28 Jul 19

We got Jake away in a taxi to Powell River Airport (YPW) at 08:00 for his 09:15 flight to YVR. Then, we walked into town to Safeway for a grocery shop. John sent a note that they departed Comox at 10:44, which should put them at our rendezvous point at Mystery Reef at 13:45 - 14:00. We topped up the forward water tank, filled up with fuel and headed out about 13:00. “Massilia” was only about half way across the Strait at this time - well behind schedule - so we sailed out west around the south side of Harwood Island to meet them. A mile or so SW of the SW corner of Harwood Island, we stumbled upon a small pod of orcas, but did not get close enough to get any photos. “Massilia” finally sailed under our lee at 15:20 and we turned NE toward the Copeland Islands, sailing until we were north of Savarry Island, when the wind dropped enough to encourage us to start the engines and get in before dark. We turned out of Thulin Passage and crept through a narrow cut to our favorite anchorage on the west side of the Copeland Islands and anchored with a shore line around a tree at 18:15; there were 3 or 4 other boats in the anchorage when we came in. We then enjoyed another pleasant reunion with John and Laurie and shared a quiet happy hour (with our recently acquired Empress gin) and dinner aboard. Afterward, John and I shared a couple of drams from his bottle of Bruichladdich - Barley (Jake having completely cleaned me out of Bruichladdich - Classic Laddie during his visit).  

50-00.625’N, 124-49.173’W; Log = 23.3, Sum (2019) = 606.6 N-m

29 Jul 19

We slept like logs last night and were a bit slow getting up. But having nothing in particular to do, this seemed like a good place to do it, so we happily lazed around all day. All the other boats left by mid-morning and we were all along in the bay. About noon, John loaned me some prawn bait and we rowed out to the 80 m contour and set my new prawn trap; (I need to buy some bait and a weight for the trap, along with a modified bait sack - the original one is a bit coarse for the the pellet type bait, so most of it falls out). After lunch, we dozed, read, did a few minor chores in anticipation of Ashley’s visit, rowed around the island that we are tied up to, went for a brief swim (18.5 C) and checked out the local wildlife (seals, eagles and herons, along with an enormous jelly fish or two). Just before happy hour, a 100ft mega-yacht (“Alliance” - out of Discovery Harbor, California) steamed in and dropped anchor a couple of hundred yards ago, ruining the view, but what can you do.