Squirrel Cove

                              Our friends, Bruce and Anita on their dock in Squirrel Cove

SQUIRREL COVE, SECOND DAY

There we were…I was sitting on the bow reading and David was in the galley cooking dinner…when a harbor boat came up close to us and someone yelled, “Nice boat”.  This does happen often… curious people cruise by to get a closer look at the boat, but there was something about that voice…

It turned out that our visitors were former dock neighbors on the Fraser River, Bruce and Anita!  We had not seen them for over a year, and they had BIG news to share with us.  They had purchased 7 ½ acres of land right here in Squirrel Cove and were in the process of building a cabin.

After visiting for a while with them and their grandson, Aidan, we headed over to their “little piece of heaven” diagonally across from the market. What really sold them this property was the 50 foot dock and ramp that came with it. Their loyal boat, WestBerg, was tied to their dock looking quite at home.

We were given a tour of the grounds and construction project.  What an incredible spot they have overlooking their sweet cove. They had cut down, stripped and hauled into place 9 huge fir log timbers for their cabin. These massive logs provide the vertical structure to their 24X24 cabin. This is considered a secondary building so there were size restrictions. If down the line they decide to build a primary residence, it can be as large as they want.  

                                                   It's a good start!

We were going to head out of Squirrel Cove this morning but instead took a short jaunt to their dock and rafted along side them. They very generously shared their well water with us so we could fill our fresh water tank. When the tide is low, Anita promises a beach for clam digging and oysters. Should be quite a feast tonight!

Well, Anita sure came through with her promise!  We barely had to sweep away the pebbles to reach the mud and clams started popping out all over!  I had never been clam digging before, but David had and he kept commenting, “I have never seen so many clams in one scoop before!”  We were so excited...like little kids... and came away with a large bucketful. We gathered some of those yummy oysters, as well. 

                                             David on a clam hunt

The crustacean feast that night was unbelievable!  David was beside himself as he shucked the oyster shells, applied the hot sauce and let them slide on down. I am not an oyster fan so just concentrated my efforts on the olive bread that Anita had picked up fresh that day. Aidan had whipped up some ratatouille for us that was delicious.  He had promised us lingcod but, try as he might, he couldn’t land one for us.  As a young fisherman, he sure showed patience and perseverance. 

                                                     Happy Hunters

Bruce very generously loaned us some of his charts which we were not able to purchase before the trip. We have a book of charts and lots of informational books, but were not able to find the official Canadian charts. Our having his charts assures him and Anita that there will be a return visit on our way back to New Westminster…lucky for us!

Anita suggested we exchange books which was such a great idea. We now have several new additions to our library and room to put them. She shared Disordered Minds by Minette Walters with us, and I don’t want to put it down.

Clam chowder tonight!

                                                                                                                                          

                                   A great evening with friends and shellfish

                                      

Squirrel Cove...First NIght

                                        Excellent store in Squirrel Cove with fresh vegetables

SQUIRREL COVE, CORTES ISLAND

Our journey here took only an hour, and a half and we easily found a sheltered anchoring spot behind Protection Island. We will have lots of neighbors tonight unlike our cozy cove in Galley Bay. We are pleased that we arrived early to stake our claim since we secured lots of swing room. Anchored near to us is a mighty fine boat, a Nordic Tug. With all due respect to my dear Lillian Belle, this is the boat I would like to own in my next boating life.

Cortes Island is actually part of the Discovery Islands and not part of the Desolation Sound Marine Park and a fair amount of the adjacent shoreline is the Klahoose First Nations Reserve.  Their village near the entrance to the cove is marked by the tall spire of a church. Squirrel Cove is a large area with many nooks and crannies in which to anchor. We took a long skiff tour of the bay and found some more oyster beds, lagoons, and even some beaches. 

                                    First Nation's church and village

We noticed right away the large sign warning that the harvesting of any shell fish is prohibited in the bay where we are anchored. No crab pots down tonight! We need to find out what the fishing regulations are in this area. You generally receive all that information when you purchase your fishing license, but we got our license on-line.

Made a trip to the local market and David was thrilled to find some good looking tomatoes and onions. I was excited about finding some pretzels…it’s the simple pleasures in life that make the difference.

                                            Nordic Tug...my next boat

                                                   Oysters galore!

Galley Bay

                                                                 Will it fit in the pot?

GALLEY BAY

It’s our second day in Galley Bay…an anchorage with a magnificent view. David greeted me this morning with, “The silence is deafening around here.” When it finally got dark around 11:00 last night, it was really, really dark…cave with no lantern dark. The only complaint is the constant annoyance of mosquitoes and wasps that seem to love me. Hand me that fly swatter!

We have taken over this small cove with the mass of our boat. Thought we would attach a stern line but then spotted signs all along the shore…”Private Property”… so we just swing with the current.

Spent the morning studying charts and books to plan out our next move. Looks like we will just take a short cruise tomorrow to Squirrel Cove on Cortez Island. David is thinking we should plan more time in The Broughtons since Desolation Sound is more accessible to us for future destinations. We will skip visiting the “hot spots” such as Refuge Cove and return when it is not the high season for boaters…too much competition for space in those most popular areas, and we need a lot of space! 

                                          Entering Desolation Sound

We took our skiff out for a cruise around the bay during the late morning. Spotted some very nice cabins with docks and solar panels. This is a part of a Marine Park, but apparently, these homes were here before the park, so they remained private property. We gazed at them with envy. Sure would be nice. There’s only one other boat anchored on the other side of the Bay. We definitely found the ideal spot for our first venture into the Sound.

Braved the kayak again tonight. Our first attempt a year ago was not all that successful. I still have not mastered the “art of the oar” but David is quite skilled at keeping us on course and going forward. We glided over to a section of the Bay that had incredible oyster beds.  Thousands of shelled creatures clung to the rocky shore and surfaced rocks. David was salivating. Returning to the boat, I attempted my dismount, though comical and awkward, I managed not to send David overboard. Much to be practiced and learned, but it sure was peaceful and great fun.

 

                                                          Snug in our little cove

David decided to clean the canvas “windows” and was dangling from the back of our boat. My job was to hand him materials and fish him out of the water if it came to that. I have to admit the scrub really made a difference…we have a lovely view from the stern now. We decided to tow our skiff so now we can actually see if it is still behind us as we motor on and that’s a good thing.

I am trying to get up earlier these days. The mornings are incredibly lovely. David still beats me by hours and this morning he started painting the railing up on the boat deck before I got up. Unlike David, I am never thinking about projects that need to be done when we are cruising…I am in total vacation mode.

Anchor up late morning and off to Squirrel Cove.

 

                                  Risking life and limb for clear windows!

                                                    Making waves

                                   

Pender Harbour

                                                                  We have arrived!

We are now docked at the Fisherman’s Resort and Marina in Pender Harbour. We have been here before and love it. Last time we were here, we connected with friends of Jessica’s, Kusum and Tom, who own and operate the Sundowner Inn. The building used to be the old hospital. We got a tour last time and they have created a very inviting and lovely get-a-way. Hopefully, we will get to see them again this trip. We try to stick to a minimum of two nights at a destination. It will be a welcomed relief to have some down time after the long cruise we had (and early morning!).  I might even catch up with my blog.

Whiskey Gulf was actively testing explosives starting at 7 a.m. this morning, so David figured a way to skirt along the no-boating zone up around the west end of Lasquiti and Texada Islands. We saw one pleasure boat in the restricted area and he was courteously warned by the Winchelsea Island Look-out Station and asked to vacate the area (thankfully, he was not used for target practice!)

It was a five hour trek across to Pender Harbour where we were met by Steve at the marina and given a helping hand with docking. Phew!

We had a windy night in Nanaimo but this morning the waters were calm. David brought a cup of coffee to me around 6:00 a.m. and said, “You know, the earlier we leave, the smoother the waters.”  We hauled out of there at 7:00.

                                 Our temporary home at Fisherman's Marina

In Nanaimo, a boat similar to ours cruised by and the owner yelled out, “How old is she?”  David yelled back that our boat was built in 1946. She responded, “Ours is 1945…we beat you by a year!”  We wooden boat people are competitive.

I am enjoying a cocktail as I write…a dark and stormy, to be exact. It’s good to have a bartender aboard.

Early evening we walked to the Green Bay Pub to hear a blues singer. He was wonderfully entertaining. We plan to head up again tonight to enjoy his music.  I had almost 11 hours of sleep last night!  I even slept through the noise of the bow thrusters on the yacht docked behind us early this morning. Wait until our neighbors hear our engine start up tomorrow morning!

                                            Path to the Green Bay Pub

Docking is so different from anchoring. We have very close neighbors and we aren’t used to hearing whole conversations from nearby boats. We are docked next to a very nice man who owns a home on Dodds Narrows. He is quite entertained watching boats navigate through that pass especially when there is a tug and barge going through and other boats are in panic mode.

The sun rises around 5:30 and it is still light at 10:00.  We’re in bed usually around 9:00…not quite the party animals.  Last night, we could hear the conversation of our neighbors outside our opened stateroom windows...felt like we were guests at the party. We tend to leave our stateroom windows   open as well as our stern door at night to let in the cool air. We might rethink the door, however, since we had an unexpected visitor last night.

Around midnight, David woke up hearing the sound of an animal leaving our stateroom. He jumped up and closed the door and then went to investigate. He found one of our plastic food containers which we store under the stove abandoned in the middle of the galley floor. He could hear a crinkling sound outside so he figured that what he discovered to be a raccoon, had indeed found something to eat. That morning we realized it was an energy bar stored in an open box under the sink in our stateroom. The raccoon had been right beside our bed…lucky for me, it was David’s side!

                          The potted plants all along the docks are a nice touch.

David discovered that the seagulls that followed us out of Nanaimo looking for food, were indeed angry. They left a major poop mess on our boat deck! A wash down is in order.

It is a lovely lazy day and we both needed it. Sat out on the bow this morning having breakfast and reading. Watched a few sailboat owners prepare to shove off. It’s quite the ritual. We heard the sounds of people greeting fellow boaters and friends discussing the weather and recent sailing adventures. It’s a good life.

                        Early morning relaxation with our mascot basil plant

Fun boat name:  Exit Plan

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

I stand corrected…the sun starts to peek out around 4:00 in the morning not 5:00. I know this because we were up at that ungodly hour in order to depart Hospital Bay and head north. We have a long voyage today so in spite of my sleepy protests, it makes sense to get an early start. Holding on to my third cup of coffee, I just wished I was more of a morning person.

We are cruising down Malaspina Strait at 7:30 a.m. with Texada Island on our port side. We are farther north than we have ever ventured. On to new adventures!

Yesterday we rejuvenated ourselves… no major chores. I am on my third book and David just started his fifth one.  It seems that the only time I have to read now is when we are boating. Filled our water tank, disposed of our garbage and got caught up on my blog while docked. We did return to the Green Bay Pub to enjoy the music last night. The local Slo-Cat operator (tours and taxi boat) got up and sang a couple of tunes. One of the chefs even accompanied the guitarist/singer with his flute. Is everyone in Pender Harbour musical? They do hold a Blues Festival and Jazz Festival each year. Would be fun to attend.

On our way to the pub we stopped in at the Sundowner Inn hoping to see Kusum and Tom. Unfortunately, they were not in so just left a card with some guests to give to them. Disappointing. They are such nice people. Their reviews on Yelp attest to their great hospitality at the Inn.

On the recommendation of our dock neighbors, we dropped a couple of crab pots last night and came up with one colossal crab!  We’ll have yummy appies tonight!

We had hoped to cruise up through the Princess Louisa Inlet to Chatterbox Falls while in the Pender Harbour area, but you have to pass through Malibu Rapids to get there.  We are such a slow moving vessel that timing the slack tide for us to be able to cross the Rapids within our “comfort zone” wasn’t going to happen. Perhaps on our way south we can try again.

Our goal today is to reach the entrance to Desolation Sound and anchor at Galley Bay.  We decided not to stop at Powell River or Lund on our way mainly because we did not want to deal with populated vacation destinations with little or no anchorage. More research needs to be done on these areas…we know that friends have really enjoyed their time in both spots so we’re sure they are worth exploring…maybe we’ll venture in on our way back after quizzing our friends about them.

We plan to attend a Pig Roast at Echo Bay in The Broughtons on July 17^th so have lots of time to mosey through the inlets of the Sound which promise to be breathtakingly beautiful.  We hope to connect with friends from the Fraser River, Dennis and Pam, before enjoying the pig roast together. Other than that, no plans at all…just taking it day by day. 

About 7 hours later, we arrived at Galley Bay on the Gifford Peninsula part of the Desolation Sound Marine Park and Predeaux Haven. We have a small cove all to ourselves, an excellent spot to practice our kayaking skills.

 Not sure what Captain Vancouver was thinking when he named this area “Desolation”…there’s no despair or misery about this place…absolutely serene and gorgeous…maybe he was just having a bad day.

I let David win at Cribbage…after all, it is Father’s Day!

 

PAT'S GALLERY

                                 

                                     

Famiy Visit

                                             

                                Skipper and Mighty Crew on Last Day in Bellingham

On our way to Ganges, we “reminisced” about several previous anchoring attempts there. We have always found it somewhat challenging trying to find the pockets of mud bottom where our anchor will hold instead of  hitting  rocks and drifting.  On our first attempt, we struck it just right!  But our smiles vanished when we spotted a crab pot floating way too close to our boat.  We weren’t comfortable so moved on. 

After crisscrossing the bay dodging boats and a bevy of crab pot floats and attempting SIX more times to hook our anchor, David had the grand idea to head for Goat Channel just on the other side of a narrow strip of land separating it from Ganges Bay. We hooked it first try!  We were exhausted but our spirits lifted and our frustration soon disappeared once we knew we had found our home for the night.

In the morning, we took our dinghy over to Ganges and shopped for groceries and hardware. I tried to find David a pair of jeans but the only ones I could find were $169!!  After checking out the Farmers’ Market, we found a great Pizza place which boasts, “The Best Pizza on Saltspring Island”. We  were definitely impressed.  The next morning we returned to the Treehouse Coffee House for a delicious breakfast.  There is an actual tree growing in the middle of this cafe with a rather low branch expertly avoided by our lovely tall waitress who commented that you only need to whack your head once to remember to duck

                                                             A stroll on Stuart Island

David has been twisted and scrunched in cramped quarters for 3 days trying to get our water maker working. We bought it used (spotted a new one for $22,000). Unfortunately, this morning, David threw in the towel. There were unrepairable  leaks so could go no further. We have been trying to make our boat as self-sufficient as possible. The water maker was one of the last steps. We haven’t given up on it yet but David is taking a break until further research can be done and his back straightens out!

                                             Our frustrating water maker

                          David finally relaxing after doing battle with the before mentioned machine.

We are anchored in Montague Bay on Galiano Island for the night. Here is where the “World Famous” Hummingbird Pub resides, and we hope to finally catch the bus at 5:00 to get there. In the past, we have come on the wrong day or during the wrong time of year when the bus wasn’t running. Since we have no cell coverage on the boat, we can’t call to confirm the bus schedule so fingers crossed.

                                          The Hummingbird Pub Express

The Hummingbird Bus turned out to be a real hoot!  The driver, Tommy, has been in the transit business for over 30 years, has written a book, and is now a motivational speaker.  He had us all playing tambourines to blasting rock music accompanied by his occasional drumming of the symbols above his head. He pointed out several interesting sights along our way.  His friendliness and spirit of fun was infectious! I overheard one passenger say, “It’s great when someone makes you laugh and smile like this.”

                                Our driver, Tommy, and his one-man band

                               Pat and the Pub's Friendly Garden Gargoyle

                 A real hummingbird at the Hummingbird Pub...imagine that!

We are now on our way to Nanaimo. We were set to haul anchor at 7:30 this morning but David noticed several boats leaving at 7:00 and heading north. On the notion that they probably knew something we didn’t know, we left early. Good thing because we are working against the current only going 5.3 knots.  We have to time our passage through Dodds Narrows at slack time so we should be in good shape for that.

We plan to stay in Nanaimo just one night before crossing the Straits. It all depends on the winds and if the restricted area Whiskey Gulf (WG) is clear. We do not want to tangle with their air and subsurface torpedo tests!

Several seagulls are circling our boat as we motor on. They probably think this is a real fishing vessel and that there will be fish pickings for breakfast. They are in for some real disappointment…Angry Birds!!  Maybe after 2 weeks of boating we are starting to smell a bit “fishy”…time to do some laundry.

                                          

 Hungry geese looking for a treat...got some bread then moved on to the next boat.

                                          Gotta have a sunset photo!

                                                    Montague Bay

                       

Bellingham

                               Anchored in Bellingham Bay the night before Bryan and gang arrive.

After ten days of cruising through the San Juan Islands with each day as beautiful as the day before, we are now on our way to Pender Island to check in with Canadian Customs and then will anchor at Ganges on Saltspring Island for two days.  We hope to peruse their Farmers’ Market on Tuesday to provision the boat with healthy veggies and fruit.

We had a solemn farewell this morning… Ashley and Ada left in a taxi for the Bellingham Airport.  David will miss playing cribbage with Ashley and his tickling matches with Ada. We have so enjoyed having our little ones aboard with us. Both Lewis and Ada certainly earned their boating merit badges! 

                          
                                Bryan, Jessica, Nicky and Brandon heading back from Eastsound.

We were able to explore Eastsound and Orcas on Orcas Island, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island and Blind Bay on Shaw Island with Lewis and the gang. Lewis had his first ride in the little skiff when we all went to breakfast in Eastsound. He wasn’t too crazy about having that life jacket buckled around him but as hard as he tried, there was no squirming out of it! We walked past the Odd Fellows Hall where Brandon and Nicky will be married next year. We are hoping to bring our boat over to join in the festivities. A favorite destination of ours is the old Orcas Hotel where we always order calamari to accompany our drinks.  The deck looks out at the harbor and ferry dock. Luckily, Lewis found some grass to play on…tough being on the boat for so long with so little space for a proper romp.  

                                              Nicky, Jessica and Lewis returning from Orcas.

With Ada and Mom we wandered to Sucia Island, Stuart Island, Roche Harbor on San Juan Island and again to Blind Bay before returning to Bellingham’s Squalicum Harbor Marina. We walked a trail on Stuart Island, a “bird walk” as Ada would say. Our little girl really enjoyed riding in the skiff and loved hanging over the side reveling in the many bubbles caused by our wake. She got pretty soaked trying to put her hands in the water.  No fear.  There was definitely some gleeful screams when she spotted ducks and a curious seal in the water. The amount of energy these little grandchildren have is unbelievable!  The adults would be slumped over at the end of the day ready for bed, and they were just revving up!

                               Mom has a strong hold on Ada as she tries to catch the bubbles.

We took on diesel fuel this morning at $2.92/gal. I always love it when there are helpful hands on the dock to assist in guiding and securing us, and we were in luck this morning. We have had lots of practice pivoting the boat with the bow line remaining secured as David swings the stern out to turn her around. Upon leaving the fuel dock, we expertly executed that maneuver with at least a 9.5 for style!

However, the first time leaving the Squalicum Marina, we no sooner swung our stern out putting us perpendicular to the dock when an untimely parade of sailboats and a massive yacht decided to pass behind us. When we started this pivoting maneuver, there were no moving boats in sight!  Still tied to the dock, we weren’t going anywhere, but I was surprised that the boaters were pushing ahead with little concern for our 60 ton boat. Not sure many boaters  realize just how difficult this boat is to maneuver, let alone, stop quickly!  We gave our passengers an unexpected thrill, and we hadn’t even left the marina yet!

We were performing the same procedure with Ashley and Ada several days later in the same marina, and just as I released the pivot line, the engine cut out and we were drifting perilously close to another boat. Thankfully, our able Captain got the engine restarted and disaster was avoided! Never a dull moment. I doubt that Ashley was expecting that much excitement on the first day

                                                                 Skipper and Matey     

                                                             Enjoying the ride

                                                            The ladies and the Lilly

The waters are “pancake smooth” as we head across the border. We have about a seven hour cruising day…nautical miles and nautical miles to go before we sleep.

Fun boat names:  Living on a Prayer and Frankly, Scarlett