Mike and Beth's Adventures

This afternoon I'm sitting on Amy Marie and listening to live classical violin  being played by the skipper of the vessel Vya Lynn.  The notes just seem to hang in the air.  A perfect compliment to a lovely location.  We are in a typical PNW cove on the north side of Jones Island.  Why the north side?  Today some nasty cold south winds have been blowing and we sought shelter here.  It really is a sanctuary of sorts.  Our fellow voyagers are a mix a small cruisers and sailboats.  Throw in a couple of motor vessels approaching 40 feet in length and you have the whole crowd.   We meet one fellow who has been here a week.  He motored over from Anacortes on his 16 foot center console.  He is retired and travels with his dog, a  Corgi.  He and the Corgi were camped in  an orange dome tent from the '80's.  Those of you who use to backpack know the tent.  It used to be ubiquitous back then.  You could...

Our ramblings this last week have included celebrating Canada Day in Ladysmith and then returning to the shelter of Newcastle Island to wait for a weather window to cross the Strait of Georgia.  This wait lasted 4 days as the wind made a passage untenable.  On the day we departed Ladysmith we could see that an extended wind event was arriving.  Our hope was we could sneak across the Strait before it built to a nasty level.  Our hope were dashed within the first mile of poking our nose out into the Strait.  It was one of our first warm days of summer so we left the skylights in the cabin roof open.  We did close the one on the top of the vee-berth.  We could see white caps out in the Strait, but thought we could use a technique where we pick up our speed and skim along their tops.  Wrong!  Didn't work this time.  The wave height and interval resulted in Amy Marie burying her bow and sending water over the top of the cabin, creating a love...

Nanaimo is a major city and a transition point in the Pacific Northwest.  It is located at the top of the Gulf Islands.  Boating north, until this point,  has been an enchanting trip through protected waters that surround and course through closely packed islands.  The interplay of clouds, sea, winds, currents, forests of lush green and wildlife make for a tranquil journey.   As the tide recedes tide pools can be accessed along the shoreline North of Nanaimo, harsher conditions will be encountered.  Stretches of open water will be traversed.  Wind and current have longer fetches to work their magic.  Additionally, the winds and currents are likely to create a beam sea if you are crossing the Strait.  The Pacific winds are channeled through low terrain to blow forcefully as you pass Qualicum Beach.  Whiskey Gulf area, a torpedo test range, located in the Strait of Georgia, must be avoided if it is active. Ports, which offer comfortin...

Snug Cove on Bowen Island offers good protection form blustery weather outside.  It is located in the mouth of  Howe Inlet, just north of Vancouver.  From False Creek it was a 12 mile run.  From our slip at Union Steamship Company Marina, we had a spectacular view  of the mountains rimming Howe sound.  I'm sure the scenic nature of this area contributed to it's selection as a filming location for the TV series "Virgin River". We docked on "A" dock near the marina office.  It was very convenient to the onshore attractions.  We particularly liked Tippy's Cookhouse and The Snug Cafe. Adjacent to the marina is a nice collection of restaurants, shops, pubs, a distillery, and a grocery store. We stayed at the Union Steamship Company Marina in Snug Cove Snug Cove offers good protection from the prevailing winds Our first day the clouds swirled around the mountain peaks that line Howe Inlet The ferry from Horseshoe Cove make an early evening arrival in Sn...

We reached Johnston Canyon via rental e-bikes.  It is about 30 miles, round trip from downtown Banff.  All except a short section is a car free route.  We were fortunate that in September, the section of the Bow River Parkway, from Banff to Johnston Canyon, is close to vehicles.  This allows visitors to enjoy a ride which maximizes your enjoyment of the stunning scenery and wildlife encountered along the way.  To see pictures taking on our ride to Johnston Canyon, visit our Banff Blog Posting . This section of the trail is suspended over the canyon. In many places the trail must continue via a cantilever construction, suspended over the canyon.  Hope the bolts attaching the structure to the cliff face hold! The canyon is a cool, shaded location if the day is warm. Beth supports the over hanging rock so that we can pass safely! As you gain elevation you pass a steady staircase of water falls. The water runs clean and clear.  It is not a glacier melt fed...