The day before departure

By -
Friday, 30 May 2008
The really nice breezes blow through my body and into my soul.
~Astrid Alauda~
The day before departure, time to do a final check on my packing list. Usually my packing list consists of Passport, wallet and Visa card. You can always pick up whatever else you need when you get there. In this case you do not have that option, so forgetting the warm socks or sunscreen could be a big mistake!
I downloaded the latest weather animation for the Pacific Coast..

A bit of an unsettled pattern. No sign of the big pacific high yet!

One of our first Challenge will be exiting the dreaded Straights

Strait of Juan de Fuca, affectionately known as "Juan de Puka" by sailors is, approximately 102 miles long and 10 to 18 miles wide and forms the boundary between the U.S. and Canada. It is also the gateway to the Pacific making it a busy route for comercial traffic heading to and from Vancouver and Seattle. It was named in 1788 by the English Captain John Meares of the ship Felice, for Juan de Fuca, a fabled Greek mariner who explored the area in the late 16th century. The cold waters of the strait, because of their exposure to the westerly winds and waves of the Pacific, are known to be a challenge. This is compounded during a ebb tide, which creates the dreaded wind against tide, producing short steep waves! Hence the nick name, Juan de Puka!

An early start tomorrow, I plan to leave for the boat at 0700. I will need to do some last minute checks before departing, as well as that last long hot shower! Bill is giving me a ride down to Coal Harbour. Cheryl and the kids will pick-up Deb (arriving from Ottawa at 9.30) at the airport and then they will come down to see us cast off!

Feels like the night before Christmas as a kid. Can't sleep waiting for Santa to come. Ironically, Jim our skipper plays Santa at one of the Vancouver shopping malls! True!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Berkana Trip Log Vancouver to Hawaii

By -
Image
------------------------- Saturday, 30 May 2008 - "Are you nuts?" "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” I woke up at 5.00am with nervous anticipation, checked my packing list one more time to ensure I had everything. Did not forgot anything. Only because I had packed everything I own into 4 bags! I got a ride to Coal Harbour with Bill, arriving at 8.00am. Met Steve and Jim at the dock, they were just heading for breakfast, so I dumped my stuff on the boat and Bill and I joined them. For breakfast we all had greasy eggs & bacon and coffee. Pouring scorn on the rule number one and two of seasickness: 1. Do not eat greasy food 2. Do not take caffeine We may live to regret this bravado! We had a good crowd come down to wish us “ Bon Voyage”, including Doug, Laur
Read more

Vancouver to Hawaii Trip Preperation

By -
Image
Destination Kailua , Oahu (21° 18'N 157° 43'W), ~2400 miles! “Who is staring at the sea is already sailing a little.” - Paul Carvel Departure Scheduled from Coal Harbour at 11.00 am on 31 May, we expect the passage to take between 21 AND 25 days. You can follow the journey here;  Trip Log THE CREW . . it must be remembered that the sea is a great breeder of friendship. Two men who have known each other for twenty years find that twenty days at sea bring them nearer than ever they were before, or else estrange them. ~ Gilbert Parker Skipper - Jim Lavers A certified CYA sailing instructor who has been sailing since his boyhood in Cornwall, England. He has sailed extensively in B.C. waters over the past 30 years and has also logged over 45,000 miles of offshore sailing. His voyages have taken him to Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii and French Polynesia. Jim's history reflects his love of sailing and his deep respect for the ocean. One of his greatest pleasur
Read more

Fishing Cruise Up Sechelt Inlet

By -
Image
6th - 10th May 2008 Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for life. I met Bill at the crew meeting for the Hawaii trip. Bill is on the return leg taking the boat back from Hawaii to Vancouver. He is a very keen fisherman and is semi-retired. He has just finished work and will take the summer months off. I'd been looking for someone who knew a bit about fishing so I asked if he would be interested in a fishing cruise and teaching me the finer art. He was! We settled on a trip up Sechelt Inlet. Tuesday, 6th May Bill picked me up at the house at 9.00 am and we drove down to Granville arriving at 9.40. Bill said he liked the Bavaria, all that space! I had provisioned the boat the day before so we loaded Bill's gear and cast off at 10.30 am. Our plan was to make for Green Bay, about 40 miles up the coast and then 5 miles up Agamemnon Channel. It was a nice slow cruise allowing Bill and I to get acquainted. We both brought fresh baked muff
Read more