incredible view of the bay. Not bad.

                                                         MAKING PROGRESS

We are considering cutting our trip short a week so that we can get back to our home marina and work on repairs to the starboard side of the boat. We did manage to scrape her pretty hard during the Rosetta Rock incident. Bummer.

Took a 15 minute dinghy ride over to Refuge Cove to see if they had the lures we needed. It’s a cozy little marina with great ice cream. We did find the wonder lure. We are now armed and ready to take on the rockfish. Hoping to go out fishing tonight if it is calm.

There was a notice at Refuge Cove stating that the red tide warning had been lifted as of June 15^th. David has been chomping at the bit to go digging for clams, but I am still wary.

                                                               Low tide...steep climb!