Gulf Island, August 2011
Bedwell Harbor, Ganges
Friday, August 26th, Bedwell Harbor and Ganges Marina
As planned, we departed Bellingham at 5:30 am just as the sun was starting to paint the eastern sky aglow in pinks and yellows. The water is flat calm without so much as a breeze to ripple it. We take advantage of the Internet service as we made our way toward Bedwell Harbor cleaning up the remainder of emails for work. Once we cross into Canada, no more email unless we are in a marina that offers free Wifi.
Our route will take us north up the Rosario Strait and then around the topside of Orcas Island. There we will pass just south of Sucia Island and enter Boundary Passage bound for Bedwell Harbor on Pender Island.
As the skies grow lighter we catch a glimpse of a pod of dolphin just ahead of us. They stay with us for ten minutes or so and then disappeared.
As we grow nearer to Sucia, the VHF comes to life. Karma, Karma, Karma we hear! This is Willies Tug. It is Herb on Willies Tug who is presently anchored at Sucia along with Bob and Nita on Nellie Too. They are following our progress on our Spot Messenger. We exchange pleasantries wishing them fair weather and following seas as they plan to make their way back to Anacortes in the afternoon.
Two hours out of Bedwell, I give Canadian Customs a call to clear entry into Canada via our new Nexus Cards. The woman on the phone was pleasant and patient as we went through the process. She did however inform me that it is not quite as easy as calling in and passing by. You must still pull into a port with customs and hold off until they inform you as to whether or not they would like to take a closer look. You must also give them an ETA as to your arrival. If you are going to be late, you must call back and update your ETA.
Our cruise through Boundary Passage is beautiful with flat seas and sunshine. We arrive in Poets to discover that Zuma is still in port. It seems Janeane had decided to take my advice and spend a bit more time at the spa…… sorry Lyman…..
Following the directions given to us by the customs agent on the phone, we hold off of the customs dock until an agent comes down, he give us a friendly wave goodbye. We are now free to proceed over to the breakwater to tie off so Maureen could make it to her spa appointment. What a great way to start your vacation!
While Maureen enjoys being pampered at the spa, Zuma casts off and heads for Ganges. We will rendezvous with them as well as the rest of the Ranger Tug fleet on Salt Springs later this afternoon. As planned, while Maureen is at the spa, I clean the boat and do final preparations for our trip north.
Maureen arrives back at Karma as planned at 2:30 and we are off. Our cruise to Ganges goes exactly the way we planned it. Smooth water, blue skies, great company of each other!
Upon arrival at Ganges the crews of Zuma and That’s It greet us. The rest of the group will be down shortly. Patrick and Gail have arranged a BBQ for the evening for all of the Tug owners.
As planned, we departed Bellingham at 5:30 am just as the sun was starting to paint the eastern sky aglow in pinks and yellows. The water is flat calm without so much as a breeze to ripple it. We take advantage of the Internet service as we made our way toward Bedwell Harbor cleaning up the remainder of emails for work. Once we cross into Canada, no more email unless we are in a marina that offers free Wifi.
Our route will take us north up the Rosario Strait and then around the topside of Orcas Island. There we will pass just south of Sucia Island and enter Boundary Passage bound for Bedwell Harbor on Pender Island.
As the skies grow lighter we catch a glimpse of a pod of dolphin just ahead of us. They stay with us for ten minutes or so and then disappeared.
As we grow nearer to Sucia, the VHF comes to life. Karma, Karma, Karma we hear! This is Willies Tug. It is Herb on Willies Tug who is presently anchored at Sucia along with Bob and Nita on Nellie Too. They are following our progress on our Spot Messenger. We exchange pleasantries wishing them fair weather and following seas as they plan to make their way back to Anacortes in the afternoon.
Two hours out of Bedwell, I give Canadian Customs a call to clear entry into Canada via our new Nexus Cards. The woman on the phone was pleasant and patient as we went through the process. She did however inform me that it is not quite as easy as calling in and passing by. You must still pull into a port with customs and hold off until they inform you as to whether or not they would like to take a closer look. You must also give them an ETA as to your arrival. If you are going to be late, you must call back and update your ETA.
Our cruise through Boundary Passage is beautiful with flat seas and sunshine. We arrive in Poets to discover that Zuma is still in port. It seems Janeane had decided to take my advice and spend a bit more time at the spa…… sorry Lyman…..
Following the directions given to us by the customs agent on the phone, we hold off of the customs dock until an agent comes down, he give us a friendly wave goodbye. We are now free to proceed over to the breakwater to tie off so Maureen could make it to her spa appointment. What a great way to start your vacation!
While Maureen enjoys being pampered at the spa, Zuma casts off and heads for Ganges. We will rendezvous with them as well as the rest of the Ranger Tug fleet on Salt Springs later this afternoon. As planned, while Maureen is at the spa, I clean the boat and do final preparations for our trip north.
Maureen arrives back at Karma as planned at 2:30 and we are off. Our cruise to Ganges goes exactly the way we planned it. Smooth water, blue skies, great company of each other!
Upon arrival at Ganges the crews of Zuma and That’s It greet us. The rest of the group will be down shortly. Patrick and Gail have arranged a BBQ for the evening for all of the Tug owners.
Montague Harbor
Saturday, August 27th, Montague Harbor
Its market day in Ganges! It is said that Ganges has one of the largest markets in the Gulf Islands. While Janeane and Maureen head off to the market, Lyman and I move Karma and Zuma out to the anchorage. Since checkout time at the marina is 11:00 sharp, we have two choices, rush the ladies through or, move out. For obvious reasons, we choose the latter… I select a location to drop the hook and do so. Once I am secure, Lyman gently brings Zuma alongside to raft.
As we wander through the market, we meet up with Kim and Karen, owners of “Nest Egg”, a new R-27. We get to know each other better over coffee and pastries in a small bakery in town. It is decided then that our next port of call will be Montague Harbor. It will be our first night hanging on the hook for the trip. Kim and Karen quickly decide to join us as well as Patrick and Gail.
After a brief stop at the grocery store, it is off to the boats to prepare for our short hop over to Montague. Patrick and Gail have gone ahead to select us a location.
Since Karma is the one with her hook buried in the mud, Zuma is the first to cast off. We retrieve our anchor and are soon following. The cruise to Montague was uneventful due to the beautiful weather we have been blessed with. Light winds, clear skies, and abundant sunshine.
As Montague is packed with boats, Patrick has located a suitable location on the western side of the channel from Montague. It is much quieter and more relaxed on this side. No dinghy’s running about, no loud music. Just nature and us! Lyman and I take the dinghies and run over to Montague where I purchase fuel for ours. Gasoline was a bargain at $5.35 per gallon! Good thing I only need a gallon!
Kim and Karen arrive shortly after Lyman and I return from Montague. They plan to raft with “That’s It” for the evening. Once they are secured to “That’s It”, everyone moves to Zuma and Karma for Happy hour!
Its market day in Ganges! It is said that Ganges has one of the largest markets in the Gulf Islands. While Janeane and Maureen head off to the market, Lyman and I move Karma and Zuma out to the anchorage. Since checkout time at the marina is 11:00 sharp, we have two choices, rush the ladies through or, move out. For obvious reasons, we choose the latter… I select a location to drop the hook and do so. Once I am secure, Lyman gently brings Zuma alongside to raft.
As we wander through the market, we meet up with Kim and Karen, owners of “Nest Egg”, a new R-27. We get to know each other better over coffee and pastries in a small bakery in town. It is decided then that our next port of call will be Montague Harbor. It will be our first night hanging on the hook for the trip. Kim and Karen quickly decide to join us as well as Patrick and Gail.
After a brief stop at the grocery store, it is off to the boats to prepare for our short hop over to Montague. Patrick and Gail have gone ahead to select us a location.
Since Karma is the one with her hook buried in the mud, Zuma is the first to cast off. We retrieve our anchor and are soon following. The cruise to Montague was uneventful due to the beautiful weather we have been blessed with. Light winds, clear skies, and abundant sunshine.
As Montague is packed with boats, Patrick has located a suitable location on the western side of the channel from Montague. It is much quieter and more relaxed on this side. No dinghy’s running about, no loud music. Just nature and us! Lyman and I take the dinghies and run over to Montague where I purchase fuel for ours. Gasoline was a bargain at $5.35 per gallon! Good thing I only need a gallon!
Kim and Karen arrive shortly after Lyman and I return from Montague. They plan to raft with “That’s It” for the evening. Once they are secured to “That’s It”, everyone moves to Zuma and Karma for Happy hour!
Telegraph Harbor
Sunday, August 28th, Telegraph Harbor, Thetis Island
Our first night of hanging on the hook goes off as uneventful. I checked the anchor before going to bed, all was well. No need to get up and check it overnight as there was not even a breeze.
As I sit in the cockpit watching the mega yachts pull out of Montague, two small deer playfully fight on the shoreline. It would appear they are two small bucks, practicing for things to come later in life. A small harbor seal swims close by looking for a hand out.
This morning we have seen the lowest overnight temperatures so far. 54 degrees. No need to be concerned though, fire up the cockpit heaters, put on a pot of coffee and Life is Good!
The sun just came up over the hilltops bringing with it its warmth. It promises to be another beautiful day in paradise! The plan for today is to head to Pirates Cove Marine Park. The trip will take about three hour’s, as it is 18 miles north. Neither Zuma nor Karma’s crews have been to Pirates Cove before. The goal of this trip is to visit only locations we have never been to.
While there are a number of places that we would love to revisit, if you continue going back to those, you will miss out on the hundreds of others.
After a cup of coffee, Lyman and I jump in Zuma’s tender and head to the floating bakery. We get a tour of the floating bakery from the older gentleman who along with his wife, live aboard and operate this venture. Being a baker by trade, I am amazed to see that she does all of this work in her tiny home type oven.
We make our purchases of Sticky Buns and head back to our floating oasis. We enjoy our purchases from the bakery along with another cup of coffee and decide to head to Telegraph Harbor on Thetis Island for the evening. Gail and Patrick decide that while they will not be able to overnight, they are going to join us for dinner.
The three tugs pull up their anchors and it is off to Telegraph. Our cruising speed is a leisurely six and a half knots. At this rate we burn no more than two gallons of fuel per hour! At this speed, our tug has a range of just over 500 miles including the reserve in the generator tank!
We head into Telegraph Harbor making our way to the very back end. We find ourselves a nice spot to anchor in ten feet of water. We expected the tide to rise an additional two feet and then drop four overnight. This would leave a minimum of six feet beneath our keels. At these depths, you don’t require much chain to achieve our desired scope or 4:1. Lyman and Janeane drop Zuma’s big Rocna while Karma and crew standby preparing to raft alongside. Once given the go ahead, Maureen nudges Karma up to Zuma’s port side. Patrick then maneuvers That’s It alongside the starboard. It’s three little tugs in Telegraph Harbor!
Once all is secure, Maureen and I jump in Karma’s tender and head for the “Cut”. It is a very narrow channel between Kuper and Thetis Islands. They warn not to do this in larger vessels and if you are so inclined, do it at high tide!
Dinner this evening consists of a bit of everything from each boat. Lamb Chops and Potatoes from That’s It, Salmon Filets and Salad from Karma, and Grilled Vegetables and Mushrooms from Zuma. Lyman is elected to be our chef for the evening. Once dinner is over, Gail and Patrick bid their farewells and cast off heading for home. And then, there are just two tugs….
We sit in the cockpits and enjoy another beautiful evening. There is not even the slightest hint of a breeze. Hundreds of stars sparkle above. What a place to be!
Our first night of hanging on the hook goes off as uneventful. I checked the anchor before going to bed, all was well. No need to get up and check it overnight as there was not even a breeze.
As I sit in the cockpit watching the mega yachts pull out of Montague, two small deer playfully fight on the shoreline. It would appear they are two small bucks, practicing for things to come later in life. A small harbor seal swims close by looking for a hand out.
This morning we have seen the lowest overnight temperatures so far. 54 degrees. No need to be concerned though, fire up the cockpit heaters, put on a pot of coffee and Life is Good!
The sun just came up over the hilltops bringing with it its warmth. It promises to be another beautiful day in paradise! The plan for today is to head to Pirates Cove Marine Park. The trip will take about three hour’s, as it is 18 miles north. Neither Zuma nor Karma’s crews have been to Pirates Cove before. The goal of this trip is to visit only locations we have never been to.
While there are a number of places that we would love to revisit, if you continue going back to those, you will miss out on the hundreds of others.
After a cup of coffee, Lyman and I jump in Zuma’s tender and head to the floating bakery. We get a tour of the floating bakery from the older gentleman who along with his wife, live aboard and operate this venture. Being a baker by trade, I am amazed to see that she does all of this work in her tiny home type oven.
We make our purchases of Sticky Buns and head back to our floating oasis. We enjoy our purchases from the bakery along with another cup of coffee and decide to head to Telegraph Harbor on Thetis Island for the evening. Gail and Patrick decide that while they will not be able to overnight, they are going to join us for dinner.
The three tugs pull up their anchors and it is off to Telegraph. Our cruising speed is a leisurely six and a half knots. At this rate we burn no more than two gallons of fuel per hour! At this speed, our tug has a range of just over 500 miles including the reserve in the generator tank!
We head into Telegraph Harbor making our way to the very back end. We find ourselves a nice spot to anchor in ten feet of water. We expected the tide to rise an additional two feet and then drop four overnight. This would leave a minimum of six feet beneath our keels. At these depths, you don’t require much chain to achieve our desired scope or 4:1. Lyman and Janeane drop Zuma’s big Rocna while Karma and crew standby preparing to raft alongside. Once given the go ahead, Maureen nudges Karma up to Zuma’s port side. Patrick then maneuvers That’s It alongside the starboard. It’s three little tugs in Telegraph Harbor!
Once all is secure, Maureen and I jump in Karma’s tender and head for the “Cut”. It is a very narrow channel between Kuper and Thetis Islands. They warn not to do this in larger vessels and if you are so inclined, do it at high tide!
Dinner this evening consists of a bit of everything from each boat. Lamb Chops and Potatoes from That’s It, Salmon Filets and Salad from Karma, and Grilled Vegetables and Mushrooms from Zuma. Lyman is elected to be our chef for the evening. Once dinner is over, Gail and Patrick bid their farewells and cast off heading for home. And then, there are just two tugs….
We sit in the cockpits and enjoy another beautiful evening. There is not even the slightest hint of a breeze. Hundreds of stars sparkle above. What a place to be!
Silva Bay
Monday, August 29th, Silva Bay
Morning breaks cool and clear. Telegraph Harbor is dead still with not a sound but birds calling out in the distance. The sun has yet to make its appearance for the day. I sit in the cockpit enjoying the serenity of the moment. I wonder what it would be like to live in such a place. Would you go “Island Crazy”? How would you deal with the long winters? Someday, we will give it a try. As I enjoy my first cup of coffee, the sun makes its way over the tops of the trees. As it warms the air, the world begins to come to life once again. There are others that are beginning to stir over at the Marina. A Grand Banks makes an early start of it. Birds continue to call out to welcome the new day. The weather is looking as if it is going to be another perfect day. Just some very high-scattered clouds.
After a leisurely breakfast of cereal and coffee, a little housekeeping on Karma and Zuma, it is off to our new destination for the day. Todays cruise will find us in Silva Bay on Gabriola Island. Our journey will take us north around the eastern side of Thetis Island then through the DeCourey Group of Islands. From there it will be a brief run in the Trincomali Channel and out through Gabriola Passage. The last stage should be the most interesting, as our arrival time should put us there about an hour and a half after slack. The current forecast is for a flood current of 7 knots.
Upon arrival, all as predicted is true. The current is running at 7 knots however, the flood runs east out into the Straits of Georgia. This means we will get a push through. Running the pass was beautiful when I did get an opportunity to look around. It is a quick ride through and then a quick turn to port to run in behind the islands and into Silva Bay.
We poke around until we find ourselves a suitable spot to drop the hook. Once our hook is down and set, Zuma takes up her position on our starboard side. We pass lines and secure Zuma. Once all is complete, it is off to the great little town described in the cruising guides.
While the bay itself is very crowded with moored vessels, what was once supposed to be a nice little town seems to be no more. All of the cruising guides speak of the great little art studios, a nice little supermarket that sells great meats and vegetables, and a nice little bookstore at Pages resort. All that remains is the liquor store, pub, and the bookstore. All the others have fallen due to the poor economic times. I purchase a current atlas at the small bookstore. While I know I can purchase this for less in a major town, we try and support these small town merchants when we can. If we don’t, these towns will be no more.
While ashore, we spy a little green R-21 named “Gizmo” moored at Page’s Resort. These little tugs are everywhere!
As we wonder around on shore, the winds continue to build out of the southwest as promised. Clouds begin to move in and it seems that there is a threat of rain. The weather however calls for diminishing southwest winds late in the afternoon coming around to northwest around midnight. While everything they said held true, the northwest winds did not come up until 2:00 am. I awaken to the sound of the burgee ratting on the bow. This is my wind indicator while we sleep. It has yet to fail to wake me. I get up and check the anchor. I make the decision to drop another 25 feet of chain increasing our scope. With the tide rising, we will have the current coming in from the south while the wind blows from the north. The 2-knot current helps to take some of the strain off of the anchor. Once I am confident all is secure, it is back to bed for an hour or so when I will be up again to check our position and anchor.
Morning breaks cool and clear. Telegraph Harbor is dead still with not a sound but birds calling out in the distance. The sun has yet to make its appearance for the day. I sit in the cockpit enjoying the serenity of the moment. I wonder what it would be like to live in such a place. Would you go “Island Crazy”? How would you deal with the long winters? Someday, we will give it a try. As I enjoy my first cup of coffee, the sun makes its way over the tops of the trees. As it warms the air, the world begins to come to life once again. There are others that are beginning to stir over at the Marina. A Grand Banks makes an early start of it. Birds continue to call out to welcome the new day. The weather is looking as if it is going to be another perfect day. Just some very high-scattered clouds.
After a leisurely breakfast of cereal and coffee, a little housekeeping on Karma and Zuma, it is off to our new destination for the day. Todays cruise will find us in Silva Bay on Gabriola Island. Our journey will take us north around the eastern side of Thetis Island then through the DeCourey Group of Islands. From there it will be a brief run in the Trincomali Channel and out through Gabriola Passage. The last stage should be the most interesting, as our arrival time should put us there about an hour and a half after slack. The current forecast is for a flood current of 7 knots.
Upon arrival, all as predicted is true. The current is running at 7 knots however, the flood runs east out into the Straits of Georgia. This means we will get a push through. Running the pass was beautiful when I did get an opportunity to look around. It is a quick ride through and then a quick turn to port to run in behind the islands and into Silva Bay.
We poke around until we find ourselves a suitable spot to drop the hook. Once our hook is down and set, Zuma takes up her position on our starboard side. We pass lines and secure Zuma. Once all is complete, it is off to the great little town described in the cruising guides.
While the bay itself is very crowded with moored vessels, what was once supposed to be a nice little town seems to be no more. All of the cruising guides speak of the great little art studios, a nice little supermarket that sells great meats and vegetables, and a nice little bookstore at Pages resort. All that remains is the liquor store, pub, and the bookstore. All the others have fallen due to the poor economic times. I purchase a current atlas at the small bookstore. While I know I can purchase this for less in a major town, we try and support these small town merchants when we can. If we don’t, these towns will be no more.
While ashore, we spy a little green R-21 named “Gizmo” moored at Page’s Resort. These little tugs are everywhere!
As we wonder around on shore, the winds continue to build out of the southwest as promised. Clouds begin to move in and it seems that there is a threat of rain. The weather however calls for diminishing southwest winds late in the afternoon coming around to northwest around midnight. While everything they said held true, the northwest winds did not come up until 2:00 am. I awaken to the sound of the burgee ratting on the bow. This is my wind indicator while we sleep. It has yet to fail to wake me. I get up and check the anchor. I make the decision to drop another 25 feet of chain increasing our scope. With the tide rising, we will have the current coming in from the south while the wind blows from the north. The 2-knot current helps to take some of the strain off of the anchor. Once I am confident all is secure, it is back to bed for an hour or so when I will be up again to check our position and anchor.
Conover Cove
Tuesday, August 30th, Conover Cove, Wallace Island
The big Rocna did its job and held us in place through the night. The opposing winds and currents sure helped as they worked against each other. The winds are still gusting to 15 knots this morning. The air has a slight chill to it but nothing that the cockpit heaters can’t take care of. It is once again another incredible morning with the sky painted in lavenders and pinks. An eagle (the first we have seen) circles overhead. Across the way is a beautiful home with an incredible Totem Pole in the lawn. A Diesel Duck quietly slips by on its way to its next destination. This is one of the incredible things about boating here in the PNW. Boats and crews come from around the world to enjoy these waters. You just never know whom you may run into.
While we wait on slack water at Gabriola, we spend another nice morning just talking, enjoying the scenery, and each other’s company.
The winds continue to blow all morning. The forecast is for more of the same with a slight chance of rain. Oh well, what are you to do? At 11:00 we begin our journey. Lyman and Janeane cast off their lines letting the current and wind separate Karma and Zuma. Once clear, Lyman motors to the center of the cut and stands by while we retrieve Karma’s big 15 kg Rocna. This anchor has once again proven its worth not only holding one R-29 against a two knot current along with winds gusting to 20 mph, but two. I would strongly recommend that anyone considering purchasing a Rocna do so. (If you do, go one size larger than recommended, 10 kg is the recommended size for the R-29, we went with the 15 kg and 100 feet of chain along with 200 feet of line)
Our cruise today will take us south to Princess Cove on Wallace Island. We have reached our furthest north destination. Now our trip south begins. We will check the weather forecast to insure that this location will be suitable for a northwest wind. If it is not, we will choose another.
Once we have the Rocna on board, we point the nose towards Gabriola Passage and start making our way to Princess Cove. Our trip south is uneventful other than spying a Green R-21 off of Whaleboat Island and a Blue R-29 (Livingston Dinghy on swim platform) off of the north end of Salt Springs Island. We try to hail both vessels on the VHF with no luck.
We arrive at Princess Cove at 2:00 pm and find that there is space for Karma and Zuma. However with NW winds predicted we decide to go down and check out Conover Cove. Conover offers protection from all but south winds. Zuma arrives first and determines this is the spot. The hook is dropped, a line run ashore. Once all is secure, they hail Karma on the radio informing us that they are ready for us to come alongside. Once again, Maureen does a flawless job rafting to Zuma without so much as touching the thrusters once. She really has gotten proficient at maneuvering in tight quarters without the use of thrusters.
After cleaning the salt spray off of Karma, I go ashore and hike the short distance to Princess Cove. Along the way I come across a cabin that is covered with the autographed driftwood as well as the rusted old jeep pickup along the trail. I stop at both to take a closer look and get some pictures. The hike is just under a mile round trip. It winds through the interior of Wallace Island giving you peeks at the water along the way.
Upon my return to Karma and Zuma, I inform the others of my discoveries. They too want to check them out so it is back to shore we go. We make the short hike to the “Driftwood Cabin” first. We check to see if there are any names that we recognize, but there are none. We will change that later when we add our piece of personalized driftwood to this vast collection. Next we make the hike to the old jeep pickup. We have a good time taking pictures of each other in various poses alongside and inside of the jeep.
As we make our way back to Conover Cove, we stop to sit and relax while enjoying the incredible sunshine. Some great rocks along the shore provide our seats. Through the years, they have been worn perfectly flat making for an ideal bench. What a spectacular way to end a perfect day!
The big Rocna did its job and held us in place through the night. The opposing winds and currents sure helped as they worked against each other. The winds are still gusting to 15 knots this morning. The air has a slight chill to it but nothing that the cockpit heaters can’t take care of. It is once again another incredible morning with the sky painted in lavenders and pinks. An eagle (the first we have seen) circles overhead. Across the way is a beautiful home with an incredible Totem Pole in the lawn. A Diesel Duck quietly slips by on its way to its next destination. This is one of the incredible things about boating here in the PNW. Boats and crews come from around the world to enjoy these waters. You just never know whom you may run into.
While we wait on slack water at Gabriola, we spend another nice morning just talking, enjoying the scenery, and each other’s company.
The winds continue to blow all morning. The forecast is for more of the same with a slight chance of rain. Oh well, what are you to do? At 11:00 we begin our journey. Lyman and Janeane cast off their lines letting the current and wind separate Karma and Zuma. Once clear, Lyman motors to the center of the cut and stands by while we retrieve Karma’s big 15 kg Rocna. This anchor has once again proven its worth not only holding one R-29 against a two knot current along with winds gusting to 20 mph, but two. I would strongly recommend that anyone considering purchasing a Rocna do so. (If you do, go one size larger than recommended, 10 kg is the recommended size for the R-29, we went with the 15 kg and 100 feet of chain along with 200 feet of line)
Our cruise today will take us south to Princess Cove on Wallace Island. We have reached our furthest north destination. Now our trip south begins. We will check the weather forecast to insure that this location will be suitable for a northwest wind. If it is not, we will choose another.
Once we have the Rocna on board, we point the nose towards Gabriola Passage and start making our way to Princess Cove. Our trip south is uneventful other than spying a Green R-21 off of Whaleboat Island and a Blue R-29 (Livingston Dinghy on swim platform) off of the north end of Salt Springs Island. We try to hail both vessels on the VHF with no luck.
We arrive at Princess Cove at 2:00 pm and find that there is space for Karma and Zuma. However with NW winds predicted we decide to go down and check out Conover Cove. Conover offers protection from all but south winds. Zuma arrives first and determines this is the spot. The hook is dropped, a line run ashore. Once all is secure, they hail Karma on the radio informing us that they are ready for us to come alongside. Once again, Maureen does a flawless job rafting to Zuma without so much as touching the thrusters once. She really has gotten proficient at maneuvering in tight quarters without the use of thrusters.
After cleaning the salt spray off of Karma, I go ashore and hike the short distance to Princess Cove. Along the way I come across a cabin that is covered with the autographed driftwood as well as the rusted old jeep pickup along the trail. I stop at both to take a closer look and get some pictures. The hike is just under a mile round trip. It winds through the interior of Wallace Island giving you peeks at the water along the way.
Upon my return to Karma and Zuma, I inform the others of my discoveries. They too want to check them out so it is back to shore we go. We make the short hike to the “Driftwood Cabin” first. We check to see if there are any names that we recognize, but there are none. We will change that later when we add our piece of personalized driftwood to this vast collection. Next we make the hike to the old jeep pickup. We have a good time taking pictures of each other in various poses alongside and inside of the jeep.
As we make our way back to Conover Cove, we stop to sit and relax while enjoying the incredible sunshine. Some great rocks along the shore provide our seats. Through the years, they have been worn perfectly flat making for an ideal bench. What a spectacular way to end a perfect day!
Canoe Cove
Wednesday, August 31st, Canoe Cove
It is difficult to believe it is the last day of August; the morning comes with a chill in the air. This morning the thermometer reads a balmy 49 degrees. It is 5:30 and I enjoy my morning coffee in the warmth of the cockpit. The cockpit heaters are working overtime this morning.
Sleep came easy last night. With the gusty winds blowing the previous night, I was up through out the night checking the anchor. For that reason, there was not much sleep.
Comparatively, last night all was calm except at 2:20 when we had one of our lines “squeaking” on both boats. I got up to take care of it as I knew if it were keeping me awake, it would surely being keeping Lyman awake. Right I was. As I was adjusting it, Lyman poked his head out the window. He had heard it too and was just coming out to take care of it. Once all was secure and quieted down, it was back to the warmth of our comfy bed.
Currently our little cove here is quiet as can be. Not another sole is yet to stir. A tug with its tow passes by the opening bound for “Points North”. I can only think that the life of the Captain of a true working tug must be great. I am sure they have a different opinion.
Today our trip will continue to work us back south. It will be the last night that Karma and Zuma will be together. Tomorrow, they will make the turn toward the San Juan’s and then home, we will continue our trip toward Victoria for the classic boat show.
Our last night together found us in Canoe Cove just north of Sidney. While there is not much of a town, there is a considerable size marina with a complete boat yard and small chandlery. The must see thing you cannot miss while in Canoe Cove, is the Old English Pub. It is just a short walk up the hill from the marina. While it was built in the 80’s, its appearance gives it the look of something that was built in the late 1800’s. The gardens surrounding it are beautiful.
It is difficult to believe it is the last day of August; the morning comes with a chill in the air. This morning the thermometer reads a balmy 49 degrees. It is 5:30 and I enjoy my morning coffee in the warmth of the cockpit. The cockpit heaters are working overtime this morning.
Sleep came easy last night. With the gusty winds blowing the previous night, I was up through out the night checking the anchor. For that reason, there was not much sleep.
Comparatively, last night all was calm except at 2:20 when we had one of our lines “squeaking” on both boats. I got up to take care of it as I knew if it were keeping me awake, it would surely being keeping Lyman awake. Right I was. As I was adjusting it, Lyman poked his head out the window. He had heard it too and was just coming out to take care of it. Once all was secure and quieted down, it was back to the warmth of our comfy bed.
Currently our little cove here is quiet as can be. Not another sole is yet to stir. A tug with its tow passes by the opening bound for “Points North”. I can only think that the life of the Captain of a true working tug must be great. I am sure they have a different opinion.
Today our trip will continue to work us back south. It will be the last night that Karma and Zuma will be together. Tomorrow, they will make the turn toward the San Juan’s and then home, we will continue our trip toward Victoria for the classic boat show.
Our last night together found us in Canoe Cove just north of Sidney. While there is not much of a town, there is a considerable size marina with a complete boat yard and small chandlery. The must see thing you cannot miss while in Canoe Cove, is the Old English Pub. It is just a short walk up the hill from the marina. While it was built in the 80’s, its appearance gives it the look of something that was built in the late 1800’s. The gardens surrounding it are beautiful.
Victoria
Thursday, September 1st, Victoria Harbor
We have a new overnight low! 48 degrees this morning. It is hard to believe it is just the first of September. What a beautiful morning though. The air is heavy with dew allowing the rising sun to give an orange glow to everything. All is quiet as the others are still asleep. We are not sure of our plan today. Zuma will make her way to the San Juan’s for a couple of days. Karma is headed to Victoria. We are just not sure if we will make a stop in Sidney or just continue on to Victoria. The opening festivities for the wooded boat show will start at noon on Friday. If we chose to go to Victoria tomorrow, we will miss them.
We make the decision to carry on to Victoria. I contact the Harbor authority to request an early arrival. I am informed that the marina is booked however, there are five first come first served slips available. However we must arrive by noon to insure we are able to secure one of the five. This should not be a problem as we are ready to depart Canoe Cove at nine. The dinghy has been loaded on the roof. Everything lose in the salon has been secured. With gusty south winds predicted, we are expecting to see some lumpy seas the last five miles of our journey. We will not be disappointed. Our trip south to Victoria takes us west of Sidney Spit where we get our first look at this cruisers destination spot. It looks to be an incredible location to spend a day or two swinging on a mooring ball.
Our trip south is uneventful. We cruise along at nine knots burning 3 gallons per hour. At this speed, we should arrive in Victoria at 11:45.
We round the point and head into Victoria harbor right on time at 11:45. While Maureen takes pictures of the seaplane traffic as well as the cruise ship traffic, I contact the Harbor Authority. They assign us to slip Delta 2. We are asked to be sure to snuggle up close to the vessel Sand Dollar.
As we make our way to the Wharf Street Floats, we spot a R-25 heading to the fuel dock. We get closer to see who it is. It is Dave and Lynn aboard Lobo. We call out greetings letting them know where we will be secured. They inform us that “Sand Dollar” had just arrived also. Sand Dollar is a new R-29 belonging to Keith and Kathy out of Bowen Island BC. Amazing. We have been in the company of one R-Tug or another now for the entire trip. We have not had a day when we have come across another tug either out cruising or secured in a marina.
Cruising through Victoria Harbor is interesting to say the least. At one point I look aft to see a seaplane not more than 75 feet astern. Naturally I give way….. It is amazing to watch these crafts come in. They circle around the Delta Resort and then just sort of “drop” out of the sky to make a perfect landing. Vessels arriving into Victoria are required to stay to the starboard side of the channel. The port side is the location of the world’s busiest commercial seaplane base. The channel is well marked with yellow buoys. Inbound vessels keep these close to their portside as do outbound vessels. This insures the safety of everyone using the harbor.
As we approach the marina, I turn control of the helm over to Maureen. Once she is at the helm, I prepare our lines and fenders. Once all is ready, I give Maureen the go ahead to go on in. Over the years, we have developed our system for docking and departing. On our approach to the marina, we discuss how we will handle it. Once we have determined the type of tie we are going to make, I prepare fenders and lines. Once all is complete, I let Maureen know we are ready to go in.
The same applies on departure. Once safely away from the dock, I stow all lines and fenders. Once this is completed, I will do one more quick visual to insure all is stowed. This includes the swim platform to make sure nothing was left out. After insuring all is secure, I call out to Maureen, all secure. At this point she knows it is safe to proceed to our destination.
Once again Maureen makes a flawless arrival at the dock. Even with a strong cross wind blowing she does it effortlessly.
After getting Karma secured, we introduce ourselves to Keith and Kathy. Now it is time to give Karma a much deserved fresh water bath. While we have kept as much salt off of her as we could through out the week, she is still in need of a bath. While I take care of the exterior, Maureen takes care of the interior.
Once she is clean, it was off to the grocery store to re-provision. When you find yourself in Victoria and in need of provisioning, visit the “Market on Yates” located on the corner or Yates and Quadro. This is a nice little market that will have everything you need at a very reasonable price. They offer a full service meat counter, where you will find everything from home made sausages to frog legs. Once you have visited the meat department, make your way over to the delicatessen to check out their incredible selection of gourmet cheeses and salads. Then, leaving the best for last, stop by one of the best in store bakeries I have ever seen. The majority of the items here are made from scratch. Their pies are incredible. The decorating on their cakes is some of the best I have seen. (It makes you want to have something to celebrate just so you can order a cake)
After our shopping was complete, it was back to Karma to store the groceries. Once that task was complete, Maureen and I walked down to the Causeway Floats to admire the classic vessels that had already arrived. The care and work that has gone into these crafts is amazing. The pride of ownership certainly shows.
We made it about halfway through when the rain began to fall. We quickly make our way back to Karma. Once aboard, we open a nice bottle of wine to settle in for a nice evening aboard. Keith walks over and invites us aboard Sand Dollar for cocktails and hor’ dourves. We grab our wine glasses as well as our freshly opened bottle of wine and head over. It is a nice evening getting too know Keith and Kathy. It is now 8:00 pm and we have yet to have lunch or dinner. We head back to Karma and decide that the nice little cherry pie we bought at the store would be a great lunch/dinner. We are not disappointed. This bakery makes an incredible pie!
Friday, September 2nd
Morning breaks with weather that is more like it should be. Clear skies, light breeze, and temperatures in the mid 50’s. It is still early and no one is stirring on the docks. This time of day is my favorite. I fill the kettle with water for a pot of coffee. While it heats, I light the cockpit heaters. It is going to be a beautiful day in Victoria. After coffee and breakfast, we will take a walk over to the Causeway Floats again and finish checking out the classics.
We walk through the classics and enjoy chatting with many of the owners. There is one gentleman that has the cutest little tug that used to be a fireboat in LA. While its accommodations are tight, it would be a great little boat to own and enjoy.
After looking at the boats Maureen and I wander through town to see the sights. We end up at the floating home village. We are amazed at this little community floating right here on the harbor. The community is open for visitors to wander through and admire. What a great way to live. And, in a city where the housing costs are through the roof, it is really the most affordable! $299,999.00 for a 1300 square foot floating home. While this may seem expensive, a “scraper” in Victoria (on the water front) would run you close to a million. A condo, $600,000 plus! Here in the floating home community, you are right on the water. Your kayak is ready to launch right on your back porch! What a way to live!
Once we return to the marina area, we join Keith and Kathy for lunch at the “Red fish, Blue Fish” fish n chips stand. The line at this place lasts all day long. Kathy has stood in line for a total of 45 minutes to get to the window to place the order (thank you Kathy!). The food was excellent as well as the company and the view. After lunch Maureen and I wander through the street vendors once more and then head back to Karma.
Once back on board, we break out a bottle of wine and move to the bow to enjoy the sun and view. Kathy and Keith return and we invite them aboard for a glass or two of wine. I turn and look towards the quay and notice a gentleman feverishly waving a hat. I think to myself, “how does he intend to get a boats attention from there”? Then I realize it is Bill and Patty from Sunshine! They drove from Seattle for the Classic Boat Show. Along with Keith and Kathy, we now have Bill and Patty aboard for afternoon cocktails. What a great day!
Evening breaks, we enjoy and incredible sunset from our bow. The lights of the city begin to come alive. Maureen and I walk up to take pictures of the city lights. The end of another perfect day comes.
Saturday, September 3rd
I awaken once again at 5:30. I just love this time of day even in a marina. The stillness of the morning air. The hushed sounds of the city behind me coming to life. I could do this forever…… At 7:00 am, the city burst to life. The seaplanes begin to fire up to make the first flights of the day. People are now out on the streets scurrying from here to there.
I sit and enjoy a cup of coffee as this major city comes to life! Today we will wander through the classics to check out the new arrivals. Boats continued to arrive right up to dark last evening. There must be over 100 boats by now!
After a leisurely breakfast, we say our goodbyes to Keith and Kathy. They are headed to Sidney and then home. We wander off to visit the boats. Today we visit the S.A.L.T.S. sailing vessel. This is a Canadian flagged vessel that is used to teach young people the fundamentals of boating. They go out for seven to ten days at a time. There are no phones, computers, I-Pods, I-Pads, etc., allowed aboard. We speak with a number of them about their experiences. It is surprising as to how many have done this more than once.
We once again visit with a number of the owners aboard these beautiful vessels. These folks are so proud, as the deserve to be, of their vessels. They want to show them off to everyone. (Kind of like Ranger Tug owners)
After visiting the vessels, we head off to the Market on Yates for another of those wonderful Cherry Pies that they make. This is the market to visit when in Victoria.
We finish our day once again sitting on the bow, enjoying a glass of wine and each other’s company.
Sunday, September 4th
We depart Victoria at 6:30 am. The sun has just made its debut for the day casting its orange glow across the water. We follow one classic out of the harbor. It seems no one else has risen yet. As we enter the straits, there is a tug and tow awaiting clearance into the harbor. He will need assistance as he has two barges. The confines of this harbor, along with the incredible amount of traffic, require a great deal of supervision. There are a number of patrol boats that help to keep order. Wander into the taxiways or “runways” of the seaplanes and they will be right there. Exceed the 5-knot speed limit within the harbor, they will be right there.
As we approach Haro Strait, we have to change courses to allow two container ships to pass. One headed north, one south. Once across Haro, I contact US Customs by phone to request clearance back into the US. The young lady that answers is professional and polite. The first thing I explain to her is, we are rookies at this. She laughs and assures me it will be painless. And painless it is! After giving her the requested information, she gives me our clearance number and tells us we are good to go. No need to go into port! Gotta love that Nexus card!
Once we are cleared, we make the decision to make our way across the Straits of Juan de Fuca. The weather today is perfect. Not a breeze to ripple the water! The straits are like glass. Tomorrow though, is supposed to be a totally different story! Gale force winds with five-foot seas!
Our crossing is uneventful with the exception of the sighting of what we believe was a Sperm Whale three miles north of Point Wilson! It surfaced twice and then was gone!
Once across we decide to continue on to Blake Island. We are quite certain it will be full on this holiday weekend so we do make contingency plans. We are surprised upon our arrival. While the marina docks are full, there is still space to hang on the poles. We chose our favorite set, get Karma secured, and then it is off to our favorite location. The bow with a glass of wine and a bowl of cherries. We sit sipping our wine enjoying the rest of a great day. As the sun sets off to the west, the air quickly takes on a chill. This signals that it is time to fire up the BBQ and move inside.
Our trip took us over 250 miles. We motored for 32 hours at an average speed of 7 ½ knots. We burned a total of 100 gallons of fuel. With our secondary water tank in place, we went for seven days without needing to fill. Upon our arrival in Victoria, we still had a ¼ tank of water. We could have stretched it further if we had conserved more, however we knew we could pull into marinas and fill throughout our trip.
We had no mechanical issues. We spent seven out of eleven nights hanging on the hook.
To sum it up simply, we had a great trip. We met a number of great Ranger Tug owners along the way! What a great lifestyle indeed!
We have a new overnight low! 48 degrees this morning. It is hard to believe it is just the first of September. What a beautiful morning though. The air is heavy with dew allowing the rising sun to give an orange glow to everything. All is quiet as the others are still asleep. We are not sure of our plan today. Zuma will make her way to the San Juan’s for a couple of days. Karma is headed to Victoria. We are just not sure if we will make a stop in Sidney or just continue on to Victoria. The opening festivities for the wooded boat show will start at noon on Friday. If we chose to go to Victoria tomorrow, we will miss them.
We make the decision to carry on to Victoria. I contact the Harbor authority to request an early arrival. I am informed that the marina is booked however, there are five first come first served slips available. However we must arrive by noon to insure we are able to secure one of the five. This should not be a problem as we are ready to depart Canoe Cove at nine. The dinghy has been loaded on the roof. Everything lose in the salon has been secured. With gusty south winds predicted, we are expecting to see some lumpy seas the last five miles of our journey. We will not be disappointed. Our trip south to Victoria takes us west of Sidney Spit where we get our first look at this cruisers destination spot. It looks to be an incredible location to spend a day or two swinging on a mooring ball.
Our trip south is uneventful. We cruise along at nine knots burning 3 gallons per hour. At this speed, we should arrive in Victoria at 11:45.
We round the point and head into Victoria harbor right on time at 11:45. While Maureen takes pictures of the seaplane traffic as well as the cruise ship traffic, I contact the Harbor Authority. They assign us to slip Delta 2. We are asked to be sure to snuggle up close to the vessel Sand Dollar.
As we make our way to the Wharf Street Floats, we spot a R-25 heading to the fuel dock. We get closer to see who it is. It is Dave and Lynn aboard Lobo. We call out greetings letting them know where we will be secured. They inform us that “Sand Dollar” had just arrived also. Sand Dollar is a new R-29 belonging to Keith and Kathy out of Bowen Island BC. Amazing. We have been in the company of one R-Tug or another now for the entire trip. We have not had a day when we have come across another tug either out cruising or secured in a marina.
Cruising through Victoria Harbor is interesting to say the least. At one point I look aft to see a seaplane not more than 75 feet astern. Naturally I give way….. It is amazing to watch these crafts come in. They circle around the Delta Resort and then just sort of “drop” out of the sky to make a perfect landing. Vessels arriving into Victoria are required to stay to the starboard side of the channel. The port side is the location of the world’s busiest commercial seaplane base. The channel is well marked with yellow buoys. Inbound vessels keep these close to their portside as do outbound vessels. This insures the safety of everyone using the harbor.
As we approach the marina, I turn control of the helm over to Maureen. Once she is at the helm, I prepare our lines and fenders. Once all is ready, I give Maureen the go ahead to go on in. Over the years, we have developed our system for docking and departing. On our approach to the marina, we discuss how we will handle it. Once we have determined the type of tie we are going to make, I prepare fenders and lines. Once all is complete, I let Maureen know we are ready to go in.
The same applies on departure. Once safely away from the dock, I stow all lines and fenders. Once this is completed, I will do one more quick visual to insure all is stowed. This includes the swim platform to make sure nothing was left out. After insuring all is secure, I call out to Maureen, all secure. At this point she knows it is safe to proceed to our destination.
Once again Maureen makes a flawless arrival at the dock. Even with a strong cross wind blowing she does it effortlessly.
After getting Karma secured, we introduce ourselves to Keith and Kathy. Now it is time to give Karma a much deserved fresh water bath. While we have kept as much salt off of her as we could through out the week, she is still in need of a bath. While I take care of the exterior, Maureen takes care of the interior.
Once she is clean, it was off to the grocery store to re-provision. When you find yourself in Victoria and in need of provisioning, visit the “Market on Yates” located on the corner or Yates and Quadro. This is a nice little market that will have everything you need at a very reasonable price. They offer a full service meat counter, where you will find everything from home made sausages to frog legs. Once you have visited the meat department, make your way over to the delicatessen to check out their incredible selection of gourmet cheeses and salads. Then, leaving the best for last, stop by one of the best in store bakeries I have ever seen. The majority of the items here are made from scratch. Their pies are incredible. The decorating on their cakes is some of the best I have seen. (It makes you want to have something to celebrate just so you can order a cake)
After our shopping was complete, it was back to Karma to store the groceries. Once that task was complete, Maureen and I walked down to the Causeway Floats to admire the classic vessels that had already arrived. The care and work that has gone into these crafts is amazing. The pride of ownership certainly shows.
We made it about halfway through when the rain began to fall. We quickly make our way back to Karma. Once aboard, we open a nice bottle of wine to settle in for a nice evening aboard. Keith walks over and invites us aboard Sand Dollar for cocktails and hor’ dourves. We grab our wine glasses as well as our freshly opened bottle of wine and head over. It is a nice evening getting too know Keith and Kathy. It is now 8:00 pm and we have yet to have lunch or dinner. We head back to Karma and decide that the nice little cherry pie we bought at the store would be a great lunch/dinner. We are not disappointed. This bakery makes an incredible pie!
Friday, September 2nd
Morning breaks with weather that is more like it should be. Clear skies, light breeze, and temperatures in the mid 50’s. It is still early and no one is stirring on the docks. This time of day is my favorite. I fill the kettle with water for a pot of coffee. While it heats, I light the cockpit heaters. It is going to be a beautiful day in Victoria. After coffee and breakfast, we will take a walk over to the Causeway Floats again and finish checking out the classics.
We walk through the classics and enjoy chatting with many of the owners. There is one gentleman that has the cutest little tug that used to be a fireboat in LA. While its accommodations are tight, it would be a great little boat to own and enjoy.
After looking at the boats Maureen and I wander through town to see the sights. We end up at the floating home village. We are amazed at this little community floating right here on the harbor. The community is open for visitors to wander through and admire. What a great way to live. And, in a city where the housing costs are through the roof, it is really the most affordable! $299,999.00 for a 1300 square foot floating home. While this may seem expensive, a “scraper” in Victoria (on the water front) would run you close to a million. A condo, $600,000 plus! Here in the floating home community, you are right on the water. Your kayak is ready to launch right on your back porch! What a way to live!
Once we return to the marina area, we join Keith and Kathy for lunch at the “Red fish, Blue Fish” fish n chips stand. The line at this place lasts all day long. Kathy has stood in line for a total of 45 minutes to get to the window to place the order (thank you Kathy!). The food was excellent as well as the company and the view. After lunch Maureen and I wander through the street vendors once more and then head back to Karma.
Once back on board, we break out a bottle of wine and move to the bow to enjoy the sun and view. Kathy and Keith return and we invite them aboard for a glass or two of wine. I turn and look towards the quay and notice a gentleman feverishly waving a hat. I think to myself, “how does he intend to get a boats attention from there”? Then I realize it is Bill and Patty from Sunshine! They drove from Seattle for the Classic Boat Show. Along with Keith and Kathy, we now have Bill and Patty aboard for afternoon cocktails. What a great day!
Evening breaks, we enjoy and incredible sunset from our bow. The lights of the city begin to come alive. Maureen and I walk up to take pictures of the city lights. The end of another perfect day comes.
Saturday, September 3rd
I awaken once again at 5:30. I just love this time of day even in a marina. The stillness of the morning air. The hushed sounds of the city behind me coming to life. I could do this forever…… At 7:00 am, the city burst to life. The seaplanes begin to fire up to make the first flights of the day. People are now out on the streets scurrying from here to there.
I sit and enjoy a cup of coffee as this major city comes to life! Today we will wander through the classics to check out the new arrivals. Boats continued to arrive right up to dark last evening. There must be over 100 boats by now!
After a leisurely breakfast, we say our goodbyes to Keith and Kathy. They are headed to Sidney and then home. We wander off to visit the boats. Today we visit the S.A.L.T.S. sailing vessel. This is a Canadian flagged vessel that is used to teach young people the fundamentals of boating. They go out for seven to ten days at a time. There are no phones, computers, I-Pods, I-Pads, etc., allowed aboard. We speak with a number of them about their experiences. It is surprising as to how many have done this more than once.
We once again visit with a number of the owners aboard these beautiful vessels. These folks are so proud, as the deserve to be, of their vessels. They want to show them off to everyone. (Kind of like Ranger Tug owners)
After visiting the vessels, we head off to the Market on Yates for another of those wonderful Cherry Pies that they make. This is the market to visit when in Victoria.
We finish our day once again sitting on the bow, enjoying a glass of wine and each other’s company.
Sunday, September 4th
We depart Victoria at 6:30 am. The sun has just made its debut for the day casting its orange glow across the water. We follow one classic out of the harbor. It seems no one else has risen yet. As we enter the straits, there is a tug and tow awaiting clearance into the harbor. He will need assistance as he has two barges. The confines of this harbor, along with the incredible amount of traffic, require a great deal of supervision. There are a number of patrol boats that help to keep order. Wander into the taxiways or “runways” of the seaplanes and they will be right there. Exceed the 5-knot speed limit within the harbor, they will be right there.
As we approach Haro Strait, we have to change courses to allow two container ships to pass. One headed north, one south. Once across Haro, I contact US Customs by phone to request clearance back into the US. The young lady that answers is professional and polite. The first thing I explain to her is, we are rookies at this. She laughs and assures me it will be painless. And painless it is! After giving her the requested information, she gives me our clearance number and tells us we are good to go. No need to go into port! Gotta love that Nexus card!
Once we are cleared, we make the decision to make our way across the Straits of Juan de Fuca. The weather today is perfect. Not a breeze to ripple the water! The straits are like glass. Tomorrow though, is supposed to be a totally different story! Gale force winds with five-foot seas!
Our crossing is uneventful with the exception of the sighting of what we believe was a Sperm Whale three miles north of Point Wilson! It surfaced twice and then was gone!
Once across we decide to continue on to Blake Island. We are quite certain it will be full on this holiday weekend so we do make contingency plans. We are surprised upon our arrival. While the marina docks are full, there is still space to hang on the poles. We chose our favorite set, get Karma secured, and then it is off to our favorite location. The bow with a glass of wine and a bowl of cherries. We sit sipping our wine enjoying the rest of a great day. As the sun sets off to the west, the air quickly takes on a chill. This signals that it is time to fire up the BBQ and move inside.
Our trip took us over 250 miles. We motored for 32 hours at an average speed of 7 ½ knots. We burned a total of 100 gallons of fuel. With our secondary water tank in place, we went for seven days without needing to fill. Upon our arrival in Victoria, we still had a ¼ tank of water. We could have stretched it further if we had conserved more, however we knew we could pull into marinas and fill throughout our trip.
We had no mechanical issues. We spent seven out of eleven nights hanging on the hook.
To sum it up simply, we had a great trip. We met a number of great Ranger Tug owners along the way! What a great lifestyle indeed!
Lake Shasta, June 2011
Karma Visits Lake Shasta, California
Two years ago, Lake Shasta was nothing more than a mere trickle of water flowing in the old river beds. Today, thanks to the heavy snows of this past winter, Lake Shasta has exceeded her banks.
It has been four years since we lasted visited Lake Shasta. That visit was our first cruise on Solitude our R-25. Cruising Lake Shasta you will see everything from Deer to Bears! With its numerous anchorages and coves, it is never difficult to find yourself a spot that you can claim your own. The weather in June should provide you with days in the high 80's and overnight temperatures dropping to the 60's.
It has been four years since we lasted visited Lake Shasta. That visit was our first cruise on Solitude our R-25. Cruising Lake Shasta you will see everything from Deer to Bears! With its numerous anchorages and coves, it is never difficult to find yourself a spot that you can claim your own. The weather in June should provide you with days in the high 80's and overnight temperatures dropping to the 60's.
Saturday June 11th, 2011
Our first day of cruising Lake Shasta found us making a mid morning departure from Bridge Bay Marina. Our first stop will be the guest dock to allow us to hike up to the store to purchase fishing licenses. Once this is done, we headed north up the McCloud River arm bound for one of our favorite anchorages. As we pass under the Highway 5 Bridge, we give the horn a toot to the traffic passing overhead. The anchorage is no more than a small spit of land that connects a small “island” to the mainland. Anchoring here is simple, you drop your bow anchor and then back down and secure a stern line. By doing so, you look out across the spit from the luxury of your cockpit at the main body of the McCloud River Arm. You will witness a multitude of passing water craft while well protected from their wakes. The sun will treat you to a very special sunset on the opposite shore.
Upon our arrival though, we discover a small house boat is already secured. The owner gives us a wave from the cockpit. We approach slowly to inquire as to how long they plan to stay. Their plans are to remain through the night. It is off to find another location for the night. We head across to Herz Bay which is located on the west side of the McCloud River arm. There we are able to locate a great little spot where we can secure the bow to one shore, and the stern to the other. We are strung between two Shores so to speak.
The weather is slightly overcast with a few occasional sprinkles. Oh well, it still beats the alternative…… work…… A pair of eagles soars overhead. One turns and dives to lands him a fresh fish lunch! Off he flies around the corner to have his lunch.
We lounge around Karma just being glad to be back on board. It is always great to be out on the water! From our vantage point we can see the main channel of the bay. All the while, not a single boat comes by.
We popped open a bottle of red wine and threw the steaks on the grill. Nothing beats a nice bottle of wine, great food, and the one you love on your own boat!
After dinner, it will be off to do a little fishing. We will see if we can be as lucky as the eagle we saw earlier today!
Upon our arrival though, we discover a small house boat is already secured. The owner gives us a wave from the cockpit. We approach slowly to inquire as to how long they plan to stay. Their plans are to remain through the night. It is off to find another location for the night. We head across to Herz Bay which is located on the west side of the McCloud River arm. There we are able to locate a great little spot where we can secure the bow to one shore, and the stern to the other. We are strung between two Shores so to speak.
The weather is slightly overcast with a few occasional sprinkles. Oh well, it still beats the alternative…… work…… A pair of eagles soars overhead. One turns and dives to lands him a fresh fish lunch! Off he flies around the corner to have his lunch.
We lounge around Karma just being glad to be back on board. It is always great to be out on the water! From our vantage point we can see the main channel of the bay. All the while, not a single boat comes by.
We popped open a bottle of red wine and threw the steaks on the grill. Nothing beats a nice bottle of wine, great food, and the one you love on your own boat!
After dinner, it will be off to do a little fishing. We will see if we can be as lucky as the eagle we saw earlier today!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The morning breaks clear and crisp. The outside temperature is 54 degrees with the interior not being much more at 58. (That’s what happens when you leave all the windows open overnight!) Opposite of yesterday’s weather, there is not a cloud in the sky. The sun is just beginning to peak over the mountain ridges lighting the tree tops on the opposite shore. A lone fisherman comes around the corner in his bass boat. With a single cast, he lands himself a nice bass in the same location that the eagle landed his yesterday. This must be the place.
I sit in the cockpit writing this while the coffee brews. Too stay warm; I have set up our two propane heaters. Maureen is still asleep in bed. The mornings are absolutely beautiful. Not a sound but the birds in the trees and an elk bugling in the distance. Even the fisherman moves in silence. There is a hint of smoke in the air from a far away campfire.
Once the coffee is done, I will wake Maureen so she too can enjoy the perfect setting.
After breakfast we make our way out of our little oasis and head off for another. We motor along at a simple 6 knots as we know we will only be traveling a short distance today. Why hurry? We check out a number of small coves as we look for our next oasis. Finally in Nosoni Creek, we find the perfect anchorage. The sun will continue to rise over the stern, setting on the bow. It will make for a perfect evening.
Today, we will retrieve Maureen’s new Kayak from the roof and do a little paddling. We have replaced our old “ride on” kayak with two new sleek models. They fit nicely on the roof along with our dinghy.
While I clean Karma, Maureen floats about on her raft rejoicing in the beauty of the location as well as the welcoming sunshine. Karma gets a bath from the top of her mast to her water line. Once I am done washing, it is time to start polishing. I start with Rain-ex on all of the windows. Then it is a coat of Dek’s Ole on the teak cockpit doors. Tomorrow, wax….. I will start on the roof and work my way down.
Once done with today’s cleaning, it is time for a paddle in our new kayaks. We head toward the back of Nosoni Creek to explore even further. Hidden beyond the trees, we hear what sounds like a small waterfall. We pick our way through and into an opening where we are met with three small waterfalls! What a beautiful little hideaway. The water here is snow melt so it is very cold. Now would not be the time to practice rolling the kayaks. We navigate carefully for a good thirty minutes and then head back towards Karma. We paddle past and on to the mouth of the creek. Could the day get any better?
Upon returning to Karma, it is time to crack open another bottle of wine. While I do so, Maureen washes the Rainier Cherries that we purchased. What a treat. Sit on the swim platform, our feet in the water, eating Rainier Cherries and drinking fine wine. And all the while, not another boat in sight!
Dinner consists of a fresh salad and salmon patties on the BBQ. After dinner we sit in the cockpit just enjoying the Solitude of the moment.
I sit in the cockpit writing this while the coffee brews. Too stay warm; I have set up our two propane heaters. Maureen is still asleep in bed. The mornings are absolutely beautiful. Not a sound but the birds in the trees and an elk bugling in the distance. Even the fisherman moves in silence. There is a hint of smoke in the air from a far away campfire.
Once the coffee is done, I will wake Maureen so she too can enjoy the perfect setting.
After breakfast we make our way out of our little oasis and head off for another. We motor along at a simple 6 knots as we know we will only be traveling a short distance today. Why hurry? We check out a number of small coves as we look for our next oasis. Finally in Nosoni Creek, we find the perfect anchorage. The sun will continue to rise over the stern, setting on the bow. It will make for a perfect evening.
Today, we will retrieve Maureen’s new Kayak from the roof and do a little paddling. We have replaced our old “ride on” kayak with two new sleek models. They fit nicely on the roof along with our dinghy.
While I clean Karma, Maureen floats about on her raft rejoicing in the beauty of the location as well as the welcoming sunshine. Karma gets a bath from the top of her mast to her water line. Once I am done washing, it is time to start polishing. I start with Rain-ex on all of the windows. Then it is a coat of Dek’s Ole on the teak cockpit doors. Tomorrow, wax….. I will start on the roof and work my way down.
Once done with today’s cleaning, it is time for a paddle in our new kayaks. We head toward the back of Nosoni Creek to explore even further. Hidden beyond the trees, we hear what sounds like a small waterfall. We pick our way through and into an opening where we are met with three small waterfalls! What a beautiful little hideaway. The water here is snow melt so it is very cold. Now would not be the time to practice rolling the kayaks. We navigate carefully for a good thirty minutes and then head back towards Karma. We paddle past and on to the mouth of the creek. Could the day get any better?
Upon returning to Karma, it is time to crack open another bottle of wine. While I do so, Maureen washes the Rainier Cherries that we purchased. What a treat. Sit on the swim platform, our feet in the water, eating Rainier Cherries and drinking fine wine. And all the while, not another boat in sight!
Dinner consists of a fresh salad and salmon patties on the BBQ. After dinner we sit in the cockpit just enjoying the Solitude of the moment.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Mornings on the water are a very special place to be. The birds singing out as if to welcome the new day. The sound of the babbling brook off the stern. The sun lightens the distance shoreline in a multitude of greens. The air is crisp and incredibly clear, the sky a stunning blue. A light steam rises from the water.
Above us, on a distant mountain peak, is a fire lookout station. What would it be like to witness the start of each new day from that vantage point?
Once again, we have the entire cove to ourselves. While there are not many spots to tie off, there are a few. Yet, not another boat in sight. With fuel prices being what they are, it appears that many people have made the decision not to be out on the water.
We lounge in the cockpit just enjoying the serenity. Finally, at 11:00 am, we decide it is time to find our next “home” for the evening. We head south on the McCloud River Arm. We check out a number of coves we spot as we motor along. All are lined with beautiful full green pine trees. They all are covered with the light shade of green that indicates the new growth of a new year. Finally, we end up back in Herz Bay. This time though, we select a nice little cove that has a point that is partially submerged. It makes for an interesting sight, pine trees growing out of the water. Once all is secure with a bow anchor and two stern lines, it is once again time to do a little maintenance on Karma. The Velcro on the stateroom hatch needs to be replaced. While I do this, it is back to her raft for Maureen.
Once I complete the task of replacing the Velcro, it is time to start waxing. Today I will do the hull along with the sides of the house. This I can accomplish from the dinghy.
Once I complete the waxing, I take the kayak out for a short paddle. Now it is time for a swim. With the constant flow of snow melt coming into the lake this year, the water is still only in the high sixty’s. While it is cold, it is invigorating. You cannot stay in long, but it does feel good.
Four o’clock, time to open a bottle of wine and break out the cherries. We sit in the cockpit enjoying each other company while marveling at the scenery that surrounds us. A mother duck leads her four ducklings across the bay. A half a dozen baby Quail forage for food along the bank. Occasionally a fisherman or two will go by. All in all though, it is as if we have the lake to ourselves. From our vantage point we watch the sun set over the stern, while a nearly full moon rises over the bow. As the sun sets, the air starts to take on a chill. It will soon be time to move inside.
Above us, on a distant mountain peak, is a fire lookout station. What would it be like to witness the start of each new day from that vantage point?
Once again, we have the entire cove to ourselves. While there are not many spots to tie off, there are a few. Yet, not another boat in sight. With fuel prices being what they are, it appears that many people have made the decision not to be out on the water.
We lounge in the cockpit just enjoying the serenity. Finally, at 11:00 am, we decide it is time to find our next “home” for the evening. We head south on the McCloud River Arm. We check out a number of coves we spot as we motor along. All are lined with beautiful full green pine trees. They all are covered with the light shade of green that indicates the new growth of a new year. Finally, we end up back in Herz Bay. This time though, we select a nice little cove that has a point that is partially submerged. It makes for an interesting sight, pine trees growing out of the water. Once all is secure with a bow anchor and two stern lines, it is once again time to do a little maintenance on Karma. The Velcro on the stateroom hatch needs to be replaced. While I do this, it is back to her raft for Maureen.
Once I complete the task of replacing the Velcro, it is time to start waxing. Today I will do the hull along with the sides of the house. This I can accomplish from the dinghy.
Once I complete the waxing, I take the kayak out for a short paddle. Now it is time for a swim. With the constant flow of snow melt coming into the lake this year, the water is still only in the high sixty’s. While it is cold, it is invigorating. You cannot stay in long, but it does feel good.
Four o’clock, time to open a bottle of wine and break out the cherries. We sit in the cockpit enjoying each other company while marveling at the scenery that surrounds us. A mother duck leads her four ducklings across the bay. A half a dozen baby Quail forage for food along the bank. Occasionally a fisherman or two will go by. All in all though, it is as if we have the lake to ourselves. From our vantage point we watch the sun set over the stern, while a nearly full moon rises over the bow. As the sun sets, the air starts to take on a chill. It will soon be time to move inside.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Another beautiful day breaks! A clear blue sky. A light breeze ripples across the water, a family of ducks out looking for a meal.
Today we will head to Silverthorn Resort to top off the water tank along with emptying the head. We also need to pick up a few groceries while “in town”. From there we will head east up the Pit River Arm.
While Lake Shasta is made up of five main arms, each offers different scenery. McCloud, with its many mountains and pines. The Pit is comprised mainly of rolling grass hills and oak trees. The Squaw River arm that sits between the Sacramento and the Pit is comprised of a blend of the two. Pines, Oaks, Hills, and Mountains. The Big Backbone Creek Arm is the smallest of the arms lined with mainly granite and oaks. Traveling the various arms gives you the feeling a being on a different body of water each time.
We follow the Pit River Arm to the end with the promise of a large waterfall being located there. While we did find the creek that the waterfall was supposedly located on, we never found the waterfall. As there was not a suitable anchorage, we turned around and headed back down “river”. We kept our eyes open for a suitable location to spend the night as we made slow progress. When we came upon Flat Creek we decided to check it out. We headed in spotting a few locations that would due. However, you never want to settle for the first location as there could be a better location just around the bend. Finally, near the very end we did find our spot. We secured the bow to a dead tree standing in 35 feet of water and the stern to a hundred plus year old Oak on the bank. The walls in this inlet are very steep allowing only a few hours of direct sunlight each day. On the opposite bank is another dead tree standing in water. At its top is a very large Peregrine Falcons Nest. We watch in amazement as one of the parents fishes for its young. We take the dinghy out to see if we can have the same luck as the Falcon. I manage to catch one fish, one tree, a multitude of weeds, and miscellaneous other items from the bottom. On top of that, I manage to drive the dinghy up on top of a barely submerge tree top……. Wow, who else can say they got their dinghy stuck in the top of a tree? We managed to back off with no damage to the dinghy all the while giving us a laugh.
We turned back to Karma where another fabulous bottle of wine awaited. We enjoyed a beautiful dinner in the cockpit with great food, great wine, and each other’s great company!
Today we will head to Silverthorn Resort to top off the water tank along with emptying the head. We also need to pick up a few groceries while “in town”. From there we will head east up the Pit River Arm.
While Lake Shasta is made up of five main arms, each offers different scenery. McCloud, with its many mountains and pines. The Pit is comprised mainly of rolling grass hills and oak trees. The Squaw River arm that sits between the Sacramento and the Pit is comprised of a blend of the two. Pines, Oaks, Hills, and Mountains. The Big Backbone Creek Arm is the smallest of the arms lined with mainly granite and oaks. Traveling the various arms gives you the feeling a being on a different body of water each time.
We follow the Pit River Arm to the end with the promise of a large waterfall being located there. While we did find the creek that the waterfall was supposedly located on, we never found the waterfall. As there was not a suitable anchorage, we turned around and headed back down “river”. We kept our eyes open for a suitable location to spend the night as we made slow progress. When we came upon Flat Creek we decided to check it out. We headed in spotting a few locations that would due. However, you never want to settle for the first location as there could be a better location just around the bend. Finally, near the very end we did find our spot. We secured the bow to a dead tree standing in 35 feet of water and the stern to a hundred plus year old Oak on the bank. The walls in this inlet are very steep allowing only a few hours of direct sunlight each day. On the opposite bank is another dead tree standing in water. At its top is a very large Peregrine Falcons Nest. We watch in amazement as one of the parents fishes for its young. We take the dinghy out to see if we can have the same luck as the Falcon. I manage to catch one fish, one tree, a multitude of weeds, and miscellaneous other items from the bottom. On top of that, I manage to drive the dinghy up on top of a barely submerge tree top……. Wow, who else can say they got their dinghy stuck in the top of a tree? We managed to back off with no damage to the dinghy all the while giving us a laugh.
We turned back to Karma where another fabulous bottle of wine awaited. We enjoyed a beautiful dinner in the cockpit with great food, great wine, and each other’s great company!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
We awoke this morning to one of the coolest mornings yet. While it may be mid June, the outside temperature was only 51 degrees, with the interior coming in at a balmy 53!
While you could hear strong winds blowing through the treetops at the top of the ridge, there was barely a ripple on the water.
Sitting in the cockpit is out of the question this morning. Even with the heaters going, it is still too chilly. We move our coffee inside to the warmth of the cabin. We anticipate the arrival of the sun to warm the outside air. While it is gently lighting the trees on the opposite shore, it will be well over an hour or so before it reaches our location. Oh the sacrifices one must make to enjoy a place such as this.
Today we will seek a location that will give us a view of the rising full moon this evening. There is nothing that can beat sitting in the cockpit of your own boat, a glass of wine, good music, and a great view of a full moon rising.
We find our location for the day at the end of Dead Horse Creek (located on the Pit River Arm). While we will not be able to view the moon rising, we will be privileged to one of the most beautiful spots we have found yet. The creek is deep, 26’ yet only 40 feet across. Let’s see, overall length of Karma 33’, width of creek 40’, that leaves 3 ½’ of space at bow and stern to spin her around. Spin her around we do. We spin her at the end of the creek, go forward a 150 feet, drop the anchor, back-down until we have a hundred feet of chain out, Maureen holds her in place while I deploy a stern line on each side. We are set!
We spend the afternoon in our usual position. Maureen floating on her raft; I finish the wax job on Karma. After I complete the wax job (and stand back to admire my work of course…..) I head out in my kayak. I paddle to the small water fall at the back of Dead Horse Creek. It is amazing the number of these we have found this year. It just proves California has had a banner water year at last! While in the past, the lake would drop by six inches or so over night, not to be so this year. The lake actually has risen each night to drop back to close to its original level during the day. This week we have actually witnessed a total rise of a foot from where it was when we arrived. In years past, we would see it drop my three to four feet by the end of the week.
The remainder of the afternoon is spent fishing and paddling. What a great day! We finish off the day with a nice dinner in the cockpit complimented by another bottle of a nice California Cab. It is a tough life, but someone had to take one for the team!
While you could hear strong winds blowing through the treetops at the top of the ridge, there was barely a ripple on the water.
Sitting in the cockpit is out of the question this morning. Even with the heaters going, it is still too chilly. We move our coffee inside to the warmth of the cabin. We anticipate the arrival of the sun to warm the outside air. While it is gently lighting the trees on the opposite shore, it will be well over an hour or so before it reaches our location. Oh the sacrifices one must make to enjoy a place such as this.
Today we will seek a location that will give us a view of the rising full moon this evening. There is nothing that can beat sitting in the cockpit of your own boat, a glass of wine, good music, and a great view of a full moon rising.
We find our location for the day at the end of Dead Horse Creek (located on the Pit River Arm). While we will not be able to view the moon rising, we will be privileged to one of the most beautiful spots we have found yet. The creek is deep, 26’ yet only 40 feet across. Let’s see, overall length of Karma 33’, width of creek 40’, that leaves 3 ½’ of space at bow and stern to spin her around. Spin her around we do. We spin her at the end of the creek, go forward a 150 feet, drop the anchor, back-down until we have a hundred feet of chain out, Maureen holds her in place while I deploy a stern line on each side. We are set!
We spend the afternoon in our usual position. Maureen floating on her raft; I finish the wax job on Karma. After I complete the wax job (and stand back to admire my work of course…..) I head out in my kayak. I paddle to the small water fall at the back of Dead Horse Creek. It is amazing the number of these we have found this year. It just proves California has had a banner water year at last! While in the past, the lake would drop by six inches or so over night, not to be so this year. The lake actually has risen each night to drop back to close to its original level during the day. This week we have actually witnessed a total rise of a foot from where it was when we arrived. In years past, we would see it drop my three to four feet by the end of the week.
The remainder of the afternoon is spent fishing and paddling. What a great day! We finish off the day with a nice dinner in the cockpit complimented by another bottle of a nice California Cab. It is a tough life, but someone had to take one for the team!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
While we did not get to view the moon rise, I did get a glance at it as it passed overhead around 2:00 am. While we slept, the winds had come up. My anchor alarm, the burgee on the bow, woke me to alert me of the winds. As normal, I got up to check the lines to insure all was holding. While checking the lines to be sure all was still secure, I admired the beauty of the full moon. Thanks to the big 15KG Rocna Anchor and 100’ of HT Chain, Karma was as steady as being tied to a dock.
The moon lit the creek as if it were daylight. The frogs and other creatures of the night were singing out as if to welcome a new night (or day as it may be for them). However, being cool and breezy, you don’t stand about admiring to long…. Back to the warmth of our bed!
This morning we woke to a gusty breeze and cool temperatures. Not quite as cool as yesterday, but still too cool to sit outside even with the propane heaters. We took our coffee at the dinette table in the warmth of the cabin.
Today it is off to Bridge Bay Marina. We will haul the dinghy and its motor out and place them in the back of the truck. We hope to make an early departure on Friday morning bound for Seattle. Once we get the dink removed and stowed, we will seek out a nice cove close to Bridge Bay in which to spend our last night on Lake Shasta for 2011. We have already started planning for next year. Anyone wishing to join us in 2012 is welcome. We plan to be on the lake the first week of June.
We departed Dead Horse Creek at 9:30 am. As we departed Dead Horse, the wind was gusting to around 15 knots. Once we hit the main body of the lake though, we saw gusts of 22 knots. The high clouds started to roll in. It looks as if our last day on the lake is not going to have the best weather. We make our way to Bridge Bay Marina. It is amazing the number of house boats heading out. Every one of them has a number of sleeping bags stored on the roof. Hopefully, they are secured well.
Maureen brings Karma into the guest dock as if she is a veteran captain on a real working tug. No use of the thrusters at all. A simple burst of reverse, then back to forward, and one more shot of reverse. We are there, perfectly parallel to the dock. I simply step off of the side deck and onto the dock.
Once we have the dink and motor loaded into the truck it is off to the fuel dock to pump the head. While I stay with Karma while the dock attendant pumps the head, Maureen heads up to the store to pick up a couple of items. Once she arrives back at Karma it is off to find our last anchorage on Lake Shasta this year. We head into Packers Bay just across the way from Bridge Bay to find that there are no anchorages available. Being this close to the house boat rental marinas, it is difficult to find the ideal spot. We head back under the bridge and off to the McCloud River Arm where we know of a few close by anchorages. We are lucky to find one of the best still open just waiting for us.
We drop the bow anchor and back down into the small cove. I take the stern line ashore using the kayak. Once all is secure, Maureen hits her raft and I finish up on some boat work. While many people ask, “how do you ever relax when all you do is work on your boat”? I simply reply; this is relaxation to me.
After finishing up my boat work, I decide to try my luck at fishing one last time. With a couple of casts, I manage to hook a small bass.
As the sun starts to set, the air temperature begins to drop. Maureen decides it is starting to get a bit to cool to be lying out on her raft so she comes in. We deploy the kayaks and head out to do the last bit of exploring. We paddle for about an hour and it is back to Karma.
Dinner tonight consists of whatever we have left and of course a bottle of wine. What a week it has been! Beautiful weather in a beautiful location! Great food with great wine, and of course the love of our lives (no, not Karma, each other).
Tomorrow, it is off to Seattle. Bell Harbor is full, so we will be spending the night on the hook in Rich Passage in a great little anchorage we discovered last summer. One adventure ends and another begins!
The moon lit the creek as if it were daylight. The frogs and other creatures of the night were singing out as if to welcome a new night (or day as it may be for them). However, being cool and breezy, you don’t stand about admiring to long…. Back to the warmth of our bed!
This morning we woke to a gusty breeze and cool temperatures. Not quite as cool as yesterday, but still too cool to sit outside even with the propane heaters. We took our coffee at the dinette table in the warmth of the cabin.
Today it is off to Bridge Bay Marina. We will haul the dinghy and its motor out and place them in the back of the truck. We hope to make an early departure on Friday morning bound for Seattle. Once we get the dink removed and stowed, we will seek out a nice cove close to Bridge Bay in which to spend our last night on Lake Shasta for 2011. We have already started planning for next year. Anyone wishing to join us in 2012 is welcome. We plan to be on the lake the first week of June.
We departed Dead Horse Creek at 9:30 am. As we departed Dead Horse, the wind was gusting to around 15 knots. Once we hit the main body of the lake though, we saw gusts of 22 knots. The high clouds started to roll in. It looks as if our last day on the lake is not going to have the best weather. We make our way to Bridge Bay Marina. It is amazing the number of house boats heading out. Every one of them has a number of sleeping bags stored on the roof. Hopefully, they are secured well.
Maureen brings Karma into the guest dock as if she is a veteran captain on a real working tug. No use of the thrusters at all. A simple burst of reverse, then back to forward, and one more shot of reverse. We are there, perfectly parallel to the dock. I simply step off of the side deck and onto the dock.
Once we have the dink and motor loaded into the truck it is off to the fuel dock to pump the head. While I stay with Karma while the dock attendant pumps the head, Maureen heads up to the store to pick up a couple of items. Once she arrives back at Karma it is off to find our last anchorage on Lake Shasta this year. We head into Packers Bay just across the way from Bridge Bay to find that there are no anchorages available. Being this close to the house boat rental marinas, it is difficult to find the ideal spot. We head back under the bridge and off to the McCloud River Arm where we know of a few close by anchorages. We are lucky to find one of the best still open just waiting for us.
We drop the bow anchor and back down into the small cove. I take the stern line ashore using the kayak. Once all is secure, Maureen hits her raft and I finish up on some boat work. While many people ask, “how do you ever relax when all you do is work on your boat”? I simply reply; this is relaxation to me.
After finishing up my boat work, I decide to try my luck at fishing one last time. With a couple of casts, I manage to hook a small bass.
As the sun starts to set, the air temperature begins to drop. Maureen decides it is starting to get a bit to cool to be lying out on her raft so she comes in. We deploy the kayaks and head out to do the last bit of exploring. We paddle for about an hour and it is back to Karma.
Dinner tonight consists of whatever we have left and of course a bottle of wine. What a week it has been! Beautiful weather in a beautiful location! Great food with great wine, and of course the love of our lives (no, not Karma, each other).
Tomorrow, it is off to Seattle. Bell Harbor is full, so we will be spending the night on the hook in Rich Passage in a great little anchorage we discovered last summer. One adventure ends and another begins!
Friday, June 17, 2011
I get up at five thirty and put a pot of coffee on. Maureen lies in bed a few more minutes before getting up to hit the shower. By the time she is out, the coffee is done. It is time to say goodbye to Lake Shasta and head north to Puget Sound. I pull in the stern line and then haul in the anchor line. Once all is secure, Maureen points Karma towards Bridge Bay Marina. It takes us just over a half hour to arrive at the guest dock. While Maureen finishes stowing anything that might “fall” while on the road, I walk up to get the truck and trailer. I back the trailer into the water and Maureen guides Karma on. As usual, she does a perfect job. Getting her on nice and straight. Our Truck pulls Karma out of the water and up the ramp with no effort what so ever. Hard to imagine, I don’t even have to push on the accelerator pedal when the four wheel drive low is engaged.
We finish securing Karma to the trailer and lowering the radar. With the oversize banners installed and the flags in place, it is time to hit the road. It has been a great week in a great place. Buying our trailer was well worth it.
Until next year, we bid Lake Shasta farewell.
We finish securing Karma to the trailer and lowering the radar. With the oversize banners installed and the flags in place, it is time to hit the road. It has been a great week in a great place. Buying our trailer was well worth it.
Until next year, we bid Lake Shasta farewell.
