17 Thursday Sep 2020
After a second negative COVID Test we came to the Palatinate and are visiting my parents now. We are staying in a holiday home about 30 min drive away, deep in the woods. Andrea is staying in Siegelbach. Today we all met at our place for a nice lunch and a short walk up the creek behind our house. The creek is quite small, but was used to send logs down to the river Rhine up to about 100 years ago.
11 Friday Sep 2020
Posted in Travel
We have arrived in Germany and are staying in a little holiday flat in the Spessart, northeast of Frankfurt, but situated in Bavaria. Andrea joined us for a few days and we spend our time hiking and enjoying the local food. The weather is hot and sunny with cool nights, perfect. All of us got tested yesterday and are Covid free.
08 Tuesday Sep 2020
Posted in Vancouver
I packed up the boating season early this year and came back to Vancouver a week ago. Sheila and I spent a lot of time visiting friends and family, and the last two days we enjoyed very colourful sunsets. Unfortunately, these are mostly due to smoke from wildfires south of the border drifting north, and the air quality is forecast to deteriorate quite badly. We will try to get to Europe tomorrow, will be interesting how flying works in these strange times.
27 Thursday Aug 2020
Posted in On the water
We had a great time in Tod Inlet and went to Mill Bay yesterday, where we met Joyce and Chris for lunch. This afternoon Bernice and Sheila flew back to Vancouver from Ganges. I took the boat to Montague Harbour, where I will get it ready for the lay up. We plan to go to Europe in early September, so it will be a short summer this year.
http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=48.894037&lon=-123.398095
25 Tuesday Aug 2020
Posted in On the water
Yesterday, Sheila and Bernice flew into Ganges and joined me on Ancient Murrelet. Today we came into Tod Inlet, just around the corner from Butchart Gardens. We visited the gardens today and enjoyed a nice English Afternoon Tea. Tonight we plan a happy hour on Ancient Murrelet with friends, busy day.
22 Saturday Aug 2020
Posted in On the water
I enjoyed walking on Sidney Spit, but because of wind and wave I had to move to Roberts Bay last evening, where I spent a quiet night.
Today I went to Portland Island, which also is a park. The trail around the island is a good 6km long, a nice walk with blackberry bushes and apple trees along the way. I am anchored in a tight little bay, amongst reefs and rocky islets, fun to explore with the paddle board.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Rt5QTMWEWy4FsAM7A
20 Thursday Aug 2020
Posted in On the water
I hiked 14 km yesterday in Lyall Harbour, to the top of Mount Warburton Pike, the second highest mountain in the Gulf Islands. This hill is only 400m high, so not too strenuous, but a beautiful view from the top.
Today the weather was cool with showers and I came to Sidney Spit, which is very quiet. I enjoyed a nice walk on the beach and am now using the good internet connection to catch up on a few things.
For location click here
18 Tuesday Aug 2020
Posted in On the water
I came into Lyall Harbour on Saturna Island today, somewhere where I had never anchored before. There is a nice pub at the ferry dock, and they have good, cold beer. Compared to the other anchorages this is not busy at all. The weather continues to be hot and sunny.
http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=48.797187&lon=-123.190013
17 Monday Aug 2020
Posted in On the water
Sheila flew back to Vancouver this morning and I headed South. I am now anchored in Reef Harbour, between Cabbage and Tumbo Islands. This is all parks land now, though the previous owners still have residency rights. I walked around Tumbo Island. There was a failed attempt at coal mining (the shafts flooded) and apparently more successful fox raising for the fur in the 1920s and 30s. Some of the buildings are still standing, but do not look like they have been used recently. One local story is that horses were raised on Cabbage Island and then used to produce food for the foxes on Tumbo Island. Certainly more peaceful today.
http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=48.797437&lon=-123.092142
16 Sunday Aug 2020
Posted in On the water
Sheila baked a nice apple crumble with the apples from Russell Island and today we went for lunch in Fulford Harbour. For the night we are in Annette Inlet, a short distance from Ganges. This is a nice pastoral setting, even though there are a few boats in the anchorage.
http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=48.825138&lon=-123.387265
