Sucia Island Rendezvous 2011, Part 3

Farewell to Fossil Bay. Some of us went home and some continued north into Canada. The BC Canadian islands are called the Gulf Islands. We spent one night at anchor in Bedwell Harbor where we checked in with Customs.









The following day was warm (for a change) as we set off for Portland Island. The tide was in our favor and also what little wind there was. It took four hours to sail nine miles, which is why many people do not like sailing.
But I must say, it was very fine!







One more night of revelry (indeed - in bed and asleep before dark - we call that revelry?) and the next morning everyone went their separate ways.

Jamie, in Wayward Lass, decided at the last minute to head north with me instead of south and homeward.



Here comes the best part.






We headed out into Moresby Channel just as the wind started to pick up. Jamie hove-to and put in a reef. He yells over to me "the best time to put in a reef is when you think of it".

Jamie is a very smart man.







I yelled back "Damn the maneuvers, go straight at 'um" and gave her all the canvas she had. We shot off the wind up Swanson Channel and surfed the waves for four hours. That's the beauty of destination sailing. You head off in a favorable direction and you keep going as long as it's favorable. No need to round up and beat back, just keep the sail full!
(I know if Adrain sees this he's going to insist I get rid of those shrouds.)





As it was, we were on the lead edge of a storm front and while anchoring in James Bay on Prevost Island that evening, we had time to contemplate our grand passage as rain came down on the Chebacco's cockpit tent. We shared some Scotch and I borrowed Jamie's phone to call Mary at home.
He tells me "Make sure you tell her Doryman is Crazy".









The storm continued the next day and though Jamie had to get home, I had nowhere to go in this kind of weather. Note that I have abandoned the plastic hoop frame for the tent. It was a good idea, but took too much time to put up and strike each day.
Since the boom is not attached to the mast with a balanced lug rig, to suspend the boom, yard and sail requires two halyards. It took some trials over a few days to get this right and even then a portion of the rig stuck out each end of the draped tent, which encouraged rain to drip inside. So here I am sitting in a dripping tent on a dark heavily overcast day, in a tiny boat on a lonely sea.

Perhaps Doryman is crazy.
.