SSpirit is hunkered down at Madeira Park

Quick update for those of you following the weather. Yup, the wind event appears to be getting a little worse and for a little longer, but we are safe and secure, hunkered down at the public dock in Madeira Park. Over the next several days the winds are forecast to bounce around between 20 and 40 knots which of course has turned Georgia Straits into a cauldron of wind waves and swell. We don't wish to play in that and will remain here until things calm down. All is well on board. We have shopping nearby and are secured to a strong dock with power.

We hope all of you are also safe and warm. This storm will pass and we'll be on our way home once the trip will be more comfortable. Best to all... CJ

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Plans in sand... voila! Madeira Park.

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you know...plans in sand = changed our minds. Mother Nature demanded attention and we decided to listen to her. SE 30-40 are forecast for Wed and, not wanting to get trapped at Westview (too far north compared to where to cross the Strait from) we continued south as far as Pender Harbour (Madeira Park). Based upon the swells and how wet we got today, motoring into the SE 15s, we're waiting until the weather reports first thing tomorrow to decide whether or not we'll cross. If we decide not to cross, we'll enjoy a few days here in MadeIra Park and head across once the dastardly breezes have abated. That's the latest plan...in sand... :-)

Hope all is well with all of you. We are fine. TTFN. CJ

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Brightening... a little

We are in beautiful Laura Cove... and the smoke has lightened... a bit. At least we can see out past the entrance today. Prawn trap is down and crab trap will follow shortly. We'll be here for a few days.

We are fine.... and thinking of the folks devastated by the fires, as well as the fire fighters and other first responders involved. Hope all is well with you and yours. CJ

Update (while post sits in outbox waiting for connectivity :-)

Loose plan is heading to Lund tomorrow (Saturday) and starting our south bound loop that will see us home by the end of the month (weather permitting). Destinations are 'in the wind'.

Grey, it’s all grey...

I think for a blog to maintain its credibility, one must be prepared to share even the grey parts of the journey; and oh boy is it grey up here. We've had limited access to news for quite a while but, even without a newscast to warn us, it's pretty clear the smoke from the major fires has caught up to us.

We had warm, sunny days when we started out... lots of sun in Smuggler Cove, Fox Island and Maude Bay. When we left our friends in MBay we headed to Westview (in sun) and then up to Lund. The smoke began to make its presence known just before we arrived in Lund and, by the next day, it was obviously moving in. Undeterred, we headed to Prideaux Haven (which became Melanie Cove by the time our hook was down... better depth for anchoring and very peaceful and calm). While the smoke was around us, it wasn't socked in and we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon, swimming in 70 degree water and drying off on the sunny foredeck. Unfortunately the next day dawned in thick smoke.

We lounged in Melanie Cove for another two days of grey. The shadowy shoreline and grey shrouded trees remind me of our trip down the west coast in fog. It was a time (and is again) when your whole world is within your visual space...what you can see...which isn't very much. I wrote a few words to try to shake off my melancholy and I ll share them with you later. We're doing better now.

We left Melanie Cove intending to head to Roscoe Bay (you know, so we could hike to Black Lake and enjoy the views). Ha! once we'd left Melanie Cove we realized the smoke was even thicker than we'd realized (couldn't see the shore, never mind the 'view') ... turned on the radar and running lights. And, we turned left (er, to port) and headed for Refuge Cove. Lots of smoke equals no sun, equals no solar panels. We're at Refuge now so we can charge up the batteries and decide what to do.

So, for those wondering what it's like cruising in smoke...here is one girl's vision.

"To say it's like visiting a parallel universe would not be an over-statement. Travelling in a constant haze with the shorelines and beautiful trees reduced to paler shadows of themselves was not the splendour of Desolation Sound we had travelled for several days to explore.

No brilliant blue skies, no vibrant green shores, and no birds swimming on the breeze. Instead, millions of moths falling from the sky, twittering of small birds in the trees but not sailing the wind currents, and silence, eerie silence, amongst the boats resting at anchor. Very little laughter or swimmers splashing about, just quietness. Even shore leave for canine crews are quiet, deliberate.

Anchored two-thirds of the way into Melanie Cove, we can barely see the boats anchored just outside the entrance; a stones throw for an A League pitcher.

Not the premier tour we had envisioned."

OK, enough said :-). life goes on and so shall we. We're safe and sound (and trying not to breathe too deeply) in Refuge Cove. Will see what the weather gods have in store for us over the next few days... before we decide where and when we will go.

Hope you are all keeping safe and well. Know you are in our thoughts. CJ

PS: the photo is Maddie offering suggestions as to where we might head...

Quick update...Wed. September 9

After a great visits with friends (old and new) in Maude Bay we have moved on and expect to arrive In Lund tomorrow. From there we'll be heading in to the 'Sound' for up to two weeks of gunk-holing, resting, reading, hopefully swimming, kayaking, etc. Will write again but not for a while. Take good care everyone... and stay safe. TTFN CJ

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Fwd: 1030 Hrs. Sept. 03... Musket Island Marine Park

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> It seems we have the place to ourselves this morning... well, except for the large seal just at the entrance, talking and splashing and totally entertaining Maddie.
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> Yes, what an amazing, and quiet experience. The last boat left at 1000 and all you can hear now are crickets, birds, and seal splashes. As well as the beautiful scenery, we've met some great folks, including Laurence and Anne on SV Dreamspeaker.. yes, one and the same... authors of the Dreamspeaker cruising guides. We thanked them for their terrific books.
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> Yesterday we feasted on seafood; clams and oysters in abundance... and today has dawned beautiful and warm. All is well. May try prawning... you just never know.
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> Update: 1100 hrs. Joined by friends Dave and Dawn on MV C'mander 1. We shared some walks, clam spots, and a fun, socially distanced, dinghy raft up happy hour. It was great to reconnect and, no doubt, our paths will cross again in the future.
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> That was something we had to get used to in the Sea (the Sea of Cortez). We met many amazing people; most having arrived in the Sea the same way we did, by the seat of our pants, hanging on for the ride of a lifetime as we sailed south down the coast to Mexico. Our paths would cross and recross over the seasons as we explored the coasts of the Sea; and we would have wonderful visits when we shared an anchorage. But, each time we left to carry on our explorations, we never knew if we would ever see them again. We said goodbye each time, knowing we might not, and cherishing the memories.
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> Must run now... things to do (chores, reading, napping, hiking, prawning, clamming, repeat 😀). TTFN. CJ
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> Saturday, Sept. 5
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> Our original plan was to spend a couple days at Smuggler's Cove and another couple at Pender Harbour... but we didn't and, as a result, we are ahead of schedule. We've now been at Musket Island for five lovely days. The winds are forecast to build and it feels like it's time to move along, so... today we plan to hoist anchor and head to a small private dock in Maude Bay, owned by a friend of a friend. She has kindly offered us moorage for a couple days and we're looking forward to meeting her and to a visit with our friends Deb and Ian. So, provided our anchor comes up (many years ago I anchored in almost the exact spot and managed to stick our anchor into a large log. That took such force to break free we actually bent one of the tines on a Danforth anchor), we shall be on our way about mid day. Our destination is only 4-5 NMs away and I said we'd be in by early afternoon. Hopefully we will have some connectivity there and be able to catch up on emails. For the past five days we 've had to take the dinghy out and around to the west side of Musket Island in order to send texts or emails... not particularly efficient :-( All part of cruising this wonderful coast.
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> Hope all is well with each of you. Adios for now. CJ

Update: Sept 6

Comfortably settled in at friend's dock in Maude Bay. Wonderful community, good friends, and a chance to enjoy peace and friendship while the NW continues to build in the Strait. All is well.

1030 Hrs. Sept. 03... Musket Island Marine Park