I’ve Got Georgia (Strait) On My Mind

I’ve Got Georgia (Strait) On My Mind

Woke up before 6 to light rain.  Weather forecast tells us there is a high wind warning but that the winds will diminish to light as the day progresses.  We listen to weather on the VHS and since we have easy access to the internet, we double check it.  We pay attention to buoy and lighthouse data as well.  Winds are at least 15 in most places but not much higher.  We linger a bit over coffee and breakfast – thinking that as the time passes, the winds die down.  Then again, since we have a 10-hour journey to our destination, lingering too long is not a good idea. 

We pull up anchor at 7:50 and work our way along the waterway past Nanaimo and into Departure Bay.  From there we set a course to keep as much of the weather to our stern as possible.  Eventually, we must head east to cross the Strait and find the weather on our beam.  Now, the boat rolls and we quickly discover what hasn’t been well-secured.  In a few miles, once we reach the southern tip of Lasqueti Island, we are able to change to a more comfortable course.  We head northeast, passing between Lasqueti and Jedediah and then along the west side of Texada Island. 

Soon we reach Desolation Sound.  It almost breaks my heart to scurry through this beautiful cruising ground.  There are so many wonderful anchorages but on we go.  The problem is – that if you stop at each of them, you will never make it to Alaska.  So, with the promise of a more leisurely trip south, we continue north.

Refuge Cove

A few minutes before 5, we make a turn into Refuge Cove.  In years past, we have anchored across the channel in Squirrel Cove.  So, this will be a change of scenery for us.  The rain has started to fall again and the fog is descending on us.  We work our way into the cove to the public dock where we find plenty of room to tie up for the night.  It is still early in the season, nothing is open and almost no one is at home.  We learn from a couple on a tired-looking houseboat on the dock that there is an honor system to pay for moorage at this time of the year.  $30 Canadian will cover us.

We walk up to the closed Liquor Store, put our money in an envelope and slide it through the slot.  Then back to boat for dinner and a quiet evening in the rain.