We are just back from 5 weeks afloat, having covered our area pretty well, a week in the Gulf Islands, a week in Jervis inlet, a week in Desolation Sound as far as Bute Inlet, and Jedidiah Island and the Comox weekend festivals thrown in for good measure before another final week in the Gulf Islands.
Mostly good weather, precious little breeze esp in Desolation and even the last week in the Islands. We did get some good sailing in, a great spinnaker run all the way from Egmont to Malibu rapids and Princess Louisa Inlet, a rollicking run (mainsail only) the length of Malaspina Strait to visit friends at Vananda on Texada Is, and a pole-on-the-forestay spinnaker reach from the Sunshine Coast (Pender Harbour) to Silva Bay, detouring around the weapons exercise area WG (Whiskey Golf) that was active that day.
You can't do Egmont without taking in the hike to the Sechelt rapids and watching the kayakers do their thing. The evening light made this trip a photographer's delight:
At Princess Louisa we did the scramble up to the 'trappers cabin' - not much of that left but a nice waterfall and a good view down the inlet to Malibu rapids.
Typical trail section:
The Waterfall:
And the view:
After a relaxed sail/motor out of Princess Louisa we stopped at Dark Cove for lunch and decided to stay the night. The next day saw us in a tiny nook at the head of Hotham Sound.
We found our way to Jedidiah to rendezvous with more cruising friends and here some of the kids got up close and personal with the local goats in the meadow:
We parted company with some of our flotilla here and headed for Comox for their Nautical Days weekend and the Filberg festival. Great time here - bands all day long at two inexpensive venues, plenty of crafts and other events to fill the long weekend. Then it was off to Desolation where we ran into more members of our club. Mink Island was our first stop, and we spotted this local family on an early morning paddle:
Tenedos Bay was next for a nice swim in Unwin Lake, and an evening hike up to the knoll at the entrance - great views and more great lighting:
Pendrell Sound was next with its 74 degree water and gorgeous morning view:
Walsh Cove Marine Park was next, new to us, a very nice little spot with great kayaking among the rocks, islets and cliffs, here's a nice evening shot with "FastForward" in the foreground:
We then went up into Bute inlet, where our (8 year old) guide book told us we'd find a nice remote cove, with a crumbling homestead, good shelter and a lake a short hike away. When we arrived clearly things had changed. Here is the "crumbling homestead" we found:
As this was all private property now, we were unable to check out the lake. We were later informed that this property belongs to the actress Michelle Pfieffer. We did spend the night on the hook.
Heading homeward now, Cortez Island was the stop where we found this whimsical high-tide art:
And here we're just leaving Gorge Harbour, with this entrance giving the bay its name:
We had a great time, came home a bit early due to a nasty forecast of several day's rain and gale force winds, and now sit home trying to catch up on some of the 9,124 posts on Sailnet since we left!
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Any sightings of the lovely Ms. Pfieffer???
