7:30. Up. Around.
8:00. Getting antsy
8:30. Officially antsy
8:50. Ready to go
8:59. Gone

After a breakfast of coffee and bars I wandered the docks chatting and waiting. There was a light drizzle, and fog was settling in so there was a bit of apprehension floating among the boaters. Industrious Leader Laurence was, however, still abed so there was no one to soothe the savage beast of insidious creeping doubt. Still, I asked Larry his opinion on fog and he likened it to a maze. Keep the shore on your right-hand side and follow along. Seemed like good advice. In the event, it was moot.

We cast off smoothly just before 9 and tied up at the fuel dock. Seven or so gallons of diesel and we were topped up again. We settled up with Pierre and then moved the boat to the end of the dock to see what was up and finish getting ready. Arcturus had left before us, and Raven Magic and Simply Irresistible went by while I was getting into my wet gear. Intrepid and Ocean Grace followed about five minutes later.

We cast off again and headed out into the fog and mist. The winds were low and we headed past the Burdwood Group. Ocean Grace turned off and drifted into the mists around the islands for a look-see but we continued on up Tribune Channel.

Ahead Irresistible had their main up and then Intrepid turned into the wind to raise their sails, eventually bringing up the rear sailing wing on wing. After a hour or so we slowly steered to port to visit Lacy Falls, a wide veil of water cascading in sheets down a lovely face of rock. It’s quite deep there so you can get the boat quite close. Ocean Grace caught up and we both slowly circled taking pictures and admiring the view.

About this time Raven Magic had reached Kwatsi Bay and discovered there was room for only three boats. There was a lot of chatter back and forth on the radio, and then R Shack chimed in with the news that Corus had headed for Port McNeill for a new starter battery. As you can imagine this threw us into a tizzy. Yes, a tizzy. Like high school girls who suddenly found themselves without dates for the prom: the energy bordered on hysterics of the silliest kind.

Eventually decisions were made, the cooler heads moved forward and the rest of us fell into line like little ducklings. Of course I found myself following Ocean Grace from in front of them, but that’s how these things go sometimes.

Arcturus was already docked at Kwatsi; we and Ocean Grace took up the last two spots. Raven Magic, Simply Irresistible and Intrepid decided to go on to Lagoon Cove. That was at least another 3 hours further on, but they’ll save time tomorrow. Eventually Electra and R Shack showed up as the mists were clearing and it was starting to look like a nice day. They tried anchoring across from the marina and then gave up and moved further down the bay.

[flexiblemap src=”http://macblaze.ca/kmz/Day18.kml”]
2h39 13.9nm

We relaxed, had a beer and filled the water tanks. L decided to pick up a fancy high-tech Kwatsi Bay hoodie. From our slip we face the shore and the constant woosh of water rushing provides a lovely ambient white noise. Apparently the marina family uses those falls to generate electricity.

A little later we decided to row over to a trail that supposedly led to some falls. We piled into SD and started rowing away. Just as we were rounding the last finger, Charles from Arcturus, facing us, started talking about where the various boats were. He said “At least we have six out of ten here.”

“Seven,” I replied.

“Umm,” he started to correct me.

“Look behind you.”

He turned and there was Corus with her crew hanging off the sides dressed, as Shannon said, like floats, in neon greens and oranges. Seems plans had changed again and they were now here along with Mariners Compass, who had preceded them by 10 minutes. That was everyone except the three who went on to Lagoon Cove.

Now that that was settled, we rowed on to the falls, dragged SD up the barnacle-encrusted granite and tied her (him?) off on an old tree. A short hike up a typical BC old forest (gorgeous and inspiring nonetheless) and we emerged to see a beautiful 20- or 30-metre-high waterfall. The chilled misty air created that special micro-climate unique to waterfalls in forests and we stood in awe absorbing the loud roar of water cascading down, taking pictures and examining the local selaginellas (I like selaginellas).

Definitely another great moment.

We passed Leslie and Charles from Arcturus on our way down and decided to row over to where Corus had stern tied and welcome them to the neighbourhood. We greeted them and said how happy we were they were here and not there. They agreed. Seems they have now disconnected their start battery entirely to see if that will stop it from draining. I guess we will see tomorrow.

Back at the dock, we sit and read and wrote until Happy Hour. Seems the old Sony’s batteries are dead again. Time to retire that puppy, I guess. One of us will have to switch to the iPad or it’s back to –horrors!– Shogun.

There is filtered water here, and showers, but no power and no washrooms. It is a stunningly beautiful place, and as the clouds climb back higher and higher up the surrounding mountains it becomes even more so. I am so glad we stopped.

During all the dock-side socializing, Sheila had stated her distinct lack of desire to prepare for the potluck. I had been thinking tomato salad but wimped out by hacking up a garlic sausage. Then we added crackers. Howard and Judy were sitting alone in the common area bereft of company and alcohol, so I put my foot down and served beer and wine respectively. Then I joined them. And L joined me. And so on, and so on…

Eventually real boaters (non-flotilla people) started to join and we had two separate parties going: their full-blown potluck and our appies potluck.

I chatted with Anne for a bit and discussed my point of view vis-a-vis the flotilla, and then we talked books for a while. I’ve still got lots of questions so I hope I get the chance to continue the conversation. At one point I offered our outboard to Anne and Ian as theirs is still flaky. I had offered before but it had never been quite the right time. This time they said yes.

So Ian, Howard and I mounted SD’s propulsion system to his older cousin and they filled it with slightly inebriated, happy people and zoomed off across the bay. Of course the zoom was more of a trudge with 6 people and a 5hp outboard, but it beats rowing.

Time for dinner. Our hamburger was starting to look more brown than pink so we decided to take it all the way. I fried up some onions and added the meat and then set a pot of H2O to boil. A bit of sauce, some herbs de Provence and ta-da. Chef Boy-ar-dee’s got nothing on me.

After dinner I dived into the Viognier and dark chocolate, and L did some dishes while I added to this missive. Life’s good…

Another stroll around the docks capped the evening and I closed the hatches, cranked the heat up and made ready for bed. Maybe one slaughter (game) of cribbage…

Pictures to come. Maybe Thursday