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Much to do about nothing...

5/29/2019

Really, the Strait of Georgia can be bad, really bad. Just not this time.

Morning came and we left the Nanaimo dock with every expectation of swells and unexpected winds. What happened was unexpected and a bit hard to believe. The entire trip was as calm as a farm pond. Maybe even a bath tub.

I wouldn't have believed it...

Tucked safely into Pender Harbor I basked in the glory of such an uneventful crossing. The military range, WG, wasn’t even active. More on that later.

We had plans to leave the next morning but the winds began to pick up as the sun rose. Most of the boats that left early came right back in, reporting waves of 4-5 feet, so we kicked back and stayed another night.

This morning all was calm. With coffee and a delicious breakfast we headed out into flat seas for a five hour run to Westview, just south of Powell River.

Two quiet days.

Tomorrow we head up into Desolation Sound for a few days of R&R anchored up in one of our favorite spots, Prideaux Haven. There we celebrate Sarah’s birthday and our return to BC’s amazing cruising grounds.

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Not Far

5/27/2019

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We haven’t gone far, and it’s been frustrating.

We spent two days traveling to Nanaimo, only to then spend several more days waiting for the winds to drop in Georgia Strait, a large body of water we must cross.

Here we wait.

So here we are, Sunday afternoon, still waiting. We’ve been able to get a few things taken care of, including picking up some extra provisions. But our tolerance of busy towns is wearing thin. We need to get going.

Not all bad. Sarah's amazing culinary skills.

The good news is that the calm weather, promised for the coming week, will arrive tonight. The plan is to head out early in the morning, venturing across Georgia Strait, aiming for John Henry’s Marina in Pender Harbor. It will take about six hours.

The Plan. (I know, I know.)

I’ll turn the tracker on before leaving the dock so you’ll be able to follow us. Just click the FIND US button on the right side of this page.

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Gone

5/21/2019

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We are gone.

By the time you read this we will be many miles north, away from the dock, on our adventure.

Our last evening in Otter Bay has been special. It has also been quiet. My thoughts are about the passage, the weather, the tides. I find it hard to think of anything else. Sarah understands and lets me be.

Tonight we watched the sun set and read stories at the fire pit. A wonderful distraction. As the evening cooled we headed to the boat, hand in hand.

The boat. It is heavy, laden with passage food and water and most everything we may need for several months. She feels right. This trip feels right.

Lots of supplies.

It is a time for moving on, a natural hunter-gatherer mentality imprinted in our genes, a gift from the not so distant past. We enjoy the anticipation of the trek, the moving of home for more then a vacation. It is a fundamental shift of where we live and how we live, and, like generations past, it is seasonal.

Look up the definition of midden.

That isn't sand.

For all those friends who have made us feel so welcome, thank you. You have welcomed us to your family. Tomorrow we must leave you for a third of the year, and we will remember you. We will be back.

But for now, with your blessing and the wind in our sails, we are gone.

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Freeways and Playgrounds

5/20/2019

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It’s Monday night and we’re still at the dock in Otter Bay. The rain hasn’t let up and probably won’t till tomorrow morning. We haven’t left as planned because of a freeway between us and our playground.

Cross that?

Our destination is the Broughtons, way up north. That’s the playground in our future. The Strait of Georgia is the freeway that must be crossed to get to the playground. We are at the dock because the freeway is too dangerous to cross right now. Not because of traffic, but because of weather.

High winds are blowing the length of the Strait, which is about 50 miles of open water, building waves as they go. It can be very uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous to cross at these times.

Cross that?

After a bad crossing, many captains have had their boat privilege taken away by an angry first mate.

I’m not worried about that. My good crew is always ready, even eager, for a rough ride. As captain, I’m not so much.

So here we are, forced to relax on our sailboat, eating, drinking, watching movies and reading old books, all while the rain patters on the deck.

I’ve checked the newest weather report and it looks like we can go in two days. The boat is ready, the crew is ready, and by then the captain will hopefully be satisfied with the crossing conditions and be ready to sail. Wish us luck!

Yes! I'll cross that!

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These Old Hands

5/14/2019

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After a busy day of scrubbing and cleaning and in general just prepping, it was time to take a break.

By late afternoon I was sitting peacefully in the cockpit, watching the world that surrounds our marina. It was quiet and warm, a perfect time to let my mind drift, not thinking about anything too deeply.

Idly I looked down at my hands, bright sunlight was accentuating every line, and with a bit of surprise I realized just how old they looked.

I never thought of my hands as old, I don’t like to think of any part of me as getting old. True, I’m rarely at a mirror to see what wrinkles may be forming or where the hair is thinning. But my hands, I see them all the time.

And they were looking old.

Twisting them back and forth I smiled at the scars, some remembered, others a mystery. If they could only tell their story of things touched and felt.

Despite appearances, these are talented hands.

My fingers can place a washer and nut on the blind side of a 1/4 inch bolt, turn it the right way, and then slip a box-end wrench over to finish the job, all with my eyes closed.

My hands caress the one I love with pleasure and tenderness, no words needing to be spoken, because they are also loving hands.

I’ve always believed that human hands are magic things, but mine are getting old. Even though I feel this every day, I won’t let it slow me down. With a hot cup of coffee to warm them, these old hands, weathered from life, still have plenty of years left in them.

Cool, eh?

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Garmin Explorer SE+

5/8/2019

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Small but powerful.

This is a quick post about a new device on the boat. We’ve purchased a Garmin SE Explorer satellite tracker for our trip up north. With it we are able to accomplish things nothing else could really do for us.

We will be isolated for most of the summer, with little to no cell coverage or wifi. The tracker allows us access to weather, text communications, tracking and emergency response.

To the right on the blog main page is a button “FIND US”. With a click you will be able to see where we are throughout the summer. This only works if our device is on and we will wait to turn it on till we leave on May 20th. From there on out it will always be on.

It will be fun for those who follow us and a must for family if they need to get ahold of us in an emergency.

I would have purchased the Explorer if it only gave me local weather. Many anchorages are wind dependent. Knowing the direction and strength of the winds will take the guess work out of where we spend our nights and how long we can stay there.

All in all, with everything it does, the Explorer is a great thing to have way out in the middle of no-where.

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Vacation

5/8/2019

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Back from Oregon and it’s been busy.

Checking Everything!

Outfitting, stocking, ordering, repairs, and planning. Add to that the social commitments to numerous friends, art show prep and day to day living, and soon we used up all the lazy time we had grown accustomed to over the winter.

We’ve gotten a lot done, and now the completed lists have been thrown away, orders have been delivered and stowed, and for ourselves, we are taking a deep breath of satisfaction.

Warming temperatures has brought our little bay to life, with wild flowers and Purple Martins, otters and baby geese. If it wasn’t for the summer crowds that are sure to arrive, we would be tempted to stay.

Yes, the marina is this nice!

The marina has come alive as well. A few early bird boats come and go, and with the office now open an occasional tourist can be seen walking the dock, dreaming of the day they might own their own magic carpet.

Several evenings ago we sat together at one of the marina’s propane fire pits as the setting sun painted a warm glow against the hills. We talked about what still needed doing, but it ended up being a short discussion.

What to do? We had two weeks till we could leave, so how would we spend that time? Sarah quickly came to the rescue.

“Let’s start our vacation now.” She smiled.

“Now?” I asked. Of course! We have a beautiful marina with a warm pool, fire pits and most of the amenities you could ask for. Why not start now? With a grin I nodded, and in a moment we switched from getting ready for our adventure, to starting our adventure.

No time like the present.

Oh, we still have things to do, a little shopping and fueling of the boat, but now we’ve relaxed, happily playing and reading and creating. This is how we’ll spend our summer days.

When we get back this fall, I hope we can stay in that mindset, treating each day as an opportunity, loving a little more, and enjoying each moment as much as possible.

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Much to do about nothing...

Not Far

Gone

Freeways and Playgrounds

These Old Hands

Garmin Explorer SE+

Vacation

Odyssey

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