The Steveston Run

Winter fast approaches and we have been using heat since the end of September and most of November quite continuously.  As the fuel level gets lower, we have to do the "Steveston Run" to fill up.  This is not a 15 minute exercise.  Going down the Fraser River for a dozen miles takes time - especially if the tide and currents run against you.


Today it was not too bad.  We left at 9:45 and were refuelling at 12:30.  The tide had a full 1.5 knots running up river and we started the return trip at slack water and managed to do the entire round trip between 9:45 AM and 3:15 PM.


So we'll see how we do over the next number of weeks and when the next Steveston Run has to happen.

Off Yet Again

I leave tomorrow for a few more days of business travel.  We have our Wabasto heater working again and the boat is snug and warm as the temperatures go down.  We are moored at our slip and aside fro motoring down the river on a nice day, I think we're here until the spring.


We have never  felt the loss of the space we had in our house or the goodies that littered or lives.  We have a lot less space, many fewer goodies and we miss nothing.  We love living on this boat.


All our "stuff" (I'm reminded of the great George Carlin and his rant on stuff ) is in storage in Edmonton.  I am tempted to put the entire lot on e-Bay under the title "house full 'o stuff".

Bowen Island 2

I am a really lousy blogger.  I can only get to sit down occasionally to write the blog, edit photos and so on.  I am travelling extensively for work.  At least I come back  to a  beautiful boat and relax.


So we set sail with our marina neighbor aboard on the canadian Thanksgiving weekend and headed to Bowen Island.  The sailing was superb although it was cloudy and a bit rainy.  Winds were from the southeast at 12 to 15 knots.  A broad reach and the boat loved it (as did we).

The marina office.  Great facilities

The crew leaving Terratima for a walk ashore

Kids playing on the beach

Union Steamship Company grounds

Nice spot but dull day

Signs of fall

Bowen Island

Canadian Thanksgiving is approaching.  We plan on going over to Bowen Island for a short cruise to spend a couple of days.

It's always a hassle going downriver past the Sandheads to go out into the Straight of Georgia and up to Bowen, but such is life.  We like the marina and a fresh water berth is not bad.  We just have to ensure we do things at the right time both going and coming back or progress can be really slow for a sailboat on auxiliary power.

Update

We've been quietly at the dock now since late July.  Work and school as well as a death in the family has made the months of August and September fly by quicker than any of us wanted.  We traveled by car to Edmonton for the funeral of the family member and then drove back.  It's a beautiful drive, but the circumstances made it tense and unenjoyable.


The weather has been mixed and we have had a few days of high winds.  It becomes a little "rolly" with our slip on the outside finger of the marina.  We bought a couple of Polyform buoys to act as additional fenders against the dock.  They work quite well.


Work has been extremely busy for me although the office in Vancouver could use considerably more work.  We are organizing internally to go out and shake the trees to see what falls out.

More Cruising

Taking up where we left off.....


We met our friends from Halifax at Port Sidney Marina which is about a 5 minute cab ride from Victoria International Airport.  We stayed in Sidney that evening, but set out for a few destinations that our friends might like to see:  Saltspring Island, North Pender Island and the waters in-between.  Here are a few pictures of the 3 day cruise:

Fishing equipment in hand:  the young lad gets

some pointers from a pro

snacks for the fishermen...

...and audience

OK -  back to the serious stuff...

...local seal retreat on the rocks

Ganges Harbour - Saltspring Island

Coffee shop

Walking around Ganges Harbour

Ganges Harbour

GH views

GH - anchored boats

..ye ole fish market

..more than impartial observer

Small cafe and eatery

...off to North Pender Island

North Pender Island - Port Browning

Tranquil and sheltered Port Browning

ditto

Moored at the marina

With this view on the port side

Back to Sidney By The Sea

No wind...so trolling instead

Dinner dockside

Port Sidney Marina

And a farewell to our friends as they return to the other coast.

Ahhh..Finally Cruising

We so looked forward to getting away.  We left Vancouver on June 26th to sail across the Georgia Straight to meet our friends from Halifax.  We spent the evening of the 26th in Montague Harbour:

A boy and his dog

Under sail across the Georgia Straight

Smooth sailing

Reading en route

Across and in the Gulf Islands