Mike and Beth's Adventures

The Ferry Building and Coit Tower The crew of Amy Marie took to the rails for a two-night visit to San Francisco.  We patterned our trip on a technique we often use while boating.  Public Transit!  In the bay area, it is better than ever.   We live ~ 50 miles north of San Francisco, in Santa Rosa, in the middle of the wine country.  In fact, Amy Marie is currently docked on the Napa River adjacent to a vineyard.  After booking a room for two nights near Fisherman's Wharf, we discovered the hotel parking fees were $65/night.  That is a little steep. Time for a new plan.   Smart Train Santa Rosa is served by a light rail system called the Smart Train.  The southern terminus of their system is in Larkspur in Marin County, but still north of the Golden Gate bridge.  From Larkspur, you can catch a ferry which will whisk you to the Ferry Building in San Francisco.  The cost for a roundtrip adult ticket, from Santa Rosa to San Franci...

  Mike and Beth on South Pender Island I took another trip down memory lane this week with a visit to Bedwell Harbor on Pender Island.   It was my fourth visit in a span of 50 years.   Bedwell Harbor has changed dramatically it that time.   There is now a very fancy resort, Poets Cove Resort, located in the spot formerly occupied by a smaller family-run resort.    Poet's Cove Resort is the prominent feature in Bedwell Harbor The only item I could find to remind me of the old resort was the old ships cannon which overlooked the harbor and provided protection from aggressors. The small cannon which protects Bedwell Harbor Bedwell Harbor is also the location where you clear Canadian Customs.   This was a quick process and involved tying to the customs dock where any crew must remain aboard the vessel.   The skipper then walks to the Customs Building on the dock with the passports of everyone aboard.   There is a customs agent, but they hav...