Back on the Road Again

Wednesday May 2 - Monday 7, 2012

After the wind died down, we left Spruce Harbour Wednesday morning and promptly ran into a hail storm. However, we saw a harbour porpoise at the end of English Bay and decided that was a good omen. We went quickly up the coast, arriving Thursday night at Quadra Island where the Swiss choir was meeting.

We came to the dock on Friday morning. As I was about to walk up the ramp to check in, I heard, "Hello Judy!" It was Karin - two carloads of singers had already arrived. We spent most of the day talking and fixing things and giving boat tours.

On Saturday, Rolf and Heather Kellerhals invited the choir to their farm. Rolf is originally from Bern. They were at the Swiss Choir Singing Festival in Vancouver last June and met Marie-Louise, our choir president. That was where the idea of an excursion to Quadra was hatched. The Kellerhals farm is one of the original quarter sections (1/4 x 1/4 mile) given to the European settlers. When we arrived, a half dozen cattle greeted us as if they had never seen so many people at one time! Rolf and Heather showed us their orchards and gardens. Then we went to the beach to harvest clams and oysters. In the evening, we sang in the Heriot Bay Inn to a sold-out crowd.
Sunday morning we sang at the native church on south Quadra. Dubravko, our choir director, played the organ. Reverend Mimi and her helpers gave us lunch.

In the afternoon, untied our lines to catch the slack at Surge Narrows (it runs up to 11 knots) just north of Heriot Bay and then anchored around the corner in the Octopus Islands.

Monday morning we got up at 5 AM to catch the next narrows in Okisollo Channel at slack and headed up Johnstone Strait. A pod of Dall's porpoise were feeding in the eddies. We had up to 6 knots (10 km / hr) current with us, so our speed over ground got up to 12 knots. We had lunch at a temporary anchorage. Magpie was grateful for the respite. We went through the next narrows, Chatham Channel, at 6 PM at slack water. Anchored in Cutter Cove; it's a good crabbing spot but we're too tired.

So we've made pretty good progress on our way to Alaska and managed to see friends along the way!