Homeward bound....

Peace Arch at the boundary of Canada & the US - sight from the marina

9/1/14  Today is the day that we head home.  We thought about extending our time out, but decided that it was just time to get home.  We are truly torn about leaving home these days as our new home is almost a year old now and it is great!  So, home we go after over a month of amazing ports and this year being able to share the special places with close friends and family.  Yes, it will be nice to have a long shower.  Not complaining about C Otter, as that boat even has a bathtub! But trying to save water while out on the hook is important and we've gotten used to that. It may feel just too decadent to take a real shower!

The home stretch!

Back where we began...

Skyline marina.... home :-)

Back in the USA

8/31/14  Today is the first day we have not had “crew” in several weeks, so it was actually a bit odd. Anticlimactic actually and we already miss those guys! We'd actually gotten used to having company on the boat.... usually, it's just the two of us.

We got up, had coffee and watched the rain come down in buckets as we tried to take off.  DRENCHED by the time we checked out, took garbage up and tossed lines off of the dock.  Alas, we left the boats (yachts) “After Eight” and “Hotei” at the dock across from us.  I’m sure that they will miss us  :-)

I haven't seen rain like this in a long time!

Heading out of False Creek

I must say, this boat is AMAZING!  The only thing on our list of items to repair will be that light bulb in the refrigerator :-)

Anyway, we pulled into Blaine Harbor at around 4:00 PM, walked into town and had dinner.  We are officially back in the USA after over a month! 

Oh no.... say it ain't so....

8/30/14  We took a walk to downtown… it was actually kind of a drag cause Doug and Theresa are taking off today.  After 3 weeks with 4 people in a very small living space, I would say it was a GREAT time and an unbelievable trip.  We all had a great adventure and have so many warm memories of the time spent together. 

The boat has been amazing and we are so close to home.  I must admit, I have missed being home and especially missed all of the animals!  We have been getting reports of Kobe and how well he is recovering from his broken leg and his surgery! AND, I have that beautiful horse just standing around waiting to be ridden in the best weather part of the year! It will be great to be home.... but not quite yet.  It has been an amazing trip and we love boating!  AND, I love my husband :-) What an amazing guy he is!  The time and attention that he pays to C Otter (and to me too) is downright incredible!  I sure do enjoy spending my life with him :-)

Over this past year, we have really become torn between home and boating.... home is so wonderful now that we have our new home on Whidbey!  Boating is terrific also. What to do, what to do???

Bike riding day

8/29/14  Today was bike riding day!  The weather is definitely different and it even sprinkled, but not enough to keep us off the streets.  We rode bikes all around the city, through Stanley Park and back to Yaletown.  Then decided to continue on the other side of False Creek.   What a bike and walking friendly city!  It's quite nice to be able to ride and ride (oh yeah, it's all flat too) and the sights are wonderful.

A lovely day in Stanley Park

Yaletown market.... WHAT??? Square Watermelon?

An a bowling ball watermelon too?  We decided we didn't want to try one at THAT price!  Is it possible that they actually sell these???

Vancouver sights begin

It's fascinating to see a little tug....

pulling a load like this!

8/28/14 We left Gibsons at about 11:30, heading to Vancouver.  The weather is changing a bit and it’s even windy as we leave the harbor.  It takes about an hour to head back out and then another 2 hours into False Creek.  Vancouver is the most amazing city…. Filled with life and amazing sights everywhere.  We land the boat at a bit after 3:00 PM and head immediately to Granville Island on one of the water taxis.  Can’t WAIT to show Doug and Theresa around.  We decided to head up to one of our favorite “outdoor” restaurants The Sandbar on Granville Island.  It’s just underneath the Granville Street bridge.  We ordered the “Tower” which was a great presentation of crab, lobster, oysters, clams, mussels and shrimp.  THEN, we had dinner.  Played Rummy Tile until 11:00 PM.

Vancouver skyline

A real working harbor and a busy place....

On our way to Granville Island via a water taxi

Granville Island concrete plant... takes a new look

Yummmm....

Maderia Park to Gibsons

A labor of love for sure... yes,

this is a house boat. Too many plants to show in one photo

8/27/14  We didn’t leave Maderia Park until almost noon.  Doug pointed out that we seem to be getting up (and leaving) later every day.  Ahhhh….. vacation! We decided to head to Gibsons, so that’s the plan for tonight. 

And it looks as though it hasn't moved for awhile!

Eclectic Gibsons marina

A stroll around town showed us "Persephone"

We took a walk into downtown Gibsons and bumped into a bit of TV history we're told.... the CBC TV Show "Beachcombers" was filmed in Gibsons.  The "Persephone" is still there as a remembrance. Now we'll have to check it out.

Pender Harbor here we come...

8/26/14 It was another gorgeous day as we headed from Lund into Pender Harbor.  The weather on this trip has been fabulous! It was about a 5 hour cruise into Pender Harbor and we landed at Maderia Park.  Time for a walk!  Chris and I had been here before (last year) but we hadn’t had the time to look around.  Wow!  What a great spot!  The channel (they say) is only about  1.5 miles long but there are over 100 miles of coastline! All kinds of nooks and crannies to explore.  We never did get the kayaks down so we’ll be doing that next time.  We did get some fresh sockeye salmon to BBQ.  What a TREAT!  After that, we played “Head’s Up” until about 10:00 PM. Fun times with some of our GREAT family members :-)

Chris is now sporting a beard :-)

Heading back.... s-l-o-w-l-y

8/25/14 We left Prideaux Haven and decided that it may be time to begin our trek south.  We have to have Theresa & Doug to Vancouver on the 30^th for their flight home. We decided that a leisurely trip south would be the best way to go.  We have reservations at Quayside Marina in False Creek on the 28^th, so we have our weather days already built in.  We can meander and enjoy the journey…

First stop Lund.  It’s the “gateway” into Desolation Sound so it truly feels like we are heading home now.  We had a fabulous meal at the Lund Hotel restaurant.  We also were able to buy a few things we needed at the grocery store, we filled up with water, and we even have power since we are tied to a dock for the first time in about a week.  What a treat in one way, and realizing what we give up to get those “luxuries”.  It’s a funny thing; you look forward to having a nice long, warm shower, but the serenity that you give up makes you wonder what’s the better deal…

Theresa & Doug at Mile 0 of Highway 101

Side note: Youngest son Keith was hired on as a permanent employee of Chris’s “old” company Pinnacle Exhibits!  And it’s his birthday besides.  Happy Birthday

Keith. We love you and Congratulations!

Another gorgeous sunset in Lund...

No matter where we were, Doug was always working :-)

A little something that floated by on the way south...

Meeting up with Mariah....

8/24/14  Last evening, we anchored in Prideaux Haven.  About an hour before we arrived, we received a call on the VHF from our friend Ken Jegen on the Nordic Tug 42 "Mariah", owned by his friends Scott & Susie.  We told them that when we arrived we would let them know if there is room to anchor.  Just then, we got a call from Jerry on "Forever Young" telling us that he was even closer than we were to Prideaux and he'd let us know.... that's all we needed to instigate a party.  We had the BEST evening getting to know Scott & Susie and introducing all of our friends to each other :-)  It was such a treat seeing Ken (miss you George)!

Chris, Ken & me.... we miss George!

Saying farewell to Mariah and her crew the following morning.

A lazy day at Prideaux

8/24/14  It was a lazy day just wandering around Prideaux Haven.... First thing, lets go for a walk!  Ah oh, that won't happen once we saw the sign and then tried to find another trail. There was no other trail and we'd already had one bear sighting for the trip!

We can take a hint!

So, we decided to take the dinghy and see the sights.

I am the captain now!

And Doug had to try the water......

Bear sighting!!!

8/23/14 Here we are at Toba Wildernest Marina and we are getting ready for a hike…. Before that, Chris and Doug have to clean out the stabilizers as we think a jellyfish may be the culprit of the system not functioning properly.  There were jellyfish EVERYWHERE in VonDonop Inlet and we must have sucked one or two up into the system…  Our plan today (after our hike to the falls) is to head once again to Prideaux Haven and if we are lucky, Ken Jegen will be there with his friends on their Nordic Tug 42!  We spoke with him yesterday and learned that his wife George won’t be with him. She had to stay behind with their cat Buster who became ill on their trip out from Florida.  Side note: Ken & George are the couple who we purchased our previous boat “Buster” from.  They introduced us to the trawler world! Can't wait to catch up with him and we will truly miss not seeing George!!!!

High tech "map" of trails

Bridge to the falls

We walked up to the waterfalls and it was LOVELY..... the bridge (compared to last year) was a bit more "rustic", but it was truly worth the walk.  When we came to the fork in the trails, I decided to head back to the boat, but Chris, Doug and Theresa wanted to go to the viewpoint.  Very worthwhile destination!  When they arrived back at the boat (they were back much sooner than I expected) they had come face to face with a bear! Do I know when to stay home or what??? No harm done, but nerves were rattled...and of course, Doug had to keep everyone looking by being behind and tossing random rocks in the woods :-)