Stored for the Winter in Canoe Cove
With winter approaching, it is soon going to be cold and blustery in the Pacific Northwest. If we lived nearby, we might get out on nice days and sail sailing. However, we live many miles away, and our plan is to leave Avante this October and not return until May. For that 7-month stretch, we have decided to have Avante stored in a boat yard. Canoe Cove is a highly recommended marina on Vancouver Island. It also has a number of skilled boat workers, and we can have some work done while we are gone.
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Canoe Cove Marina is relatively small, nestled as it is into a crook of land. A feature that we had not seen before in other marinas are lines and lines of covered slips or little boat houses. If one has a small boat, what a great way to store it out of the elements!
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Tuesday, October 10th – As we slowly motor into Canoe Cove, we are pleased with how pretty a spot it is with the masts of many sailboats highlighted against the dark Pacific Northwest landscape. With several shallow sections in the approach, we have to be watchful.
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We need to clear into Canada again. Tying up first to the Customs Dock, The Captain disembarks to contact an official.
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Before going to our berth, Avante‘s fuel tanks need to be filled. The fuel dock is located down a narrow alley lined with those cute, little boat houses. We proceed slowly down toward the fuel dock, watching that depth meter.
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The Captain handles the fueling while The First Mate gets out to study the situation. Sailboats in general do not like to back up. Most are pretty lousy at doing so, and you will often hear owners complain about how difficult it is to back up their boats. Avante, to her credit, is above average when it comes to moving in reverse, but, my goodness, that is one long stretch! There is no room to turn around. The First Mate is going to have to back straight out that narrow passage between boat houses.
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Fueling done. Maybe The Captain would like to do this? No! She is to do it. She does not want to go too fast, but if she does not go fast enough, the boat has poor steerage. It is a delicate balance, and somehow she makes it – with a great sigh of relief.
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Thursday, October 12th – Two days were spent cleaning up the boat and storing things. It is now time for Avante to be hauled out of the water. We motor slowly to the Service Dock where, bow first, she is nestled into the lift.
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Heavy canvas slings are attached under her hull. The lift operator slowly raises her to make sure she is balanced properly. When he is satisfied, Avante is raised fully out of the water until her keel is just above ground level.
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Then ever so slowly, though not as slowly as a rocket being moved at Cape Canaveral, but slow enough, Avante is moved to her designated spot for the next few months.
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Watching every step of the way, is The Captain. Nervous? No, but he will be relieved when she is finally secured in her spot.
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There she is, and there she will remain for the next 7 months. Thoughtfully, the yard has placed her next to compatible neighbor, a smaller J-boat in the same dark blue. Together they look like mother and daughter. Avante should be happy!
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And happy we are, too! We have had a wonderful and successful first year of sailing on Avante. We have sailed up the entire West Coast from San Diego to Canada and traveled more than 2500nm. It is home now to pick up the other sides of our lives. Our ski mountains of Colorado are calling as well as a few rounds of golf in Scottsdale.