Logbook Days 48, 49,
and 50
6/27/2004 - 6/29/2004
Pender Harbor
We crossed the Strait of Georgia and spent 3 nights
ashore in Pender harbor
6/27/2004
Schooner Cove to Duncan's Cove
We headed over to the fuel dock at 10:00am and topped up
the tanks. There were two otters and a seal at the fish cleaning
station getting a free breakfast. We started out across the strait
at 10:30am. The wind is from the NW and the seas are
only 1'-2' even though they say there are small craft advisories.
We went north through the islands then turned east northeast into the
strait at 6 knots.
The ballast is empty and the fins are down. The handling is rock
solid at this speed and configuration with the waves just ahead of the
beam. Out in the strait the seas built to 3' but it was a
beautiful day.
We passed the light at Ballenas Island and crossed the
open water with ease. Once over to Lasqueti island the seas dropped to 2' and we were able to speed up to 8
knots once past the south point of Texada. The seas went flat and
glassy in the wind shadow. The first tank lasted 21 miles at this
speed although we did have some current help. We turned NE to
Pender Harbor. It was an straight forward entrance and we went to Duncan's cove,
the 5th one on the north
side arriving at around 2:30pm. When tied up, we checked in for our
first
shore stay.
We
have cottage #14, a 1 bedroom over looking the marina. We backed
the boat into a nice single slip. This is wonderful quaint resort
with everything from the cottages like we have, to some rental mobile homes, a
small hotel, and RV and tent camping sites. The owners were very
helpful and made us feel at home. We BBQ'd an early dinner on the
nice supplied gas grill on the deck and relaxed. Nick, Mike and Dawn went to the pool while Sam and I
brought up the last stuff. In retrospect we unloaded far to much
from the boat and just had to carry it all back down in a few days.
The kids were pleased to find that most of their favorite channels are
available here on the satellite.
6/28/2004
Duncan's Cove
We had a good night sleep ashore and the boys feasted
on TV through the morning. After lunch the boys and I went out to get the dinghy
ready. I was below when I heard Mike say "Could I get a little
help here?" in a rather pleading yet calm voice. I popped my head up and looked forward through the
dodger and all I could see was two little hands hanging on for dear life
on the forward life line. I called to Sam who was right there, and
he helped Mike back onto the dock. Mike had reached out and grabbed
the boat and it drifted a bit to far away from the dock for him to
reach pulling his feet off the dock. Amazingly he didn't even get his feet wet and he did have
on his life jacket.
We topped up the air in the dinghy with the electric
pump and then put the motor on using the mast carrier as a crane. I
loaded up the boys and we zipped out. First we stopped at John Henery's
store in Hospital bay and got some ice cream. I also wanted to see
how well it was stocked for our impending shopping trip. We then cruised
around all the other many bays in the harbor with Sam driving.
The boat will plane
out easily if we all get our weight forward. We looked at the Maderia
dock for later shopping then headed back. Once home I took the boys
swimming while Dawn continued napping. We had a relaxing dinner and watched
the first part of the mariners game until the satellite went on the
fritz. They were losing again anyway. Dawn and I went to the boat
to clean and organize, and fill and empty things. Then it was back to the cottage for nice hot showers,
it's a vacation after all.
The resort is beginning to fill up some now and we are
told that they are booked solid for the rest of the summer starting with
the upcomming Canada Day holiday weekend.
6/29/2004
Duncan's Cove
We woke to another sunny day, not a drop of rain yet.
We kicked around exploring and found a nice golf driving cage out near
the back of the property. Shortly after noon Dawn, Mike and I headed across the harbor to Maderia to do a major shopping trip. We tied up at the
government dock.
It was a bit of a walk to the store up the road and past the elementary
school, but it was large and very well
stocked. Once we collected everything, we pushed one of their dock
carts piled high back to the pier. We feel like real cruisers
shopping via dinghy.
We loaded everything into the cooler we brought and
the back floor of the dinghy and headed back across to Duncan's. We packed some food
in the boat and then took all the refrigerator stuff up to the cottage to
chill. We got all the clothes bags re-packed, finished the laundry, and
then loaded some stuff back in the boat. We'll have all the cooler food
nice and cold, and will add ice in the morning. We had pizza, jiffy
pop, and movies. We're looking forward to getting to Princess
Louisa tomorrow.
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