Mike and Beth's Adventures

August was a short cruising month for Amy Marie.  She was treated to a spa treatment at CSR South Boat Yard in Des Moines while we attended family events.  Beth headed to San Diego and Santa Rosa California and I headed to Colorado.  We reunited with Amy Marie in mid-August.  During her "spa" visit she had damaged gel coat areas repaired, heat exchangers serviced and a full exterior buff and polish.  She looked quite jaunty and proud of herself when we returned! As we planned to attend the annual PNW Ranger Tug Rendezvous in Roche Harbor in early September, we started meandering that direction.  This gave us an opportunity to re-visit some favorite destinations as well as explore some new ports of call. Eagle Harbor, Bainbridge Island Our first stop was Eagle Harbor.  Why?  It has a great grocery store and it is fun to walk and explore.  Town and Country Market is very close to the public dock, so a good location to perform a major resupply....

Cruising the azure waters of British Columbia is to bear witness to the awesome beauty of nature.  On a calm day the sea mirrors the sky and provides a perfect framing for the snow capped mountains, the vast forests whose towering trees stand straight and tall, and the harsh rocky shores along which the wild life searches for their next meal.  Visitors must be self reliant and well prepared to survive and enjoy their visit as it demands you be at the top of your game to survive the strong currents, rocky shoals, navigation challenges, scarce services, and wind and weather.  For boaters, it is the ultimate skills challenge.  The reward is the opportunity to immerse yourself in rugged beauty that is accessible if you are willing to accept the challenge. We waited for 4 days for weather suitable for crossing the Strait of Georgia from Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island,  to Secret Cove, on the mainland.  If you are lucky, you may encounter a calm day to cross. ...