May long week end cruise

May 21, 2011 We left our slip in Nanaimo, BC in the early morning and made our made north. We did not have any distinct plan of where we were going, we just wanted to go. We realized that we had not been in Drew Harbour at Quadra island for several years, so we drew a line to our anchor spot and put Springer on auto pilot. 10 hours later, we pulled in and dropped anchor. Along the way a pod of porpoise came out and swam along in our wake. I never get tired of seeing that. Simply amazing.We enjoyed a beautiful evening with a glass of wine and a good book.

The next morning we pulled anchor and drove over to Gorge Harbour on Cortes Island. A short 2 hour drive and we were there. The marina has been given a new face lift by new owners and they have done an incredible job. The entire grounds have been done with new large slips, retaurant and swimming pool. The site has a store with a liquor store attached. There is also cabins available if you want to bring a large family along. We have reservations for supper that nice and I had some of the best hallibut that I have ever had. This is definitely a must stop for anyone coming to to Desolation Sound.

We left early in the morning and dove south to Lasquetti Island and anchored in the NW corner in a place called False Bay. There was approx 10 boats anchored. This a large bay so we had lots of space. We have been using our Rocna anchor since last year and I must say that it has given us great solace knowing that our boat is indeed anchored. It has not slipped even a meter from the original hold spot. I would recommend this anchor to anyone.

Tuesday morning we left the anchorage and meandered back to Nanaimo and our home slip. Spent all afternoon washing and cleaning. Good times.

Poets Cove, Bedwell Harbour

It has been a long winter working away, but we are back now and ready to shake the barnacles off Springer. Our last cruise was new years. Springer is always inspected weekly for leaks, batteries,etc, so there wasn"t to much for preparation other than cleanup and stocking the food pantry. The weather is still unsettled so Poets Cove is a great place to go in protected water and relax. This time of year, there are few boats on the water and you have your pick of slips to tie up. This easter week end will no doubt kick start other cruisers and get them going. The weather is still not that warm. I love sitting up on the fly bridge, however I ended up moving to the pilot house in short order.

Poets Cove is a great place. Pools, hot tubs, great docks and friendly staff. First class restaurant. I have never stayed in their rooms,however it is apparently a 4 or 5 star rating. We are here for 2 days. Good times.

New Years Eve DeCourcy Island

49 05.847N 123 43.812W Another morning of -6C. The wind is 5 knts Easterly. Anchoring in this bay has been very peacefull. The water is calm, it is very quiet and the seals are playing in the bay. We put the dinghy in the water and rowed to shore. We hiked the trail on the island. I did not find the gold, however Sherry and I both burned off some caleries. Our plan today is to read some books and do some maintenance on Springer. I am always surprised that more boaters don"t take avantage of the weather windows. This bay would be jam packed during the summer months. This is why I enjoy going north during the summer and the gulf islands in the winter. I don"t have to contend with boat traffic in any season.Pirates Cove is 2 hours from our slip in Nanaimo.

Pirates Cove, De Courcy Island

The weather has been horrific over the past month with little opportunity to go cruising. The weather window for the next few days is clear with minimal wind. The temperature is -6C in Nanaimo this morning so we are off. We left the marina this morning and made our way through Dodds Narrows for slack at 11:00 AM . I love this time of year as there is minimal boat traffic on the water other than commercial ships. We are on our way to Pirates Cove on De Courcy Island. The area has a colorful history with a fellow named Brother X11 and their cult followers.

The following is directly quoted from Wikipedia.
Born in Birmingham, England, Wilson attracted a devoted following of wealthy, socially prominent followers. As Brother XII, he established an organization called the "Aquarian Foundation" in 1927, which owed its origins to the teachings of the Theosophical Society. Wilson encouraged the society's members to build homes at the colony headquarters. With the goal of being a self-sufficient community separate from the outside world, the Foundation acquired additional property on nearby Valdes and De Courcy Islands through the donation of a wealthy socialite from Asheville, North Carolina.

Claiming to be the reincarnation of the Egyptian god Osiris, Wilson took command of the colony and its funds, becoming increasingly dictatorial and paranoid, fortifying his island kingdom, accumulating a fortune in gold, and acting unilaterally without the consent of the original Foundation Governors. His mistress Mabel Skottowe, née Rowbotham (under the name "Madame Z") worked the members unceasingly, the tasks given being considered tests of their fitness to advance spiritually. As conditions at the colony deteriorated, the disciples eventually revolted. One man, who had been imprisoned in a cellar on the northern end of Valdes Island, managed to find a rowboat and row to Nanaimo to report the circumstances to the British Columbia Provincial Police. In a rage, Wilson destroyed the colony, smashing its buildings and farm equipment and scuttling his flagship, the yacht Lady Royal.

Wilson and Skottowe escaped in a tugboat, failing to appear in court to answer the charges brought by their former disciples. Wilson is alleged to have died in Neuchâtel, Switzerland in 1934, but may have faked his own death. He remains one of the most mysterious occult figures of the last century. End quote.

Sherry and I will be walking through multiple trails on the island tomorrow to find the lost gold left behind by the cult. My thinking is that this island has been picked apart from top to bottom. Oh well, the excercise will do us good.

Genoa Bay, North Pacific Yachts Rendezvous

The North Pacific Yachts rendezvous was held September 10-12, 2010. Sherry and I met many new friends. Checking out everyone's boat was a great way to see new options that might work for us. Brian Genge had a great water maker that is exactly what I have been looking for. The weather held out for the most part. A misty rain occurred during our potluck supper, however we had a covered area that kept us dry. Can"t wait until next year.

Fishing with Brother in Law & Nephew

My brother in law Terry and his son Landon arrived to spend a week with us fishing and cruising. We took Springer 2 ( 22 ft Grady White ) up to Chatham Point and Browns Bay and then beat the water for 3 days. The Sockeye hadn"t arrived quite yet, but we managed to catch some Pinks's and a Spring salmon. We cruised up to Blind Channel resort for a barbecue on the upper deck and then proceeded to check out porpoise up the Nodales Channel.

We travelled to Vancouver yesterday with Springer, to have yet more equipment added to the growing list of extra's. We decided to go with a Rocna 25 anchor system as we have been sliding a lot with our present anchor. Our power cord has a stern connection and we are adding a bow connection to give us some more options.

The entire week has been very hot and we have had a great time.

Grandchildren and Cruising

Our daughter Nadia and her three sons, Austin, Mason and Nate have arrived for a weeks holiday. We have been waiting and very excited about our kids coming to visit. We had Springer prepped and ready to go. We left Nanaimo on monday with sunny skies and 25 degree weather. A perfect start to the cruise to Poets Cove. Poets Cove has become a favorite short trip for us as they have a full service marina with swimming pools and hot tubs. Its a great place for a short holiday.

We arrived at the marina and it took about 3 minutes for the kids to get to the pool. We set crab traps outside the harbour and also jigged for cod. They actually had the most fun racing out to the traps and jumping the wakes of other boats.

The sunsets each night have been fantastic, with brilliant red shades in the back ground. There is nothing more fulfilling than watching your children smile.