July 20th

IT IS RAINING THE NEXT DAY, what’s with that?

It was windy during the night and as we have the luxury of surreal calms in the bays we have stayed in, we both had difficulty sleeping. Penny is up very early to post the blog as Telus have limited service and if it gets too busy they’ll boot us off. The real frustrating thing is you do not know if it is a computer failure, YOU, or them.

 

 

It quite amazing the difference the rain makes, the Bonaparte‘s (gulls) are huddled down on the beach, the Deer/Horse Flies are not flying, and Chevy has not left her bed.

Overhanging the water is a snag, perched on it is ONE PROUD LONELY EAGLE and he is HUNKERING DOWN TO SHED THE RAIN.

Even the noblest must bend to the weather.

 

 

I am still amazed with modern technology. We get an E mail from Alf and Nancy on their vessel “SANTARA”. They are somewhere off the west side of Vancouver Island (members of BYC).We are on the north coast nearKlemtu. Their stove pipe on the heater is leaking.  They want some advice on sealing it. We send back: “Lift the deck flange, clean of the old sealer and use Silicone (a common household sealer)”. It will not fail when around heat. It is used on casting moulds for a number of low temperature melted metals. This was accomplished by E Mail on a boats located in remote locations. AMAZING!!

 

A FISH FOR DAVE

I am a little down in mouth as I’ve not done my primeval duty and secured a meal from the sea (Salmon). I have resigned myself that it would be just as effective to just drag around lures and other shinny objects without hooks. It would be a lot safer as I would not prick my pinkies on something sharp. We are anchored in Clothes Bay just below Klemtu, in a small group of islands hidden from the main channel.

ALL OF A SUDDEN a white yacht (Kadie Krogen) hove’s into to sight around the tip of the island looking to join us in this tidy little bay.

Instead of slowing down it loops around and scoots out of the bay and out of sight. I dash for my binos (BAKER STANDARD PILOT 7X50). Just as it clears the point my beady little eyes spy a BURRARD YACHT CLUB PENANT at the bow and a name of the vessel.

I commit the name to my memory as the “Free Spirit”. I root around the drawers to I find the BYC rooster.  I hail the yacht on VHF as I now have a name to attach to the boat. I launch into a long dissertation about ignoring us and them having better things to do and how lonely we will be without their presence in the bay. He doesn’t have a clue who’s talking to them and he requests the name of the vessel, (that’s my blithering on the air). He finally connects the dots and now realizes that I am having him on (my dumb English humor). He explains that he is going to Klemtu to see if there is moorage at the docks and if there is none he will return, (to keep us from being lonely) (my words). He does return and puts his hook down.

It is raining hard and I put off a visit to them till it lets up. It does. I putt over to Rob and Elizabeth and hang at the swim grid and talk about life, boats, their old dog and the fact they are traveling with other members of BYC, etc.

 We inevitably talk about fishing and I, not wanting to expose my shortfall in manhood, gloss over the fact that I HAVE NOT CAUGHT A SALMON. The subject comes up that there is internet in the bay. As a passing comment I let them know that Penny is publishing a Blog and it’s up to date more or less. 

Now I guess they have nothing better to do so they go on the Blog. A little later in the evening I hear a hail from the transom of OA. He passes up a nice piece of Salmon all neatly packaged.

I guess THEY HAVE READ THE PART IN THE BLOG ABOUT THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY. I don’t know if I am happy or sad. Sad that they know of my non skills in the Salmon catching dept., BUT HAPPY TO FINALLY GET SALMON. The Rains slows down and we have a peaceful evening