Poets Cove Day Two -- and Onze Tug -- 6/5/2015

Poets Cove Marina and Resort is set against a serious hill with a serious climb almost straight up.  Weak leg muscles need not apply.  Herb and I take a walk on one of the several roads and trails in hopes of finding an overlook, and take the road to the right.  His phone GPS does not give good detail, but we are able to see how far we have walked and where we are.  

It becomes clear that the overlook is down a trail many steps below us, so at a point of having half as much exercise as we want, we stay on the surface road and turn back toward the marina.  In the photo the narrow part of the larger island is the marina, and the red dot is where we are, at the point where the road leads more inland for no possible overlook.

On the way back I take photos of a few of my favorite things -- lovely fuchsia colored foxglove.   Ray gives me the botanical name and tells me is the plant from which the heart medicine digitalis is made.  It is also poisonous.

Herb stands beside a huge rock that tips slightly toward the road.  As we pass by, we notice a crevice -- or maybe it is a rock that split in two.  Looking closely, we see light peering through, and is seen at the bottom of the photo.  I wonder when this happened.

A split rail fence enclosing someone's pasture appears quite weathered and is covered with greenish gray moss, but will probably last many, many more years.  The fragrance of the trees is so refreshing, like herbs and spices in the galley.

Near the marina on level ground before the steep decline stands an Anglican church building, now closed, but maintained by a Historical Society.

Church of the Good Shepherd

There are more flowers that beg to be photographed for their vivid lavender colours, and a passerby suggests Herb and I should be in the picture.

We make sure to end our walk by Happy Hour time, when we all gather to share favorite appetizers and tales of the day's adventures.  Again, two tables are needed and there is so much tasty food that no one really needs to go to dinner later.

Tonight we are treated to a bingo game -- hilarious bingo -- complete with prizes, some of which are gift certificates and Garry's bowls made from the arbutus tree, or in the United States, we call them madrona trees.  They are beautiful.

Many play and many win!  Some lucky people win more than one time!

Jeff repeats the numbers for all to hear, and there is some hilarious confusion over some numbers either not being in the basket, or maybe appearing twice.

A late arrival today is Nudibranch, bringing Ray and Jocelyn.  We see them leaving the Customs Dock in front of Poets Cove Hotel and Spa to join us for the rest of the week end.

In the slip next to Willie's Tug is Onze Tug, an R-29.  Hildy tells me the name means 'Our Tug' in Dutch.  We get a chance to visit with her and Jon several times during the week end, and hope to see them on the water later during the boating season.

Hildy and Jon on Onze Tug

Willie of Willie's Tug,
   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
   Friday, June 5, 2015

Go Hawks! -- 6/4/2015

Today, Thursday, is the first day of the Ranger Tug/Cutwater gathering at Poets Cove on South Pender Island, and we spend a leisurely morning at the dock in Montague, as we anticipate only a few miles to go.  Jack of Cracker Jack dinghies over for a visit and it is nice to meet him in person.

Another group of students comes running down the dock on their scavenger hunt, lying face down across the dock, peering into the water.  I learn they are looking for ????  These southern ears don’t understand the word they say, but I’m told it is an armored snail.  I think there is probably millions of them under the dock.

We leave Montague around 11A and go south in Trincomali Channel between Prevost and North Pender Islands.  AIS tells Herb the ferry Sprit of Vancouver Island will appear ahead of us on our starboard.   Astern is Queen of Cumberland and we hear her call to go through narrow Active Pass.  Mayne Queen crosses our bow far in the distance.

It is a pleasant trip today with calm waters, except for a few waves from wakes.  We pass the south end of Salt Spring Island and go into Swansom Channel south of North Pender Island.

This is beautiful country!

We round Wallace Point and arrive at Bedwell Harbour at 1P.  We are directed to our slip by the harbour master and two men from the marina catch our lines.  What service!

Quite a few Ranger Tugs and Cutwaters come into the marina and we visit with boaters we know and get to meet others.  At 5P appetizers are brought to the Happy Hour end of the dock -- so many that a second table is moved into the serving area.

Kathy calls to my attention the Seahawks boat.  This is unbelievable and I am ecstatic!  Take a tour....

Carpet in Cockpit

Starboard

12 Flag

Kathy points to the 12 on the bow.

Green Boot Stripe

It takes a little time to find one of the owners, and I ask Tonja to pose.

Seahawks Fan, Tonja

At dinner Bob takes my camera and I cannot escape.

Ranger Tug Family Joins Us

 
It is a nice feeling to be our people again, and we look forward to seeing the vacant slips filled tomorrow with more of our group.

Willie of Willie's Tug,

   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake

   Thursday, June 4, 2015

Never a Dull Moment -- 6/3/2015

A couple of days ago we heard R-Tug Trophy Wife calling on VHF so we know she is cruising nearby.  We had actually seen her, Cracker Jack and the R-21 Jack Knife at Ganges, but could not take a photo from our bouncy dinghy.  So maybe they are headed to Poets Cove and we will see them there.

On our walk today we do get close enough for a photo of two of them, but Jack Knife must be gone to shore.

Walking back up the ramp today to the highway, we are approached by a young boy at the Marine Park registration kiosk.  He asks us if we know how long the ramp is.  We say no, and wonder why he needs that for registration.  On closer observation, it becomes clear that his group is on a scavenger hunt – they are not registering.   We leave them behind as we walk to the road and hope to get a couple of miles on our hike. 

The hills are gentle and not a challenge to us and soon we come to the store. Guests have a late lunch on the deck outside the restaurant, as they watch the kayakers walk up the ramp after a spin on the water.

The deep green coloured trees on the shore lend their reflection to the water near shore below.

Back to Willie’s Tug for a lazy afternoon, we hear sounds from on land as twenty or more children hurry excitedly down the dock to look into the sea.  We hear a soft “one-two-three” and then all together they shout a word that I cannot understand.  I do not interrupt them to ask, but simply enjoy their enthusiasm. 

Later a teacher tells us they are the seventh grade class of a nearby school and are learning about sea life.

We watch a few more boats come into the Marine Park, and a passenger on one comes over to ask if there is a boat in the area selling sticky buns.  We remember reading about it in the past, but apparently the boat doesn’t come around anymore.   We suggest they try the store at the marina, and soon the boat sails away in search of dessert.

One of the boats we notice is on a mooring ball and we delight to see she is a 29 ft. Ranger Tug.  No name on her side, but the skipper calls out to us.   He is Jim with wife Joan and they have just agreed to name their new boat Bubbles.  He tells us they will be at the gathering of Ranger Tugs and Cutwaters in Poets Cove Thursday.  We hope to get to know them better.

Jim and Joan

R-29 Bubbles

What Stories She Could Tell

Willie of Willie's Tug,

   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake

   Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Montague Harbour Marine Park -- 6/2/2015

This Tuesday morning about 7:30A one of the school boats, The Graduate, docks in the fairway closest to shore and unloads children from surrounding islands who go to school in Ganges on Salt Spring Island.  A few minutes later the other boat, Scholarship, brings her load of children into Kanaka Marina where we are docked.

After breakfast Herb and I take one last stroll around town and enjoy the colourful Spring flowers at Salt Spring Inn.  Each colour is more beautiful than the other, with the purple, orange, pink, fucia, yellow and lavendar.  

Seeing the glorious blossoms makes me happy, as I recall the lovely dinner inside the Inn last night with Gail and Patrick.

Adventure calls and we cast off in search of a nearby anchorage, first checking out Montague on Galiano Island.  We remember it can be windy here, so take a look for a protected area.  There are several mooring balls available, but the dock looks very inviting.  So far only one other boat is here.  We tie up and after a quick lunch, we take a walk up to shore.

My eye is drawn to the many shapes and sizes of rocks on the beach, some of which are nestled against the shore with the weathered driftwood.

The ramp is steep but I take advantage of the wooden strips to help give me safe footing as I walk up.

It is good to be at Montague again, having missed it last year to scoot directly to The Broughtons north of Desolation Sound.  We plan to do more exploring here tomorrow.

Find Willie's Tug....

Willie of Willie's Tug,
   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
   Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Safe Harbour on our Anniversary -- 6/1/2015

Herb listens to the marine forecast this Monday morning to learn that winds will pick up early, and unlike previous days, they will not become calmer in the late afternoon.  We do not want to experience worse conditions than the past two days, so it seems wise to find a safer place to spend the night.  The water is already choppy, so we should move soon.

We also have plans to have dinner at Salt Spring Inn with Pat and Gail, but if the WX is bad, we will have to cancel, not wanting to dinghy on the 'high seas.'

Kanaka Marina is first come first served and we can see space available, so with life jackets on, we weigh anchor and cruise into Kanaka.  Luck gives us a starboard tie in front of another boat.   And how convenient, our starboard view is the town center with specialty shops, banks, restaurants, art galleries and more.

And the best news is that we are now able to join Pat and Gail for dinner.

First is Happy Hour on Willie’s Tug and a new visitor named Winston, who is being denied climbing onto the settee.   Pat has him on leash as he peeks up at us. We know he is well behaved and invite him to sit between his Daddy and Mama.

At dinner Gail proposes a toast to celebrate mine and Herb's Wedding Anniversary today.  It's a good day.

Willie of Willie's Tug,

   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake

   Monday, June 1, 2015

Weather, Waves and Geese -- 5/29/2015

Happy to be at Salt Spring Island on Friday, we dinghy to shore and walk into town to set up our Internet for Canada coverage, then a pass through Thrifty Foods for provisions. 

The evening is spent aboard Last Call moored at The Sailing Club as dinner guests of Patrick and Gail.  Did someone forget to take photos?  I have a mental picture of Pat speeding over in his dinghy to fetch us.

On Saturday I am not sure what is going on with the weather, but it is bouncy for us on the hook.  With no reason to go ashore, we stay safely aboard Willie’s Tug and watch others fight the wind and current in their dinghies.

By late afternoon all is calm and someone is seen enjoying a hammock on their sailboat.

Sunday begins a pleasant and relaxed day with a few boats coming into the harbour, but many more leave to enjoy the gentle breezes and continue their journeys.  Herb and I discuss whether we should use the camp percolator on the stove for coffee early when we wake, or wait until later and start the generator to allow the electric pot to brew.    He takes the dinghy out to see how loud the generator sounds to our neighbors. 

Conclusion:  generator is fairly quiet.

Dinner is salad of leftover roasted chicken, shallots, feta and secret ingredients.    Herb enjoys his talent.

Late in the afternoon we hear ducks – no they are geese!  Do they recognize Willie’s Tug from last year?  They tell us they are hungry, so Herb feeds them. 

Now there are six!  It is fun to watch them feed and swim.

We enjoy the view on shore as we swing.

Now there are only three, and all begin to swim away as their appetites are satiated.

 

The sun dips behind the tree lined shore, casting soft pink hues onto the clouds.  We watch the ribbons reflected in the water for a pleasant lazy evening.

Willie of Willie's Tug,

   and of Walldog, Willie and Jake

   Friday to Sunday, May 29 - 31, 2015