So it was just a long weekend here, and I decided to take the opportunity to take off an extra two days, turning it into a 5 day weekend!
Most importantly, make sure Emma and I can spend 5 days on a boat without murdering each other.
Thanks Emma!
Tall ships are pretty.
The next morning we attempted to sail away in 3 knots of wind, slowly tacking from side to side. After an hour, we’d just made it out the bay so were forced to turn on the engine in order to get to the next anchorage by next week.
We originally had to tie two lines together to get back to the boat as it had drifted, but once we straightened out could get away with just one. Fortunately, as the two lines were tied together with a ‘Slippedy-Do-Da’ knot, which I am sure Emma made up and looked like a giant hairball.
Once we got all sorted out, it was rather nice.
And the solar panels worked a treat – generating power for ‘free’ is really awesome.
The next day we nipped off fairly early and went off to Saltspring Island. On approach down the long channel we FINALLY flew the spinnaker the correct way around….
…. and discovered it’s really way too small for the boat. Oh well. I’ll Add It To The List.
I’d forgotten it was the Round-Saltspring-Race, so there were over 100 sailboats in it! As they all started to head towards us, I hurriedly furled the spinnaker and switched the motor on and started dodging.
It was like that old PC game frogger, except the cars are shithot racing sailors who go faster under sail than we did under engine.
Eventually, we made it into the channel beside Ganges Harbour. While there we decided to row over for toilet paper, and on the way back to the boat (the row is over a mile) the wind picked up and we had 15 knots against us for most of the way. Emma rowed like a champ while I said encouraging things and we eventually got back. After that, we stuck on the outboard (first time doing it from the boat) using a halyard and lots of swearing. But once it was on, we were zipping around. So much fun!
However, during the first night we noticed the wind had changed and we were a mere 50 feet or so to the nearest boat. Now, I’m not sure that WE dragged, but I think that he had an all chain rode, and when we originally dropped our anchor I presumed he was at the edge of his swing, when in fact he was sat right over his anchor. Upshot being, I dropped closer than I would have done. Added to the fact we have a combo chain/line rode and so moved a lot more than he did and you have us getting close. It probably would have been fine, but better safe than sorry right? We pulled up anchor and redropped further away, an operation that went really well. Teamwork!
On to the Monday, and it was time to head out and back South.
Exciting stuff!
We spent the night at Sidney Spit, and then the next morning flew home on a strong ebb, making 8 to 11 knots.
I can’t wait for August!
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NextWednesday night racing and Swiftshore 2016!
We love Portland Island. When we were there we anchored in the largish area north of the stern tie area (~50′ depth) – didn’t bother stern tieing because it looked crowded.
The Porta-bote doesn’t look ugly! We get a lot of comments that it’s cute / neat, and we added her name to it for about $50 in nice looking decals.
Are you sure your spinnaker is a symmetrical one? It looks kind of like an asym (asymmetrical spinnaker) to me. Or perhaps it’s a gennaker, which is in between a genoa and a spinnaker.
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Yah it’s a lovely spot!
I’m pretty sure its a sym – it looks symmetrical… just undersized. I’m sure it’s not a gennaker – it’s got no hanks on it.
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Wonderful!
And I already told you to marry Emma, right? ?
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You did! Hah.
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