Telegraph Harbour, Thetis Island and Chemainus

Murals and summer stock plays a short ferry ride away in Chemainus

Weathervane on a restored house in Chemainus

Thetis Island Heron

Where were you on 9/11? We were here at Telegraph Harbour when a fellow sailor rapped on the side of our boat about 7am and told us how sorry he was for the trouble in New York, did we know about that yet? We will remember the concern and sympathy of the Canadian people for us on that day. We will also remember the strangeness of returning to the USA: no ferries running, no airplanes, few other boats. When we called in to Customs, we anticipated difficulty, but there was no problem, only "Welcome home." I guess US customs and immigration agencies knew us even then.

This morning before leaving Ganges, we talked again with dock neighbors who also have a Newport 30. Their lilting Scottish accents and good humor kept us there longer than we intended, but they certainly started our day with laughter all around. They finally walked up the ramp to the French patisserie. We had our sweet and savory tartes, bought yesterday afternoon, on the boat with coffee and juice. The French (French Canadian?) baker and his wife were speaking French to their customers.

It is a beautiful day, but no wind for our 25-mile trip to Thetis Island. No current to speak of either. Just lazy noisy motoring. There's no water on the dock here. Water is precious. They don't want people to wash boats with the water processed in their desalination system.