A Short Cruise Around Home

Day 1 started off a bit of a drizzly morning while Jean-Francois and I worked on installing the new tent.  Fortunately we had the garage to work in.  After lunch we loaded up and drove the ten minutes to Gibsons Marina boat launch where, every though it was a summer Sunday, the weather seemed to keep things pretty quiet there.  We rigged our boats and I returned my trailer to home while Jean-Francois found some street parking and paid our launch ramp fees.

Launched and ready to go!

Boats in the water, ready to go and my normally super reliable Honda 2.3 hp outboard refused to start.  Eventually it did but ran pretty rough and managed to choke out just as we were leaving the breakwater.  Eventually got if running and out of the marina where we were able to raise sails and potter around a bit before tying up at Plumper Cove (where I can see my house so no great expedition yet).  Pleasant evening chatting on the dock and cooking up some dinner.  Then off to bed under my awesome new cockpit tent.

Day 2 was all about fluky light winds and fluky motor which seemed to run best at half choke.  By the end of the day we dropped anchor at Halkett Bay Marine Park.  We were the only ones there which is wild considering it is June and so close to Vancouver.

Nasty clouds over Mt. Elfinstone

Dodging the ferries

Day 3 started early and we ghosted our way out of Halkett Bay under light or non existent winds.   Saw a cool herring ball and a couple of huge sea lions checking it out.  Out in the sound we sailed and paddled until a point where I fired up the Honda and headed homewards while Jean-Francois planned to sail around Keats and overnight at Plumper before hauling out and heading home early the next day.  Just south of Keats I caught a nice breeze and had fun tacking my way into Shoal Channel and eventually tacked right into a slip at Pumpers where I made up a bite of lunch.  After lounging around there awhile I motored back to the marina.  Our friends have a private dock inside the breakwater that they use one side of for their large sailboat and said we were welcome to use the other side as much as we like.  The only issue is that the slip can dry out at super low tides.  No problem with a Scamp.  So nice to be able to leave Fib in water.  I emptied the boat and brought the motor along when Lisa picked me up there.

Where's the wind?

Fib with Gambier Island in the background

Sweet little docking set up.