West Vancouver Island — First Hurdle
What is so special about the west coast of Vancouver Island? For one thing, it is a wild, sparsely populated coast that has been ravaged by wind and sea for eons, and it shows [...]
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Just Gunkholing Along
“Gunkhole”: a quiet anchorage, as in a cove used by small yachts, where the anchor usually sinks into soft mud or gunk. Thus, “gunkholing” applies to those who engage in this [...]
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In Which The First Mate Is Hung In Effigy
We spend our first night in the Broughtons in Farewell Harbor, so named because that was the last anchorage for Captain Vancouver before they set off for home. It is a large a [...]
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The Captain Triumphant
Wednesday, June 18th – It dawns rainy and grey. After departing Squirrel Cove, we stop to retrieve our beloved shrimp trap. This time we only get 7 edible shrimp (plus 2 [...]
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In Praise of Shrimp
You betcha – we caught ‘em! Friday, June 13th – Upon leaving Chatterbox Falls, our next destination is going to be the cruising waters of Desolation Sound. It will [...]
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Blue Skies and Grey Clouds
They say a photo is worth a thousand words, and this one surely tells the story of our weather this year. We sail from one atmospheric condition to the other. Blue to Grey and [...]
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Mystery aboard Avante
The First Mate has been told that every boat has a Gremlin or two lurking aboard her somewhere. Gremlins are the creators of mysterious happenings or events for which a cause [...]
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How to Trap Shrimp!
The shrimp in Desolation Sound are this B-I-G! That is what two independent and reliable Sources have told her. The caveat then follows that it all depends upon the year, whic [...]
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Making All Systems Work
Friday, May 30th – Leaving Canoe Cove, we set sail, and sail we did! In the beautiful Pacific Northwest, occupants of sailing vessels count themselves blessed if there i [...]
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Here We Go Again
Here we go again, back to Avante after a fantastic winter’s sojourn in Telluride! The cold temperatures and the abundant snow created superb conditions. The steeper chut [...]