Princess Bay to Ganges Harbour via Montague Harbour

As we were getting ready to pull anchor, the Canadian goose family from last night made another appearance to see what the breakfast offering was from Arctic Star. This time we told them they had better start teaching the young ones what life should really be like when it comes to foraging for food.

The little guy in the foreground always seened to be marching to his own tune

Dad was always on the lookout!

On our way to Ganges, we took a small detour to visit Montague Harbour, a large and very popular anchorage. Because of its popularity, it's not a place we ever visit for more than a hour or so. But since it was on the way, we decided to stop and see if anything was new. Overall, it appears to have not changed at all.

The docks at Montague Harbour

It’s a short journey to Ganges. As we rounded the next to last turn, we decided to follow the ferry into Long Harbour, the harbor right next to Ganges, just to check it out. As the name suggests, it’s long and pleasantly wide. There are many beautiful homes with long piers ending in deep water docks. A couple of the yacht clubs have out stations in Long Harbour so it turned out to be a happening place.

Our diversion complete, we made our way to Ganges Harbour. Our stop here was planned so we could accomplish many things. First a visit to the Saturday Market; second, we needed to provision; and third, we hoped to meet up with Anne and Doug, friends we made a few years before at Dent Island.

Doug and Anne were scheduled to be traveling on the outside of Vancouver Island. However, the weather has been relentless with high winds and large seas. So they had to abandon those plans and make their way back to Ganges Harbour. It was great to look up after we had docked Arctic Star to see Anne and Doug’s boat docked a few slips over.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner on board their boat along with Bart and Jan who were traveling in their own boat along with Dong and Anne. Bart grilled some killer salmon and Anne was a consummate hostess as always. We had a great time, a late night and consumed far too much wine, but we had a wonderful time with our old friends and enjoyed the company of our new ones.

Telegraph Harbour to Vesuvius Bay then to Princess Bay

We awoke to a sunny start to the day in Telegraph Harbour. As we have internet access, the first order of business is to check email, the stock market and some blogs I follow. Not much going on so we prepare to cast off from this always welcoming spot. 

 

View from the head of the ramp tp the Telegraph Harbour Marina 

Our destination is Vesuvius Bay. A locale we have never visited. It’s on Salt Spring Island, across the channel from Crofton on Vancouver Island. Karen calls Crofton  “the blight” because of the rather large paper mill that spews forth lots of industrial “smoke” into the otherwise pristine views. Vesuvius has ferry service every hour, so it’s a popular destination for the non-mariner wanting to visit Salt Spring Island. 

 

The welcome sign at Vesuvius Bay 

Beyond the fact that we have never been there, we wanted to check out the Village Store, but most importantly the Seaside Restaurant for their famous Halibut and Chips. Their reputation is well deserved. We enjoyed some of the best Fish & Chips ever while overlooking a small bay. 

 

Arctic Star dock on the outside of the Vesuvius Bay dock 

Along the way we visited the shop of Mark and Jacqueline Meredith. He is a retired PR/Ad guy who now creates pottery. And she is a very talented watercolor artist. She is one of the best artists we have found that truly captures the look and feel of this area. We spent a lot of time “talking shop” with Mark and our plan is to meet up with him again on Saturday at the Ganges market so we can meet his wife. 

 

Karen talks to Mark 

The wind picked up but the sunshine remained as we crossed the short distance to Princess Bay on Wallace Island. We visited this popular spot in 2005. When we arrived, we thought ourselves lucky, as there was no one else in the Bay. By the time we launched the dinghy and traversed to the park dock, a couple of powerboats arrived and proceeded to stern tie and raft up. Their dance of the stern tie was nothing if not entertaining. We watched for 25 minutes as they fought the wind and current to make fast their boats. It was a good lesson in learning to work with the wind and current rather than fighting it. Mother Nature always wins out, so it’s best to enlist her aid whenever possible. (Karen’s Note: These guys were hysterical. Dropping anchor while at full speed, dropping anchor on one side of the bay, trying to stern tie, running out of anchor rode while backing up – quite amusing.) 

Our destination on the land was to visit one of the Conover houses where people leave plaques commemorating their visit. We had done so in 2005 and wanted to see if we could find our plaque. Alas, we could not, although that was not unexpected. There is a steady exchange of old and new driftwood plaques every year. 

 

The cabin with all the signs 

 

The inside of the "sign cabin" 

So after a few more pictures of Conover Cove, Wallace Island and the like, we headed back to Princess Bay. Even more boats had arrived. This is a very popular spot and apparently in summer it’s rammed, jammed and packed.  

Due to our early arrival, we nestled at the head of the bay away from the crowd so we’re anticipating a quiet night. 

 

Sunset in Princess Bay 

While I was taking some sunset photos, two Canadian Geese and their four goslings came up and started asking for food. Even though we knew better, we figured the imprinting was already done, so we indulged them in a small snack. 

While the little ones and Mom had their treat, Dad watched over them and chased off the sea gulls that were looking to join in the evening festivities. Needless to say, they were turned away, at every attempt, by the watchful patriarch. 

 

Those pesky Seagulls at sunset 

Glenthorne Passage To Telegraph Harbour

Glenthorne was a millpond for all of the evening and the morning. The calm always makes for a good night’s sleep. Our neighbor hoisted sail a little before our departure. A single-handed sailor, he lifted the main, pulled the anchor and hoisted the jib. And he sat. The wind was calm and after about five minutes, he surrendered to the obvious and turned on his engine.

Our Neighbor Gets Under Way

He made his way out through the little cut and having picked up a few knots of breeze from Swanson Channel, he turned off his engine and returned to the life of a true sailor.

We, on the other hand, fired up both engines, the generator, our vast array of electronic navigation, radar and communications equipment and made our way out the long cut that is Glenthorne Passage. Having started life on the water as sailors, this mode of nautical travel, sitting in shirt sleeves in a heated cabin, coffee in one hand and the auto pilot making good the course, dims the fond memories of sailing while cold, wet and wondering when, if at all, the wind would pick up.

Karen Sits on the Foredeck as we leave Glenthorne Passage

The trip over to Telegraph Harbour was uneventful. This was one of the places we visited when we first came to British Columbia in 2004. It’s still owned by the same couple, very nice and friendly Canadians.

Karen at the gateway to the Telegraph Harbour Marina

After a walk to Marilyn’s Kutsina, Howling Wolf Farm Market, and the Golden Pot coffee roaster we launched the dinghy for a trip through “the Cut”. The Cut is a dredged ditch that bisects the island and terminates in Clam Bay. It’s just for very small boats with minimal draft. Not much to see, but something we always wanted to say we had done.

After our return passage through the Cut, we visited the local Thetis Marina Pub for an Okanagan Pale Ale on draft.

The regulars at the Thetis Marina Pub solve the World's problems

Very delightful. Those who live in the Northwest know good beer.

Karen wants me to finish my beer and get going

One of the local residents at the docks

One of our dock neighbors goes aloft to do some work

This is another reason we left the world of sailing.

Our next task is to do some laundry, followed by refilling the water tanks, making dinner and planning what we’re going to do tomorrow. Rough life, eh?

Winter Cove to Glenthorne Passage via Breezy Beach, Saturna Island

It was a calm night, most welcomed after the big, but brief, blow of yesterday evening. The two large phalanxes of Canadian Geese were swimming in formation around Winter Cove. It seemed nothing more than a practice drill in learning to follow the leader and fly in a “V” formation. I never did see them take to the air.

The Canadian Geese patrol Winter Cove

Bob's self portrait in the "barbie"

Karen was cocooned in her blanket and reading on the settee, so it was almost 1PM before we hoisted anchor and bid Winter Cove adieu.

Karen lifts part of Winter Cove with the anchor

The entrance is guarded by the Minx Reefs. The entrance is well marked and charted, nevertheless a wooden sailing vessel managed to find the reef one night. Unable to make a salvage, the hull remains as a reminder to all mariners. To read more about the event, follow this link.

http://beautifulbritishcolumbia.blogspot.com/2007/07/ppp.html

The wreck on Minx Reef

Karen has always wanted to visit Saturna Island. I had just read in one of the local nautical magazines about the Saturna Island Winery and the fact that they have a dock at Breezy Bay that visitors can use. To add to the attraction, they have a bistro at the winery. Decision made. Let’s go find that dock.

The dock was a nice one, shared with the neighbors who own lots along the water. There was no one there – so plenty of room for Arctic Star.

Arctic Star on the dock at Saturna

It’s almost a mile walk from the dock to the winery. The vines were almost yellow in their new growth. The setting was idyllic with vines in the foreground and Plumper Sound stretching out in the distance. It’s a young winery, with the first planting starting in 2000.

The view to the sound across the vines

The vines of Saturna

As luck would have it, the chef was new this year. And he was a gem, serving up some of the best offerings we’ve ever had in the Gulf Islands. Karen enjoyed a pulled Andulsian pork sandwich and I devoured a Shepherd’s Pie made with lamb. Neither of those descriptions, do the food justice. As I said, it ranks among the best.

The bistro and gift shop

From Breezy Bay we traveled to Glenthorne Passage, one of the anchorages we visited when we first came to this area in 2005. In fact we dropped anchor about 250 yards from where we had done so three years ago. While we love new places and seek them out with a passion, it is also nice to snuggle into familiar waters where the bottom and the effect of the winds and tides are predictable with confidence. There were only two other boats there – a real surprise.

Satellite Cove to Winter Cove via Bedwell Harbour and Hope Bay

Getting a lazy start to our day, we departed Satellite Cove at 9:30AM, destination Bedwell Harbour to clear Canadian Customs.

This was one of the "resident" boats at Winter Cove, I never thought cement was the best idea for a boat hull

Bedwell Harbour is also the location of Poet's Cove Resort. About five years ago, some major investors transformed this location to a premier resort. We took advantage of the wine store to stock up since we are limited on the amount of alcohol we can bring in from the U.S.

We also were able to get a high speed internet connection so we spent about two hours checking on work, family, and other things in the ether.

The staff from Poet's Cove Resort meet their new guests

Normally you are supposed to only stay on the customs dock for only so long as it takes to clear, but given that only one other boat came to clear, we did not feel we were denying anyone else access to the friendly and efficient Canadian Customs service.

From Bedwell it was off to Hope Bay. It started to get overcast and a bit windy with light showers. There was no place on the docks at Hope Bay so we continued to our final anchorage in Winter Cove. We were greeted by only two other boats. A working fishing boat killing time until it was time to go catch some fish and a small sailboat. Apparently this cove is very popular in the summer and when the annual lamb roast occurs on Canada Day, the cove is set upon by hundreds of boats. We saw a picture where there were dinghies four and five-deep at the pier. I cannot imagine waking across three or four other dinghies for dinner. Certainly if you were the first in, you're the last to leave.

It was a rainy day, but later in the afternoon a strong gust front passed and we had wind gusts to 31 knots. Fortunately the passage of the front was quick and the cove settled down and we had a peaceful night.

We are very close to the Summer solstice so the days are pleasantly long. We have daylight until almost 10PM. What is surprising is you can start to see the warm glow of the rising sun starting around 3AM. Very spooky.