Since tying Cambria to the dock in November, we've driven over 3000 miles piling up memories and good times every step of the way. As always, our first stop was San Diego where we attempted to adjust back into land-life and the hordes of people who seem to always attach themselves to it.  Our efforts were somewhat unsuccessful and we spent most of our time hanging out at John's to...

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It's good to be in Washington amongst friends again and a relief to put the anchor away for the season.  After five months on the hook, we were ready for a break - both mentally and physically.  We can finally relax and let our guard down (somewhat) now that we don't have a course to plot, weather to watch, or decisions to make.  And, as much as we...

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We had a horrible night.  The wind continued to blow reaching speeds of 36 knots as we were pushed against the pier by the wind and waves with such force that the cabinetry was creaking and sounded as if it could break at any moment. Worse than that was the stern slap. Every time we were about to doze off, the chop would hit the stern of the boat, lift...

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After spending weeks fretting over when to renew our US Cruising Permit and where to berth the boat for the winter, we received permission from customs to bring her back into the country whenever we like, for as long as we like.  The funny thing is, all it took was asking –something we were reluctant to do for fear of drawing undo attention to ourselves.  Of course, somehow...

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One of the great things about the cruising life is having your home in the right place at the right time. And today was one of those days…. The Olympic Flame made its official arrival in Victoria this morning from Greece and, as part of the public ceremony, a Dragon Boat carrying several area First Nation’s chiefs and a miner’s lamp with the flame arrived dockside at the...

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We’re in Victoria now having arrived yesterday afternoon after spending nearly five months at anchor. It’s been almost a year since our last visit and, yet, it’s as if we’ve never left this great city – even Sally seems to know her way around. We’re currently docked at the Causeway Floats outside the historic Empress Hotel and Provincial Legislative Building enjoying a world-class view and easy access to...

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Telegraph Harbour sits between Thetis and Kuper Islands – the later belonging to the Penelakut First Nations people. It’s a nice anchorage with excellent protection from the wind and good holding in mud but, once again, we were disappointed to find the best spots taken by moorings and marinas and barely managed to squeeze in amongst them. In the summer months, it’s one of the Gulf Islands’ most...

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We spent a week in Silva Bay waiting for several weather systems to pass through before moving on. It rained quite a bit and was cold, but we were comfortable inside Cambria with the heater going as we passed the time making plans for the upcoming winter and doing small jobs around the boat. There’s not much happening in Silva Bay this time of year. During the summer...

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Cities have never been our thing. They can be noisy, dirty, full of people, and unwelcoming. But, as far as cities go, Nanaimo’s all right. In it’s favour, it has an excellent harbour with a good anchorage and a revitalized downtown full of shops, cafés, pubs, and restaurants. Along the waterfront, there’s a great walkway that spans the length of the harbour where you can take in all...

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The first Grub ‘N Groove, Lasqueti Island’s version of an “open mike night”, of the season was a hit with some acts putting together a set of three or four songs to perform for the packed house. And they were good. Really good. In fact, with only 350 year-round residents on the island, the amount of talent in the room was dumbfounding. It must have been somewhat daunting,...

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We left Pender Habour this afternoon and made way for Squitty Bay on Lasqueti Island. Along the way, we talked to Mike and Lisa on the phone fully expecting them to be in Neah Bay, but they had just crossed the Columbia Bar in Oregon having gone straight from Port Angeles yesterday morning. The conditions weren’t ideal – 25 to 30 knots of wind on the beam with...

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We dropped our lines at 9:30 this morning to make way for Pender Harbour. We were the last boat to leave Princess Louisa Inlet, everyone else having gone hours and days before. As we motored up-inlet, the snow-capped mountains came into full-view and left us with an amazing sight. Once again, it’s incredibly quiet on the water and we were the only boat in sight until we rounded...

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The Air Chair, a hammock-like concoction, is too big of a distraction. Both David and I have found ourselves loosing hours swinging by a halyard on the forward deck while reading or watching Chatterbox Falls. I did manage to motivate myself enough to hike up to Trapper’s Cabin again on Friday. And we finally, aired up the kayaks today and took a paddle around the basin and up...

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The first days of fall are off to a brilliant start – sunny and warm – bringing back lingering memories of summer fun. We left Dark Cove at 6:30 Wednesday morning to time our passage through Malibu Rapids. As we entered, six boats were lined up to leave. There were only two boats on the dock when we arrived at Chatterbox Falls and one at anchor. Clearly, the...

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The 13th Annual Pender Harbour Jazz Festival was excellent and on our list of “must-do’s” for next year. Jazz isn’t our genre of music, but we heard a great variety of very talented musicians – Astrid Sars, Company B, The Rakis Angles, The Chris Andersen Trio, and more – surely inspiring one, or both, of us to pick up our guitars in the very near future. I heard...

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Bill and Sylvia upped anchor about 10:30 this morning on their way to Nanaimo. As we left the bay’s entrance a half hour later, we could see them adrift in the water ahead of us with two of their sails up and thought they were making ready for the trip across the Strait of Georgia. As we came closer, we could see Bill in the dinghy and it...

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We didn’t like the sound of the forecast for later in the week, so we made the decision to travel south on Tuesday rather than risk missing Mike and Lisa in Pender Harbour because we were stuck in Desolation Sound. On the way, we received a phone call from Bill and Sylvia Emmens, our friends from Orcas Island, who had just left Princess Louisa Inlet so we made...

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We left Westview yesterday afternoon after our new nav light arrived and we filled up with fuel. Without the portable generator, we’re using more diesel than before and finding life aboard a little less convenient. The weather’s been beautiful for the past three days, so we decided to go back to Desolation Sound because we’re afraid that it’ll be our last opportunity of the year due to the...

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We’re back in Westview and the boat looks like a gypsy caravan littered with bedding and squabs set out on the deck to dry in the sun. Once again, we’re making the most of our time tied to the dock. The laundry’s done. The provisions are bought and stored. The decks are washed. And the boat’s clean inside and out. Unfortunately, the nav light that came in was...

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We all moved over to Laura Cove near Prideaux Haven yesterday afternoon – the quintessential Desolation Sound anchorage. It was very beautiful, but David and I prefer Roscoe Bay which offers better protection and has swinging room. This morning, we parted ways. Mike and Lisa left for Comox and we went to Westview to pick up a new nav light that David had ordered and give the batteries...

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The weather was beautiful this morning with large patches of blue sky and clouds quickly passing by in the upper-stratosphere, so I optimistically aired up the kayaks. As the day passed, the clouds lowered replacing the blue patches with gray while spitting the occasional raindrop along the way, but it was still nice enough to paddle over to the end of the inlet and carry the kayaks to...

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Mike & Lisa left late this morning for Squirrel Cove in search of provisions and a garbage bin with a plan to meet up in Roscoe Bay on the eastern side of West Redonda Island (opposite to Teakerne Arm) later in the day. The entrance to Roscoe must be timed properly because at a zero tide, the main bay is cut off by its bottleneck entrance which shoals...

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It rained most of the night last night and the barometer was sitting at 1001 this morning when I got up. I haven’t seen it that low since the winter months and am concerned about what the weather will bring over the next 24 hours. We listened to the forecast yesterday and didn’t hear anything for this area that concerned us, but we’ve come to trust the barometer...

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Mike and Lisa arrived around noon yesterday and invited us over for drinks in the evening after a quick catch-up that afternoon. Mike’s taken to drinking a glass of Scotch at night and was keen to share one (or two, or three, or four) with David who paid a small price for it later on. We all, except Lisa who quit drinking weeks ago, woke up a little...

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David’s back is really giving him problems now. It’s been sore for the past week but is getting noticeable worse. After going back and forth for awhile – should he rest or should we go – we finally decided to leave Westview and make way for Teakerne Arm. The passage was uneventful and, again, there’s been a change in the air. The last time we were here, the...

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Being the first day of September, we decided we should finally leave Secret Cove. We have two sets of friends approaching the area and would like to spend some time at anchor with both of them. The Emmens are coming from the south, the Dobsons are coming from the north, while we lie somewhere in the middle. Bill and Sylvia, our friends from Orcas Island, called as we...

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We left Ganges around 9:30 this morning and made way for Secret Cove which is on the eastern side of the Strait of Georgia. The original forecast was for southerlies but that changed to northwesterlies this morning – the direction of our travel. Environment Canada had issued gale warnings for the area, but there was nothing for wind out there and we had to motor the entire way...

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We left Bedwell Harbour around 10 this morning for Ganges on Saltspring Island in hopes of re-provisioning. Along the way, we spotted two whale-watching boats and decided to follow them. Sure enough, they were tracking a pod of orcas. They’re beautiful and majestic creatures and, before we knew it, we’d spent more than an hour travelling with them missing Ganges completely. We left Bedwell Harbour around 10 this...

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We left Port Townsend around noon to make the best use of the currents and ended up taking a beating for an hour or so. What little wind there was opposed the three knot current stacking up the seas to over three feet with a very short interval between waves causing us to fall off one straight into the face of the next and lifting us even higher...

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I had a great time in Wichita returning on Tuesday completely exhausted. My week there flew by in a flurry of activities and I was able to visit relatives I hadn’t seen for nine years making it a mini-family reunion as well. The wedding was wonderful and my niece was the most beautiful bride I’d even seen. We made the most of our layover in Poulsbo by fully...

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We’re safely back in Poulsbo for the next two weeks making the final leg from Port Ludlow this afternoon with the incoming tide. I fly to Wichita on Tuesday for my niece’s wedding and will be gone a week while David stays here on the boat with Sally taking care of a few odd jobs.. We’re safely back in Poulsbo for the next two weeks making the final...

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We left Bedwell Harbour around 7 this morning and made way for Friday Harbor arriving by 10. It’s a busy place, but we managed to squeeze into the custom’s dock without waiting. David rang and had to go to the office to show our passports and cruising permit (most folks are cleared in by phone), but nobody came aboard. It was a very easy process and lacked all...

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It was another early morning departure (4:30 am) to make the most of the current as we crossed the Strait of Georgia and entered the Gulf Islands. We didn’t get the push we expected and weren’t able to make Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in the US, so we spent the night in Bedwell Harbour on South Pender Island and will check back into the States tomorrow...

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We left Secret Cove around 9 this morning for Gambier Island in Howe Sound. The conditions were better than yesterday, but we still had to bash against the wind. Go figure. The predominant wind direction around here is northwesterly only seeming to change when we need to go south. We left Secret Cove around 9 this morning for Gambier Island in Howe Sound. The conditions were better than...

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We reluctantly dropped our lines at 4:30 this morning and made our way down-inlet with the wind on the nose the entire way. The Strait of Georgia and Malaspina Strait were a mess. The wind was only blowing 15 knots but, because it was opposing the current, there was an incredible chop. Unfortunately, we’re on a tight schedule now and need to be back in Poulsbo by Monday,...

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The heat hasn’t let up and is rumoured to stick around for another week – so much for the forecast. David put up the boom tent this morning which helped keep things cooler and allowed Sally to spend the afternoon on decks in the shade while we floated around on the kayaks making regular trips to Chatterbox Falls for an ice-cold swim. With the sun dipping behind the...

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As predicted, 4:30 came early this morning and we considered going back to bed for a few hours and leaving with the afternoon tide before finally deciding that we could sleep once we got there. We untied from Randy’s mooring buoy close to 5 am and motored down Jervis Inlet making way for Princess Louisa. We arrived at Malibu Rapids earlier than expected and had to wait 15...

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Johnny was back at the boat before lunch installing a new solenoid, a cheaper and simpler solution than the battery isolator, while David put in the new alternator. Within an hour, the engine was running and the alternator was putting amperage back into the batteries. With eleven more days before we need to be back in Poulsbo, we decided to treat ourselves to a few days in Princess...

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The electrician came out this morning and discovered that the battery isolating blocking diodes on the boat are shot which caused the original alternator to blow…and the second. He took everything back to the shop and ordered a new alternator which will arrive tomorrow. They’ll repair the first (new) one so we’ll have a spare aboard and install the second (new) one so we can re-generate power. If...

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We arrived in Westview first thing this morning and David removed the alternator and walked 5 km to Vanderkemp Sales & Service LTD where they tested it on the bench. Unfortunately, it’s shot. The windings are gone and the diodes and rectifier bridge have been blown. Basically, the whole thing’s cooked and not worth fixing. Fortunately, they had a replacement on the shelf that they were able to...

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David lost the battle with the generator and it’s beyond repair at this point, so we motored back to the marina in Van Anda for the night to plug in. They don’t have the facilities to fix our alternator here but Westview, a larger town five nautical miles across the Malaspina Strait, does. The marina there was fully booked for the night, so we’ll motor over tomorrow morning...

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We had a nice evening last night in Teakerne Arm. After heeding advice from Gerri Lee and Rich, we anchored in the bay south of the waterfall and had the place virtually to ourselves – the peace and quiet a welcomed change from the hustle and bustle of Gorge Harbour. The heat is becoming unbearable, so we spent most of our time on deck in the shade of...

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We’re sitting at anchor in Gorge Harbour after making our way up from Van Anda yesterday morning in hopes of seeing Gerri Lee and Rick, a couple we met at the docks in Princess Louisa, again. We managed to find them and had a good time catching up but, as we’re on a schedule, we’ll be moving on this afternoon with the the tide for Teakerne Arm in...

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In desperate need of a place to dump our trash, we decided to make our way across Malaspina Strait to Texada Island and the town of Van Anda yesterday where we could also buy some provisions. But, as we came out of the protection of Dark Cove, the wind was blowing 18 knots on our nose, so we turned north into Hotham Sound and tucked into the Harmony...

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After spending six wonderful days at the head of Princess Louisa Inlet exploring the area in our kayaks, bathing in the waterfalls, and making new friends over cocktails along the friendly dock, it’s time to move on. It’s been a magical experience for us both and we’re reluctant to leave. Every step we’ve taken so far is more beautiful than the last overwhelming us with options – do...

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Today we put the 8 hp outboard motor on the dinghy and travelled up the inlet to Malibu Lodge, a Young Life Christian summer camp for teenagers, for a tour and to take a peak at the rapids as they were running. As we pulled up to the dock, we were greeted by one of the many volunteer staff members who guided us through parts of the camp...

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This morning I hiked to Trapper’s Cabin by myself knowing the trail would be too difficult for Sally and beyond David’s interest as it’s described to be nearly impossible, not well-marked or maintained, and primitive. A couple of years ago, a man in his 20’s attempted the trek, fell down, broke his leg, and subsequently died. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting myself into but had...

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We left Dark Cove around 9:30 this morning to time our arrival through Malibu Rapids which guard the entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet with currents running up to nine knots during maximum flood and ebb tides creating white water and large overfalls. The 30 nautical mile trip up Jervis Inlet was beyond any and all expectations we could have possibly had as we travelled further inland and approached...

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We left Howe Sound yesterday afternoon with the tides and had a nice passage up to Secret Cove along the BC mainland coast – not so secret, by the way, with hundreds of boats berthed and anchored there. The next day, we left for Jervis Inlet arriving late in the afternoon and began our search for an anchorage for the night passing on two before finally settling on...

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David spent the past three days working on a series of diagnostic tests on the regulator and alternator. End result: the alternator is shot and needs to be rebuilt. Needless to say, it’s been a difficult weekend aboard Cambria. Under normal circumstances, we’d make arrangements to have the work done before continuing our trip north. But because I’m flying out of Seattle in August to attend my niece’s...

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As it turned out, one night in Gibsons was enough. The anchorage is deep and exposed to the wakes of the busy marina entrance, but it served its purpose. Sally and I were able to take care of the provisions first thing in the morning, leaving the afternoon for David and me to explore the town who’s claim to fame is the filming of the Canadian TV series...

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The passage to Gibsons Landing and across the infamous Strait of Georgia went well. Known for getting “snotty”, we had a light southerly breeze and current pushing us over flat seas. As we approached the mouth of Howe Sound, mountain tops rose out of the sea as majestically as they do in Tahiti and Fiji. The Pacific Northwest is reputed to be the best cruising ground in the...

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We checked in Canada Monday afternoon without incident. They had all of our information stored on the computer, so it was only a matter of answering a few simple questions over the telephone – how much alcohol do you have onboard? any fresh produce? any pets? – before we were given our new clearance number. We chose an anchorage just outside the custom’s dock and Poet’s Cove Resort...

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