Arrival at Gibsons

Originally I planned to go via Georgia Strait but the swells seemed enormous for this lake sailor and the winds were strong (small craft warning posted), so I went the back way around some islands. Sailed all the way - about 4 hours. I passed a seal lying on some drift wood - reminder to self of have my camera available. I stayed in Gibsons for a few days because of constant small craft warnings. The harbour was busy many people waiting it out.

The boat has been moved

Rudy drove the boat down to the coast on June 26th. The trip was uneventful except for a flat tire on the trailer on the top of the Coquihala Pass. We had a friend Steve driving by on the opposite side of the highway that stopped to give us a hand - nice.



The other picture is looking over the West Vancouver Yacht Club where I have been fortunate in staying at, getting my boat put together, and taking care of last minute details. Can you see my boat? Tomorrow I am off to Gibsons.

Bottom antifouling is nearly complete

The boat now has two coats of Fiberglass Bottomkote Act paint and will get one more. I used this paint because I previously had a Bottomkote paint on the boat, this one is effective in salt water and is multi-seasonal, and it is an ablative paint which means "it washes away with use like a bar of soap constantly exposing fresh and effective biocide and will provide excellent antifouling protection throughout the boating season." Also, because it washes away, the paint does not buildup over time. I'm hoping to get two seasons out of it without taking the boat out of the water, though I will do some swimming/diving to check it out.

Winter has arrived

The present temperature is -6°C
Current: SnowWind: NE at 23 km/hHumidity: 80%

Forcast - cold
Sat-8°C -18°C
Sun-16°C -24°C
Mon-16°C -25°C
Tue-13°C -16°C

No more needs to be said.

Hare or Tortoise

It’s December, it’s cold outside, and I’m thinking about my sailing trip this coming summer. Will I be the Hare or will I be the Tortoise!

Sometimes I think that I want to get in the boat and sail for hours and hours – that would be the Hare. Only stop for the nights and then keep on going. This would result in lots of miles covered and sailing in all sorts of conditions – this I think would be so much fun. The autopilot would become my best friend again. My navigation skills would get well honed and the boat would be well tested. I have no doubts that the boat could handle this. Can I? I would see lots of the coast very quickly and maybe see areas that I would want to go back to for exploration. I might have an inkling to drop into Whidbey Island Race Week to visit some of my friends racing their boats, or attend one of the other regattas that happen around the coast every summer in hope of getting a chance to crew on a race boat. If this was my mode, then circumnavigating Vancouver Island could be a goal to set.

As the Tortoise I would probably stop off at anchorages for days on end to explore, swim, read, and relax. With some luck I might catch a salmon for dinner, or maybe I’ll get a crab trap and do some crabbing. The dingy will be great for checking out the tidal pools and maybe I’ll get some good wildlife shots with my camera. I then might sail to a Marina for a few days in one of the many coastal towns to socialize and enjoy the amenities of the town such as eating out at a nice restaurant or visiting book stores. Then off to another anchorage, or a new town, four hours sailing away, for more of the same. How much of this can I do before I get bored? Some cruisers say you can spend two weeks in Desolation Sound without staying at the same place more than two nights and the scenery is incredible. If this is my mode, then I may never get out of the inside passage this summer, and that too would be good.

Sitting at the computer this evening I cannot say which way the trip will unfold. When I feel more adventuresome (dare I say macho), I’m thinking of the circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. When I’m enjoying a glass of wine contemplating about life, the thought of sitting in my boat in a quite anchorage seems quite appealing. The Hare or the Tortoise – what do you think?

Crane day

The boat was craned out today and put on the trailor that will eventually take the boat to the coast in the spring. Rudy from Windchaser Yachts delivered the boat to our driveway where it will sit through the winter. There are a few minor jobs that will be done over the winter but nothing major needs to be done. The most noticeable will be new antifouling on the bottom that will work in salt water. Some of the other minor jobs are a rebedding of the port window, some varnish on the interior wood, stripping and oiling of the exterior wood, the making of a spare tiller, and replacement of the hose for the bilge pump.

Confucius said "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step". Having the boat on the trailor getting ready for the trip to the coast seems like the journey has started.

Yellow-bellied Marmot

This Marmot was photographed at Lake Okanagan Provinical Park. While other Marmots are protected in BC, this one is not and seems to thrive throughout the Southern Interior.