Grace Harbour

They say Grace Harbour is a land-locked, peaceful anchorage; protected from all winds. It also has a trail leading to a lake. We arrived yesterday. Given the forecasted NW winds of 20-30 we decided this would be a good place to hang out in the rain for a few days.

In case you're wondering, life on board at anchor (no shore-based power to plug into) is like wilderness camping with more gear than you would have hiking… and with furniture 😊. The biggest issues are monitoring the power drain on the batteries (even LED lights add up), conserving water, keeping warm and ferrying the dog to shore as needed.
Easy peazy. 😱. We're doing fine thank you.

Time to make the morning coffee (which will warm up the cabin). Hope you're enjoying yours. CJ

Light, Variable and/or Strong Wind warnings…

 


Weather forecasts are not always accurate, usually leave you tossing a coin, and are an ever- ready resource designed to provide sailors with information they can gamble with…er…I mean seriously consider when making 'informed' decisions about their route and timing.

The winds so far have not been in our favour but we have been diligently checking the forecasts hoping for an improvement. We are at the dock in Lund waiting for that break and it was supposed to be today. Pre-departure habits include showers, walking the dog, coffee and a quick breakfast and then all that goes into preparing the boat.

Not so this morning. We got through the first two requirements and were planning to leave this morning even though it had been windy overnight. The forecast said the wind would diminish by late morning so we planned to leave about 1000 hrs. The main threat to this plan was a nasty looking black sky firmly hanging over the horizon and moving our way. We decided to stay and wait for whatever was going to hit us but move the boat to the other side of the dock where it would be better protected from the forecasted NW. Having finished the dog walk, and with that plan in mind, Maddie and I headed back to the boat (Kathy was just finishing her shower). We were half way back to the boat when the SE wind that had been cooling my left cheek, stopped. It was followed almost immediately by a blast of NW wind in my face. The NW arrived like a freight train and the plan to move the boat evaporated. By the time we got back to the boat, heavy rain was pelting down like a waterfall. After doubling up on the fenders, checking the lines and snubbers and phoning the Harbour Master to let her know we wouldn't be leaving today, we retreated to the comfort of Shannon's Spirit and turned up the heat.

The new plan (#347😏) has us sitting tight until the weather settles down. Loose plans include leaving Lund, hopefully tomorrow afternoon, and heading to Grace Harbour (which is well protected) for a couple days. For now, we relax with books and the crib board… and keep checking the forecasts. Hope your forecasts are warm, dry and dependable. CJ

Also hope you enjoy these photos. The jelly fish one was taken right beside our boat.

Lund Ho…


Ahoy from sunny Lund. We arrived here after a short motor (2.5 hrs) ride from Beach Gardens Marina at Grief Point. We had a wonderful visit with our friends in Powell River…lots of laughter, lots of crib and even a game of Jenga… all good for the soul. We were also spoiled rotten with fantastic dinners. It was hard to leave but Desolation Sound was calling and there was finally a break in the very windy conditions. Not that wind is a bad thing (after all, we are a sailboat) but there's a limit to how much wind is comfortable for us… and when the numbers get higher than 20 or the seas look horribly lumpy… we tend to kick back and open another book. Yesterday was the best day to leave and so we did. Winds were light and seas were comfortable and we wanted to get to Lund in time to take advantage of other cruisers leaving Lund to carry on their way… and so me motored on up there and actually got our favourite slip at the dock. We were also happy to meet some very nice folks who arrived and took the other side of the dock and enjoyed good chats back and forth about boating and life in general.

We'll be here for, we think, one more day and will be watching weather predictions closely. The winds right now are still swirling (back and forth) and the gusts are reaching into the 20's so we shall just have to wait for a break before moving into Desolation Sound. On the good side, Kathy has discovered that we can purchase (still kicking) prawns from the prawn boats when they come in to unload… awesome.

That s all my news for now. Even though each of us have visited Desolation Sound dozens of times over our life span…we are still excited to see it again and expect to also explore places we haven't been to before (as well as our favourite haunts:-).

Thanks for following along… I hope you get to explore new places too… from time to time and as the mood takes you. TTFN. CJ

Boater’s Bling…

To be sure, there are lots of ways to waste money on a boat. Some purchases lose their glow fairly quickly (like the stainless steel… that isn't or the fancy new BBQ that can't handle a little 'breeze); but there are times when every penny spent is soooo worth it.
There are also times, like when you meet a talented and skilled young man who has developed into a fine marine mechanic, plumber, etc. AND he agrees with you that the heart of the fresh water distribution system on board is clearly dying of old age and broken… then you listen. I'm sure glad I did

The same fellow I found to do an oil change for us also does other work and when I asked him if he could help us out he not only did, he also fixed things up quickly and professionally. AND he charged a lot less than I thought he would…. We are very pleased with the results and enclose a photo for your viewing pleasure. This is indeed a sample of Boater's Bling. Wishing you all good service and a good day. CJ

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Grizzlies, puppy dog fixes, good friends… and Gale force winds..

I know I said we'd be 10-7 but I just had to acknowledge how many challenges can all come together in one location at the same time.  To be more accurate the challenges were dealt out by Mother Nature and circumstance… and the good friends provided the puppy dog fixes; but they really did all occur in basically the same location.

So, re the grizzly:  bears in this location are fairly common…and folks have adapted to their presence BUT the arrival of a big, bad boy grizzly wandering through yards and meandering along the popular beach… well, that was not normal and he s been here for a good number of days.  Turns out he was 'relocated' from Gibsons and now he's here, meandering around the outskirts of Powell River.  Well done authorities.

Re the good friends and puppy dog fixes… nothing like a big ol' boy who loves to cuddle, a perky, way too smart and full of endless  energy, cute as a button, puppy, and our also too smart and energetic (with maybe a titch of attitude) Maddie…all under the same roof or in the same garden playing chase the ball, guard the ball, chase each other, discuss who's faster and then prove it and keep chasing until one mom or another calls a 'halt' to the game (which doesn't last all that long really 😃. 

And then there's the friends… one goes back to elementary and high school with me and the other was a work mate of mine decades ago and we formed a bond that was strong enough to survive and rekindle when we reconnected several years ago.  Getting together each time we pass their town is a 'must do' and the laughter and friendship is so good for each of us. 

Now then, about the Gale force winds.  I guess Mother Nature  tired of just stirring the winds around and decided to speed things up and get everyone's attention. Last night the winds were from the SE and screamed in between 25 and 35 knots. We are moored broadside to the winds but luckily we had 'knit' the boat to the dock well and no damage was done.  The fun isn't over yet as they are forecast to stay 'up' for the day and begin to slow down tomorrow and the next day.  We are all fine but we sure hope they die down and stay down for a while.  We know several boats with friends aboard that are working their way through these waters just as we are and they're all nailed down in place.  We had planned to be here for this week anyway so it's just about the miserable conditions; nothing a good game of crib can't improve :-).  That's the update for now.  Hope all of your tarps are tied down and you're safe and snug at home.   TTFN. CJ.

Leave our favourite anchorage…??

And run for cover; which we did and none too soon. yup, it was one of those decisions that is based on as much knowledge as you can collect (whether you trust the source or not) coupled with a cranky Mother Nature who can't decide whether she wants to spin clockwise or anti-clockwise (and that makes a huge difference in which wind direction she spins out) hence the "swirling winds" I mentioned the other day, and…?. You guessed it, a WAGuess. Sooo, based on the fact that we tried to leave on Thur. May 15 and got knocked around quite a bit by the confused seas and wind… enough so, we turned around and went back to the anchorage; and the fact all forecasts were calling for continuing winds up to and including 20 and 25 knot winds… we decided to wait for the forecasted lighter winds on Saturday. That being said, after a quiet almost windless night last night, we decided to make a run for it. We weighed anchor at 0700 this morning and slid into the Beach Gardens Marina at Grief Point (appropriately named considering the rough weather it tends to collect and today is no exception). At least now we are connected to something more stable than a small anchor in swirling winds; and we are also where we are supposed to be on Sunday (visiting dear friends who live not too far from where we have landed. this gives us a day for tidy up and clean up.

I just checked and it's now blowing 25 knots in the Marina. We're very glad we sucked it up and made the jump today. Most of the photos are of the anchorage we left behind this morning and one photo shows our ensign while tied to the dock in our current location. Boating is certainly not for the feint of heart.

We'll be 10-7 (off the air) for a few days while we visit and misbehave in Powell River. we're looking forward to visits with dear friends, challenging games of Jenga and crib… and fun walks with dogs on trails and beaches.
Until I write again, from the cozy couch of SSpirit, I thank you for supporting this blog. TTFN. CJ

May 11, Surrounded by Giants…

Sorry if you’ve already seen this, but we are reposting it, as many of you did not receive a link to CJ’s post when the photos were sent out….  

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To stand, in one spot on this earth, surrounded by towering giants… to turn one's face upwards, towards the heavens with eyes closed, and to listen… to water tumbling and crashing down and to listen with full attention to the tiny birds twittering on the path and in nearby bushes… without fear, but continuing their daily rituals despite my presence… THAT my friends is but a moment in this majestic place called Princess Louisa Inlet.

We arrived yesterday, after a long ten hour run up from Pender Harbour. It took rather careful planning to arrive at the entrance to the inlet; we adjusted our speed to ensure a safe entry and passage of Malibu Rapids. It's approximately 4 NMs from the entrance to the docks at chatterbox Falls and as we were fairly chilled and dusk was approaching, there were times we wondered if this trip was worth it; we ponder no longer :-). If all we do is stand at the base of these falls and stare way, way up to the heads of the giant walls and listen to the roar of the waterfall and the chittering of the resident birds… this trip was worth it.

Icing on the cake? We are sharing the dock with two other sailboats, both with sailors seeking and enjoying blue water (our favourite topic). One boat (Atisha) is working their way around the world and have already circumnavigated most of it and been to more countries than I can list. They are about to start working their way down our coast, headed to Mexico for their first visit. The second couple is also preparing to head south… and that is how blue water folks meet up. It's wonderful.

I will follow this post with photos of this wondrous destination. They need no words to enjoy. I also know none of this will leave my mailbox until we leave PLI and gain connectivity. By the time you read this we will be on our way to Powell River. Adios for now. CJ




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It’s a dogs life…



Just a few more to wet your appetite



PLI photos



Said goodbye to Newcastle Island

> … and headed across. It was a beautiful, but cool, morning; complete with a diamond sea. Whisky-Gulf was active and we had to take the long route which was OK because we actually got to see some action; that being one of the new Canadian Forces Maritime patrol vessels. They are called RSVs and that stands for Range Security Vessel. They aren't that big (11 metres long) but they are indeed fast with a top speed of 50 knots and will be patrolling the Whisky-Gulf, testing range off of Nanaimo. As always, we steered clear of the range area and had a good run across to Pender Harbour. It wasn't the warmest day we've ever had. Even wee Maddie had to bundle up and she didn't mind the extra blanket either. We arrived at our Pender Harbour destination to a warm welcome by Robin the manager (it's always nice to be remembered) and in time for happy hour with a couple we met at Newcastle. Today we will focus on tidying up, resting, walking and a little shopping. It's all good. Hope you have a good day as well. Until next time, CJ
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At Last…. We are finally away!!


… and away we are, complete with the 'boat garden' and Kathy's new stand-up paddle board. There's even a 'Pup Plank' somewhere on board… for Miss Maddie. Having abandoned our hopes of leaving on the Sunday after Opening Day (due to a plethora
(I love that word) of time consuming packing and stowing challenges, our summer cruise began with a comfortable motor boat ride to Telegraph Harbour. That was day 1. Day 2 saw us heading up for Dodd Narrows with Newcastle Island as our destination. The weather forecasts are such that the phrase 'swirling winds' comes to mind and we decided Newcastle was a good place to hang out until they settle down. Friday is looking good for crossing the Strait but we shall wait and watch. The weather forecasts change faster than I change my socks. Anyway, we are safe, comfortable and about to take the ferry over to the Nanaimo Chandlery. Stay tuned… and thanks for being there. CJ.