A Weather Day and More

Tenedos Bay, Desolation Sound

A weather day is when I choose to stay put because the weather forecast is unfavourable, and unfavourable it was!  It was comforting to know that I was tied securely to the dock while taking on a southeaster in Lund.  My old friends and my new friends felt the same.

The day started out mild.  I made my Bodum decaf coffee, grabbed my laptop and made my way to the cockpit.  Here I enjoyed the morning sounds of Lund while I updated the blog with the day-before events.  It was agreed the night before that we would meet at Nancy’s for breakfast so I rowed ashore to join the others.  We sat and chatted as if we were cronies and met here every day.  The topics were

Rainbow

endless, funny, witty and educational.  A couple hours later we scoped out the Pollen store (and I bought a bamboo scarf), we spent some time in the Tug-Guhim Gallery and Studio.  Proprietor and sculptor, Debra Bevaart was on site sculpting a finely detailed bear out of soapstone from India.  The finished pieces in the store were jaw-dropping beautiful: seal heads, seals, and dancing sea stars.

Connie zeroed in on a baby seal head.  Artist Debra had just put it in the

Debra Bevaart (l) and Connie (r)

showcase the day before.  While Debra’s work is very fine, the stone the seal was carved from added a twist of beauty to this piece.  Connie just had to have it.  I had a deep sense of good feeling when Connie made her purchase, not sure why, but I did.  I on the other hand had to walk around the store with my arms crossed, chest high, to refrain from touching and wanting….

If you are ever in Lund, I encourage you to visit Tug-Guhim Gallery & Studio.  If you have an unquenchable desire to have a stone sculpture give Debra a call 604-414-0474.  Her work has been commissioned worldwide.

If you recall from past posts, I had a wobbly prop shaft and went to Campbell River to

Lund Pub gang

deal with the problem.  Well, the problem returned and had me deeply concerned that it was going to be a costly fix this time.  I had the honour of three gentlemen, Len, Dave and Rick, in my presence at Lund who offered to be eyes and ears to observe what happens when I start the engine and put it in gear at the dock.  It was determined that between 800-1,000 RPM I have a vibration.  If I push the throttle through, the vibration immediately settles down.  This is an issue I can take care of when back at homeport. I feel somewhat relieved but disappointed that of the two qualified venue I had questioned,  neither bothered to make the observations we did.  Arghhhhh matey,  water under the bridge now.

Len, on Did It, decided to change his impellor.  Remember, we have sister ships, same everything except hull colour; his is blue and mine is white.  He had all the necessary parts and tools — impellor and impellor puller.  After some time, Giselle and I went below to see how things were going.  They weren’t!  The impellor puller was not working so I rowed to my boat to get mine.  Bingo!  Mine worked for him.  He pulled the impellor, examined it, compared it to the new one and determined there was a huge

Racking them up!

difference in the number of blades.  Back to Ta Daa I row to get one of my spares.  My spare matched what he pulled out.  Slathered in dish soap, it slid in perfectly.  Once the engine was started we excitedly observed fresh bubbles spitting out the exhaust.  This was a good sign.  Well done, Len!

That job completed and being dinnertime, the six of us (Rick, Connie, Steve, Giselle, Len, and I) decided to go to Lund Pub.  Dinner was delicious.  I had coconut curry muscles and Thai chicken wings with Giselle.  They were lip-smacking good.  The laughs were endless. 

The night did not end there.  Connie challenged Len to a game of pool.  Little did she know that Len was much better than an amateur; he was a competitor and champion back in the day and he has not lost his touch.  Len toyed with her for a while then wham! Bam! Smack, the 8-ball was gone. 

The night still did not end there.  Teams were struck.  The shots were creative. I was on

Family of otters 

a winning team and a losing team.  We left the Lund Pub with staff shaking their heads as we shut her down for the night. 

It was one of those nights that you could not plan so many laughs; it was natural, spontaneous and contagious. 

Yesterday morning brought more rain and a forecast of 25 knots of wind from the southeast.  It was decided at 0700 that Did It and Ta Daa would depart Lund at

Jellyfish the size of dinner plates!

0900.  We were heading north and into Desolation Sound.  Tenedos Bay was the destination.  Steve had already left, heading south to Nanaimo. Rick and Connie were also heading south.  They did not get an early start so it was questionable how far they would get before getting blown into a port or anchorage (update – they made it to Pender Harbour). 

When I left the winds were light, it was raining, and visibility was limited. I turned on my radar and it proved to handy.  There were no near collisions but it is great to brush up on radar skills while underway.  I did spot a blip on the screen that I could not readily see as the boat blended well with the fog – white boat and tan-coloured canvas. 

Once in Tenedos Bay, I felt the pressure of choosing an anchor spot for the two boats.  I

anchored in 60 feet of water, stern tied, and then Len anchored and came along side to raft.  Other than my stern tie, it was a smooth operation.  A few extra minutes allowed us to better position the ties, which gave us both peace of mind. 

While getting my fishing gear ready I was delighted by a family of three otters fishing.  They were whistling to each other.  At first I thought it was a bird but soon learned they were communicating.  Their catch became dinner when one otter pulled the fish (perch like) ashore and they rallied around to get their share.  The otters were well aware of the spectators so they kept moving along the shore looking for a secure location.  A kayaker got a little too close and they retreated to the water.

Blue inside and out.  Little fish came from ling belly.

Len and I headed out fishing.  A first for me was teaching him what I know about fishing, which is very little.  I gave him the buzz bomb to use and I tried the alien looking thing.  Once on the little shelf I thought my line was on the bottom so I reeled it up a bit.  Not on the bottom — it was a fish.  Len bonked it for me and I lifted it into the boat.  We fished some more and decided we would take one more pass over the shelf and again, I thought I was on bottom.  No sireee, it was another fish but much bigger.  Len bonked and I lifted into the boat.  We were amazed at the blue colour.  I had never heard of nor seen a blue ling cod.  I felt that I would have to Google this before we feasted on it.  One friend on Facebook asked if it was radio active!

I even emailed Academy instructor KT who has a background in marine biology.  In short her email said we were good to go and it would be delicious.

Seals at low tide.

This morning, Giselle and I rigged and dropped the crab traps.  I have never heard of anyone capturing crabs in Tenedos Bay but we sure would not get any if the traps did not go in the water.  The waste from fileting the ling made perfect bait.  Giselle picked her spot and I picked mine.  The competition was on as to who picked the best spot.  We agreed we would pull them up between 3:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M.

Giselle and I discovered an island covered in seals.  We went back to our respective boats to get our cameras. It was peaceful to drift past the seals just observing and taking pictures.  We toured Tenedos Bay (it was Giselle’s first time here) then headed back to

Keeping an eye on us.

the boats.  It was time for a swim in Unwin Lake.  Just as we were ready to go swimming the boats next to us had a challenge with an anchor.  It seems that the sailboat, who came in after the power boat, laid his rode over the other fellas and the sailboat was in the way of the powerboat weighing his anchor. 

A simple fix would have been for the sailboat to release and reel in their stern tie for the powerboat to up-anchor.  No, not the decision they made.  Instead, the stern tie stayed in tact and two men on the sailboat stood guard with boat hooks — WTF?  The skipper of the powerboat, a Kiwi, deserved a medal for his tenacity to loosed and lift the anchor but it proved too much for his windlass.  He finally had to strongly suggest to the skipper of the sailboat to move.

Anchoring fiasco.

  It was a bit of a fiasco and took much longer than needed.  Once the sailboat moved, the powerboat lifted anchor and departed.  Len and I had offered to help so he swung by to offer his thanks.

Off to the lake we went.  It was a short but beautiful forest walk.  The lake was warm and refreshing.  Giselle brought some home-made chili to eat before walking back to the dinghy.  While eating, it started to pour rain; it didn’t matter, we were wet from swimming.  All went quiet.  The only sound was the sound of the rain hitting the lake.  It was nature’s music. 

Raining on Unwin Lake

I was once told that nature noises offer us the much-needed negative ions to counter the positive ions that we receive daily from electronics, overhead lights and such.  I believe it!  The sound of the rain on the water, the sound of the birds and squirrels in the trees was very calming.

Enough of that!  We have crab traps to retrieve.  Out we go so eager to see who won the competition.  My trap was the furthest out so we fetched it first.  Nada! Zilch! Skunked.  Disappointed I was really hoping for crab in Giselle’s trap.  Skunked again.  The bait was still in tact so we dropped the traps behind our boats – we had nothing to

Unwin Lake

lose. 

Tonight is my cooking night.  We are going to have the ling.  I am going to BBQ some and prepare a coconut curry sauce for the rest.  So I now need to research tasty recipes. 

Update:  Dinner was delicious and we ate more than we should.  We all concur that blue ling is delectable.  And yes, when you cook it, amazingly it turns white.  

Old Friends and New Friends

Neptune guarding Lund

Yesterday was a good grounding day for me.  Sometimes I feel a little displaced or lost and a day like yesterday is just what I needed. 

First thing in the morning I did a few boat chores. One of them is cleaning out the bilge.  And did I tell you that my wobbly shaft problem is back.  Me thinks wobbly shaft and water in the bilge is a hand-in-hand challenge.  For the life of me, I cannot determine where the water is coming in.  I have checked all the thru-hulls, I have checked the keel bolts, I have checked the holding tank couplings, I have checked everything I know about and I am still baffled.  I know it is salt water because the first thing you do is — taste it.

Regardless, I did my morning chores, then rowed into downtown Lund, a five minute row to shore however, I take the scenic route past the shoreline.  With computer in hand I strolled to Nancy’s Bakery for a cup of decaf and one of her delicious raisin cinnamon buns.  While at Nancy’s I got caught up on emails, some research and the all-important bill paying. 

Once done at Nancy’s, I strolled around the outside of the Lund Hotel.  I discovered a

Finn Cove

not-so-well marked gift shop and happened along a traditional cedar weaving class.  The ladies I chatted with, Betty, Juhli, Allison and Jeannie were working on hats.  In my humble opinion they were doing an amazing job.  Thank you ladies for letting me take your pictures! Inside, four people were working on baskets and the joke was that they were getting ready for the old-folks home. 

In talking to the instructor (and I failed to get her name) they only have harvested enough cedar bark for one more class in October.  I am thinking that spring would be a good time for me to take in one of the classes with a stay at the Lund Hotel.  I believe the organizers offer a seafood feast lunch on one of the days. Who wants to join me?  It would be an amazing girls weekend!

For more information on what this First Nations group has to offer visit IHOSTOURS.COM

After my stroll about town, I headed back to Ta Daa.  Friends on Did It would be arriving in Lund around 1400 so I decided to go kayaking before they arrived.  I had an awesome paddle for 1.5 hours.  I am building up my stamina and working on my technique.  When I paddle I always take my hand-held VHF radio – just in case.  I was happy I did this time as I was able to communicate with Did It as they arrived in Lund.

Kayaking is bliss.

Shortly after I returned to Ta Daa and was putting away my kayak gear a sailboat pulled up in front of me.  As always, I lend a hand with lines.  SV Rhino was a heavy little boat.  The sailors stepped off and were two of the thankful and friendliest people I had met.  It was not windy, the conditions were not adverse, they were just genuinely thankful to an extra hand with the lines.  At the moment Rhino docked, Len and Giselle from Did It dinghied over to my floating dock.  There were hugs hello and immediate plans to have a potluck on Floating Dock 4 at 1830.  I invited new friends Connie and Rick from Rhino.  Oh my, what am I going to create for a potluck dish — the pressure is on!

Len and Giselle wanted to head to Nancy’s for a cinnamon bun before they were all gone.  I went with them, not for the bun, but to catch up and discuss the plans for the next couple of days.  First order of business was to check the weather; winds were forecast to build to 30 knots from the southeast.  That meant we would stay in Lund for two nights when the forecast was much more favourable. 

In the meantime, I had decided to make a black bean and quinoa salad so I popped into the General Store for the necessary cilantro.

And in the meantime, Len had heard from another friend, Steve, who hails from Westbay

A chair waiting to be sat in, a cider waiting to be consumed.

(my marina).  We had been in touch off and on and now he was headed to Lund!

Potluck at 1830!  It was more than a potluck — it was great stories, it was getting to know new friends, it was laughs (rolling on floor laughs) and delicious food.  We had baked chicken legs, smokies, clam pasta, deviled eggs and quinoa black bean salad.

Rick and Connie are from California and on their way home.  Giselle and I loved listening to her New Jersey accent.  She reminded me of Edith Bunker. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Edith.  Connie was a joy to listen to and she and Rick could banter while telling a story to get the lot of us laughing.

Old friends, new friends, and dog friends.

It was a beautiful evening with a gorgeous sunset and stars so thick you could cut them with a knife! 

Not sure why it was a good grounding day.  Maybe it was getting caught up on chores and doing some thing I had wanted to get done or maybe it was looking forward to seeing friends I had not seen for a couple months.  Who knows, it doesn’t matter.  It just was.

As I type, the white caps are building on the water.  The wind is blowing SE.  Boats are coming and going.  If you are heading north, 30 knots from the SE feels like 15.  If you are heading south, 30 knots feels like 60!  I am not sure why anyone would head south with a forecast of 30 knots SE.  Just sayin'...

Perhaps as I age, I am getting more cautious.  Perhaps it is because Ta Daa is my home and I have  lot to lose should something drastic happen.

You never know what you will find on the Lund whiteboard.

   

Entertained In Lund

Kenmore Air arrives in Desolation Sound

My plans changed yet again.  I left Laura Cove with great anticipation that the winds were going to die down and I could anchor in the Copelands.

OK, I was a little taken aback when a Kenmore Air seaplane landed right beside me as I motored past Prideaux Haven.  Is it me?  Am I the only one who thinks this is just wrong?  Perhaps I do not understand the lifestyle of the rich or at least those who have crew to bring their boat to Desolation Sound so that you can fly in to meet it.  Where is the adventure, where is the journey to getting there? 

Crab boat in Lund

As I motored down Thulin Passage at the Copeland Islands,  the wind was whistling through at 15 – 20 knots from the SE.  I viewed my little anchorage as I glided past and it was not the place for me tonight.  First, it would have been tough to stern tie in the wind and second, if my tie released in the night I would have no swing room for the scope I would prefer to have out in such winds.  Alas, I kept motoring to Lund. 

Lund was an appropriate alternate.  I wanted to top up my fuel and water, and I wanted to provision for another two weeks. I am not sure why I didn’t pay more attention to my supplies when I was in Campbell River but I did not.  I have food but I could do with some more variety.

Downwind sailing

As I neared Lund — one nautical mile away to be exact — I radioed Lund Marina on 73A (note they are not 66A like ALL other marinas on the coast).  Lund Marina, Lund Marina, Lund Marina this is Ta Daa, Ta Daa, Ta Daa.  I waited for a response.  A happy and boisterous voice replied, “Janice and Ta Daa, welcome back to Lund! Yes, we have room for you.”  It was Joe.  He remembered me from last visit.

Did I feel special or what?  I fueled and watered then docked at the breakwater.  I performed my usual after-cruise chores plus a couple extras.  I had to douse my anchor with water.  When I raised anchor in Laura Cove I raised a good portion of the bottom with my anchor thus bringing Laura Cove to Lund via my anchor.

Rain over Major Island

I took my time but eventually rowed to shore to pay my moorage fees (very cheap here).  Joe seemed genuinely happy to see me.  He proceeded to tell me that I was the conversation over dinner last week.  It seems that he is impressed that I am single-handing and told his wife about me.  He is quite the character and we had an in-depth conversation about honouring loved ones that have left us, be it husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers or our closest friend.  Who would have thought that I would have such a conversation with a 40-something fella in Lund.

Funny thing, and this is the second time I have witnessed this (both times this summer) a seagull was eating a starfish.  He would not let me get close enough to take pictures. The experience was twofold; first weird because I was watching a starfish being devoured and second, it was one of the funniest things I have seen. 

A view of the world.

The starfish had to be, at minimum, the size of my hand.  Two legs were in the seagull’s mouth and three were reaching for life outside his mouth.  The seagull started swallowing the starfish whole!  I could not believe what I was seeing.  As the starfish was being swallowed, I could see the impression of his legs in the neck of the seagull.  Three or four slow and big swallows moved the starfish into the seagull stomach.  I was stunned and humoured by what I just saw.  Never before this year, and after all my life living near the ocean, had I seen such an event.  

I rowed back to the boat then indulged in a Strongbow cider.  To my delight the sky was spectacular with clouds, sun and sunrays.  Furthermore, someone on the dock was practicing his or her bagpipes.  I love the bagpipes — always have, always will.  It was a fitting way to say goodnight to the setting sun.  Now, as I type, the pub has a band playing rock’n roll.  I keep waiting for them to play Wipe Out!

Tomorrow, early morning, I will head to the bakery for a famous Nancy’s cinnamon bun

Lund Marina

and a decaf coffee.  Then I will hit the market and purchase a variety of fresh items to due me for the next couple of weeks.

Also, tomorrow, Len and Giselle, aboard SV Did It should be arriving about 4-ish, weather permitting.  It will be great to have company again and do some buddy boating.  

Forever Changing Plans

Stern tied in the Copelands.  Daydreams in background.

I set out from Campbell River at 1300 yesterday to catch the tide flowing in the correct direction for my destination — The Copland Islands.  I did my research in my numerous reference books.  The book(s) said that the particular place I was headed was good for all weather protection.  Sounded good to me.  Besides, in the Copelands I can kayak and kayak and kayak. 

Rounding Sara Point and entering Desolation Sound

By the time I got the anchor set and the stern tie secured it was 1715.  If any of you know about stern tying, it is not the most graceful act of securing a boat.  It literally is tying your stern to shore with a very, very, very long line.  The part that is not graceful is once you dinghy to shore you need to get out of the dinghy with the line in your hand, clamor up the shore to find a tree.  You then wrap the line around the tree and bring the end of the line back to the boat.  

For all the anchoring I have done this year, this was my first time stern tying this year.  It was not a pretty sight and I know that the neighbouring boats were taking in the entertainment.  When all was said and done, I updated the logbook, content that I was secure for the night.  Tomorrow was going to be an awesome day of kayaking.

No sooner had I closed my log book than I heard, “Hello, hello.”  I looked out and down to see a lady swimming to my boat.  “Would you like to come for happy appy hour,” she asked.  I looked around.  She was clearly talking to me.  Sure, I thought.  “In a half hour,” I asked.  She agreed and off she swam. 

Kayaking around Roffey Island

I finished my after-cruise chores, threw together some veggies and dip and rowed over to Daydreams, a 36’ sailboat.  A guy and three women gave me a hearty welcome.   I confirmed their curiosity that I am single-handing and shared my story.  It turns out that we have mutual acquaintances —six degrees of separation in this big wide world of ours. 

The norm for me (as it was for me and Ron) is that when I go to an anchorage, the first night I sleep in the cockpit.  I like to keep an eye on things, you know, just in case.  The moon was just a tad off full and was extremely bright.  It was a beautiful night. 

Biggest wild oysters I have ever seen — likely not edible.

I was awake at 0430 — wide awake.  I decided to check the weather report.  It was a change from yesterday; the wind had been upgraded to 20 – 30 knots from the southeast.  Hmmmmmm I am not liking what I am reading.  I tried to go back to sleep but my gut kept telling me that I needed to vacate the Copelands and go somewhere more protected from a southeast wind.  Do not, I repeat, do not ignore those gut feelings.  You have them for a reason.  I weighed anchor at 0830 as the wind was building.  I moved along to Laura Cove (I had been hear just last week) where I felt more secure. 

Waiting for high tide.

I was anchored by 1100 and just needed to stern tie.  This should be a smoother operation than yesterday…. Should being the operative word.  I handled the line better, that is a good thing.  For the neighbours, I gave them a good show of me slipping into the water butt high and managing to hang on to the dinghy to avoid slipping deeper.  Good thing the water is really warm… it was refreshing.  Now if Ron were here, he would be laughing and suggesting that I hold the pose until he gets his camera.  Sorry folks, no pictures of a wet Janice.

It has been a calm day with a few gusts of wind.  I went kayaking for an hour to explore a couple little islands in Homfray Channel. Note to self — wear gloves when paddling.  I am getting blisters in the crevice of my thumbs. 

Threatening sky.

As I type, the sky to the SW is bright but riddled with gray menacing clouds.  There are large patches of blue-white sky with a hint of pink.  Behind me, the mountaintops are enveloped in a big heavy gray cloud.  I will not be surprised if starts to rain soon.  

A Great Couple of Days

While I have been in Campbell River — due to my unexpected propeller issue — I have

Melanie Cove, Desolation Sound

had a great couple of days.  Monday was a bit of a write off while I waited to be hauled out but Tuesday and today were wonderful. 

Tuesday, Leanne and Gracie came up looking for school shoes for Gracie.  We shopped and shopped.  She tried on several pairs and was not loving any of them.  I, on the other hand, found a pair of Merril’s in just my size on sale.  I scooped them up since I know they will be perfect for my trip to Ecuador, the Galapagos, and fingers crossed for Peru. 

Looking into Prideaux Haven.  

Today, Meghan and Aibhlin came for a visit.  We went for a great two-hour walk this morning before meeting my Aunty Linda at her hairdressing salon for a much needed trim.  Then Meghan, Aibhlin, Aunty Linda and cousin Natalia went for a Thai lunch. 

It was fun to get together with friends and family on this unexpected stop-over in Campbell River.

You never know what you will find in a book store.

Tomorrow I plan to head to the Copeland Islands and anchor there for a couple of days.  I have some friends, Len and Giselle on Did It, making their way toward Desolation Sound and it would be wonderful to buddy boat with them for a few days. 

The weather has been cool winds in the morning with very warm temperatures in the afternoon.  I believe Mother Nature is setting us up for a super comfortable September!  

Grabba Java! Finally – An Update

It has been far too long since I updated the blog.  After the loss of Winston I buckled down into my studies, at the Western Academy of Photography, to complete the near impossible amount of assignments due and about to be assigned.

Also since Winston’s passing in March, life has been somewhat of a whirlwind. I am not sure if it was by design or whether it was unavoidable to get me to today.

In any event, if I had updated it would have read something like this — what did I get myself into?  The students at the Western Academy of Photography have amazing talent.  The instructors are awesome.  What!  Another assignment? We have too much on our plates already.  The deadline is when?  So soon! Well, you get the gist ….

Rainy day in Laura Cove, Desolation Sound, B.C.

Today, (August 14) as I begin updating my blog, I am anchored in Laura Cove.  This is a little cove that is near the famous Prideaux Haven in the famous Desolation Sound, east of Campbell River.

Today it is desolate, perhaps the reason it is called Desolation Sound.  Laura Cove is socked in with low clouds and fog.  The rain is relentless. At times it falls in torrents and sounds like thunder on the canvas of my sailboat.  My little dinghy, which yesterday had no water in it, is a quarter filled with fresh water — this is so much water that the plastic fuel container is floating.

The mountaintops are non-existent, in fact the mountain across Homfray Channel, a mere 1.6 nautical miles away, is non-existent.  It feels like I and the few other people in this cove are the only life on earth.  I feel safe. 

April 2013

At the beginning of April I fulfilled a two-week internship at the Comox Valley Record under the guidance of editor, Mark Allen.  For me it was an amazing experience with not a moment to catch my breath.  I was thrown in, feet first, and enjoyed every moment.  Having lived in the Comox Valley until my early 40’s it was not uncommon for me to bump into people I had not seen for 20 years.  My stories were published and to my delight garnered favourable attention.

In the early part of 2013 I wrote a profile article on Barbara Hodgson, the net controller for the Great Northern Boaters Net.  This article was published in the April edition of Pacific Yachting, the magazine of the Pacific Northwest with subscriptions world-wide.  She has sent me many an email, with gushing comments of how much people have enjoyed the very accurate description of both her and the net.  Thank-you, Barbara!

At the end of April, our school packed up and went to Tofino for four days.  I had the delight of having

Elley perfecting her shot.

school-mate Elley Li as a travel and room buddy.  Elley is from Hong Kong and her delight at things I take for granted opened my eyes.  Skunk Cabbage took on a new art form when two women with cameras circle the skunky plant analyzing angles and light.  Thank you Elley for your fresh inspiration and all the laughs.

While in Tofino, instructor and photographer Garth Lenz, introduced me to places I had never been before.  While shooting with a crowd of people is not my thing, it was great to have Garth to critique my work on site so I could immediate carry on with new tips for perfection. 

The last four months of school consumed my life.  Besides writing and photography, our class of six had to put together a magazine.  I was the designer.  I knew it would be a challenge but I took it on to reap the rewards of learning Indesign, a desktop publishing program.  Learn I did!

Stunning Skunk Cabbage

The magazine is called Ethos.  Ethos was my learning curve to publish my own portfolio — a requirement of the Academy. I am proud of Ethos and thankful for instructor Felicity Perryman.  Felicity is also a designer at First Choice Books, Victoria, B.C.

For a very long time I have had the goal of donating Ron’s eyeglasses to the Third World Eye Care Society (TWECS).  I also had the intent of following his glasses to the country and the person who receives them.  With Winston now walking with Ron, I was free to contact TWECS to see if this was something they were interested in.  I would volunteer, photograph and journalize the journey of his glasses. The response from the organizer was a resounding YES!  I will be heading to Ecuador in late October.  Words cannot express how excited and elated I am to have this opportunity.

May 2013

May was pressure month at the Academy.  Deadlines, deadlines, and more deadlines were sneaking up on us for the numerous assignments due in May. The almighty portfolio stressed out each and every student, regardless of the program we were in.  It was due in June but the process of choosing pictures and articles was time consuming and daunting.  We did not know who the judges were, which meant we hand no clue as to whether they would like our work or NOT!

Also in May my daughter, Meghan, was due with her first.  May 11^th to be exact but, as we all know

One contraction at a time ...

babies choose to enter this world when they are darn good and ready.  I was on high alert for the call that Meg was in labour.  Since my two births were very quick — four hours and two hours — I knew there was a chance I would not make it from Victoria to the Comox Valley in time. My grab ‘n go bag was back and stored in the car.

Oh and to let you know, Meghan had chosen to have her baby at home with midwives instead of a doctor at the hospital.  This was going to be very different for me.

On May 14^th Meghan had texted me that her water broke BUT I did not see the text until I felt like somebody was poking me to wake up.  Wake up I did at 3 AM.  OMG!  I was sure I had missed the birth.  I frantically texted and was expecting nothing in return.  I did however get a reply that nothing was happening and they had been trying to sleep.  I hopped in the car, drove, and arrived at their house at 6:30 AM to find that still nothing was happening.  We all went to bed to get rest for the great event about to unfold.

A beautiful and perfect girl child is born.

By 10 AM labour had started.  Midwives and a doula arrived.  Meghan’s husband, Blair, was calm and cool.  Me, I just wanted to take her pain away but soon realized that was not going to happen and Meg would have to get through this one contraction at a time.  They came fast and furious.  I followed Blair’s lead and helped coach.  A few good hard pushes and Aibhlin (pronouunced Avlin) Willow Eddy was born at 1:11 PM on May 15^th. 

It was an honour and one of the most rewarding experiences I have had.  To attend the birth of a grandchild is truly a gift. Ladies, if you ever have the opportunity to attend a birth I highly recommend it.  This was my second time. An  The first was for my cousin 16 years ago. I cried each time as if it were my own baby.  

I stayed with Meg and Blair a few days before heading back to the Academy to catch up.  Blair reassured Meghan that they would all be OK when I left.  That was so cute.

Back to the grind, I had focus on the portfolio.  It was tough to pick articles – would they (the judges) like my topic, would they like my writing style, would they like the pictures that accompanied the articles?  Would they like my photographs?  The Academy instructors were great.  While they didn’t exactly tell you which ones to put in, they did explain why they like the pictures they did.  Once my articles and pictures were chosen, I then had to lay it out — I chose magazine style.  My experience with the class magazine Ethos and Indesign proved to be invaluable.  It came together beautifully. I chose to have it printed at First Choice Books because I trusted Felicity and the people she worked with.  As it happened Felicity was on vacation so I worked with Sol.  I must say that I was very proud when I saw it in print.  It was my baby — now over to the judges. 

June 2013

The judging took place then the portfolios were up for public display at the Comfort Inn, Victoria, B.C.  It was the first opportunity the students got to see each other’s portfolios.  There is an incredible level of talent that comes out of the Western Academy of Photography in both programs; the Written Image (journalism and photojournalism) and Pro Photography. 

I was very excited that two of my all time best friends came to help me celebrate and graduate — Leanne and Cecilia.  We had a lot of good laughs and I have to admit it was one of the few times that have laughed so much since Ron passed away.  It reminded me how much I miss laughing. 

The graduation ceremony was a modest but fun event.  Apparently the judges liked my work; I won an award for Best Portfolio, Best Major Feature article and Best Social Impact article.  All the focus, dedication, and frustration paid off.  In the end, I had to believe in myself and in my choices.

With my new education and experience I felt as though I genuinely was starting a new chapter in my life.  I still did not know what I was going to do. I just knew it was a fresh start.

A huge heartfelt thank you goes out to my family and friends for their understanding, support and encouragement during my ten months at the Academy. 

Grad was June 19 and on June 20 Cecilia and I booted Leanne off the boat – Ok, it was not how it

Sunset at Mongegue Harbour.

sounds.  I was taking Cecilia (via Ta Daa) back to Vancouver and I had to leave Victoria at a certain time so… Leanne too had to leave at a certain time to drive back to the Comox Valley.  Cecilia and I overnighted in Montegue Harbour and on June 21 we had a fantastic sail across the Salish Sea, also known as the Georgia Strait. 

I knew I wanted to spread Winston’s ashes in the ocean.  Crossing the strait was the perfect time.  I sat at the stern of the boat let his ashes drift away.  I then toasted Ron and Winston with a drink of fine red wine before offering the remainder to the Salish Sea in their memory.

Granville Island was our destination.  While there I got the boat hauled and painted, zincs refreshed and some tie-downs installed on the bow of the boat.  The tie-downs were in anticipation of purchasing either a kayak or stand-up paddle board.

Cecilia and her husband Dave joined me for a few days when I left Granville Island.  We returned to Montegue where we met up with Len and Giselle on Did It.  We had an incredible amount of fun and laughs not to mention fabulous food and wine.  We moved on to Ganges where Dave and Cecilia departed Ta Daa.  I stayed a couple extra days to visit with Mom (my adopted Mom) and Bud.  They are the greatest couple with the best stories. I love visiting with them.  Then it was off to Maple Bay for a wedding!

July 2013

Wow, time passes so quickly.  It seems like yesterday that Kirsten, Ron’s daughter, shared the news

Wedding venue at Bird's Eye Cove Farm, Maple Bay, B.C.

that her and Jonny were getting married on July 6 at Birds Eye Cove Farm.  How convenient?  I could arrive by boat.  Furthermore, the boat provided the overnight accommodation for Stewart, Meghan, Blair and little Aibhlin to stay the night. 

The wedding was amazing.  I have to admit, as this was Ron’s daughter, I knew it was not just another wedding to attend but I did not expect the overwhelming emotion of missing Ron.  I felt the emotion for Kirsten missing her father and I felt it for me. 

Let me digress — when Ron and I purchased Ta Daa we purchased First Nation's carved wedding

Kirsten, the stunning bride.

bands.  With these beautiful rings, we stood at the bow of Ta Daa and professed our love, admiration and respect for each other.  These rings meant as much to as as our traditional wedding rings and our Hawaiian wedding rings.  We toasted life, we toasted dreams, we toasted adventure and we toasted each other.  I vividly recall feeling like we were the most fortunate two people on the planet earth.  Life was grand.

When Ron passed, I gave his First Nation ring to Ryan, his son.  When Kirsten announced she was getting married I knew my ring was meant for her.  A few minutes before the wedding was to start, I made my way to the bride's room and stole a few precious moments to share with Kirsten the deep meaning of this ring - love, dreams and adventure.  Tears were plenty.  I pinned my ring to her wedding gown.  At that moment I felt a strong presence of Ron with us - everything was right with the world.

A locket with Ron's picture was wrapped around Kirsten's bouquet

Kirsten had a locket with a picture of her dad.  Kirsten was an infant at the time and Ron was laying with her on the bed, cherishing a moment with his baby girl. She wrapped the locket around the wedding bouquet so he would be with her  on her wedding day.

 The wedding was a grand affair.  Kirsten and Jonny did a marvelous job at planning and entertaining their guests.  The food was awesome and the drinks were bottomless!

After Maple Bay I made my way towards the Comox Valley.  I hopped into Telegraph Harbour the first night.  Bill and Leanne, Mom and Bud, and Gracie came in L’il Viking to shuttle me back to their place on Salt Spring Island (just north of Vesuvius).  We had a pleasant afternoon and evening visiting before Bill and Leanne shuttled me back to Ta Daa. 

The next morning I had to time my departure to safely transit Dodd Narrows (at Gabriola

Fun at Miracle Beach.

Island) and on to Newcastle Island.  I anchored for the night.  I picked up Ron and Monica (SV Windchaser based in Nanaimo) and we dinghied to the Dinghy Dock Pub for dinner.  Another great visit with good friends. 

Next stop was Schooner Cove.  It was a short hop from Nanaimo but worth it as it makes my last day to Comox just that much shorter.  I can monitor the seas and set out when the forecast is not calling for high winds off Qualicum and

Learning to bowl.

Parksville.  From Schooner Cove I had a great start with calm seas building to 10 knots of wind.  Out came the sails and I sailed from Parksville to Chrome Island, just at the southern tip of Denman Island.  The engine was needed for the trip the rest of the way. 

Comox Bay Marina is where I called home from July 10 to August 11.  I managed to visit family and friends but still ran out of time to do everything I had on my list.  I had the delight of babysitting two of my grand daughters while their daddy was at work.  Juliet, Amelia and I were busy from 0730 until 1700 Monday to Friday.  Often, Meghan, Aibhlin, Leanne and Gracie would join us.  The girls were registered in two sets of swimming lessons and did awesome.  We played mini golf, visited the sand castles in Parksville, beached at Miracle Beach and Kye

Fishing with Bill - two coho keepers.

Bay, went to a concert and a play, enjoyed arts, crafts and music at Filberg Festival and from Ta Daa had a spectacular view of the Nautical Days Fireworks.  To top it off, we went for dinghy rides up the Courtenay River and to the spit, had sleepovers aboard Ta Daa with waffle breakfast the next morning and, as usual I hauled the dinghy out of the water for Juliet, Amelia and Gracie to scrub clean.  A good time was had by all!  I am thankful I am young enough, fit enough and energized enough to send them home exhausted each day. 

I managed to have sleepovers with my daughter at her house and enjoy long hot showers (or cool in the July heat).  I got to have Aibhlin in my arms a whole lot when she wasn’t feeding.  That little one is growing like a weed and is the spitting image of her mother. 

Bullhead Derby, Comox

A huge thank you to Tara (and Tim) for delivering the Volvo to Comox.  The timing was perfect.  They were coming up for MusicFest and I had a desire to have my car since I was staying an entire month.  Tara drove the Volvo while Tim drove their van.  He though it was a perfect arrangement – he could smoke and play loud music to his delight.  You two are awesome.  If I cannot pay the favour back to you one day soon, I will pay it forward!

August 2013

While in school and on vacation I maintained my writing

Raspberry picking.  Yummy.

of articles for Island Gals magazine.  It is an Island owned magazine full of articles written by Island women.  The subscriptions are world-wide.  To view a sample and perhaps subscribe visit:  http://www.islandgals.ca

I did purchase a Delta 10 kayak, small enough and light enough for me to handle on Ta Daa.  It has a catamaran hull which means it tracks well.  It has a small window for viewing whatever lies beneath and she paddles easily.  I am very pleased with my choice.

I departed Comox oon Aug 11 with the intent of overnighting in Lund while waiting for friends to meet up.  It was blowing 23 knots when I arrived at Lund many power and sail boats were seeking shelter.  No room for Ta Daa so I forged onward to Tenedos Bay, Desolation

The Slough, Courtenay, B.C. - no place for Ta Daa!

Sound.  Once I rounded Sara Point, there was absolutely no wind.  I set the anchor and proceeded to put things away and relax.  The plan was to stay in Desolation Sound for a couple of days to catch up with Dawna II -  Len and Dawna, and Kalea – Ken and Penny. 

Upon entering Tenedos, I sent an email to friends Great Escape – Lianne and Rod to see if they were in the neighbourhood.  I had no idea where they might be or if they were even out on their boat.

A fella in the bay gave me some advice on where to drop the anchor to avoid the D8

Seen better days on Salt Spring Island.

Caterpillar sitting on the bottom of the bay.  I rowed over to thank him and learned they are from Comox.  We chatted for quite a while before I rowed back to Ta Daa.  No sooner had I gotten below when I heard a knock on my hull.  To my delight and surprise it was Rod and Lianne.  They were anchored in another smaller cove in the same bay.  Aboard they came and we had a good catch-up chat and a revealing of their plans.  They invited me to join them in Gorge Harbour the next day and I accepted.  It is only three hours away and a good place to anchor.

Walking Paradise Meadows with Aunty Meg.

I have learned to follow my intuition.  When I was circling outside of Lund waiting for them to decide if I could fit in or not, I felt a wobble in my shaft.  I was previously told it was cavitation.  I knew it was not cavitation but doubted myself.  I pondered the situation and told myself that if it happened again I would have to divert to Campbell River.  Leaving Tenedos Bay, I felt the wobble again.  Not good.  I did not doubt myself this time.

I immediately made plans to go to Campbell River to have the problem inspected and corrected.  This was Tuesday and they could not haul me out until Friday.  ^%$&#*!  I felt it was pointless to get hauled on Friday.  If any work needed to be done it would not happen until Monday.  I chose to hang out in Desolation Sound for a haul-out on Monday, August 19 at 1430. 

Six months after a loved one passes away, you can apply to have a bay, cove or rock named after them.  Two years ago, I travelled to Desolation Sound with Dawna II and a few other boats.  We anchored in this little bay and had a fabulous time.  Lots of laughs and lots of tears wishing Ron was with me.  My good friend Len suggested we apply to rename the bay from Three Fathom Cove to Ron Harris Cove.  He applied soon after getting home to Sidney.  We have not had official word that it has been changed but to us it is RON HARRIS COVE.

Well folks, it is now August 20.  I got hauled out yesterday at 1615, almost two hours later

Anchored in Ron Harris Cove

than booked.  I have good news and not so good news.

The good news is that shaft is not bent, which my gut told me.  The not so good is I have to stay out of the water for a day or two while they balance and tune the prop.  It seems that a blade is out by a mere few millimeters.

Early morning wake-up call, Comox, B.C.

And… since my Mercury outboard motor crapped out on me in Gorge Harbour, I am having it repaired as sell.  This is a one-stop location.  Thank you, Campbell River!

I am truly thankful as the shaft wobble could have been much worse and much more expensive.  I will revise my plan as soon as I am back in the water and I check the tides for Discovery Passage. 

The Comox Valley is close to Campbell River.  Leanne

Ta Daa being returned to the water where she belongs.

and Gracie are coming up for a visit and some shopping.  Tomorrow Meghan and Aibhlin will likely come up for lunch.  Also, my aunt lives here and the bonus is that she is a hairdresser and will trim my golden gray locks for me. 

When you are boating, anything can happen.  Being safe and being flexible is the key.