Our long time boating partner and Ross' Whitman College roommate,
Bill Jaquette, cruised with us for three week in June. His special lady, Kathy Shoemaker, joined us for the first few days. We had planned to venture further north to the Broughten Islands but a spate of windy weather forced an unusual 4 day weather hold in Nanaimo BC and an adjustment in our itinerary. On the other hand, the days were unusually sunny and pleasant and there was no shortage of beautiful scenery and interesting sightings.
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| Bill Jaquette and Kathy Shoemaker aboard the Molly Claire |
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| Bill getting ready to row in Nanaimo, BC |
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| Molly Claire awaiting her crew in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island |
Wind and Waves
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| For four days winds on the Strait of George ran over 20 knots. We poked our nose out on two different occasions, but found the going too uncomfortable for our tastes. |
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| This guy thought the conditions were just fine! |
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| So near yet so far...that's the BC mainland as seen from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. We did make a relatively calm crossing the next day. |
Pretty Places, Pretty Passages
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| Intriguing Speiden Island. She has a split personality. |
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| Lewis Channel, Desolation Sound |
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| Dent Rapids, northbound in Cordero Channel. Happily they look like a lake at slack tide. |
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| Dent Rapids, southbound in Cordero Channel - at slack tide |
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| Phillips Arm, BC mainland, just north of Desolation Sound |
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| Pryce Channel, Desolation Sound |
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| Squirrel Cove, Cortez Island, Desolation Sound |
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| Colorful shoreline, Sanora Island,northern Desolation Sound |
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| Picturesque Turn Point Light, San Juan Islands |
Logs, Logs, Logs
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| We frequently encountered the BC logging industry at work. Here some freshly cut logs are being "dumped" into Binkley Bay on East Thurlow Island in northern Desolation Sound. |
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| The logs are transported in big floating booms like this one we saw near Pender Harbor, BC. |
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| Some end up in huge piles along Northumberland Channel near Nanaimo. |
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| Finally they get loaded into large ships bound, we are told, for the far east. |
Animal Show Offs
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| Chatty eagle - near Blind Channel BC. We saw lots and lots of eagles, many in pairs as here. |
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| "Pius" eagle, along the Malaspina Peninsula, BC |
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| Thirsty gosslings on Newcastle Island, near Nanaimo, BC |
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| Proud Purple Martin father, on the docks at Newcastle Island |
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| Imperious cormorant, Garrison Bay, San Juan Island |
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| Smiley Alpaca, San Juan Island |
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| Peek-a-boo Orcas, Haro Strait near San Juan Island. This Orca behavior is call "spy hopping". |
Quiet Mornings, Stunning Sunsets
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| Prideaux Haven in the morning, Desolation Sound |
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| San Juan Islands in the morning, seen from Boundary Passage |
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| Dusk, Winter Harbor, Saturna Island, BC |
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| English Camp in the evening, Garrison Bay, San Juan Island |
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| The sun sets on Patos Island...from Shallow Bay, Sucia Island |
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| The sun sets over Trincomali Channel...from Montague Harbor, Galiano Island, BC |
Beautiful!
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