Willie's Last Dance -- Thursday, 8/1/2013 - Day 7 of Desolation Sound Cruise - Day 83

We wake at Gorge Harbour to rain, some thunder, and lightning.  No worries, we will have fun today.  We take on fuel before leaving around 10 A. 

 The sun breaks through to partly sunny and 71 degrees.  Seas are rippled.  Roscoe Bay is our destination, but we need to arrive at high tide and leave at high tide because of a drying bar at the entrance.  So once you are in, you must stay until the next flood.  No claustrophobia here.  

We are excited to be getting underway again and remember some of the anchorages of past years, but eager to explore new ones. It will be our first time in Roscoe Bay, which is not far into the Desolation Sound area.

The tide chart shows it is safe to arrive one hour before 1 P or between 3-4 P at highest tide.

Cruising with Last Call and Moondance, Patrick radios that today and tomorrow will be the worst weather, then back to sunny.  I like that promise!

The mountains get taller, the scenery is just as beautiful, and the logs are just as plentiful!

We round Sutil Point, turn north into Baker Passage, then past Mink Island. We turn to port into Waddington Channel and to port again into Roscoe Bay.  We see many boats coming out at the desired slack, and that is a good sign that there will be room for us.

Patrick takes Last Call in to see how crowded, but happy to see space for us, he calls us to follow him in.  He finds the perfect spot near the end of the cove, sets anchor and puts the first of two stern ties out.

Not Too Crowded

Last Call Setting Anchor

Taking Stern Tie Ashore

As will become our usual procedure, Moondance will raft on the starboard and Willie's Tug on the port.   Jake's Ferry comes off the swim platform and he jumps aboard for a trip to shore.

He and Herb find some flat land for a hike and Jake finds Black Lake, realizes it is fresh water, sits down to drink.  Yes,  he sits in the water to cool off, then he has a nice swim.  We get a wet dog back on Willie's Tug.

Smells Like a Wet Dog!

Later in the afternoon we see on the west side of the cove Blue Horizon with Frank and Dawn-Marie, About Tyme with Rick and Deb, and Keith and Kathy on Sand Dollar.  Then Matt and Eric of Cut N Rug II become our next door neighbor, and join us for Happy Hour.

Cut N Rug II

Eric and Matt

Patrick, Bruce, Vicki, Gail

Matt and Eric

As the tide goes out, the shoal dries and we get no wakes from the boats passing out in the main channel.  The peaceful surrounding lends itself to creative thinking during this most important meeting, and it results in a consensus that the name of this rafted configuration should be "Willie's Last Dance."  

Reading from right to left is WILLIE'S (tug), LAST (call), and then (moon)DANCE.

Find "Willie's Last Dance"....

Willie of Willie's Tug,

   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake

   Thursday, August 1, 2013