Friday, July 26 Skyline Marina to Roseburg, OR.

We just endure these long car rides between CA and WA. Merlin loves it though.

Wednersday, July 24 Friday Harbor to Skyline Marina 1 ½ hours 16 miles

We checked the prices of local marinas to keep Emerald Star on the dock for 3-5 weeks. We actually wound up renting the same slip that we were in when we bought the boat in 2010. Lots of boat traffic in this area of the San Juan Islands. We encountered heavy fog and 2-3' chop crossing Rosario Strait. We stopped at the Skyline Fuel dock before heading to our slip. FUEL; 400 GALLONS AT $4.60/GALLON. Tomorrow we will pick up the car from the storage unit and fill it for our trip home to California. Our son, Jason, is getting married on Shipwreck Beach in Kauai on August 13. We will go home, repack and leave for Kauai on Friday, Aug.9.

Bedwell Harbour to Friday Harbor 1 ¾ hours 18 miles

Back into the USA 

 

Fred called American customs before we crossed the border into the US. We received clearance by phone and did not have to report to a Customs Dock. 

 

We had a reservation for a side-tie on the inside of D Breakwater. This is our preferred location. We enjoy being able to wander the docks and Friday Harbor without having to dinghy in.

Thursday, July 18 Sandy Is. Marine Park to Nanaimo 5 hours 52.2 miles

We had a very smooth ride down the edge of the Strait of Georgia. It is a bright, hot, sunny day and it couldn’t be more beautiful. We have reservations for Cameron Island dock in Nanaimo. This dock is just beyond the breakwater but away from the inner harbour where there is constant traffic. Thank goodness we got here by 1 PM. By 4 PM the dock was full. We have a great slip on the end of the dock where we can look out at Nanaimo Harbour and all the boats and planes coming and going. We went over the the city front for a latte. Merlin loves it because everyone wants to pet him. At 9:30 PM we went for a walk to get Merlin off the boat again and to look at the variety of boats here. We were talking to a fellow about his amazing catamaran when we heard this funny chirping sound. We turned around and saw a river otter on the dock a little way from us. I think he was cursing at us because after dark the dock belongs to the otters. I picked up Merlin and waited for the otter to go back into the water again. Merlin is so funny. He keeps wanting to go to the edge of the dock and look for the otter.

This isn't the actual otter we saw, but it must be his twin brother!

 

Wednesday, July 17 Campbell River to Sandy Is. Marine Park, Comox, 3 hours, 33.2 miles

We had a 4 knot push much of the way down Strait of Georgia.  Wow, what a ride.  We had to cross over the Comox bar  into a very quiet bay.  Denman Island is just inside the bay and they have lovely anchorage off of Sandy Island Marine Park.  We didn't even get off of the boat, just enjoyed the warm weather.  

Monday, July 15 Cameleon Harbour to Campbell River, 2 ½ hours, 26 ½ miles

We are traveling down the east side of Vancouver Island to get home.  The trip is quite beautiful.  We had to time our passage through Seymour Narrows.  And made it accurately.  We had a 1-2 knot push though the narrows and headed for Campbell River Discovery Marina.  We were assigned the first slip in G Dock (all side ties).  This sounded fine until we got a good look at the dock.  It is full except for our slot way up toward the shore.  We always do a starboard tie so Fred had to rotate the boat 180 degrees and slip into this space which only has room for us.  Fred did it perfectly.  There are young people on the dock to help and even they were impressed.  The service is great here.  As soon as we were tied up they asked if there was any garbage they could take for us.  Well, yes, we had two bags and were glad to be rid of them.  We asked at the dock office where the best fish n' chips could be found around here (there are several restaurants nearby).  We were told that the best could be found at  Seabreeze.  This is a take-out but they have picnic tables in the shade.  The fish n' chips are good but we have had much better.  It is so hot that I gave Merlin a cool shower (he needed it anyway).  He was not pleased but I think he was more comfortable.

Pretty good fish n' chips

Sunday, July 14 Lagoon Cove to Cameleon Harbour, 6 hours 62 miles

We had a 2 kt push for most of our trip today.  We went through Chatham Channel which is very narrow and one is guided by range markers to keep off of the sand bars.  We have heard that people have seen grizzly bears here, but no, luck for us.  We saw dolphins in Current Passage but they did not come to play in our wake.  We have a following sea in Johnstone Strait and Fred is hand steering since our auto-pilot does not handle this well.  We are going to try an anchorage that we haven't been to before.  We anchored in Thurston Bay just off of Nodales Channel.  Well, it is much more exposed than we thought it would be and we have 2 ft. chop coming off the channel.  It is very uncomfortable.  We decided at about 5:30 PM to move to a more protected anchorage before dark.  Cameleon Harbour is near and is land locked.  The wind is still here but the water is calm. This is a much better for the night.

Saturday, July 13 Lagoon Cove

We are on the dock with about 10 ft. of the bow sticking over the edge.  We are secure and out of the way.  Apparently Saturday night is “Pot Luck” dinner instead of Happy Hour.  Works for us. There are so many boats here that they have started  doing Mediterranean ties (stern to the dock and rafted together).  We went up to dinner early so we could get a good place to sit in the shade.  It is really warm these last few days and Fred & I are working on our tans (but trying to avoid sunburn).  

Bill and Jeanne's house in the background

Amazing old workshop

Friday July 12 Pierre's to Lagoon Cove, 3 ½ hours, 33 miles

Fred and Bill Barber taken in 2011.  He would greet every boat and make everyone welcome.

Bill would entertain us all at Happy Hour with his wonderful "bear" stories and jokes.  We sure miss him.

We have heard that everything is “business as usual” at Lagoon Cove since the owner, Bill Barber died a few months ago.  Bob & Pat on Tango are running the place.  We found that Jeanne Barber was not here either.  Although the place looks wonderful with the lawns mowed and flower gardens are well tended, the atmosphere is tense.  The place is for sale and we think Bob & Pat are carrying a heavy load.  However, the dock is full and very nice and interesting people.  Happy Hour at 5 PM was wonderful and included fresh prawns as always.  Some people may think this is just appetizers but for us it is dinner.  

These gentlemen performed a flag lowering ceremony at sundown to the sound of bagpipes playing Amazing Grace.

The Happy Hour Hour deck

No problem finding where one needs to go with this signpost

Dealing with trash is serious business!

Totem pole made from old discarded things