Hurricane Patricia Hits Mexico

Our friends aboard Grinn II - a Hunter 49 - is in a marina in Nuevo Vallarta (just a bit north of Puerto Vallarta). They sent two messages prior to 5 PM this afternoon pacific time.  The first was that they had been preparing Grinn II for the storm.  The second indicated that the marina was being evacuated and everyone taken to a shelter in the nearby resort buildings.   This is an immense storm and we hope our friends are safe.

Satellite View of Patricia From October 23

Grinn II in Mexico

The Right Outcome

We have our country back.  The Liberals will form government in Canada after a decisive win of a majority of seats in Parliament.  We bring to an end the ridiculous right wing politics of division and cynical games played by the previous conservative government.  The task now is to undo all the legislation that was put in place by those clowns.

Prime Minister Elect - Justin Trudeau

Voting in a Canadian Election

I voted yesterday in an advanced pole for the October 19th General Election here in Canada.  I have voted in elections since I came of age in this country.  This is the first election where I felt so angry because of the nature of what has been happening after 9 years of Conservative government.  This is not the Progressive Conservatives of past times.  This is a deeply right wing government that has been systematically gutting the country's environmental regulations, muzzling its scientific community, participating in foreign wars, using racist rhetoric and scare tactics to dismantle our democratic rights and making secret deals they claim to be in the best interests of the country.

I do not recognize the country anymore.  We were a peace loving country.  We tried to protect the most vulnerable among us.  We introduced a universal health system.  We were peacekeepers at the UN and spoke there with moral authority.  We are now losing all of this because of a government voted in by a flawed system with only 30 percent of the popular vote.  What is the track record that has resulted?  I think Danny Williams - former Premier of Newfoundland sums it up very well:

The very fact that I am posting a video of a former Provincial leader making the comments he is on our current Prime Minister is unprecedented.  It is a measure of how low we have sunk.  God help us on the 19th if we get Harper again.  

Canadian Election

We are nearing the date for the Canadian General Election.  I have never taken an election quite as seriously as this one - not because I am more interested in politics than I was previously, but because I see the Country moving further and further to the right.  As we do so, we are giving up what I had taken for granted for so many years.  Whatever happens in this election, God help us.

Back to More Seasonal Weather

We had desiccated to go to Nanaimo for the Labour Day Long Weekend.  Alas, the winds were 33 KNOTS at the sand heads which is the point that the Georgia Strait goes from deep water to shallow.  With flow of tide and current against wind, you can plan on steep short wave seas that is horrendous to blow through.  Knowing what we were failing, and not having a lot of flexibility, we decided that  discretion was the better part of valour and we stayed put.  Just as well as I ended up with th nasty cough and a fever which meant the whole weekend was spent in my bunk.

Howling Wind in Marina

The wind has piped up to 30 knots int eh marina - and this is "Shelter Island" which describes the location.  Out in the open. it's mayhem as can be seen from these posts on VancityBuzz.

Damaged Skytrain Car

Downed Power Lines and Trees

Right now, power is out in the marina and surrounding area.  

Where Did the Summer Go??

ALAS, we are not yet full time cruisers.  We have the most beautiful boat we could i,age, yet we are dockside.  We will get away soon as we begin eh process of winding down professional life and taking to be a retired sailor.

But because we are still dock side, we will talk about and blog about our working lives as well.  You can have a life on the water and work on the  hard.  However, your soul longs for the sea, the sound of water as the boat slides along, the ring of wind int eh rigging, the physics of the disused telling you all is well and you are at peace.