We left Beachcomber late Monday morning and motored to Nanaimo. It was a grey day and uneventful and chilly. Lyle got the genoa out as we neared Nanaimo but there really wasn't enough wind to gain any pull. She looked pretty though! We called Dwight and Mary Ellen as we past Schooner Cove but they never spotted us. We spent the night at the Nanaimo Marina where Lyle changed out the Lowrance chart plotter to see if we could eliminate our problem with losing the depth or sudden losses at chart changes. This happened to us in Malibu Rapids..an inopportune time to lose your chart plotter!
We had shore power and a cozy electric heater, so Lark enjoyed a long cozy sleep.
On Tuesday morning we arose early to get away before traffic increased in the harbour and we needed to make the tide change at Dodd Narrows. This was the first time I had been aboard when we began in semi-darkness. It was pretty to see the harbour lights and the lights of the city disappear as we set out. Although it was chilly it was a pretty day and the sunrise amongst the gray clouds was beautiful. It reminded me of sunsets I have seen in warmer climates. We made Dodd Narrows in plenty of time but had to wait for about twenty minutes for a huge log boom to come through on a long tow. He moved very slowly. But we came through with no problems.
I enjoyed the grays and yellows turning to the light of day. Lyle spotted a small island ahead that looked as though it had palm trees ...maybe that was just wishful thinking and looking forward to our Mexico plans in the fall of 2010.
We had shore power and a cozy electric heater, so Lark enjoyed a long cozy sleep.
On Tuesday morning we arose early to get away before traffic increased in the harbour and we needed to make the tide change at Dodd Narrows. This was the first time I had been aboard when we began in semi-darkness. It was pretty to see the harbour lights and the lights of the city disappear as we set out. Although it was chilly it was a pretty day and the sunrise amongst the gray clouds was beautiful. It reminded me of sunsets I have seen in warmer climates. We made Dodd Narrows in plenty of time but had to wait for about twenty minutes for a huge log boom to come through on a long tow. He moved very slowly. But we came through with no problems.
I enjoyed the grays and yellows turning to the light of day. Lyle spotted a small island ahead that looked as though it had palm trees ...maybe that was just wishful thinking and looking forward to our Mexico plans in the fall of 2010.
We arrived at our destination Conover Cove on Wallace Island at 11:55 and HUNGRY! We feasted on Ham and eggs and got the diesel heater going in the cabin. I was much happier when my feet unthawed! I recognize the need to buy some good fitting outerwear designed for sailing and keeping dry. Everything that comes out of our clothes lockers are too tight, or too long in the leg. All the remnants of past hiking, climbing and camping days.
I had enjoyed Wallace Island at Thanksgiving but Conover Cove has a dock that we could tie up to and when we arrived our friends Ron and Monica were waiting aboard Ann Aerobic, and a couple from Vancouver in a Catalina.
I had enjoyed Wallace Island at Thanksgiving but Conover Cove has a dock that we could tie up to and when we arrived our friends Ron and Monica were waiting aboard Ann Aerobic, and a couple from Vancouver in a Catalina.
After clean up we took a long walk to the other side of Wallace Island where we had seen the inukshuks near the picnic site the last time we visited. They were all gone with the exception of one in a little crevice right on the walking path. It was good excercise after all the Christmas treats and the rain stayed away. We returned to the boats in fading light for happy hour on the dock. John had dinghied over from his anchorage and chatted with us about his adventures living aboard for 14 years. Lyle remembered him and his boat from a Nanaimo anchorage last summer. He told a cautionary tale of falling out of his dinghy without killing the motor. He apparently ended up beneath it and had his face and neck cut up badly by the prop. He did manage to get back into the dinghy and got the assistance of a passing coast guard vessel.
We enjoyed visiting and drinks on the dock then moved inside Aleydabeth for a dinner of appys, swapping yarns and too much wine for Lark, followed by a long sleep. I can't say enough about the diesel heater and how toasty and comfortable it keeps the cabin.
We enjoyed visiting and drinks on the dock then moved inside Aleydabeth for a dinner of appys, swapping yarns and too much wine for Lark, followed by a long sleep. I can't say enough about the diesel heater and how toasty and comfortable it keeps the cabin.