David Aboard Avante
Sunday, October 1st – With David onboard, we retrace our steps from early September and head north from Seattle, going inside Whidby Island. Unlike our first venture under this bridge, this time there is no fog on the other side of the passage and the way ahead is clear.
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Anchored in Hunter Bay on Lopez Island, the dinghy is launched. Setting off toward shore, we pass a lone seal sunning on the rocks.
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Many indigenous tribes or nations lived along the Pacific Northwest coast. Together, they are now called The First Nations. Though they had no written language, they all kept a vast verbal history through storytelling and through their carvings on totem poles. We see a First Nations’ totem pole standing on the end of a peninsula off the island. Intricately carved and often painted, these poles were built to represent and commemorate ancestry, histories, people, or events.
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Across the way is Ram Island. A “For Sale” sign is posted. It is not a particularly pretty island from the distance, but never having been on a private island that is up for sale, we head ashore to explore.
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It is offers much more on shore with interesting vegetation and a terrain begging to be hiked.
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The Madrone Tree is native to the Pacific Northwest. Shapely groves of them can be found on many of the islands. With their distinctive red, peeling trunks, they cannot be missed.
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Tuesday, October 3rd – Raising anchor, we leave Lopez Island and head toward Thatcher Pass with David at the helm.
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The pass itself is wide, and with the air so still and the water glasslike, we motor along peacefully.
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Eagle Bay on Cypress Island is a small anchorage. It has a remote and isolated feeling which appeals to us as we enter the bay.
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Cautiously, The Captain motors in as we keep an eye on the depth meter. The bay shallows quickly, and with Avante‘s 2.7-meter, or almost 9-foot, deep keel, we are on the alert. Suddenly, 9.9 feet flashes on the meter. With a quick stop and reverse to keep from either hitting a rock or getting stuck in the mud, The Captain decides that Eagle Bay is going to be left to the eagles. With those shallow depths and the smallness of the bay itself, we just don’t have enough safe swing room on the anchor rode.
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Exiting the bay, the wind is up. We raise sail and head toward Sucia Island where we drop anchor in Echo Bay.
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Shaped roughly like a horseshoe, Sucia Island is a marine park accessible only by boat. There is a trail around the island meandering through the woods and offering views of its several bays. Dinghy is lowered. We head ashore to explore.
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In Fossil Bay, interesting sandstone formations shaped like toadstools catch our eyes.
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The light in the late afternoon is perfect to catch the reflections of the autumn colors in the waters of Mud Bay.
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Wednesday, October 4th – As we are leaving Echo Bay this morning, in the distance, we are surprised by the sight of the towering shape of Mt. Baker looming out there over the San Juans.
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Our destination today is Reed Harbor on Stuart Island. With good wind – a very good wind – we cross Boundary Passage. A nervous First Mate is at the helm.
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Gladly, the intrepid sailor hands the helm over to David. Under the brisk wind, we continue down the passage.
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We pass picturesque Turn Point on Stuart Island and are soon dropping anchor in Reed Harbor.
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Though the wind is light, there is still enough of it to raise our sails, launch David in the dinghy, and do a first photo shoot of Avante under sail.
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The afternoon light is perfect for our photos. Here Avante is off Stuart Island.
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As darkness falls, a full moon rises above the anchorage casting its reflection across the water.
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Thursday, October 5th – The Gulf Islands are next on our excursion list. For that, we must clear customs in Victoria. Approaching the relatively short dock, we motor very slowly forward and are soon tied up and calling the officials for clearance.
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Customs cleared, we call in for a berth and again are located below the Empress Hotel. When we were here in the summer, the facade of the hotel was a mass of green ivy. Now, in the fall, it is covered in rusty red foliage.
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We head out to the grocery store and for a walk around Victoria. On the way back to the docks, The First Mate, looking across the harbor, is amazed at the seaplane activity. Coming, going and criss-crossing they are! She knows they all know what they are doing, but it still is arresting to watch it in action.
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Specializing in seafood, the Pescatores Grill has quickly became a favorite of ours. Located just up from the docks, we head there for dinner. The First Mate is delighted to see the many painted bears are still out awaiting the charity auction.
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Friday, October 6th – Leaving Victoria Harbour, we head out to the Gulf Islands. Our first choice of anchorage is Royal Cove on Portland Island, but pretty as it is, it proves too small and deep for us to feel comfortable anchoring for the night. Raising anchor, we leave and head to South Pender Island.
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We drop anchor in Bedwell Harbour below a luxury resort built into the hillside with the romantic name of Poet’s Cove.
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How wonderful it would be if sailboats just sailed on and on without any problems or need of repairs, but such is not the case. A salty environment is not healthy for electrical and mechanical parts even in the best of times. The water pump has stopped doing its job. The Captain pulls it out and starts to trouble-shoot the problem.
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Is it a simple problem like a corroded wire or does the pump need to be replaced? He knows not at first, but knowing it is probably going to take a few hours, he tells the rest of his crew to head ashore to explore Beaumont Marine Park off which we are anchored.
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Mt. Norman rises above the park, and there is a trail the leads up to the top. Off we go. David, being much faster than his mother, waits at the top while she catches up.
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What a fantastic view across the islands! It was well worth the hike.
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Returning to Avante, The Captain greets us with a radiant smile. The old pump had failed, but as pumps are critical to boats and often need to be replaced, we had a spare onboard. It is installed and working.
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Saturday, October 7th – Our next stop is Montague Harbour on Galiano Island. High electrical wires span the entrance to the harbor. They sag quite a bit in the middle, but they are high enough for Avante‘s 75-foot mast. The optical illusion, however, gives the opposite impression. Motoring under those wires, David casts his eyes upward while The Captain, who has been here before, keeps his eyes forward.
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Tomorrow, we will be returning to the States at Friday Harbor for David’s ferry to the mainland is on Sunday. For one last dinner on board, The First Mate prepares an elegant dinner of elk medallions and a wild mushroom glaze. One of the benefits to Avante‘s current location in the Pacific Northwest is that we drive our car from Telluride to wherever she is. That allows us to load a freezer up with food from the ranch. Such was the reason we had elk and wild mushrooms from this August’s foraging in the mountains.
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Saturday, October 7th – Back in US waters in Friday Harbor, we clear customs and head ashore for dinner. The number of masts in the marina is impressive, and we wonder how many will remain there for the coming winter.
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Sunday, October 8th – Duffle bag packed, we head to the ferry dock with David. What a wonderful week we had with him! From Avante‘s deck, we can see his lone figure high on the ferry as it departs. He is returning home, and we, on Avante, are thinking of securing her for the winter so that we, too, can head for home.