Getting Karen Marie Home

We've had a few quiet days, letting Jim rest up his leg. He's OK at that-not great; I think he'd heal faster if he stayed down for 5 days, but no such luck. Right now he's putting blinds up in a guest room. On Wednesday, he and three other guys, Mark, David and Ed, will go to bring the boat back to Oak Harbor. They left Anacortes at 6:30 AM to go pick her up.

**Update:I drove them over to the ferry. They had an uneventful journey and Jim was no worse for wear. We are very happy to have the Karen Marie in her own slip. We'll leave things as they are on board until we feel up to the big clean out. We'll do more cruising this summer, but first we have to have our July 4th party when 10 people will stay with us and we'll move back on to the boat.

Iliotibial Band Tendonitis

Hello from Whidbey Island on Wednesday afternoon. We left the boat in Friday Harbor and took the ferry home where friends Janet and Mark picked us up. Today, Thursday, we went to the doctor and found out Jim has inflamed the iliotibial band from using too much pressure on his legs, by braking when we were in rough seas. That's the best guess we have. The PA and her husband, a doctor, have a 40 ft sailboat, and she recognized what we had been dong. Jim sat at the wheel for most of two whole days, one was a very long 8-9 hours, and he braced himself with his legs as we rolled around. He was trying to avoid most of the bigger waves and swells because I was feeling so anxious and sicky. He told me before he came down with the worst of the symptoms that he had been holding his legs out and planted, and we were both quite fatigued after our long days. I had laughed about all the aerobic exercise we had from clinching muscles all day. He has meds, heat and of course, I'm running around doing everything for him! He doesn't have any problems except he can't stand up for very long. We are thankful this should go away pretty soon, a week to 10 days. Now we have to figure out how to get the boat home, but we'll manage that somehow. The story isn't over yet because we plan a group reunion on September Time on next Wednesday to share photos and pizza. Signing off for now. Jim and Virginia

The Sun Is Shining on Friday Harbor

Well, things change all the time. We were going along OK, but Jim started to complain about a pain in his leg. Earlier he had said something about his back, so I figured it was the same thing. When we got to Poet's Cove, we were told we had to use the upper pool and spa because they were using the lower one for a staff party. So, we got our bathing suits and trudged up the hill to the upper pool. Jim had to stop and rest on the way up because of the pain in his right leg. After soaking in the hot tub, I thought it might be better, but on the way down to the boat, again he had to stop. We started giving him Tylenol and Ibuprofen right away, but his leg was really hurting him all evening. We started talking about what we could do about it, and it all came down to seeing a doctor. This morning, Wednesday, we decided we were going to Friday Harbor and taking the ferry to Anacortes and then bumming a ride home. As soon as we told the others, they came along to help us get docked in Friday Harbor. They have now left for Blind Bay or somewhere else to stay out one more night before making the trek to Deception Pass. Mark and Janet will meet our ferry in Anacortes, and hopefully we will be able to see the doctor tomorrow. We'll come back for the boat in a few days after we find out what's what with Jim's leg. Jim can only walk for about 5 mins and he has to have a break. I think it's the sciatic nerve, but who knows? We've had a wonderful trip and it looks like it'll be extended even a few more days even if it is just to bring the boat home. Today the sun is out, no rain and it was not too windy coming down. Our I-68 worked and we are back on U.S. soil. Good to be home. Jim and Virginia

Poet's Cove

We had a short uneventful ride to Bedwell Harbor, going through Sansum Narrows along the way. No problems, but a few current eddies and twists as the 3 kts carried us along. It was very beautiful and different than going around the west side of Saltspring Is. Maybe we'll go that way more often. It is an easy ride over to Roche Harbor from here, too. We are in a slip while September Time and Sweet are out on mooring bouys that belong to a marine park in the harbor. Jim has had an aching back and leg, so we'll take advantage of the hot tub. We have to use the upper pools this time because they are having a staff party in the lower pool! Whoo Hoo! I finally opened the meatloaf I had frozen at home. Our tiny freezer has kept it frozen until yesterday. That is amazing! We had sandwiches for lunch, but I promised Jim we would have meatloaf, mashed potatoes and vegies for dinner-real soul food. We will go to Garrison Bay tomorrow. The other boats will check in but we will do it by phone, using our I-68.

We were talking to Ann and Loyal about their boating in the area and they told us about a trip they took to Vancouver last year to see the fireworks competition between countries like Japan, Canada, etc.. You anchor your boat and watch the display from your cockpit or bow. Sounds like fun, so we may schedule a trip to Vancouver the last week in July. We are having company and we'll work around that, but I think we can do it. Ann says you can see all the highrise buildings at night, shining with lights.

It's overcast, but not too cool so we're going to the hot tub now and then nap for the afternoon. Finally a vacation day. Jim and Virginia

Maple Bay For Tonight

Our plans keep changing. It's Monday and we left Telegraph Harbor for a quick run to Maple Bay Marina, on the west side of Saltspring Island. We think this is a great place. This afternoon we got a free shuttle ride to the Northwest Raptor Center to see eagles, owls, kookaburras, and hawks. The birds were amazing, just to see them, but we were there for a show, too, which was really educational. Great fun on a sunny day, and we learned lots about raptors and owls and kookaburras. We came back for a dinner at the pub at the head of the dock. After a quick walk about the docks, we think we'll have a quiet early night. Jim is tired, and I am, too. Everyone is having cake on Jenny V, but we'll skip that for now. The plan right now is to go to Poet's Cove tomorrow, but that could change at 8AM when we have a skippers meeting. It's going to blow tonight and we'll be glad we are in a marina. September Time is anchored out, but really close to us and very sheltered. Maybe more tomorrow. Jim has been complaining about pain in his leg, so we'll rest up tonight.Jim and Virginia

Telegraph Harbor Visit

Hello from Telegraph Harbor. Our plan was to go into Pirate's Cove, but we got anxious about the amount of water, and it looked full as we went by. We are at the dock in Telegraph after a great day yesterday, Saturday. We sailed from Silva Bay on Saturday and even got the sails up for a while. It wasn't a long sail, but a fun one with the sun shining and the real essence of what we want to do. Jim is always frustrated because we don't get to sail as often as we would like because the winds are always in the wrong way or the winds are too stong or something else is in the way. This year the wind and seas combined have made it impossible, and I get the lumpies from the rolling around. Anyway, we got in here with only 6 inches to spare because of a low-low tide. I think we might have been at the minimum for us. We had planned to leave today, but we found out the wind was kicking up a whole bunch so we stayed in. After our discussion about that situation, we completely revamped the schedule. Tomorrow we plan to get an early start and go down the west side, skipping Bedwell. We will have a stop in Fulford Harbor and then maybe go into Roche to sign in and then to stay the night at Garrison. We think we can make a 10AM trip through Deception Pass on Saturday June 19th.
Jenny V surprised us in Telegraph Harbor. They had planned to go to Ladysmith today to meet us, but yesterday we came in here and they came in right after us. We are having a birthday party potluck this evening for Ann and Carlos tonight. Her birthday is today and Carlos is later in the month. We don't know what Michele will bring but the rest of us are used to this and it'll be good. More later, Jim and Virginia

Resting Up at Silva Bay Marina

We left Bowen Island at 9AM and motor sailed across with very bumpy seas in the beginning and smoothing out as we went along. Brynn had given me some seasick pills and I took two early on, and I think they helped. I wasn't as anxious and seemed to handle all the rolling seas a little better. There were 4 ft swells/chop out there, so I think I deserved to be a little anxious. We moved along at almost 7 kts the whole morning so the crossing was very quick. The sun is shining, and we are tied up to the dock with Sweet and Spika. September Time is anchored right across from the dock. The Nanaimo Yacht Club has an outing going on here, so there are lots of boats coming in here. Glad I called and made a reservation. I'll probably recommend that from now on. They have reserved the deck for their evening activities, so we will have our pot luck on the dock, eating Loyal's red snapper. We'll grill it in foil and enjoy every bite. We have a forecast of good weather for the next three days, so we're happy. I took off my long johns for a break from warm clothes. Tomorrow we leave for Pirate's Cove, going through Gabriola Passage at 10AM. We'll probably leave the dock around 9. The next day we head for Ladysmith. We'll figure out the schedule as we go along since we are off track. Spika laves us tomorrow for Bellingham, and she wants to go to the Ganges Saturday market. Maybe we should do that just to say we've done it. More later.
Update! We had a wonderful dinner eating Loyal's red snapper and greenling, sitting on the dock. Tomorrow we leave for our next stop, Pirate's Cove, and no internet hookup there. We'll check in at Ladysmith with the latest on our cruising story. Jim and Virginia

Raining Again

Yesterday started out gloomy but by the afternoon we were having a nice day. We got showers in the AM, went to the store and did the laundry. Later, we had a great dinner with Gary and Brynn, eating up the chicken parmesan I brought with us. We added some noodles and French bread Jim had baked in the bread machine. We had just finished dinner when the marina lady came over and told us Spika with Charles and Carolyn on board were inbound in about an hour. Their American Tug can go fast, so when we checked about 30 mins later, we expected them to be coming into the Cove. We called, telling them we were in Snug Harbor, and Charles responded he was in Snug Harbor, too. To our astonishment, we had missed even the sound of their boat cruising in to the harbor and tying up not too far away. That was funny and fun, to meet up with them again. They'd had a 12 hour run down from Gorge Harbor. Later we went over and watched a movie with them on Spika. We all love Oh, Brother Where Art Thou, and we enjoyed it again along with the popcorn and drinks we shared. We had planned to go to Vancouver today to be tourists, but it is raining and cool, and Jim and I decided we will stay in for the day. I think Brynn and Gary are doing the same thing. More later.

Waiting For Sunshine

June 9- (9AM)It rained hard last night-poured and pounded on the cabintop. This morning we are finding a few more drips. After a while things get so soggy, it can't be helped. And, after being in the cabin for hours, condensation happens all over the cabintop and drips down on us. It's a soggy morning. Gary has gone off with the MD to Vancouver, and we're having a reading day.
3PM We had breakfast, checked the emails, had showers, went to the grocery and now I'm doing laundry. Gary is back from the MD and he has a fungus infection in his eye and he has to keep taking the rx he has with him. He also has to wash his eye out each day with baby shampoo! He takes a light solution of shampoo and Q-Tips and wipes it across his eye lids! Never heard of that, but if it works, OK.

We have plans tomorrow to take the ferry to the mainland and then a bus to Vancouver for some sightseeing. We don't know what we'll see, but we'll work on it when we get there. I'll do a little research to see what we might do while we are over there. We just have to make sure we can get the bus and the ferry back to Bowen Island by the late afternoon.

People here are amazing. I already told you about the MD for Gary. Well, the owners of the marina called his own opthamologist in Vancouver and asked her to speak to Gary on the phone, making the arrangements then to meet him at the ferry at 7:15 this morning and then in her car to her office to check him out. Then today Gary wanted fuel for the boat and he found out there is a gas station about a mile and a half away, all up hill. Gary had general directions, so he started up the hill, carrying his 5 gal can with him, and stopped at the grocery store to ask for real directions. After he asked at the counter for directions, a woman customer at the store told him she would drive him up there to the gas station. He got his gas and she drove him back to the marina! Then, we were on the boat, talking about dinner. I'm making chicken parmesan I brought with me, and I asked Brynn to bring a salad if she had some green things. She said she did not have any more lettuce, so we discussed that for a minute. She got ready to leave the boat and two men in a boat next to us said they had lettuce and cucumbers their wives had packed and they wouldn't eat it, so why didn't we have it to go with our meal!

This is a really amazing marina. The new wash rooms are housed in a floating building at the head of the dock. They have an office with chandlery items and upstairs is a state of the art room with three showers, $1 for 10 mins in the shower, a large toilet room with great mirrors and liquid soap. Then, there is a new washer and dryer and computers and a flat screen TV for dvds or TV watching. It is really a great place. Even has a table if you wanted to play a game of cards. Lovely leather couch to sit on and relax while the dryer is going. We could come here for a week and make me happy.
I'll post again tomorrow when we have more news about our visit to Vancouver and/or the weather. September Time is meeting us in Silva Bay, but we expect Spika to show up today for the night anyway. It's turned out to be a nice day after all. Jim and Virginia

Bowen Island

Tuesday June 8-We left Secret Cove at 9:30 this morning and made it into Union Steamship Company Marina on Bowen Island at 3PM. We had to wait for the ferry to go by just as we entered the marina but other wise it was an OK trip. I have decided I really do get seasick. The seas were a little bumpy with waves on the stern and wind at our backs, but not much to keep us straight. I started feeling anxious and then unhappy in the tummy pretty soon. I eat and try to meditate and read and try to doze but nothing helps till we quit moving. I am very grateful we will be in the marina for two days at least. If there is little rolling around, I am OK, but as soon as the seas build up and start rolling us around, I hate it. Next time we go out I'm going to try something to see if I can fight it off.
We got here early enough for Gary to make arrangements for an opthomalogist to meet him tomorrow to check out the condition of his eye. I called the marina this morning, telling them we needed to get to Vancouver to see an MD, and by the time we were here, they had found a woman who lives on the island and has a practice in Vancouver. She will pick Gary up early tomorrow and take him to her clinic and see him before her other patients.Then he'll get the proper treatment for the problem and we'll all be relieved. We had planned to hang out here for four days for the other boats to catch up, but they can't come in here on Friday or Saturday because they are full up with boats for the Round Bowen Island Race this weekend. We'll be crossing over to Silva Bay on Thursday or Friday, depending on the good weather. We won't go if it is a real blow out in the Strait of Georgia. Then we have to rethink our schedule of places to visit because the schedule has changed so much. We'll be in touch with other boats and let them know as we go along. We have plans for a nice dinner out tonight. We are tired after two long days and that will be a treat for everyone. We are having fun, but we feel a little beat up, too. More later on the continuing story of Desolation Sound with a Difference Cruise. Jim and Virginia

Lots Goin' On!

The days run together, but I'll try to catch up with everything now. (Last night after we got in to Secret Cove, I wrote a really long entry about our days up to now, but it disappeared. So, here goes again!)

Thursday-June 3-Spent the night in Lund, and left early for Desolation Sound, Grace Hbr. The seas were a little bumpy but once we were behind the Copeland Is, things were better. We forgot to get ice, but we did fill up with 5 gals of fuel. We discovered we had a little overflow problem so that made an exciting morning, trying to figure out how that fuel got in the cabin on the floor. We rounded Sarah Pt to go into Malaspina Inlet to see beautiful mountains and glorious scenery. The three boats anchored with stern ties in Grace Harbor, all alone until late afternoon when one other boat came in. It was a quiet night. We used the polypropelene Jim bought in Seattle and did the stern tie thing, but it seems to be more trouble than it's worth right now. We have room to swing almost everywhere.

Friday June 4-Awake to clear sunshine and a glorious day. We were both overwhelmed at the beauty of the mountains, the calm waters and the endless cruising possibilities. It is very quiet, too. We left Grace and motored up to Melanie Cove. Loyal has a 5 day fishing license and will meet us in the Cove a little later. He did get some fish for us, red snapper and greenling, which he shared. We have had great food on this trip. We had trips out around the Cove in the dinghy. It's been easy for me to get on and off the boat with our great stern step. We didn't even know that when we bought the boat. Spika arrived late in the afternoon, so we are now four boats. We went over for a glass of wine to welcome them to the group and then home for supper and an early night. We head for Tenedos Bay tomorrow.
(Loyal was out fishing in his dink and he threw away a small red snapper he had caught, and two eagles came flying in to fight over that fish. He was stunned they would come so close to the boat. No camera that time. He was out another day and did get a photo. He also took a photo of a wolf swimming from island to island. This place is amazing.)
Saturday June 5- We were getting ready to leave when Sweet came over to tell us they were leaving for Refuge Cove because they needed to contact an MD for Gary's eye infection. He had left home doing OK, but he was awakened with a flare up and he wanted to talk to his doctor at home. We went on to Tenedos Bay with the other two boats and found the anchoring to be a chore with a very rocky bottom. We worried about that all day, but finally settled in to the NW corner of the bay. We did stern tie and when Jim took the tie in he tore the bottom of the dinghy, so we now have no dink. Loyal had a repair kit and he loaned that to us, but we have to wait 48 hours to see if it holds. It was not a restful night although we did not drag the anchor. I worried about Gary and Brynn and about the dink and about the anchor! Tomorrow we go to Refuge Cove to meet up with Sweet.

Sunday June 6- Left Tenedos on a wonderful sunny day to motor to Refuge Cove, ariving after only 1.5 hrs. Sweet was waiting for us on the dock where we all tied up together and celebrated our reunion. Gary did talk to his MD but got no real help. He has doubled up on his meds and he hopes that will hold him for now. The night before they met Ziggy who was on the dock in his 27 ft Catalina. He is a retired musician, a guitar player and funny guy who said he has played with the Doobie Bros and all over Mexico and other places. We had a pot luck on the dock and Ziggy brought his guitar to entertain us. He was a good musician and Gary played along on his traveling guitar. Loyal even got his guitar out and joined in, while we all drank wine and sang along. In the middle of it all the RCMP came ashore to say hello. We all agreed later they were checking to see what Ziggy was smoking! He was smoking regular tobacco with us but probably other stuff when he was alone on his boat. It was a fun evening with silly sea songs and great ballads and Johnny Cash all thrown in. We were in the bunk by 10 AM. We leave for VonDonop Inlet tomorrow.
Monday June 7-We had eggs Benedict for breakfast and drank coffee until Gary and Brynn came over and told us they were heading for Bowen Island to get close to an opthmologist in Vancover. We had already decided we would go with them. I had discussed it with Jim days before that, so we told them right away we would be going along. The others will go on to the planned stops and meet us in Bowen in three or four days. We left the dock at 9:30AM and started towards Powell River, thinking it would be a good midway stop. The seas were calm, the winds were 5kts at our back, so we kept on going, arriving in Secret Cove at 6PM. We tied up to the dock, got on the internet, had a great fish dinner (from Loyal's catch) and drank a little wine to make things even better. We'll go to Bowen tomorrow and have plans to take the ferry over to the mainland and then a bus to Vancouver. We'll also try to do some sailing in Howe Sound while we are waiting for the rest of the group. We had a good night sleeping at the dock and plugged in everything to recharge. Off to Bowen this morning. The Adventure Continues! Jim and Virginia

Rain, Rain, Rain

We are stuck in Lund while the storm goes through. Last night it rained really hard, slacking off this morning early. The wind has picked up, and now it is raining again, making a trip ashore an interesting project. I'll have to get all my foulies on because the seat of the dinghy will be wet, and that means boots and everything because there's about an inch of water in the dinghy. We'll motor in and then I'll climb out onto the dock, which means I'll get even wetter since I am so clumsy getting in and out of the dinghy. We did laundry yesterday, and things aren't quite dry. We have sweatshirts and jeans hanging all over inside the boat. Inside the boat we are dripping from condensation and steaming up the windows. The heater has lost its hose connection and won't work in the cabin. The lazaret gets very warm until Jim can climb down in there to reattach the hose. He's putting that off because he has to haul all that stuff out and squeeze in. So, we aren't as warm as we could be. I don't have on my long johns this morning, and I miss them. We do have books to read and the dock office has a selection, too. Gary was all set to leave this morning, but I am not moving until this storm lets up. He keeps saying we're only 15 miles from the Sound. Last night's prawn and crab dinner was amazing. Great company and great food. The prawns were huge and just like eating lobster. Hope we get to do that again on this trip. We're having breakfast out at Nancy's Bakery and maybe a little shopping in the general store. More later from the wet, wet, Karen Marie. Are we having fun yet? Jim and Virginia

Lund

After a day of rain and bumpy seas, we spent a day at Comox, but early this morning we left and bumped our way to Lund. We are on the other side! We are only 15 miles from Desolation Sound. Lund is a small cove with a full service marina, gas, showers, a laundry, Nancy's Bakery and a General Store. They even have a hotel here because this is the last stop on Hi 101. The end of the road. The storm is supposed to come in tonight to blow 25+, but we are tied up snug and will wait and see if we can get to Desolation Sound tomorrow. If we have to wait another day we can do that. Tonight we eat fresh shrimp and crab from the shrimp fleet that docks in Lund. The guy couldn't give us any more than 3 lbs of shrimp, so he threw in 4 crabs. What a place. We eat on September Time tonight since she had the biggest pot to cook the shrimp. We are both sore from holding on in the bumpy seas. And, I'm clinching my teeth when I get scared out there. Hope things are better from now on. Can't use the computer too long since we are on batteries. Best to all, Jim and Virginia