Summer vacation Cruise – June 27 – July 5, 2025

With time off from work for 4th of July we thought it would be nice to take a few extra days vacation and head to the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. Here is a quick synopsis of how it went down.

June 27, 2025 Friday

• Plan for departure at 2pm.
• Get all the way to the boat and realize I forgot medication. Duh! Back to the house then back to the boat.
• Top off at the fuel dock without incident.
• Overcast (not warm) 4+ hour crossing to Sucia.
• Anchor.
• Watch movie about Robots. Not bad.

June 28, 2025 Saturday

• Gorgeous morning – coffee and book in the sun.
• Departure – calm seas, no wind
• Skipper spots whale tail in the distance. I miss it because I am looking at the whale sighting app. Figures.
• Arrive at customs dock on South Pender (Poet’s Cove)
  • Mostly empty dock
  • Most boats have bow thrusters and a lot of the boaters use headsets. We are not fancy. No bow thruster, no headsets. I guess we are old fashioned.
  • Uneventful check in to Canada
• Anchored in Poet’s Cove for lunch to figure out where we wanted to go. Decided on Sidney Spit. Pull the anchor and head out.
• OMG! OMG! OMG! Whales! Whales! Whales!
• Sidney Spit – shallow, narrow entry. All balls taken. Found a spot and anchored.
• Captain’s Hour!
• Chill out, grill hamburgers.
• Deploy crab pot – get tangled in anchor chain. Catch crab. Too small.
• Get Troy (dinghy) off the deck and Ahbed (outboard) on Troy and head to shore.
• Soft sand beach – no wind.
• Launch drone – experience technical issues.
• Return to Nootka. While we were gone a new boat (Catalina 27 named Mookie) has anchored too close. Jess rows over to discuss. He was really nice, but they would rather not move.
• They are definitely too close. We can hear them casually talking. Oh well. There isn’t much wind so we call it a night.

June 29, 2025 Sunday

• Mookie was even closer in the morning, but we did not collide.
• Not a breath of wind. Beautiful summer day.
• Lots of splashes. Crazy Canadians are swimming in the morning.
• Jess plays guitar.
• I finish my book. It is a good book!
• Crab pot appears to have been lost overnight. We have a bet to guess what happened. Jess says it was stolen. I think it is tangled in the anchor chain. We pull the up anchor and I didn’t win the bet, but neither does Jess because there is no way to prove that it was stolen. Speculation.
• Make plans to go to Sidney to buy new crab pot.
• Find temporary anchorage at marina entrance. Notice we are anchored right at the race start line. Oh well. At least we are an equal opportunity obstacle for the racers.
• Dinghy to spongy sea weed beach = gross.
• Walk into town to find HW store.
• Town is super cute. Lots of fun shops, but we go straight to the HW store. No replacement trap to be found. We settle for silly rings that will be easy to store.
• Stop at Serious Coffee for pastry and insanely hot coffee. Why so hot?
• Walk to grocery store for bait (raw chicken). Also find coffee gifts.
• Jess stops at Liquor store for beer.
• Take photos of Nootka at anchor by herself. She is so beautiful.
• Tide has gone out. Troy is so heavy! Good Samaritans help. Shoes are slimed.
• Depart Sidney – note – worth coming back to stay longer.
• Jess worries about “rapids” exiting. Tracy on the helm – high confidence. Successful escape.
• Gorgeous boat ride in the sun and calm winds. Sat on the bow and took it all in.
• Dodged through congested Brentwood Bay and slipped into the skinny Tod Inlet.
• Tod Inlet is about the coolest place ever. Super protected, very calm. Hot! 78 degrees.
• Anchored and stern tied like pros.
• Captain’s hour and snacks (Cougar Gold).
• Inflate the kayak. Check the stern line and head to shore to explore.
• Nice beach and dinghy dock. Short walk to Butchart Gardens.
• Stopped to listen to boat concert – 2 old guys rafted, sitting on back powerboat deck playing and singing together.
• Several raft parties happening here.
• Back at the boat – steak, salad and fresh crab for dinner.

June 30, Monday

• Easy, lazy morning. Reading a book and watching wildlife
  • Fishing heron – success. Success again!
  • Bald eagle
  • Seal
  • So many jellies!
  • Chihuahua who had to pee
• Scorcher today – 85
• Kayak to shore.
• Walk to Butchart Gardens.
• So. Many. People.
• Gardens are very beautiful – just too many people. Especially the kind that are unaware that they aren’t alone.
• Got some lunch in the cafeteria.
• Wandered back to the boat.
• Lounged about.
• Took shower.
• Had dinner

July 1, 2025 Tuesday

• Decision – let’s go to Cow Bay (Cowlichan Bay)
• Not much wind to start but builds to 10 knots.
• Wind falls off to 6 knots so we decide to try the spinnaker.
• Once deployed – speed increased rapidly. Ran out of the room. Doused. Jibed and re-deployed – did 6.9 knots in 11 knots of wind. Was a spritely sail downwind.
• Reached Cow Bay and searched for good anchorage. Denied. Too many mooring balls and too much wind to anchor with enough room to swing.
• We head for Genoa Bay and find excellent anchorage in 32 feet.
• Jess goes out in the kayak.
• We take Troy to shore to have drinks and appetizers in Cafe. Very nice lady waits on us.
• Stop at Marina store and buy a book and a wine opener. Do not buy super cute whale things. Moby Whisk. Might have regrets.
• Back on Nootka Jess catches a big Dungeness!

July 2, 2025 Wednesday

• Perfect boat day!
• Left Genoa Bay to check out Cow Bay.
• Tied up at “visitor” dock and had to row Troy to dinghy dock.
• Nothing open except famous bakery.
• Nothing gluten free at bakery.
• Jess has best scone ever.
• Motor (no wind) to Burgoyne Bay
• Anchor
• Beautiful spot. Hot summer day. I read. Finish book, then finish another. Jess caught 3 red rock crabs.

July 3, 2025 Thursday

• Hiked to top of Mt Maxwell. Very steep trail in places. Really beautiful.
• Rare Gary’s oaks.
• Great views.
• Depart for Canoe Cove.
• Decide to sail upwind – almost got rails in! 7.4 knots with 12-14 knots of wind.
• Sailed almost all the way – wind died.
• Anchoring in Canoe Cove = tricky. Too many mooring buoys in Canada.
• Anchored right outside of marina – lots of small boat traffic.
• Call marina for place to land dinghy. D13 – easy.
• Walk short distance to Stonehouse Pub. Super cute, super friendly. Have dinner and drinks.
• Back to the boat for a shower and a movie.
• Another great day.

July 4, 2025 Friday

• Peaceful night’s sleep. No wind. No traffic.
• Morning trip into Fox and Monacle for a truly amazing latte and pastry (even gluten free!).
• Stopped in at marina office to meet nice lady from phone yesterday. Her name is Libby and she was named for Libby, MT. Super friendly. She confirmed we anchored in a good spot and recommended we check out Winter Cove and that we call Sidney Marina for dinghy parking next time we are there instead of landing on the gross beach.
• Sailed a good way to Stuart Island, until well into the lee.
• Tried to start the engine. No go. Jess is working on 2 things at once. 1. Checking into US with customs app and 2. troubleshooting engine.
• Give up troubleshooting and checking in. Jump start the engine and head for Roche to check in.
• Came around Stuart and … wind! Jess continues to get app to work so I single hand in 13 knots. It was glorious.
• Jess sorted out the customs app and gets clearance into the US.
• We come about to head back to Stuart – Prevost Harbor.
• It is a relief to have fewer mooring balls. Anchor easily in well protected harbor.
• Deploy Ahbed and take Troy to county dock.
• Buy 2 shirts at road side shop.
• Walk to Turn Point Lighthouse.
• Explore lighthouse – really cool.
• Walk back to dinghy dock and then take Troy back to Nootka for dinner.
• Stuart Island for the win. Great spot.

July 5, 2025 Saturday

• Go ashore to explore Reid Harbor.
• Pull the anchor and head back to Semiahmoo.