Final Thoughts (But Not The Final Trip)

We have been home a week and three days, but who is counting. Am I ready to go again - you betcha! This trip - a very quick five weeks - confirmed that we are ready for more: more adventure, more challenges, new experiences, learning and sharing.




While Ron and I do liveaboard, we do not spend every waking moment together. We both work and both have our personal interests. While on our vacation we did spend all our time together. I can tell you there was no period of adjustment. We have a great amount of respect for each other's space, feelings, opinions and energy. Equally important is that we are madly in love and we just happen to like each other.




We have each been joking with our respective friends and workmates that we brought our spouse home.




There are numerous thanks you in order. First and foremost to our families and friends for the ongoing support of our dream to sail and of our liveaboard lifestyle. Thank you to Len Burton for taking on the responsibility of holding our Sail Plan. Len had the responsibility to make the decision of whether or not to hail the Coast Guard in the event we lost touch. Equally important was Barbara Hodgson VE7KLU. Barbara manages the Great Northern Boaters net from her home in North Saanich. Each and every day she ensures the net is on for boaters to check in. Barbara also held a Sail Plan as she is also a key person to relay information to the Coast Guard.

Thank you to buddy Kevin in Toastmasters who encouraged me to use this blog site and assured me that I could do it.




Thank you to all who read the blog and posted comments. Your unsolicited compliments leaves me no choice but to create another blog for next year. Don't tell anyone but I enjoyed reflecting on our days activities and how to put it into interesting reading material for you.




Prior to leaving we felt that our boat was well equipped and well stocked. With some of the new equipment (e.g. Hydrovane and SSB) it would have been great to get a little practice before departing. Can we do better next time? Ron and I believe that there is always room for improvement. Preparing for a trip such as this is no different.




Would we do anything different? Yes, we will choose a different time of year - likely June / July. We will spend some time this year recruiting boating friends to join us. We will do more and see more .




Life just keeps getting better.




What's stopping you? You too could be living your dream.

Did I mention to you that we were graced with the presence of good friends again on Wednesday. This time Ken and Janice from Sidney and I cooked ribs following Aunty Ivy's recipe. Ron says they were delicious (maybe the best ribs I have cooked). Ken ate his fair share too and no complaints. Unfortunately Janice couldn't join us until a bit later in the evening. We were all sufficiently saffonsified, needless to say.

I had a very weak signal on the SSB this morning but did manage to get our location and planned destination to the Great Northern Boaters Net. I am looking forward to being Cadboro Bay to try the SSB there.

Thursday morning when we awoke it was blustery weather. Mother Nature had changed her mind on what kind of a sailing day we would have. What we had expected is not what we were experiencing. Instead there was wind, rain and limited visibility.

We left Sidney at 1030. The rain was relentless so coupled with limited visibility we decided to push onwards but under power. Dare I say that there is a favourable forecast for Juan De Fuca on Friday for us to come home.

This is the first time Ron and I have been to Cadboro Bay. It is a great little bay tucked in and sheltered from most winds except the Sou'Easters! Every winter this bay and Oak Bay get hammered and if you listen to or read the news there is always a boat or two that drag anchor and find the shore.

As we were motoring in there was a great gaggle of Laser sailboats. Most of these were one man (or wo-man) or two man (or two wo-man). We discovered that these people, some young, some older were qualifying for 'the nationals'. We were told that these people are Olympic hopefuls and how they did today would help establish funds for their future training. Good Luck, One and All!

Once at Cadboro Bay - the home of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club - we registered and let Winston stretch his four little legs. I had an upset tummy so had a bit of a lay down before supper. We had our final night out dinner at the Club. The Chicken Satay was very tasty with a kick of spice. Feeling better after dinner - yes ladies - I challenged and won yet another game of Scrabble. Ron has been the Crib Champ for our few games.

Friday was our day to be home. Sad but true - it is time to head for home port.

Today I wanted to stay out as long as possible. For those who do not frequently sail in this area the current plays a big role. Fortunately we had the current in our favour for the morning. Out came the sails and off into the Juan De Fuca we sail - dodging container ships, dodging tall ships and whale watching boats. We had a nice breeze and were sailing along at 5 knots - can it get any better? Apparently it can get a bit more challenging - the wind dropped and the current changed. I knew Mother Nature beat me again. We were going nowhere fast. Ogden Point was not getting any closer. Ron was on the ready to douse the sails - I had him wait just a few more minutes. "OK" I finally said as I realized it would take us forever travelling at 1.8 knots with a 1 knot current against us. I was defeated.

We motored past Ogden Point to our home of WestBay Marine Village. We were absolutely delighted by our neighbours greeting us and taking a line as we docked. Thank you Tim, Lynn and Bev, Dave and Elaine for your big welcome! We truly have the best neighbours.

If the truth be known, we had asked Doug for 3 fire boats and a Scottish Pipe band as our welcoming but it did not transpire. Perhaps we need to go away much longer than 5 weeks - hee hee.

It is truly great to see our friends and neighbours but I must admit I am not ready to be home. There is far more to see, do and experience.

Stay tuned for "Final Thoughts" in a day or two and perhaps a word to three from Ron.

Hello Family and Friends. Do you realize that tomorrow is October 1? Time to start thinking about a Hallowe'en costume. The evenings are getting longer and cooler. Next thing you know it will be Christmas!

On Monday we left Maple Bay on the ebb through Samsun Narrows. It took us an hour and a half to motor around to Cowichan Bay (Cow Bay if you are a local). There was zilch for wind. It seems that it is blowing zero or blowing a gale. I am not sure if the Gods are looking out for us or not.

Once at Cowichan Bay we had lunch and went for a bit of a walk. I must caution any of you - if you are going to visit Cow Bay then Monday is not the day to visit. It seems that everything is closed. I was most disappointed that the bakery was closed on Monday and Tuesday. They have the best bread ever - even grind their own flour. I was talking to one lady and she stated that when the bakery closes for January she just doesn't eat bread. Nothing else will do until the bakery opens up in February.

Not long after we got back from our stroll and the clouds burst. It poured and poured and poured. The good news is that our leaks are fixed. As we were invited to Joe and Lisa's for dinner we had a bit of time so Ron and I broke out the Scrabble board. Ladies, I am proud to say that I remain the Scrabble Champ aboard Ta Daa.

Joe and Lisa live on the cutest and coziest little floathome. The view is to die for. And, Joe's renovations have just made it even better. I am envious that Lisa has her own washer and dryer - something us liveaboards do miss.

Supper was sumptious and prepared by Chef Joe Solanto - Lisa's Aunty Ivy's Spareribs, corn on the cob, veggies and salad not to mention a few sips of very tasty red wine. Lisa topped dinner with apple pie and ice cream. Joe and Lisa thank you so much for the invite, the company,the hospitality, and the laughs. It was great to catch up and listen to your adventures at Cow Bay.

Joe, let me know if I have the recipe correct - ribs baked in beer - pour off beer and juice - cover in favourite sauce and bake again. And if memory serves me you used a plum type of sauce.

Beleive it or not, after dinner and back aboard Ta Daa I whooped Ron at Scrabble again - still the Ta Daa champ!

The next morning, Joe and four paws Harmony walked over for coffee and muffins. We had the pleasure of showing Joe our boat.

Did you know that the state of Washington replaced the Hood Canal Bridge? Did you ever wonder what happened to the old Hood Canal Bridge? Wonder no more! It is here in Cow Bay. The locals will tell you that it was purchased by a company in Sidney for the purpose of using the pontoons. Well with the pontoons came with the steel structure and the asphalt on the road (complete with the yellow centre line). It seems that the idea of demolishing the bridge for the pontoons was a great idea and a great price EXCEPT someone did not take time to thinks of what a monstrous job the demolition would be. Apparently now, it will just sit until an idea is hatched of how and where to demolish the structure. Good luck, Folks!

By 1130 we were underway for Tsehum Harbour to stay at Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club. As we motored- yep you got it right, no wind - the clouds were building all around us. I can't tell you what they all mean but give me a few months to complete the weather course and I will be much more knowledgeable. Just before arriving at the yacht club the clouds burst again. We could barely see the bow of the boat. As our timing would have it, the dock at the yacht club was quite full and the boats we would have rafted to made it very difficult for us to get on and off our boat. In the torrential rains we decided to head to Port Sidney for a couple nights.

Len and Dawna - good buddies from Power Squadron - graced us with a visit last night. Len was outstanding at tracking our every move for the past few weeks. Dawna even tells me he had a map and pins in the map to point to our present locations. Thanks Len it was great to know you were monitoring our every move.

For the non-boaters out there, it is prudent for boaters to file a sail plan with a responsible person prior to heading out. We filed our sail plan with Len, Barbara (my SSB contact) and the Victoria Coast Guard.

So here we sit and today it is a beautiful sky with light winds. The forecast looks favourable for our sail to Cadboro Bay tomorrow. We are planning on anchoring there and heading around to WestBay on Friday.


Take care, All!

It is very quiet at Maple Bay. Not many transient people here - us and another boat. We decided to stay for two nights. Why? Not sure except that Ron is liking it. Yesterday, Sep 27, we walked to Genoa Bay 5 kms away. Genoa Bay is another popular stop for boaters. It has a very good restaurant. We timed our departure in order to have lunch when we arrived. Another tidbit about Genoa Bay is that some neighbours from WestBay now live at Genoa Bay on their Hatteras. We knocked on the hull but no one home. Maybe next time, Jim and Audrey.

If you folks haven't ventured to Genoa Bay, it's a nice drive and you will not be disappointed in the food. Having said that, the restaurant will be closing next week and re-opening in March. Put it in your calendar for a Sunday drive activity in the spring.

On our way back from Genoa Bay we stopped at Birds Eye Farm Market and purchased farm fresh eggs and beets. There is one egg in the carton that surely killed the chicken when she laid it. It could pass for an ostrich egg except for the colour.

Once we arrived at Ta Daa and resting in the cockpit Ron happened to glance over toward the fuel dock and noticed a kid. He say "Hey, that's Sam and there is Sara and Phillip and Julie."

What a pleasant surprise. If you read our second or third posting you will note that we met up with some friends that just purchased a 57 ft Carver. Well, these are the same friends - what a coincidence. Off we trundled to take a peek at their new toy. It's a beautiful boat and very much suited to their needs. Congratulations Julie, Phillip, Sam and Sara. By the way folks, Julie who is a tiny mite is the skipper of this huge boat.

Dinner tonight was yummy. I looked up a curry dish that Ron and I enjoyed at Granville Island. It is Masala Chickpeas with Spinach. Look it up folks, give it a try. If you like curry you will like this. I thought I made enough for a couple nights but apparently not.

Thank you Doug from WestBay for forwarding Joe and Lisa's email. I have made contact and we will be visiting them tonight in Cowichan Bay. We will be leaving Maple Bay in about an hour to catch the ebb through Samsun Narrows.

So, time to prepare to undock... charts out,, route charted, instruments on, loose items secured, doggy life jacket on Winston and we are good to go.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

I cannot believe how fast the time has passed - some days before my very eyes and other days have lingered longer than I would have liked. All in all it is now September 26 and far too long since my last post.

Before I get rambling on to bring you up to date I just have to say that Granville Island is a delightful place to be. The markets are bustling by 0900, produce is being displayed, bread and baked goods are being lifted out of the numerous ovens. The aroma is delicious! Colours and more colours are everywhere - from flowers being the obvious to pasta to olives to fruits and veggies to prepared food. Our favourite was the curry. We felt is was the tastiest with the least amount of calories.

Ron and I treated ourselves to a fresh fruit salad for Sunday night dinner. It was accompanied by a honey, cinnamon 'record' baked at one of the market bakeries. We just had to try it. The 'record' was yummy with the fruit salad. It was sweet with honey and just the right amount of cinnamon to compliment our salad. It was truly a treat.

September 21, 2009

Today more work can be done on the boat - yahoo! Best of all the fridge will be put back in place and I will have my galley back. It won't happen until later today! I decided I would do a big chore. There is some hand stitching that needs to be done on the dinghy. I purposely went to the marine store to purchase a palm and some needles to handle the job. I got myself settled in the dinghy ready to sew for the next couple of hours. Why not, the weather is fabulous and I will feel good about getting this task completed.

I happily thread the needle with sufficient waxed whipping twine and push the needle through the hole - hence the needed palm. The palm is a tool to help me push the needle through the vinyl. I didn't even get one stitch completed and the eye of the needle broke off. Darn it all anyway. OK, thread the other needle and get stitching. It happened again. Now I am out of needles and a bit pissed at the whole situation. This task will now have to wait until I get back to Victoria so I can go to my favourite store for supplies - Bosun's Locker. Did I mention that even the palm fell apart when I tried to punch holes in it to re-size it for my little left paw. The dinghy was not meant to be stitched today.

Ron and I decided it would be good to go for a walk and some physical exercise. We walked for a couple hours up W 4th. It was a funky area and we discovered some good stores. There is a kayak / dive shop where I finally found a wet suit on sale; we found a book warehouse and Ron purchased two books. We now have The Lost Symbol from the author of Da Vinci Code. (Ron and I have both finished reading it at the time of this update). We also found a little tea store which I intend to go back to next time we are over there.

For supper and for old time sake, Ron and I went to Bridges for supper. We remembered having good food for good value on previous visits. We were greatly disappointed that their menu has changed.

September 22, 2009

I have been having great fun with the SSB radio in the mornings. I have been tuning into the Great Northern Boaters Net each morning at 0800. The reception at Granville Island was challenging but some morning I could talk to Barbara directly and other mornings I needed to use a relay. I have listened to people as far away as Miami, Florida. I've been a bit shy to talk to them but when I know better radio etiquette I will make contact and say hello.

This morning I should have just stayed in bed. I think it is time for a mini meltdown. I have noticed a couple more things that need to be addressed on the boat. One is the coffee pot leaking and the other is the port side salon shade. It has wrinkles... can you imagine! It will not retract properly and I cannot fix it. It seems like there is so much going on and no progress. I know that is not true but that is how I feel.

Today we were hopeful a part for the tachometer would be in. No luck. We did get some news though that it was just mailed and would be here in 2 to 3 days.... eeegads! That is Friday. I cannot sit here until Friday waiting for a part.

Ron and I decided that we would go to Keats Island - just off Gibson's Landing. We will leave the next day.

The crew is here again to deal with the sink drain. They have decided to replace the hose. Off the boat we go. When we came back I was asked to try the sink. Drum roll please....... The angels are singing a chorus of halleleujah (sp)! The sink drains and I cannot be happier.

This afternoon I cleaned, vacuumed and washed floors etc. It feels good to have our space back. While I did the inside, Ron polished the outside.

Our buffalo hide was changed out for elk hide and so now the canvas is back on the boat. Another good sign!

Tonight we had BBQ chicken and red peppers. It was very yummy and satisfying to have home cooked food.

September 23, 2009

Today we delivered flowers to Sarah the crew manager here and some coffee and treat money for the crew. They have really been working hard and things are being completed.

We have been at Granville Island a week and all done except for the tachometer and the blind.

We hare heading out at 1330 today for a couple days away. Our part for the tach should be - correction thinking positively -will be in on Friday morning. We will come back then.

On the way to Keats we heard on the VHF radio that a woman had disappeared from a cruise ship and was presumed to be overboard. We kept our eyes glued for anything odd in the water. I could only think how frantic her family must be. She is 67 years old. We saw Coast Guard on the water and SAR overhead. As I write this posting she has not yet been found and according to the paper it was a suicide as she was terminally ill.

We had no wind for sailing but it was great to be away from the dock and enjoy the ocean, the seals, the birds and the sun.

We docked at Keats. No moorage fees as it is past the season. We slept outside - in the cockpit - to watch the stars. I was waiting to see a falling star but no luck.

September 24, 2009

Today is our walking day. We hiked through the trails of Keats Island to Keats Landing. This island has several residents. The Baptist Church purchased a huge chunk of land in 1926 and it is what is now known as Keats Landing. As Ron knows when I walk somewhere I usually like to do a circle route. Little did he know I had plans to hike the highest peak on Keats. We had a spectacular view of Gibson's Landing and the Strait of Georgia - also known as The Salish Sea.

We were gone for three hours. It was a great hike. Winston had fun climbing the mountain. He was off leash most of the time and he was a very happy puppy.

Ron, Winston and I had a nap in the afternoon before making supper. We slept in the cockpit again waiting and looking for the shooting star. Again no luck but we had a fitful sleep.

September 25, 2009

Today is the moment of truth -will the part be in or not? We fueled Ta Daa at Gibson's Landing then headed around Bowen Island toward English Bay to Granville Island. We did not hurry to leave in the morning. By the time we got to Snug Harbour @ Bowen Island we called to confirm the location of our part. It was not in and confirmed that no parts would now be delivered until Monday. Ron and I looked at each other and we knew then it was time to head across the Strait to the Vancouver Island side. The part will now have to be forwarded to us and Ron will have to install himself. It's not that we couldn't have decided to do this in the first place but we have had such trouble we wanted it done by the service dept in the off chance that it still didn't work.

We made our decision. Another reason for heading across the Salish Sea is that the next day the forecast is for winds from the northwest and blowing 25 to 35 knots. That's gale force and we would then be forced to stay on the mainland side until the weather changed.

The crew at the service department at Specialty Yachts were outstanding! While I was frustrated that things were not happening fast enough there was nothing more that could have been done. I know that and I understand. Thanks everyone @ Specialty for your understanding and respect of our space aboard Ta Daa.

Momma Dougan -here we come! If you go back to one of my first postings you will note that Ron and I overnighted at Bud and Pat's dock. Since my Mom passed away, Pat had adopted me - hence Momma Dougan. Mom and Bud are the loveliest of people. You must meet them someday. And let me tell you - you don't mess with the Momma - when it comes to old Salts knowing their stuff about boating the Momma can tell you a story or three!

Once at dock we enjoyed a lovely meal on the front lawn as the sun displayed on a spectacular sunset. Even then, the Momma pointed out the clouds and boaters should not to take clouds for granted. They all mean something.

Ron and I love listening to their boating stories as we love to listen to my Dad's boating stories. There is one thing that seasoned boaters will always tell us - the boat can take more than the crew.

September 26, 2009

We had a great connection on the SSB today. Tonight I will try to contact the West Coast Boaters Net.

As I finished on the SSB and was about to head out with Winston for a morning stroll to get Bud's paper, the Momma called on the cell. Had we listened to the morning forecast and yes we had. It was calling for NW winds 25 - 35 knots. What that means when we are at Mom and Buds is that we leave the dock or the boat takes a beating. There is not much shelter from the NW. It was with great sadness we said our goodbyes and headed to Maple Bay. We had a great running sail with just the main and we topped 6.5 knots. Once at Maple Bay we called Mom and Bud. She reported that we had left none too soon. It was blowing a gale and right on the dock as she had predicted.

I have spent the afternoon doing laundry that desperately needed to be done. All in all, it was a good day. Tomorrow we will see what the forecast brings and then make a decision as to where we would like to go.

Time is drawing near for us to come home to WestBay Marine Village. I am not sure I am ready to come home. There is so much left to see and do. I guess it will have to wait until next year. Who out there wants to plan a trip around the island in June/July? I do, I do!!!

It's sunny on Granville Island. I have been remiss in updating the blog. The reason is simple... I have been feeling a little out of sorts with everything going on.

As I said before, everything happens for a reason. We had a list of issues that called for attention. Some could have waited and others we felt could not.

As you know, we came to Granville Island due to unsettling weather at the north end of the island and on the west coast. Ron and I determined this was the best decision considering he will be working out of Vancouver at the beginning of October.

One item on our list was a water drip in our aft cabin that was definitely more than condensation on the window frames. It seems that we had a major leak in two areas - the propane tank bin and through the arch where the canvas frame attaches. I cannot imagine what a nightmare it would have been this winter having to contend with these leaks. I don't even want to go there! Needless to say the crew here, Sara, Darren and Mark have been directing their attention to our issues.

We have been getting water in the bilge and may have solved that problem by stopping the leaks. We will see over the next couple days.

A primary reason for being here is our secondary refrigeration/freezer. It has not worked since we took delivery of Ta Daa. We now know that to access the secondary system, the primary system had to be completely removed from the galley. To do that our companion way stairs had to be removed. Freddy Freezerman was supposed to have a look at the system on Thursday afternoon but didn't make it until Saturday morning. We understand the delay and are very thankful he came out yesterday just for us. Problem now solved except that the crew here is not in until Monday to put everything back in it's rightful location.

Having mentioned all the above the galley is virtually unaccessable 'cept for coffee in the mornings. Our freezer and fridge food is being held under lock and key on another boat. The ceiling in our sleeping cabin was hanging down for three days until we were confident the rain would no longer penetrate and drip on our woodwork.

Ron and I will run some experiments to see if we can figure out the water in the bilge. As you know, when you want something to happen, it won't.

Through all of this I was not feeling my old chipper self. We were working alongside the people here to discuss and assist with the list of items. We have been eating out which is not my favourite thing to do.

We have breakfast and lunch pared down the a minimum cost. For breakfast the BELTCH sandwich is enough for two and only costs $6.00. For lunch I purchased a Tiffen Tin and it gets filled with two curry dishes for only $5.oo and the amount is enough for the two of us. The curry has been outstanding.

Another item on our list will be taken care of on Monday / Tuesday. It involves removing part of the canvas from the cockpit to replace the buffalo hide with elk hide. Our buffalo hide reinforcement is deteriorating much faster than it should. I guess elk are more though than buffalo - who would have thought?

Yesterday and today we went for long walks. Today was four hours which also involved off-leash areas for Winston. In addition we have been taking some pictures to help pass the time. There is so much here.

We are hopeful that we can leave here on Wednesday. It's up to the canvas guys now so we shall see. I will keep you posted.

While this is not the adventure we intended we made the right decision. While on the SSB this morning I became aware of a catamaran who was sailing the west coast. They endured three big storms which resulted in the loss of BOTH their rudders. They were being towed into Ucluelet by the Coast Guard. If we had insisted on sticking to our original plan, we would have been out there too.

Thank you all for checking the blog. It means a lot to us.
Until later - be happy!

While yesterday was exciting today was adventurous. We started out from Powell River with a favourable weather report. If any of you want to google Grief Point you will find that it is a jut of land that seems to have its own weather pattern. At Powell River - south marina - you are right behind the BC Ferry Terminal. It is also the home of numerous tugboats that come and go all through the night.

We headed out at 0845 toward Pender Harbour. The harbour we just left indicated 6 knots of wind. When we arrived at Grief Point it was gusting to 20 knots right on the nose. Then we hit a quiet area where the swells were 3 metres and the wind was only 2 knots. That was short lived. Before long we were in winds gusting to 25 knots, 3 metres+ seas and all on the nose. If we sailed all the seas would be on our beam and not a comfortable ride which would take twice as long as we would be tacking down Malaspina Strait. We made a conscious decision to take the short route and keep motoring. Any boat motoring the opposite direction would and did have smooth sailing. We passed many who waved and were taking much less beating than we were.

It was a very rough ride to say the least. At one point with the wind and the waves I was sure we were going backwards! Need I say more???

Our three hour trip took six. All was fine - we laughed, joked and talked about how we would do things different next time. Winston on the other hand did not find the rough seas amusing. He stuck to the cockpit floor like glue. Rest assured he was comfortable with bedding and extra coverings. He had been suffering from a sensitive ear. After picking up some earwash in Courtenay and using it dilligently his ear did not clear up.

Now you have to understand our gentle and sensitive little Winston. If he thinks he is going to be hurt he in on the defensive. Walking into a veterinarian office is usually not high on his priority list. Once in Pender Harbour and tied securely to the government dock, I immediately went to the office to phone the local vet. Once at the vet I warned him that Winston did not like the thought of pain and probably would not settle down in the office. Well, knock me over with a feather - Winston loved this guy. Nuzzled up to him, let him check his ear and all was a piece of cake. That was the best vet ever for us! Suffice it to say, he now has some medication for his ear and all will be well in a couple days.

Another interesting tidbit about Pender Harbour. Last year, Ron noticed that it is now the home of my father's former fishing vessel - Island Derby. It does not look the same. Last year when we were here the owner was not. Lo and behold he is aboard today. Naturally, I walked over and introduced myself and properly announce that my father used to own this boat. He was rightly excited. He promptly gave me his phone number to pass along to Dad. Let me say that this fellow is a character. Let your imagine to the rest. I did manage to get a couple snapshots.

For those of you who do not know (and I will try to keep this short) there is a portion of the Fraser River called Derby Reach - pronounced Darby Reach. My great-great grandmother had a farm there called The Derby. It was the first unofficial capital of British Columbia. The powers of the day didn't like the location so they moved the capital to Fort Langley. My grandmother was the first May Queen of Fort Langley. The family farm was called Derby. My great-uncle had a fishboat on the Fraser River called Derby Gal. When my father (a nephew) built his fishboat he aptly named her Island Derby because of living on Vancouver Island. Island Derby now lives in Pender Harbour. The first sailboat that Ron and I purchased, we named Derby Lass in keeping with the tradition. As you know we have strayed from tradition to something more whimsical. Just tonight a dinghy of people went by and all we could hear was Ta Daa.

Tomorrow morning we will listen to the 0400 weather report and make our decision whether to head to Gibsons or stay put for an extra day.

Mother Nature calls the shots!

Momma Dougan - thank you so much for the telephone call tonight. I had a great laugh and enjoyed hearing of your sailing experiences on Tapas!