Gunboat Passage

A little FLIRT IN FORIT BAY

We are now steaming for Gunboat Pass offs Fisher Channel and enter. Penny has her face in the Cruising Guide and thinks that we should stay for the night in FORIT Bay.  I being the constant gardener say “GO FORIT IT” (DUMB COMMENT). It is tucked behind FLIRT ISLAND; I control myself and do not say a word as she knows the next dumber words that were coming out of my yap.  

I am strong and will not give her the satisfaction of being right after being married 50 years. It is a place that she says we have been before.  Could have fooled me as I am still looking for my castle. OLD AGE IS NOT FOR THE TIMID, faint of heart or those who cannot stand pain. My advice is don’t get old.

 It is a precious little anchorage and the only thing to worry about is there are two rocks on its entry. We slide by them and have the bay to ourselves for the night. It does have Deer Flies but they are only in the hundreds not the thousands like Eucott Bay. The next day a dream yacht comes in; we have seen her on previous passages. Her name is “Barbar'ic”. (My eyes are not sharp any more) The thought of calling this beauty that causes a frown to appear on my forehead. She is a beautiful yacht and is far from being that. Perhaps I should go over and tell him the name stinks or maybe perhaps he owns a meat packing plant. I study the name through the binos for some time and Penny says what are you looking at? “What’s wrong with the name BARBERICK? She is obviously BARBRA AND HIS IS ERIC!”

Her Master is varnishing while her First Mate comes by after walking a perfect puppy on the beach. She is an incredibly nice person and it turns out they have toured OA and we have shared many moorages and bays with them. I Guess I was too busy filling holes to look up and see this dream yacht.

There was a very nice dark blue hull Motor Sailor that stayed the night and left in the morning at low water. Penny and I stood there with our mouths hanging open as he was heading right for a reef that was hidden several feet under the water. He just stopped in time and backed down and wormed himself around it. There was another pretty sail boat (old timer) moored in the bay but the low tide forced him to move to deeper water. He too was fooled by the reef.

ONE MORE BAY BEFORE SHEARWATER

We have found a small bay with a lagoon attached to it (no name) before Shearwater. The “Ravens” want to fly so mid-day we take them out for a run to Shearwater. We are greeted at the main dock by Christophe the Dock Master. We tie up and I go to the candy Store (Marine Chandlery) and pick up a new bilge pump for the “Ravens” as the auto bilge pump will not work (important). Penny goes and gets provision that will sustain our souls like wine for her and Irish Whisky for Me. She gathers fresh veggies from the local store soon as she can.  The herds are coming in for grazing rights on the fresh veggies from the store. There will be none to be had till next Tuesday from Vancouver. Later we discovered that the store proprietor actually shells out fresh veggies each day, so all can have.

We have reserved Shearwater MARINA for the 7^th of July which is ones birthday. This reservation was by Internet. We are in the middle of nowhere and we have a clear signal from Telus. (our telephone & internet supplier.)  We receive a response the next day with the reservation accepted WOW. Ain’t technology great WHEN IT WORKS! We can hear the chatter from the “Shaman, Raven Spirt, Gulf Island,” and now we can hear the Shaaks on the “Reunion”.  It is the first time Paul and Jane have been around Cape Caution. They could not be in more experienced company.  This will be a great adventure for them and will only (I think) wet their appetite to go further north. As I write this I believe that they will be in Shearwater on the 8th of July. Penny and I do not want to interfere with the flotilla and add to the fray as they have enough to do just keeping every one safe and on the same page.