Post Three, Part II - With Scott to Desolation Sound

At the end of Teakerne Arm near Cassel Falls, we found yet another beautiful lake to where we could cool ourselves off. It's great to find fresh-water lakes, both for a quick rinse-off, and to fill sun showers for a real scrub later on.

This dock was just a couple feet from our anchorage in Teakerne Arm. It was easy to grab the kayaks and go for a swim.

Lazing in the cockpit in our anchorage at Teakerne Arm, we saw this magnificent ship coming toward us. They anchored for the night nearby, the crew coming to shore for a hike that evening. The boat had dozens of people on it, most of them high-school or college age. What a cool summer camp! The next morning, we did a quick drive-by on our way back out to the strait.

We took a hike on Cortes Island after fighting our way into the bay beating into 30-knot winds, navigating rock hazards, and docking safely. The walk afterwards was a welcome respite from the intensity of the wind--regardless of whether the sun is shining, I now know that near gale-force winds can test the nerves. This is one of the few pics of us together on this trip.

Cortes Island was a sleepy, lovely place, with no real services, a public dock for commercial fishing boats (where we found space), and two yacht club outposts--for the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, and the Seattle Yacht Club. This beach was directly across from the SYC buildings.

This is just a little slice of life on a sailboat--perhaps a week into the trip. It's amazing how much better jam and bread tastes when you're on a sailboat, especially when you've just woken up after a good night's sleep in a quiet anchorage.

Our friends Sarah and Eric Waterkotte took the crew shift after mine, and showed up early to spend some time with both of us. After picking them up in Lund, we jumped right in to an intense afternoon of sailing, spending the next six hours beating into the most serious winds and seas I saw on the trip. Fortunately, as you can see, they loved it. Their arrival signaled the end of my trip, but it was great to have them aboard.

Two days after Waterkottes arrived, Scott and crew dropped me off in the deserted Bliss Landing. We made lunch and small talk, until I heard the familiar sound of an approaching float plane. Within five minutes, the plane had sidled up to the dock, and I was boarding. This is a shot of the Strait of Georgia heading south.

It was hard to go, but I look forward to many more adventures on nuestra Gata. She's a special Cat.