Ganges, Another Today and Saturday Market - 7/28/2012

If it is Saturday in Ganges, it is Saturday Market, and we are told it is the best for miles and miles around.  It begins at 6 AM, so about 10 AM we think the crowds are thinned somewhat and we head on down to the park in the center of town.


Along the dock we pass Andrew taking a look at the radar system on Clare and Richard's Restless.

He gives a reason for problems with the radar, and says, "Usually it is not enough use of the boat,"  and gets a laugh from those standing around, who enjoy the humor.

Crowds thinned out?  This is an aisle where we could actually see ahead a little.  The busiest one is fresh produce and bakery items.  Yes!

As we make our way around to all the vendors, we stop to watch a young man creating signs on driftwood, burning with a magnifying glass.  I'm sure he is glad for the sun today to make it happen.  On zooming, we see the smoke curling up from the wood.


I must suggest to David and Maureen, and Bruce and Vicki to try this next time on their signs at Conover Cove.

The park is a great place for kids and families.  

And we hear there will be Reggae music tonight.

A bit of a time lapse here finds Andrew down into a compartment of an R-31 doing something important, I am sure.

It is a busy afternoon of fun, shopping, visiting, and making new friends.  Happy Hour comes with a special attraction, "Cats in Distress," discovered at the Saturday Market by Vicki and Bruce.  They play lively music for us, and some Tuggers were seen tapping toes and dancing.

The musicians tell us when they are in a particular town, they perform with any other members of the group who happen to be there. 

Bruce's camera and Nita's video phone

Donna tells me the "Happy Flag" was given to them by a friend, and they flew it yesterday to show their daughter Krista where they are.  Krista and husband David arrived by seaplane for a few days' cruise with them.

The biggest news of the day is the fishing trip for Jim and Buzzy, Fred, and of course Lincoln.  We see the red Ranger Tug heading out quite early in the day.  Rumor has it that Lincoln caught a big fish.  

Lincoln hooked a small fish and was bringing it in, when a 35 inch Lingcod jumped on the little one.  Wow!  Let's get him in!  However, the Lingcod dropped the 'bait' and started to swim away.  Thinking fast, Lincoln dipped the small fish back into the water, at which time the Lingcod, could not resist it and Lincoln was able to bring them in.  

He tells me as he was reeling, the line was still going out, but he was able to use the dip net to scoop the Lingcod up.

I ask, "Lincoln, how did this make you feel?"  He replies, "A huge adrenalin rush!"

He serves me sashimi at Happy Hour.

Dinner is a BBQ sponsored by Bellingham Yacht Sales and hosted by the Salt Spring Island Ranger Tugs.  We meet Matt and Eric, who are on the Cutwater, Cut 'N a Rug.

After dinner, Patrick holds a short skippers' meeting, announcing a departure time of 4:30 AM.  After a gasp from the crowd, he says it will be more like 10 AM.  (Maybe the early one will actually be from Nanaimo the next morning.)

Gail serves a delicious Happy Birthday to Jeff and Patrick dessert, whose design shows both Ranger Tugs and Cutwater logos, heading to Desolation Sound.

Jim, Proud Lincoln, 35" Lingcod, Buzzy

Willie of Willie's Tug,
   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
   Saturday, July 28, 2012

Ganges, Salt Spring Island, Canada - 7/27/2012

While having our coffee early this morning, we see Nudibranch come into Bedwell Harbour to clear customs.  They tie to the dock and Ray goes to the customs phone.  We notice a bit later that Nudibranch is still at the dock.  We begin to worry and wonder if this Ranger Tug will be the one to take the bullet for the group this year, having to wait for a boarding before clearing.  (Last year it was Willie's Tug.)


We are very relieved to learn from Ray as he passes us, that he is cleared, but the office was not open when he first called.  We'll see you in Ganges!

Word has it that Lincoln has some special talents, one of which is washing windshields.  Herb asks him for a demonstration, and we  are very pleased with a clear vision!

Soon we say Goodbye to Poets Cove and begin our cruise to Ganges.  Today's the Day!

As we leave, we see Anne on Cascadia come in for customs clearance and Herb radios her that we will be on Channel 68.

Rounding Wallace Point

I love the mountains in the Gulf Islands of Canada.  The straight up cliffs!  The sandstone.  Bruce, June and Waggoner's Guide tell us that the Gulf Islands are Canada's answer to the United States' San Juan Islands, but different.  The San Juans are tops of mountains, but the Gulf are different geology, made of sandstone that has been folded and uplifted until it sticks out of the sea.  Beautiful!

As yesterday, our convoy to Ganges consists of Willie's Tug, Moondance, Circle T, Peregrino, and today we pick up Fred and Bernie Day of Day Dreamer III.  The weather is beautifully sunny and we see slight swells as we turn north in Swanson Channel.

Oh, my!  The swells quickly become chop and four to six foot seas.  We 'ride 'em cowboy!'

The chop now hits our beam and we roll and bounce.  Ah, Ranger Tug, we just tug, tug, along.  

Lincoln is heard to say he likes the wave action, but Marmie June requests  the lead skipper find smoother water.  Herb responds that he will in about thirty minutes.

Sadly, we hear a distress call to the Coast Guard from a 42 foot gray power boat who has lost steerage.  He has just come out of Bedwell Harbour heading for Sidney and is using his anchors to help steer.

I am impressed by the routine safety questions the lady at the CG station asks him, then tells him to move the microphone away from his mouth a bit so she can better understand him.  He appears to be in a panic over his situation.  He does calm down, and tells her he has no GPS on board, so can't give his position, other than to say he sees a big ship heading toward the States near Bedwell Harbour.

We look around to see if the boat is near us; however, none of the Ranger Tugs in our group have a visual on her.

The Coast Guard will arrange for a tow for the boat in distress.

As we continue our trip we experience more tossing in the lumpy waters.  I look behind to see Moon Dance bouncing and would like a photo of her, but dare not go into the cockpit -- even with a lifejacket -- in these conditions.

I open a window, hold the camera out and point, hoping I get something.  I try three times and amazingly do get the camera aimed at her for a photo in focus.  

Moon Dance

Some brave people are out in a small boat in this weather.  They pass a cove to tuck into, but keep going.  

Long Stairway

As we clear North Pender Island, the seas slow down a bit.  We see three BC ferries, and all either go behind or away from us.  Good!  

Nearing Ganges Marina, we call Patrick of That's It on Channel 10 to direct us into our assigned place on the dock.  There are already twelve Ranger Tugs tied to our reserved docks and looking good!  

There is plenty of help to get our lines.

Mayor of the Dock, Bob

Find Willie's Tug.............

Happy Hour begins at Happy Hour Time and there are too many hors d'oeuvres  to fit on the picnic table, so many are placed on the bench seats and individual tables.

Patrick of That's It (and of Ganges) welcomes everyone -- he has done so many things to make this a pleasant stay, including providing WiFi for us for the whole Desolation Sound cruise.  We just need to be within a mile of him to receive.

Patrick

Using a crab claw for a pick

Tym, Buzzy, June, Lincoln

Max, Diana, Donna

Willie and Fred

Jeff shows how it went!

Bruce

Camera Gone Wild

Today is Jeff's birthday, and Fred plays and leads the song to honor him.

Fred, Nita, Bob, Jack, Jeff - Happy Birthday

Maisy has a similar musical instrument.

Maisy and Fred

Herb and I are delighted to meet Vicki and Garry Anderson of Amy Marie, and learn they are neighbors of our good friends Pat and Patty Anderson, Snoqualmie C-Dory boaters.

Vicki and Garry

I don't get a chance to meet and visit with everyone today, but there's tomorrow....

Moondance, Willie's Tug

Willie of Willie's Tug,

   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake

   Friday, July 27, 2012

Poets Cove, Pender Island, Canada - 7/26/2012

We leave Cap Sante this morning, followed by Moondance, Circle T and Ted and Donna on Peregrino, and see fog ahead.  Although we would enjoy the scenery, we will be fine with the radar.

Our route takes us west where we will cross Rosario Strait at an angle as we head north and into Peavine Pass.


Visibility is a quarter of a mile and the Strait is a heavy shipping channel with traffic separation lanes, so Herb monitors the VHF traffic and ship to ship channels. 


As we near Reef Point off Cypress Island, Herb radios Seattle Traffic to check in with our convoy of four boats.  We are told that HEB commitment is a large vessel heading in the southbound lane in Rosario Strait and the tug Golden State is towing a load of chemicals heading up the northbound lane.


Some of our group are monitoring as well, but Herb calls all on Channel 68 to update.  


We also hear Traffic announce our position, speed and direction to the large vessels.  HEB Commitment asks us to go to 13 and then gives her speed and position and asks us to hold back until they pass our intended path.  We hear from Golden State, as well.  We agree, and communicate to our group the change in course.


We slow our speed as we continue toward the Reef and watch the vessels' path on the Garmin screen, as they are identified by AIS.  They watch our AIS signal, also, and HEB Commitment gets worried that we are still moving toward them and radios for our intention.


Herb explains that we plan to get just past the reef, then stop.


The Ranger Tugs idle in a circle for fifteen minutes while the vessels move on.  It gives us all a chance to take pictures of each other.

Moondance

Circle T

Peregrino

Donna

Lincoln Waving

Tym is reminded of his airplane's holding pattern, and jokingly comments about our holding pattern with all of us at the same altitude! 

Lincoln asks which one of us is winning the race as we circle behind each other, and I respond that he should decide where the finish line is.

Just for safety's sake, we move back at least half a mile from the shipping lane and never see the vessels at all through the fog as they pass in front of us.

We see their AIS position as they cross, and each one calls us on the ship to ship channel to thank us for our cooperation.  We also hear Golden State sound her horn at five different times as she gets near us.  

With no other traffic in sight, we then announce to the group that we will resume course and speed to continue toward Poets Cove.  We have a safe crossing of Rosario and see sunshine begin to break through the fog as we near Peavine Pass.  

We are very glad to have a clear view, as there are many, many crab pots dotting the seascape.  Herb skillfully threads his way between them, and comments that there are a billion here.

Lincoln spies a green Ranger Tug, and we soon hear Lyman tell us Zuma will overtake us, as Janeane has an appointment-not-to-be-missed at Poets Cove.  Pampering?  It is good to see them on the water.

Janeane on Zuma

We see Sea Lady, but don't know who is aboard.

As we get closer to our destination, we hear the Ranger Tug factory convoy overtake us and say Hello on 68.  It is starting to sound like a Desolation Sound trip.  We also see Rum Tum Tugger on our starboard.

We arrive at Bedwell Harbour and tie up at the Customs Dock.  Yea!  Herb comes back in record time with a thumbs up!  

Once in our assigned slip, Jake gets out to enjoy being petted by the neighbors.  

The sun warms the air and many of us change into shorts and/or go swimming in the pool up the hill.

Dinner is on the veranda of the hotel at Poets Cove, and we note all the menu selections sound wonderful.

As the sun sets, the temperature drops and Vicki, June and I are glad we have our jackets.

Herb takes a photo of the sunset.

He later comments that he keeps waiting for the sun to set to get another shot, then realizes what he sees is the sodium light on the dock.  I wonder if he is kidding.......

Find Willie's Tug.

Third from Left

As the temporature drops, we move inside by the fireplace, and I am offered the seat closest to the fire.

We expect to sleep well with the gentle roll of the waves, possibly caused by the large vessels moving in Boundary Pass, which separates the United States from Canada.

Willie of Willie's Tug,

   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake

   Thursday, July 26, 2012