Angels and air tags…


You may recall my story about the three fifty dollar bills I accidentally left behind at the bank machine and a kind stranger turned in. Well, sit tight because I seem to have an angel still riding on my shoulder.

This is today's alarming, but funny in the end, story. yesterday we were on our way to Penticton for the 50th anniversary of recruit classes 1,2 and 3. They all started in 1975 which was the year Canada levelled the playing field for men and women in the work force. I was in class 2. After getting up at 0400, we caught the 0745 Duke Point ferry to the mainland and then did the drive to Mission where we had the pleasure of meeting up with my niece and her husband for lunch at the Mission White Spot. After a wonderful visit it was time to hit the road.. we had places to go and people to see. I headed out to our car, followed by niece and hubby while Kathy paid the bill 😀.

Approaching our car, I used the keys to unlock it (with the usual chirp, chirp) and then turned around for a final chat with my niece. We three had a great chat and then off they went. I turned back to the direction I'd heard the chirps and opened the back door of the car to look for the paper with the address for where we were going. The back seat was a jumble and when I checked my briefcase, not only were the papers I was looking for not there, but there were a few things missing too. I kept searching and tossed the clothes around looking for that damn paper. I made quite a mess. I was getting pretty concerned about these facts and even a little confused as things just didn't feel right. Then I stopped and actually focused as I searched through my consternation for an explanation… that was when I noticed our hanging clothes were missing too. AND, JUST BEFORE I LOST MY TEMPER, I CAME TO MY SOMEWHAT SHAKEY SENSES….and realized that…OH MY GOD!!! This was not our car!! I was in some one else's car, causing a catastrophic mess , and likely about to be arrested for attempted theft from auto…if the owners caught me. I backed out of there in a great big hurry, moved next door to our actual car (which was also unlocked) and resumed my search for the papers.

At that point Kathy came back to the car and I explained my horrible mistake. In my defence, the car I ransacked had the same shape and design as Kathy's Subaru and it had been unlocked, presumably by Kathy's key fob. We decided it was time to leave before someone reported me so off we went and headed to Harrison Hot springs. We finally arrived at our destination and started unpacking the car into 'The Nest' (which is lovely) and towards the end of the unpacking, I started looking for my purse. It s a smallish leather hip pack which can often be overlooked due to its size and colour…. And I couldn't find it anywhere. NOW THAT WAS CAUSE FOR PANIC!!!! Which I did. Hyperventilated… the whole nine yards ! after thinking about where it could be… we finally arrived at the conclusion that it had fallen into the other car and then been buried by the mess I made with the clothes in the back seat… there could be no other explanation.

We phoned the White Spot..but it was not there . Then Kathy remembered the air tag she had put into my bag and she checked it s location. it was east bound on a road not far from the White Spot! So we called the RCMP and explained our situation and the fact we were tracking the car. They were really good and/but while Kathy was speaking to them she saw the car had stopped and she gave the officer the address where it was. HERE'S THE GOOD PART. HE INFORMED US THAT WAS THE ADDRESS OF THE MISSION RCMP and, in fact the folks were in the process of turning in my bag, having found it inside their car. There was nothing for it but that we had to drive back to Mission to the RCMP offices and claim the bag. An hour later, having retraced our journey, we arrived at their office and then waited about 45 minutes for the mother and daughter to return to the office so that we could confirm how my fob had unlocked their vehicle. Turns out it hadn't. Mom had forgotten to lock the one back door that didn't lock automatically. FINAL CHAPTER: after almost tearful thank you's and hugs all around, mom and daughter headed home, I got to thank and then congratulate a young RCMP woman who had been 'on the job' for a whole three months… and tell her the story about why 1975 was such an important year for women in the work force… and reclaim my bag. And then we drove all the way back to Harrison Hot springs where we are stayed for the night. We did take time to have a nice dinner at the Greek Restaurant. I really must have an angel looking after me… AND I shall be encouraging everyone I know…to put an AirTag inside their purses, suitcases, etc. As I get older I will probably wear one around my neck on a chain 😀 All is good and we are fine thanks to my guardian angel and an air tag. Onward and upward we go.

Test truck and trailer.

TICK. Done and time to head home with our TUDU list. 😃. Hope you are having good days always. CJ

Diagnosed…


By a good guy. Tyrone of HPM Automotive in Parksville spent an hour of his time and tracked down the answer to why power from the truck was not charging the trailer battery. There are several possible solutions that include a very expensive replacement to a couple different work around… none of which we need to do until we get home.
Luckily we have solar panels and the sun has been shining. So we re back 'home' now and enjoying the sunshine and a visit from a four footed friend. We are content and wishing all of you the same. CJ

PS. A decent photo of Lucy's new red shoes. 😄

Test Driving Lucy II


There's good reason why testing equipment after maintenance or upgrades is a good idea 🤨. Lucy is looking great, don't you think? And she is great and we're lucky to have her. Ricky (the truck) looks great too and I sometimes forget he 's been looking after us for ten years… and he's been through some exciting moments (you may recall). Soooo, when almost at our destination (Rathrevor Park Campground) we realized no power was being transferred from the truck to the trailer battery… we had no choice but to spend more time in Parksville township seeking professional assistance. We have an appt tomorrow aft at 1400 hrs. Stay tuned for further developments. Sure glad we have solar panels. 😊

… back in home waters

Crossed the strait yesterday… easy peazy as we had watched the forecasts diligently (like you do) and planned the timing to make for the most comfortable crossing ( like you can)…. all of course dependant on good old fashioned luck. Such is the sailing life; plan as well as you can and then prepare for every potential challenge you can imagine. Our crossing was quite uneventful and we arrived at the Newcastle anchorage in Nanaimo mid-afternoon. That was Wednesday. We'll be here for a couple days and will then head into our Gulf Islands where we'll putz about for a few days before heading home.

I hope you've enjoyed sharing our summer cruise and thanks for coming along. I write it for you. CJ

July 17: When a tree falls in the forest…

… it makes a thundering, crackling noise.

It's 1130 at night, we're securely anchored and shore-tied and I'm standing in the cockpit admiring the dark starry sky. Suddenly I hear a small snap, followed by several more and then the tortured screech as a giant of the forest begins to tumble. With an almighty 'crack' and thundering roar as the tree's back breaks, the giant crashes and smashes through all other lesser trees in its path to the forest floor and the ocean shore.

I know this is not the only tree to have fallen, and probably not the biggest; but to hear this all happening less than 200 metres from where we are moored and at a time when most folks are tucked in to their bunks… gets my attention. Had a boat been tied to shore at that spot they would have been severely damaged (and we are the closest boat to that location). This certainly motivates one to pause and consider the changes in nature and the 'yet another risk' associated with securing a line around a tree, rock or ring and then assuming you have anchored securely and safely. 🎼The times they are a changing🎼 . Wishing you starry nights without crashing trees. CJ

Bears and Trees


Stepping away from politics, helter skelter weather forecasts and the rare beauty of our B.C. coast for a moment… I'd like to tell you about the beers (oops I mean bears 😏and trees of our summer so far.

First there was the troublesome, young, male Grizzly that had apparently been
're-located from somewhere near Sechelt to an area where he couldn't disturb his human neighbours anymore…. OOPS, seems he didn't like his new digs and relocated himself to the outskirts of Powell River… right into the neighbourhood where we were visiting friends. He actually trashed a small fishing boat that was tied up one slip away from where we used to stay when we visited; absolutely tore the boat apart (seeking prawn bate they think).

We learned quite a bit about bears during our visit; like the fact that most folks aren't too worried about the black ones as they remain shy and willing to take off if they hear or see you or you make the big loud noise. They also make a funny cough-like sound while they move through the bush. It's hard to replicate the "koph" but once you've heard it you don't forget it. I've heard the koph on two different occasions thereafter; the first while anchored in Prideaux Haven one evening when a bear must have been at the shore very near a boat that was shore tied (we were swinging) and then moved (very quickly) along a path paralleling the shore… kophing all the way. I listened diligently as he (or she) sped along the trail and finally moved out of hearing… spooky. I've heard the koph again, right here in our current anchorage, last night and the night before and, same thing, the bear moved quickly along his path and was out of ear shot quite quickly. (Is that correct? "Ear shot"… what a funny phrase).

We also learned that while black bears are happy to take off if they hear or see you, brown bears are a different kettle of fish (another old saying) and to be avoided. And then, there's the grizzly; not to be toyed with and certainly to be avoided at all costs (yet another). It seems the Powell River grizzly ( a young male seeking his own territory) tired of terrorizing PR and moved on. He swam from PR to Texada Island and arrived not too long before we pulled in to Sturt Bay (also on Texada island). One of the things we like about the that community and location is the friendly people and the opportunity to walk trails. Not so this trip. Grizz had arrived and left his calling card at the entrance to the ship yard across the bay from our marina. Signs were posted and all were discouraged from trail walking, etc. [Harumph… a fellow on the boat shore tied next to us just coughed…. Got my attention as it sounded just like a bear!]

Anyway, that's my news about bears.

The other interesting thing is that, to date, we have heard three large trees come crashing down…in different locations (Laura Cove, Roscoe Bay, and Hardy Island). It's rather unnerving as they have been (by their sound) large trees and they have cracked and fallen when there was no wind or other obvious reasons. Sadly it feels like this is a product of the earth heating up and normally moist environments drying up. I hope I'm wrong.

BUT FOR NOW we are safely anchored, enjoying the heat and warm water swimming and will continue our journey south in about a week. I hope all your trees are upright and you never have to meet a Grizzly in the wild. CJ

PS: no photos this time. I'm not getting close enough to take a pic of a bear… and you know what trees look like 😀


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