Summer 2023 - From Frantic to Semi-Relaxed

 We arrived back from New Zealand on May 3rd after a solid 24 hours of travel and a 5 hour (and a day) time change.  The jet lag set in for a few days but the clock was ticking.  Cathy had a doctors appointment in Vancouver on May 16th so we decided to sail over rather than take the ferry for the day.  The other driver for all of this was to try and get out our marina berth before the middle of the month.  Our plan was to leave May 13th, go part-way and then head to Vancouver on the 14th.  We had a lot to do and only around 8 days to get it all done.  We hadn't completely put Cygnet back together after the work on the decks before we left for NZ, so there were a few chores to get knocked off.  We also had to try and re-configure our storage.  The goal is to be away until mid September and our friends Jan and Tony are joining us from NZ June 18 for 7 weeks as we head up to the central coast.  So we needed more space.  So Cathy and I did a major purge of the lockers on board and I practiced my tetris skills to cram as much of the "extra" stuff we normally carry but need very rarely, into our storage lockers on land.  I also built shelves in the aft hanging locker an a new shelf for the Sailrite to live.  We moved stuff around, found some more hiding holes, and then went on a shopping spree at Costco and The Superstore to both re-provision and get as much dry goods on board as possible before we left.  On top of all this, I finished my end of the probate for my dads estate and that is all now fully settled.  

So with a few days to go, out sailing friends here (Bert and Carey - SV Natasha) were going out for the weekend.  We moved our departure up a day to the 12th to meet up with them in Poets Cove on South Pender Island.  We did manage to leave on the 12th, which was a Friday btw, but we decided that we were not beginning our voyage on Friday, we were just heading out to meet up with friends, after all, it's bad luck to start a voyage on a Friday!  We ended p motoring over to Poets Cove in very light winds and got a slip for the night.

Sunset from Poets Cove Marina

We left together with Natasha as Bert was going to get some pictures of Cygnet under sail, something we don't actually have after nearly 10 years of owning her.  Bert got some great pics as we sailed to weather in 8-12 knots.  We tacked out up to Montague Harbour on Galiano Island and I think the motor ran for less than 30 minutes total, a very nice day sailing.  Just I was picking up the mooring, I started getting texts, that I completely ignored, being a little busy at the time.  When we got settled, the text was from our friends David and Linda who we shared a lot of adventures with as we crossed the Pacific ocean in 2008.  They were anchored in Montague in their, new to them, Mirage 33 "Almost Home".  We have a strange connection between the 4 of us.  When we were about halfway across the Pacific in 2008, our ham radio died.  We had left with them from Manzanillo Mexico and agreed that should either of need aid, the other would answer the call.  On our last check-in to the Pacific Seafarers radio net before the radio gave up, I gave David and Linda on SV Toketie out Lat and Long, told them we were heaving to and hoped to see them in the morning.  David had a true "Master and Commander" moment and come morning, when I stuck my head out the hatch, here was Toketie, less than 5 miles away.  I wondered why they hadn't hailed us on our VHF, then realized I forgot to turn it on.  Now roll forward to spring of 2014.  Cathy and I had moved back to BC from Ontario in January and were stopped in traffic on the highway into Victoria waiting to turn left at the lights.  We look to our left, and there's David and Linda, sitting in their car right next to us!  I don't know how, or why, but karmically, we are connected somehow in this universe!  If you want to read about David and Linda's adventures on Toketie as they cruised the South Pacific, check out Davids book on Amazon "LIVING THE DREAM: Toketie in the South Pacific (2006 - 2012) - David Allen.

Cygnet Under Sail!

The next day, we let go the mooring just before 09:00 and motored out to Porlier Pass.  We had the last of the current with us as we shot out the pass and into the Strait of Georgia.  The wind settled in nicely and we had a lovely sail right to English Bay.  This is the first time Cygnet has been back in Vancouver since we left October 30, 2021 to head to Nanaimo to look after my dad.  We sorted ourselves out at Fishermans Wharf in False Creek and settled in for a few days.  

Bell Bouy at the Entrance to English Bay

We left Wednesday morning bound for Plumper Cove Marine park off Gibsons Landing, just north of Bowen Island.  No wind unfortunately but it was still a wonderful day.  The move from frantic to semi-relaxed was well under way by this point.  This is a nice little marine park, a bit on the bouncy side with wake from passing boats but it doesn't bother us.  Lots of places to walk on Keats Island, and Gibsons Landing is a short dingy ride across Shoal Channel.  The folks at the Harbour Authority office are truely  wonderful and welcoming.  We always let them know when we come in by dinghy, and they appreciate it.  You get 4 hours free with your dinghy btw, more then enough time to have lunch, got for walk and enjoy life in this beautiful town on the Sunshine Coast.  We're going to hang out here until Monday and then sail over to Nanaimo, weather permitting.  The plan is to then sail back across the strait later in the week to Pender Harbour.  We are in a pattern of northerlies just now so instead of tacking slowly up the coast we're taking essentially two VERY long tacks to get to more north.  We have the time!