Tonight, millions of people across the world will be hitting bars, restaurants and parties to ring in the New Year. There’ll be hats, noisemakers and cheap champagne to celebrate along with several versions of Auld Lang Syne playing in the background. We’re no different and will be joining in the revelry; but before we do, we thought it would be nice to give one final tip of the hat to 2012 – one of the best, if not THE best, cruising season in our eleven years on the water.
We may have hit a stumbling block or two along the way, but the year was nothing short of magical. We sailed to Fiordland Recreational Area, north of Vancouver Island along the mainland of British Columbia, for the first time. It’s the farthest point north that we’ve been (close to 53°N) and the fact that the scenery seemed to grow more grand with each passing minute came as a surprise to both of us. We’d read that Fiordland was the gem of Coastal BC, but nothing could prepare us for the reality – mile after mile of glacial bowls, steep cliffs, pristine landscape, snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, natural hot springs, secluded anchorages and so much more. We loved it so much that we hope to return next year.
But the season took a lot out of us and we spent the past several weeks recuperating on land with family. Every day has been an improvement and the aches and pains are finally beginning to subside. David’s shoulder, in particular, is getting better by leaps and bounds and the list of work we need to do in order to get Cambria ready for the upcoming season is starting to feel less daunting.
Now that the holidays are over, or will be in a matter of hours, our thoughts keep returning to the boat. As much as we enjoy spending time with my family, we miss the water and are looking forward to getting back and to all that the New Year has to offer. Although we haven’t given much thought as to how we’re going to fill the upcoming days, apart from a broad outline – circumnavigating Vancouver Island – we’re excited to get started nonetheless.
Thank you for following along on our adventure this past year and we wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year.
Stephanie, David & Sally “The Seadog”
