Port Hadlock

We had to leave Friday Harbor early in the morning to get through Cattle Point during a favorable tide. We were running with the tide and the GPS registered 10.2 knots of speed at one point (a typical speed for Segue II is between 6.5 and 7). The trip across the Strait of San Juan

was very smooth and took about 5 hours. When we arrived back in Port Hadlock we were greeted by Jerry, our harbormaster, and fellow boaters in the area. We were happy to be home in our own slip and grateful the trip had been safe and nearly flawless. It was truly a vacation of a lifetime and one we will remember for the rest of our lives. Thanks to all of you who followed

this adventure on our blog. This was our first blog and we enjoyed creating it along the way. Bob and Betty leave early this morning for Sutherlin to check on the progress of their new home and Jim and Joy will leave about noon for Eugene after securing the boat.

Friday Harbor-San Juan Island

The passage to Friday Harbor was the shortest yet (about 14 nautical miles). Our first stop was at the U.S. customs dock where we were processed and welcomed back to the country. None of us had been to Friday Harbor in at least a couple of summers, so it was fun to be back in this community. We ate lunch at the local pub we had remembered from our last visit, bought supplies at King's Market, and of course had ice cream at a place near the marina. Jim and Bob use to refer to it as going to the "gym." We spent a pleasant evening on the boat and got ready for our final passage back to Port Hadlock in the morning.

Poets Cove-Bedwell Harbor

Since we were last at Poets Cove they have tripled the dock space, added an upper pool for adults only, and finished the cottages. We stayed in a lovely 3 bedroom cottage with a hot tub that overlooked the marina. The staff, mostly young and international, were very friendly and helpful. Many of them live in housing across the island which is provided by Poets Cove. We talked with one waiter from Morocco who said he had signed a two year contract which would be up in about a year and a half. He told us that at times he felt like he was in "jail." One of the reasons he took the job was to help improve his English. Our time in Poets Cove was spent relaxing, swimming, cleaning up the boat, doing laundry, reading, and of course eating. Their main restaurant, Aurora, which had outside seating, provided a view of lovely sunsets both nights we ate there. We also had the opportunity to view an outside wedding at the cottage next to us. The ceremony was on a beautiful bluff that overlooked the marina. On Tuesday morning, we checked out of the resort, gassed up the boat and headed for Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

Trip From Vancouver to Poets Cove, Bedwell Harbor

This was one of the longest passages of our trip (about 42 nautical miles). We left around 7 a.m. and arrived at Poets Cove around 2:30 p.m. Sara and Lani were at the Poets Cove Marina to greet us. We will spend our time together here before we head for Friday Harbor and they travel by car and ferry to Saltspring Island. The trip from Vancouver was long and pretty rough. The Fraser River empties into the Strait of Georgia just south of Vancouver and causes a strong chop as the fresh water from the river collides with the salt water currents. Segue II bounced around like a cork while we went through this area but no one got sick and we were all happy when we got through it. The big event of the day, however, happened before we got to the mouth of the Fraser River. We were motoring along in very calm water several hundred yards away from the boat. Before long there were Orcas surfacing all over! A book Bob and Jim both got in Vancouver that talks about the fishing industry in Canada, mentions that millions of salmon start congregating at the mouth of the Fraser River this time of year to begin spawning. We think these orcas were probably feasting on salmon and having a great time. It was really fun to watch them and take pictures! Even after we got through the Fraser River area, the water remained bumpy. We crossed the Strait of Georgia and eventually entered Active Pass, a small channel of water separating Galliano Island from Mayne Island. This small passage is used by the huge BC Ferries and other commercial vessels to leave the Strait of Georgia and enter the Saltspring/Pender Islands. We assume Active Pass got its name from all the currents, eddies, and whirlpools that push boats around as they travel through it. We also think Active Pass now describes all the boats (from tiny fishing dinghies to mammoth ferries) that use this stretch of water at any one time. We were kept busy dodging the traffic while eating peanut butter on bagels. When we arrived at Poets Cove it was even more beautiful than we remembered. They have developed the marina, hotel, and cottages into a fantastic resort. Not a lot of people and very comfortable. Even the weather improved and we were back to 75 to 80 degree sunshine.

Vancouver B.C.

After breakfast at Molly's Reach we left Vancouver for what would be our shortest passage (about 16 nautical miles). The trip was uneventful except for the beautiful homes and scenery we passed along the way. When we arrived mid-afternoon in Vancouver there were many large cargo ships and a few sailboats to dodge on our way into False Creek Marina. This is a very large marina with many working and recreational boats. It is located on Granville Island just a short walk from all the shops and restaurants. After securing the boat, we had lunch in one of the restaurants and looked at a few of the stores. This area has a very large public market similar to Pike Street Market in Seattle. We bought some supplies and headed back to the boat for the evening. We celebrated Jim and Joy's wedding anniversary with a nice bottle of wine. The next day we had lunch at Go Fish, which is a popular fish and chips stand next to the marina. The lines at this stand start forming one half hour before it opens and continue until it closes in the evening. The halibut fish and chips we had were great! In the afternoon we took a taxi to the Gastown area of Vancouver. We again looked at shops. The steam clock, for which Gastown is famous, plays Westminister Chimes each quarter hour by steam blown through pipes under the clock. People seem to be fascinated by this but we really didn't get it! We ate dinner that evening at a restaurant that overlooked the marina. We watched a wedding reception on one of the nearby boats. The last we saw of the boat, it was headed out under a bridge into Vancouver Harbor.

Gibsons B.C.

After a two day stay in Fisherman's Marina we left for Gibsons, a community not far from Vancouver. It was a rainy trip with menacing clouds all around us. You have to be careful when coming into Gibsons on a low tide, however we had no difficulties. In Waggoners, a guide for boaters, Gibsons is described as a "quaint" town with many interesting shops and restaurants. We ate at Molly's Reach, the setting for a very popular television show in Canada during the 70's and 80's called The Beachcombers. We had an interesting conversation with our waitress at Molly's Reach about her experiences of growing up on a sailboat with her parents. Her father was a marine electrician and the entire family lived on their boat as he traveled up and down the west coast to different jobs. One of her earliest memories was being taught to tether herself to the lifeline of the boat so she wouldn't fall off while playing on the deck. The weather during our stay was again cool and overcast. There is a very steep incline from Lower Gibsons to Upper Gibsons. Bob and Betty decided to take a taxi to Upper Gibsons when they found there was a steep grade of 29% on the road they would need to take. Locals refer to this road as "heart attack hill!" We all thought this was a lovely community and one that would have been even better on a nice sunny day! Feel free to make comments! We would love to hear from our "blog followers."

Fisherman's Marina- Pender Harbor

We decided to leave Egmont for Pender Harbor which is on the central part of the Sunshine Coast. We were hoping for nicer weather. Egmont had been very wet and we were told that the weather report was predicting four more days of rain. We had reservations in Pender Harbor for two cabins that overlooked Fisherman's Marina. We reached Pender Harbor in about three hours under sunny skies. This is a beautiful area of British Columbia and one we will definitely return to. The entrance to Hospital Bay where Fisherman's Marina is located is protected by several small islands. On either side of the bay are beautiful homes with amazing views. Many areas have lots for sale and there is a great deal of new construction.

Fisherman's Marina is lovely with beautiful gardens carefully cared for by Jennifer Love, one of the owners. Her husband Dave also helps maintain the buildings, docks, and assisted Joy with some computer issues. They are exceptionally friendly people and within a few hours were calling us by our first names. They have four cabins to rent-ours was a Cape Cod style that overlooked our boat in the marina. Of course Jim was quite pleased about that! We would recommend this place even to non-boaters. You can catch a ferry from Vancouver. It has many hiking trails and good biking areas.

We celebrated Joy's birthday, Bob and Betty's wedding anniversary, and the sale of their home in Eugene which had only been on the market for ten days on August 11th in one of the local restaurants. Laverne's Grill, another local cafe near the marina, is a great place to have breakfast, excellent fish and chips, and old fashioned milkshakes with a choice of 16 flavors. These shakes were even served in metal containors. Laverne, who has a degree in computer software, allowed Joy to use her internet access at the grill to work on entries for the blog. If you ever go to Fisherman's Marina be sure and look up Laverne and eat some of her innovative cooking. By the way, she had a quote on her bulletin board that gave us all a new perspective on retirement. It said, I have often been asked, "What do you old folks do now that you are retired." Well I'm fortunate to have a chemical engineering background and one of the thinks I enjoy most is turning beer, wine, scotch, and margaritas into urine!!

Princess Louisa Inlet

We left Egmont at about 8:15 and headed up Jervis Inlet toward Princess Louisa Inlet. We experienced rain and overcast conditions which obscured some of the towering mountains that rimmed the waterway. The boater who had given us the advice regarding Malibu Rapids had left Egmont a few minutes after our departure and followed us up the inlet. As we approached the rapids, we slowed down and let him lead the way. We had arrived about a half an hour early so there was still a stiff current. It was helpful to follow him through the fast moving water and into the inlet. The passage was uneventful except for the coffee pot flying about the cabin. We continued down the calm waters of Princess Louisa Inlet into a cathedral like setting with 2000 foot sheer rocky cliffs around us. At the end of the inlet was well known Chatterbox Falls, an 1800 foot waterfall that is glacier fed. It was an awe-inspiring sight that words can't begin to describe. Perhaps our pictures will give you some sense of the majesty of this place. A sign at the end of the dock where we stayed for two nights, summed up our sentiments, "only leave your footprints, only take your memories."

Egmont B.C. On the Sunshine Coast

We left Powell River around 7:00 and headed for Hotham Sound which connects to Jervis Inlet.
It was a beautiful passage with quite calm water. Bob and Betty fished -again uneventful! We arrived at Egmont around noon. We had heard the currents might be tricky so asked for dock assistance. It was a good thing as the currents were somewhat tricky and turning the boat toward the dock was a bit of a challenge. Once docked we noticed that the water in the bay looked more river like than other marinas we had stayed at. Several folks were fishing on the dock-many were catching mud sharks and cooking them head and all. We choose not to participate in that activity. This marina had a large camping area, rooms for rent, and a beautiful lodge that overlooked the bay. We had dinner at the lodge and the food and view were both exceptional. Before leaving for Princess Louisa Inlet, a fellow boater talked with us about Malibu Rapids, an area you need to go through at slack tide. It is located near Malibu Camp, a Young Life facility for teenagers. We determined we should leave about 8:00 or so the next morning, to reach Malibu Rapids at the appropriate time.

Powell River on the Sunshine Coast

We have stayed a couple of days in Powell River to get caught up on laundry and supplies for our trip to Princess Louisa Inlet. We decided to stay one night in a hotel although sleeping on the boat has been great. It is a beautiful area with lovely sunsets. We had an excellent dinner tonight in the hotel restaurant. We will leave early in the morning for Egmont which is our final stop before heading up Jervis Inlet for Princess Louisa Inlet. We will be in touch in a few days.

Refuge Cove

We left Walsh Cove and headed down Waddington Channel toward Refuge Cove. Most days we travel approximately 25 to 30 nautical miles. Usually that's about 6 hours on the water. Refuge Cove is located on West Redondo Island, in the center of Desolation Sound. It is managed by a coop of 18 shareholders who run different businesses on the property. These include a general store, used bookstore, cafe, and fuel dock. Refuge Cove is a quaint, rustic marina that is used by many boaters as a place to restock groceries, fill up on fuel, or just relax. At this marina and most others, people were amazingly friendly and helpful. At almost all our stops fellow boaters have been willing to take a line and help bring the boat in. We've met lots of folks from all different areas of Canada. One issue on a cruise is where to get rid of garbage as some marinas won't take it. Out in the middle of Refuge Cove, on a small island is Dave's Garbage Service. For $2 a bag you can leave him with as much garbage as you want. Every Tuesday he takes all this garbage to Squirrel Cove which is across on Cortes Island. Dave lives on this island with his garbage, year around. We left Refuge Cove and Desolation Sound on Wednesday to head toward Powell River and the Beach Gardens Marina on the Sunshine Coast.

A Night On The Hook-Walsh Cove

Walsh Cove has no marina or public dock. It is a small bay where several boats can drop anchor and spend the night. Sailors like to call this, "a night on the hook." After dropping anchor, Jim and Joy used the dingy to connect a line from the stern of Segue II to the shoreline. Once they got to shore, Joy climbed up the rocky bank to wrap the line around a tree. With both the bow and stern secured, we stayed in one place all night. We used the prawn cage from our friend in Comox in trying to catch prawns. This was not much of a success in fact not successful at all as our total catch was zero. So far we have had steaks, bratwurst, chicken, and lots of salads. We haven't done so well with seafood. Walsh Cove was beautiful and perfectly quiet. The next morning when we got up, the tide had dropped about 8 ft. and exposed hundreds of oysters clinging to the rock cliffs at shoreline. When we pulled up the anchor in the morning, there was a huge rock in the cradle of it. It took us some time to get the anchor in and the rock back to the bottom of the bay.

Around Cortes Island

After leaving Gorge Harbour, we sailed through Uganda Passage and around Cortes Island. Bob and Betty tried salmon fishing with no luck. We then headed for Toba Inlet, in the northern section of Desolation Sound. Words cannot describe the beauty of this place so we have included several pictures of our experience. On this passage we saw bald eagles, glacier covered mountains, and uninhabited islands. At times we were sailing in 1600 ft. of water but the water was calm. We tried to get moorage at Toba Wildernest Marina but were turned away as they have very little space. They suggested we try Walsh Cove near the top of Waddington Channel.

Desolation Sound-Gorge Harbour

After our trip across the Strait of Georgia (about 4 hours) we arrived at Gorge Harbour on Cortes Island in Desolation Sound. On our way into the harbor we saw pictoglyphs on the high cliffs to our port side. The marina has recently been updated with beautiful docks and facilities. The landscaping and brand new swimming pool add to the natural appeal of this place.

Out of Comax

The evening before we left Comox we met a fisherman who lives here during the summer and in Costa Rica the rest of the year. He is pictured above on his boat (the one on the left). He asked if we would like one of his prawn traps and gave us instructions on how to use it. He even gave us a piece of salmon to use as bait. When we offered to pay him he said,"just say thanks, that's enough." We left the harbour about 11:00 and after a brief visit to the Comox Reef (a coral reef that at low tide is under 5 ft. of water and our boat needs 6 ft.-you do the math!) we backtracked a bit and then set sail for Desolation Sound. The captain couldn't believe that we were at 5ft since we were a quarter of a mile off shore. Jim have been thumping on the depth gauge, saying, "What's wrong with this damn thing?", when we went bump. We looked overboard and saw several rocks just below our boat. We were certainly surprised! It only took a few minutes to correct this problem and we were on our way. The rest of the passage was smooth. The Strait of Georgia was like glass!

On to Desolation Sound

We leave today for Desolation Sound. We stayed overnight at Comox. It is a beautiful area with a large glacier across the bay. We are staying in the commercial boat section of the marina. Very interesting to see all the "working boats" and talk with fishermen. The situation for fishermen in British Columbia is even worse than in the states. We stayed two nights ago in Nanaimo. It is also a beautiful marina situated in the downtown area. We had a great lunch at a local pub. On our way to Nanaimo we were able to do some sailing. Betty got several sailing lessons from Jim and did a great job. Our passage through Dodd Narrows was a "piece of cake".
The waters were calm and the tides were with us so we breezed right through into Nanaimo Harbor. There are not pictures this time as we didn't load the computer last night and I am in the marina office doing the computer. Hopefully we will able to post a blog during our time in Desolation Sound. We will be there about four days!

Stay tuned!