We upped anchor this morning after taking Sally to shore and made way for Copeland Islands Marine Park – a miniature archipelago in Malaspina Strait reputed to be a kayaker's haven and a new destination for us. On the way over, David turned on the water-maker to fill the tanks but, during the process, the intake pump failed –the same one we had replaced from the UK just two years ago. But, with more important things to do, the pump would have to wait until later.
The Copeland Islands is a picturesque spot with several different anchoring options. According to the cruising guides, most people choose the easternmost anchorage off Thulin Passage but are subject to the wakes of passing boats, so we opted to stay in the western anchorage and weren't disappointed. Not only is it the calmer of the two, it's more beautiful and offers the most amazing sunsets we've seen all season.
We spent most of the afternoon kayaking around one of the many islands in the group and ended up putting close to two miles under our keels(such as they are) before returning to the boat tired from battling currents and the warm sun. We hadn't been back long before David pulled up the floorboards to have a look at the pump – a seal had given out and needed to be replaced. Unfortunately during theprocess, he broke the impeller (a $100 part that we can only find inthe UK). Convinced we had a spares aboard, he tore up the boat looking. I normally know where everything is but lately I've been off my game and couldn't remember where I had put them. All I knew is that he was wasting his time – I hadn't put them in any of the usual places – and that if he gave me some time, I'd remember where they were. And eventually I did. All it took was for him to pick up a set of water filters he had been cleaning for me to remember that we had spares stored in the compartment behind our bed … with the water-maker (duh!). And sure enough, there they were.
Having wreaked enough havoc for one day, we put everything away and sat on the deck to enjoy an incredible sunset – one of the many bonuses to the anchorages outside of Desolation Sound.
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