Captain's Log

Arrived for a sail but was met with no wind and then torrential rainfall. It has been a while since I had the motor running and the transmission engaged, so that's what I did.

In what will likely be my last cruise before I remove the chushions for the Winter, I dropped by Oak Bay Marina to fuel up and take on water. I met Barnucka on Inkla and we motored to Sidney Spit.

We were lucky enough to enjoy fresh caught  crab the first night, and I cooked up some bar-b-que'd hamburgers for dinner. Delish! I send him to his own boat after he accidentally pulled the hatch off the companionway and ended up on his ass in the cockpit. TWICE!

I picked up some beach bark for the fire and after starting with half of an Enviro-Log, firelog; I burned the beach bark for a very toasty evening.

The next day, I picked up Barnucka just before noon and we went for a thoroughly enjoyable walk through the forrest to the park boundary and back. B left on the flood that afternoon around 4, and after ready a submarine novel for a while, I returned to the beach for an evening walk.

The next morning I was up at 07:00 to make coffee and have some breakfast before heading to Port of Sidney to pick up Gina for a day at the Spit. I could hardly believe my eyes when I opened the companionway and got a look at the thick fog that had settled in overnight. I had anchored a hundred feet from the beach and I couldn't see it.

The fog burned off before I had finished my first cup of coffee and soon I was on my way. Gina and I had a nice visit with a beach walk before lunch and a forrest walk after. During our stroll through the forrest, we noticed an owl in flight which landed on a branch and stared at us. We enjoyed a lunch of bar-b-que'd Thai chicken skewers and a house (er boat) salad.

Sidney Spit

Light Northeasterly becoming 5 Knt Southwesterly. Sunny. Ebb tide.

There were about 20 boats out for Wednesday Night Racing. I sailed off the buoy and enjoyed watching the other boats.

Nice to be in their company with a clean bottom for a change.

Gina and I set sail on the afternoon flood under main and jib. The wind was forecast to freshen from the Southeast to 20 Kts. And it did. We had a very quick sail down Haro Strait until just North of Sidney Spit when the wind went light. We motored from there to Bedwell Harbour.

That night we dined on bacon wrapped scallops with a crisp green salad, paired with a bottle of Chateau d'Yquem (1811).  Later I lit a fire in the woodstove to stave off the unseasonal chill.

The phosphoresence was spectacular. Sorry no photos of that. Use your imagination.

The next morning, after a breakfast of  toast and Gina's delicious homemade blackberry jam, we set out in 'Trouper 2 Too' for shore and a hike. Arriving at what I like to call Elephant Walk Beach, (for reasons I'll tell you about if you ask) we walked along the strang striations. It was like a far-out scene from the first Planet of the Apes movie. I KNOW you know what I'm talkin' about.

We soon arrived at the second beach in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, Baumont in Bedwell Harbour. (I know, make it longer why don't ya'). From there we had a nice hike along a trail toward North Pender but turned back when it started snowing.

OK, it was just a light rainfall but that doesn't sound nearly as dramatic. We turned back at about 2500 steps and were soon back on Elephant Walk Beach where we changed back into our Crocks and hopped into 'Trouper 2 Too' for the short row back to the Mother Ship.

For some reason neither of us wanted any more of the wine from last night. So, after not eating any lunch, we once again formed a landing party and rowed to Poet's Cove Resort for to see what was real. The outdoor pool was open. (Covid bedamned) as was Syrens Bistro & Lounge, where we enjoyed a light meal and some refreshments. We shared an order of Pulled Crab and Artichokes served with Tortilla Chips and crudite. (Apparently crudite is carrots and celery) Gina had the Artisan Greens with Roasted Beets, Feta Cheese, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Apple Rosemary Vinaigrette while I ordered a bowl of Poets Clam Chowder (Manilla Clams, Bacon, White Wine, Cream, Vegetables). I paired mine with a house red which left me wanting so I ordered a glass of Argentine Merlot. Gina had a glass of rose.

A light rain began falling as we left the pub but tapered off for our row back to Trouper 2. That night we enjoyed watching Treasure Island at T2's on-board theatre before turning in for another blissful night while the shrouds softly sang to the occasional gust of wind. 

There is an Island in the Salish Sea, where people have been creating an incredible treasure for more than 80 years. That Island is Wallace Island, and that treasure is why I wanted to return.

One of the many artifacts that came with Trouper 2 when mom and dad passed her on to me, was a driftwood sign that Dad had made. On the sign, he had written "Trouper II '81".  I have always presumed that dad had visited Wallace Island shortly after launching T2 back in '81, and that he'd hung the sign on the old Wallace Island store. The store, once a fixture of the Conover Summer Resort, is still standing, but is now overflowing with boat signs and messages that visitors to the island have added over the past 80 years. But why did he retrieve the sign? Or, did he ever hang it at all?

Anyway, I added my two cents worth to the sign. I updated it to read; "Trouper II '81 - '21". It's long been my desire to return Dad's sign to Wallace Island and update T2's continuing history. It's hard, neigh almost impossible to believe that Trouper 2 has been visiting these Islands for forty years! I am NOT going to say; "Where did the time go". I promise.

After researching this log, the only (possible?) reference to his sign was from September 6, 2005, when he wrote;

"Anchor 20'. Well up on 4 boats at anchor. No stern. Will plant names in shack. Phoned Cora." 

Even stranger is the fact that his first visit to Wallace Island, according to his log, was in the summer of 1987. So, it's a mystery. A mystery that, given dad's dimentia will not likely be solved. In this lifetime.

Insert dramatic music here.

For whatever reason, consciousness found me at 05:00. I stayed in bed for as long as I could before relenting to the call of coffee. It ain’t gonna’ make itself. I left Newcastle shortly after 06:00 while Barnucka slumbered on.

It was a long, cold voyage here to Wallace Island. I arrived just before 11:00 and promptly had a nap. Barnucka arrived eventually and dropped his hook at the head of the bay. We, ‘re-patriated’ dad’s original Trouper 2 driftwood sign. Thomson’s have been coming here for over 40 years. Hard to wrap my head around that.

My original itinerary included a visit to Horton Bay, Mayne Island but I’ve had enough. I’m going to split the journey home tomorrow into two parts. I’ll get up early and ride the morning ebb, stop in Sidney Spit for lunch, and then catch the afternoon flood the rest of the way home.

Wallace Island

Click for chart view

There was no wind today, of course. So I couldn’t make up for yesterday in terms of sailing time. The journey from Galiano Island was uneventful but fast. We made it in under 3 hours. That’s what a clean bottom will do for you.

Tuesday August 17, 2021

Ruxton Island 11:49

A poor sleep was had by both Barnucka and I. Same conditions as the last time I anchored here. Very bumpy all night. Wind is out of the North, there is a strong wind warning posted for Georgia Strait.

Looks like it’s flooding until 16:30 so we can transit Dodd’s Narrows at any time before that. I woldn’t mind staying her another night but not if it’s going to be this rough.

Rolled out of the sack at 11:00. Having coffee and catching up on my log.

We broke out the beer shortly after arriving and the situation devolved until I kicked B man out. Potluck dinner. B man brought curried chicken and I fried up a batch of KFC.

Despite getting carried away last night, and both having crappy sleeps, we managed to redeem ourselves. We got lost on Ruxton Island, but 13000 steps later I managed to find my way back to Herring Bay and Trouper 2. Ruxton is a beautiful Island. I had never walked it before.

After working up a sweat, I returned to T2, gathered my bathing trunks and rowed to the sandstone point where I bathed. It was luxurious but cold.

I returned to T2, and napped in the hammock until Barnuck and Mickey (a friend of B’s who lives on Ruxton) arrived back on Inkla. I’m going to crack a cold one and return to the hammock. Life.

After motoring to Oak Bay Marina for fuel and water, I raised main and jib and enjoyed a refreshing sail down Haro Strait to the Spit. Following seas with a 2 – 3 foot chop and a fresh Southwesterly. Marine forecast was for Strong winds from the Southeast to 20 Kts. It was a fine ride, indeed!

Inkla showed up around 1800. We enjoyed bar-b-qued burgers and corn on the cob! Wind died off and I had a good sleep til B tried out his new phone at 0900.

SW 5 - 10 Kts. Partly cloudy. Flood tide.

First time sailing T2 with a clean bottom in 5 years. She's a super yacht. FAST, quiet and deadly. Helm is highly responsive as I sailed amongst the many boats anchored in the bay. Fun, fun, fun.

I'm finally getting some work done on T2 that I've wanted since getting her 7 years ago. In meeting with Doug, the mechanic I outlined what I wanted done:

1. Replace the stuffing box stuffing. (This required pulling the prop shaft out a couple of inches to get at the box.
2. Replace 3 through hull valves
3. Replace cutlass bearing
4. free or replace engine controls
5. check the engine
6. Replace holding tank and hoses
7. Clean and paint hull
8. Replace zincs

I woke very early and watched the sun come up over the  Spit. I took T2 to pick up Gina at the Port Sidney Customs Dock. Despite the fact that I brought both steak and ribs along with spuds, corn and salad; I ate none of it. I was actually cold on the beach and was wearing a sweat shirt. In fact, in the end after a very pleasant visit with Gina, I dropped her off in Sidney and headed home that evening. I found it difficult to regulate my internal temperature the day after returning too. Very strange.

There was also a moderate Southeasterly wind, making life a little lumpy at the spit. Despite that, my favorite beach was full as usual. There was a Sea Plane on the beach so that's not something you see every day.

I met Gina at Gyro Park. There was zero wind so we couldn't sail but I bought crab bait so we dropped the trap just off Jemi Jones Island. Then, after bobbing around for a while we decided to go to Willows's Beach and drop anchor.

We managaed to catch a couple of crab so I boiled them up and sent them home with G.