"A GOOD TRAVELER HAS NO FIXED PLANS AND IS NOT INTENT ON ARRIVING"

Greywolf, ready to go, at O’dark hundred on August 6, 2013

Quietly leaving Winslow Wharf.

The people on this boat are probably not leaving on vacation.

Greywolf and her crew were excited to catch the strong outgoing tide that would enhance our fuel-miserly pace.  Usually we stop in Port Townsend for our first night, but we passed PT long before noon.  On to Cattle Pass and then Friday Harbor for the night.  In the fog.  Let’s skip Friday Harbor and spend the night anchored at Stuart Island.  That will give us a straight shot to Sidney the next day to clear Customs.  

I took a short nap in the main cabin and when I woke up, we were approaching Sidney where we were once again deemed fit to enter the Canada and spend money.  So much for Stuart Island.

After 40-some years of marriage (‘No wonder they sometimes look so dour, Edith.) we have nicknames for each other.  One of Doug’s nicknames for me is “The Card Lady”.

The Card Lady found the card pictured above shortly before we left on our summer explore; we agreed that the quote was an appropriate motto for Greywolf and her crew.  (Greywolf liked the quote, but took exception to the the photo. She thought it should be a schooner.)  We violated the intent of the quote the first day out. How did it happen that we DID have fixed plans and WERE intent on arriving?  Boating friends (both human and canine) had been bobbing around in Desolation Sound for days, possibly weeks, and we wanted to join them before they headed south and Greywolf continued north.

No, this is not one of the Desolation Sound friends.

Leaving Sidney the next day, on our way up Trincomali Channel (I love that name and had to use it even though only two of you reading the blog know what I’m talking about), Allie and Doug spotted this denizen of one of the Gulf Islands hailing us.  Eddie had run out of gas.  He and the out-going tide and Greywolf were all headed for Gabriola Pass.  Only Eddie didn’t want to go. He needed a tow to a friend’s house a mile or two south; rowing wasn’t going to work. We had plenty of time before slack water and were happy to oblige.

Eddie happily heading for friend’s house, below.

The house looks a little rough for year-round habitation, but from what Eddie said, it’s fairly spiffy compared to his digs.  Eddie has lived off the grid on Galliano for forty years; he seemed very content with his island life.  

Silva Bay Marina 

We hadn’t stayed in Silva Bay, just outside of Gabriola Pass, since Jolie was a puppy.  The two marinas are still struggling.  The little store has closed, as has the swimming pool.  Friendly staff, locals and boaters.  And good dog walkies.  No ice cream.

I’m not sure the pool looked much better when we used it years ago.
 No vegetation then.

This pretty little church used to have Catholic services two Sundays a month and Protestant services two Sundays. I don’t know what happened if there were five Sundays in a month.  Maybe wiccens got to use it?  And what would happen if... 

BOTH CONGREGATIONS TRIED TO WORSHIP TOGETHER????  

Ack.

We had a “room with a view” when we anchored in Pender Harbor on Thursday night.  At the Thrify store in Madera Park, we bought California produce that we were not allowed to bring into Canada.  But their rules are no more stringent than ours. I got busted by US Customs on a red pepper rap coming into Anacortes 

The following day, we made a right turn at Sarah Point and, once again, were  in awe of  the magnificence of Desolation Sound. And, once again, I took a picture. Every hear we have made that turn, I have taken a picture.  We have lots of pictures.  The pictures all look the same.  Sometimes sun.  Sometimes rain.  

When Captain Vancouver and his crew viewed this body of water in June of 1792, he wrote in his log, “there was not a single prospect that was pleasing to the eye.” Wet wether, fleas, shellfish poisoning and depths too deep for anchoring resulted in the name Desolation Sound for this stunning area that is now considered one of the Northwest’s premier boating destinations.

Vancouver and his men did NOT see the mega yachts you’ll see in the next Chronicle.  I wonder what he would name it today?