August 12 Nanaimo

Alarm went off at 5 AM and that meant it was time to listen to Marine weather and see what the winds were predicted to do.

The forecast was for moderate winds easing to light and variable so we decided to make a "run" for it towards Nanaimo.

I had been up until midnight the prior evening reading up on the Straits of Georgia and variables of current that could complicate a day ofotherwise OK weather. When you are covering a lot of distance in one day there are just that many more variables and possibilities.

This is how it played out. We left early to avoid the summer northwesterly winds that typically come up later in the day. Consequently leaving Campbell River we were just 90 minutes before a maximum flood current of 7.5 knots just up the channel from there. It literally took "forever" to battle the pull of the current until we were out beyond Cape Mudge and it eased off. At one point the reliable Cummins diesel fluctuated it's hum a bit and made us each look at each other like...this is NOT the time to be drifting in Discovery channel...humm wonder why no other boats were out there???

Once past Cape Mudge we started catching the swells and waves from the "reach" back up the Straits. It was uncomfortable but tolerable. Hugging the shore of Vancouver Island, finally we tucked in behind islands and the swells settled down a bit.

About then we got to just North of Cape Lazo where the tides come together...i.e. north of there the incoming tides go north and south of there it goes south...makes for really "confused" water, not to mention the boaters on the water.

To "fast forward to the end of the story" by 3 pm we were overjoyed to pull into Nanaimo and find moorage available. We have already called ahead to reserve a piece of the dock at our favorite Telegraph Harbor on Thetis Island. With the higher gas prices we are finding the marinas closer to populated areas are much busier...people are not traveling as far away this year.

We called ahead to Village Marine in Seattle to try to arrange for their technician to work on our watermaker. Found out he is going to be in Port Angeles and can work on it on the 18th. After Gary hung up from talking with them, I said 18th of September...right? Well we double checked with them and it is the 18th of August so we need now to "boogie" and make sure we get across the foggy straits of Juan de Fuca in time to make that appointment.

Not a problem, I think we were both wearing down from the trip but neither one of us wanted to say "Uncle"...now we can blame it on the water maker technician...but in reality be glad to get back. Still lots of tasks to be tended to before we can put "Old Bro" away for the winter...plus we can squeeze in a Yacht Club meeting and catch up with our Port Angeles friends before we become Oregonians again. My daughter has done such a good job at watching for important stuff in our mail that perhaps I'll have to "hire" her permanent.

Dinner tonight was typical Nanaimo style...fish and chips on the dock accompanied by a gentleman singing to his guitar music and a "retired hippy" type playing the spoons while she sung along...she was nice enough to wait until we were done eating with them!

Yes we are still weird and wonderful...

Old Bro and his Old Lady

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