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