Returning South

Hospital Lake Swimming Raft

Evening at Pender Harbour

Yellow Point

There are three lakes--Garden Bay, Mixtel, and Hospital lakes--relatively undeveloped within easy walk of 5-6 miles from Pender Harbour. We took a map from the marina and walked the roads, and had an ice cream cone from John Henry's general store when we returned.

Out of Pender Harbor, the seas were calm in Malaspina Strait in the early morning. The weather forecast for the Strait of Georgia was the same as the day before--10-20 knots NW winds diminishing to 10 late morning. Manageable. And, the Canadian torpedo test area Whiskey Golf was not being used that day. We motored south, hoping to minimize our time on the Strait by traveling a straight line to Nanaimo. By the time we were in the middle of the Strait the winds had picked up and the seas were building. We began hearing maydays on the radio. One 43-foot sailboat was caught in a fishing net. Another lost its rudder. The Coast Guard asked for anyone in the area who could provide assistance. We were not in the immediate area, and as the seas and winds continued to build, we were just trying to cope ourselves. Eventually, we made it to Nanaimo, after six hours. I relived that experience through the night in my dreams.

The next morning early we escaped the Strait through Dodds Narrows to the Gulf Islands and sailed in light winds to Ladysmith, Page Point. Along the way we passed Yellow Point, a beautiful traditional Canadian resort. We're told they have afternoon tea. As we passed, a large salmon rose and rolled beside the boat. We took that as a good omen. The sturdy docks gave us a good night's rest.