Canoe Cove to Victoria
Sunday, May 6th – We leave Telluride, Colorado, dropping our Golden Retreiver, Jake, off at “doggy” summer camp, and drive north to Seattle. Upon arrival, we join Telluride friends, Marilyn and Tom Fleming, who had invited us over for dinner. Tuesday morning we catch the ferry to Sidney on Vancouver Island. Of course, the first thing we do is drive to Canoe Cove Marina to check out Avante.
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Avante had spent the winter cradled on land. Her new bottom paint job looks great, but, to our dismay, many of the smaller projects the yard was supposed to do had not been done. Dealing with boat repairs is going to teach The Captain a deeper understanding of the word “patience”. Some of our list will be done before we set sail this Monday. Some will have to wait until next winter.
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Friday, May 11th – Avante is going to “splash” today, which is what they call putting her back in the water. The crane’s slings are attached around her hull, and she is lifted up to be slowly moved across the yard to the Service Dock.
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As soon as she is floating, we climb aboard to be ready to start the motor and back her out. Once free, we motor to our slip and begin the preparations to get her ready to go sailing. Though Avante weathered the winter well, she does need a good wash down and polish. Sails have to be attached. Systems have to be checked out after not being used for months. Provisions have to be bought and stowed. We hope to get her ship-shape over the weekend so that we can leave for the start of our passage north to Alaska. Having never ever contemplated doing such a thing on her very own sailboat, The First Mate is both excited at the prospect and amazed at her eagerness to leave her comfort zone.
Tuesday, May 15th – Just one day behind schedule, we leave Canoe Cove after a very busy week. Considering all we had to do to get Avante ready for the passage to Alaska, we feel that she and we are ready, or as ready as any cruising boat and its occupants need to be for a passage. One never seems to get everything done. There are always items still on the list.
Sailing around the San Juan and Gulf Islands has you going back and forth between the US and the Canadian Customs docks as you go between countries. Our first stop is US customs in Friday Harbor. That done, we enjoy a few days in the San Juan Islands.
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Thursday, May 17th – We are in Echo Bay on Sucia Island. Normally a popular anchorage in the summer months, now before those warmer months, we are alone. Sucia Island is really a group of several small islands clumped together as a Marine State Park. There are camp/picnic sites with barbecues and trails cut through the island. Vegetation is so dense that without the trails, the island would be impassible.
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Anchored for the night and after the work and the rush of our week spent getting Avante ready again to sail, The Captain enjoys a time of relaxation in the evening.
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Friday, May 18th –Sucia Island is a joy to hike with several bays to explore. We set off in the morning, and at Ewing Bay, we sit (honest … The Captain did sit for a while!) and watch the wild life. There is a family of Canadian Geese along the water’s edge. Three sea otters show up for playtime in the bay, and along the shore, clams are spitting water as the tide recedes. We would not have seen any of this if we had walked on past.
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Further down down the beach is an interesting sandstone formation that has been eroded by water and wind. Sucia Island is noted for these natural creations.
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Saturday, May 19th – Aboard Avante, we start the morning in a very civilized manner. We may skip breakfast to get an early start, but we never, ever skip our morning Cappuccinos. Made by our professional barista, they are truly delicious enough to get anyone moving in the morning — even The First Mate who does not have a get-up-and-go morning gene.
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Leaving Echo Bay, we sail to Roche Harbor on San Juan Island. This sheltered harbor is subject to conflicting currents, and when the wind is slight, boats float in varied positions around their anchors. This was a new experience for The First Mate, and she was very glad that given Avante‘s deep draft, we usually anchor furthest out from other boats.
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Wow! What a fantastic sail we have from Roche Harbor to Victoria! Winds kept climbing. First one reef was put in, then the second. We screamed down the Strait of Juan de Fuca and into Victoria Harbor. Clearing Canadian customs (once again!), we tuck into our assigned slip, only this time they cannot place us in front of the Empress Hotel. Three events have the place hopping. The most important is a long holiday weekend due to Victoria Day. Bands are playing, sidewalk performers are putting on their shows, and people are milling around everywhere. It is exciting. The other event is a rendezvous of motor boat enthusiasts. They are the ones taking up those prized berths below below the Empress Hotel! The third is the arrival and positioning of sailboats for the Swiftsure Race. Watching the various racing boats and crews come into harbor is interesting to us sailors. There are even several J/Boats of various sizes. The Swiftsure is an overnight race, with the boats sailing down the Strait to the ocean and then back again to Victoria. We wish, in a way, that we could stay here to watch the event, but we have our own adventure ahead.
We spent several days in Victoria while The Captain flew off to attend a board meeting. (He will have to do the next one by satellite phone.) On Thursday, Telluride friends, Judy Hall and Warner Page, will arrive to sail with us on the first leg of our passage to Alaska: Victoria to Desolation Sound and then to Campbell River. The boat has been cleaned and is pretty well set. We complete final provisioning with our friends, and get ready to depart on Friday. Sounds so easy and simple.
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The blog entries for 2006 have been transferred over from another site, but the comments from friends could not be brought over into the “Comments” section of this blog, they have been added below, for we do want to keep them as a memory.
Barb M said: Sue and Bill! Wonderful, wonderful! Have a great trip – I look forward to following your adventure. Hugs, B May 9, 2007 at 1:18 PM
Barb M said: Oops, forgot to tell you what a terrific opening your site has. B May 9, 2007 at 1:21 PM
Warner said: Great blog Sue…looking forward to the 24th. May 9, 2007 at 5:52 PM
Judy said: I finally figured out how to get into your blog…good job…talk soon. May 9, 2007 at 6:01 PM
Janet said: Warner just came over to my computer. Great blog. What a great photo. May 14, 2007 at 2:36 PM
Anonymous said: Sue, Your photos are really wonderful, and the narrative great, too. Thanks for sharing with us. John and Shirley June 6, 2007 at 9:46 AM
Purebliss said: WOW! I am impressed. My most adventurous friends are having the time of their lives and we are able to live it through your blog! Great job Sue. I’m passing it on to Patty too. I’m sending my love…Bliss May 29, 2007 at 7:12 AM
jboat said: Bill & Sue
I love the blog and it is wonderful seeing you making your dreams come true! I’m glad to be a small part of it.
Happy sailing and memory making.
Jeff Brown
J/Boats JK3 August 23, 2007 at 9:28 AM
Anonymous said: Looks like a beautiful but cold trip!! In Aug-Sept 2006 I went from Port Hardie to Skagway by Ferry in 8 days, absolutely beautiful, I am a life time sailor myself, just finished the Marblehead to Halifax race as crew for the 4th time, where cold weather, fog and rain are common. The trip to Alaska gave me more respect for Pilothouse sailboats and powerboats, as it rains a lot in S/E Alaska and it often not that warm even in July & Aug. The glaciers, mountains & wildlife make all worth it! Cheers,
Andre Corkum,
Halifax, Nova ScotiaAugust 29, 2007 at 10:16 AM
Andy said: Saw your entry about Deb and Greg Baillie who own Lion’s Paw. I was in Chacala, Mx a couple weeks ago and they were anchored in the bay. Was wondering if you knew what kind of boat Lion’s Paw was? Thanks!
Andy
Medford, OR