Sept. 24th - Home Sweet Home!

Our 3,800 mile, six month odyssey has come to it's end!
We have completed the circle.
We will savor the wonderful memories and during the winter we will plan our next adventure.


It was difficult to leave "Seventh Heaven". She has been our home and refuge for the last six months protecting us from wind and rain, high seas and icebergs. She has taken us amongst the creatures of the deep and allowed us to see the incredible beauty of the north. She is now in her winter berth at Roche Harbor.

Sept 16th - 23rd Heading Home!

We retraced our passage south stopping at Campbell River for two nights and Comox for one night. Our next port was Nanaimo for one night. In the morning we timed the tide for Dodd Narrows and with the wind and currents with us, we bypassed two scheduled stops at Maple Bay and Genoa Bay and headed for home!

Sept.15th - Johnstone Strait to Port Neville

As we passed by Blackfish Sound near Robsin Bight we came upon a pod of Orcas.


We have often seen them in this area.


It was a beautiful day and the current was in our favor.


We always enjoy seeing Lorna when we stop at Port Neville. She is the Post Mistress and curator of her family's store, now a museum, founded in 1924. She is the granddaughter of the first settler that came there in 1891. She lives in this remote place alone now that her only daughter is married and living in Campbell River. Her smiling face is a welcome sight when she greets you at the dock and helps with the lines.


In the morning we waited for the fog to clear.


To our amazement a ethereal "fogbow" appeared, a "rainbow" without color. This brilliant apparition looked as if you passed under it, you would enter the world beyond. The superstitious side of me took it as a "good sign" to leave for our passage through Seymour Narrows.
According to Wikipedia: "A fog bow is similar to a rainbow, but because of the very small size of water droplets that cause fog, smaller than 0.05 mm, the fog bow has no colors and appears white. Fogbows are sometimes called "white rainbows" or "cloudbows". Mariners sometimes call them "sea-dogs."

Sept. 13 - A Real Northwest Feast!

It has become customary to have a seafood feast at Kathleen and Jim's in Sointula.

The menu included:
Louie's Fresh Cooked Crab
Kevin's Fresh Coho Salmon with Sesame and Honey, Giant Grilled White Spot Prawns
Kathleen's Jicama Coleslaw, Smoked Salmon and Halibut, Cheese and Crackers and Sangria
Mary's Balsamic and Mandarin Orange Salad and Apple Pie with Vanilla Yogurt
Jim made Cappuccinos to top it all off. Simply Wonderful


The setting sun overlooking Rough Bay from the deck where the silhoette of a bird sculpture slowly fades into the darkness. Good Night Sointula and see you next year!

Sept. 11th - A Visit to Sointula

Upon arrival to Sointula I was invited to join a group of "Hearty Finnish" residents of Sointula to hike a 10K out to the west side of Vancouver Island to San Josef Bay. It is located just below Cape Scott, the northern most tip of Vancouver Island facing the Pacific Ocean. Early in the 19th century there were several Scandinavian settlements in this wilderness that failed due to the harsh conditions.

We hiked through the lush rain forest along a well marked trail.

There are a myriad of plants laden with berries and blooms.

Mystical formations abound as we continued on the trail expecting to see a gnome or a fairy peek out from under a tree.

A variety of mushrooms grow in the damp rich soil of the forest floor.

As we rounded a curve we could see the first glimpses of the San Josef Bay and hear the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean.

Alas, the "outside" or the open ocean. After sailing the inside passage for a long time a new sense of freedom and openness overtook me!

As I hiked the beach, I came upon volcanic plumbs extruded through the sand from some ancient eruption.

I spent hours beachcombing on the smooth sandy beach.

Gulls rested and a mirror like reflection was created in the sand as the gentle waves broke on the beach.

We hiked back to the logging road and as we drove out we encountered this huge black bear! At first we thought he might charge the car but we stopped and rolled up the windows.

He continued along the road and then slipped into the forest.

Further down the logging road we encountered this young bear eating clover along side the road. He paid no attention to us and just kept about his business.

Out in the middle of nowhere was the welcome sight of the "The Scarlet Ibis Pub". I am sure it is there for the convenience of the loggers that work in the area. After all of those bear sightings we were ready for one of Canada's hearty meals and a hard cider!

This is definitely a meal for a logger or in this case a 10K hiker.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of a plate of Canadian Poutine! Surely this will put the pounds back on that were lost hiking 10K.

The Long Journey Home

We felt as if Neptune himself had sent this magical escort.
As we sailed down Fitz Hugh Sound we encountered a pod of about 100 White Sided Dolphins jumping and diving in the brilliant blue water.



Soon others joined us racing in the bow wake.



They played with us for over an hour.



I almost fell in hanging over the bow as one rolled on it's side to look at the red headed creature looking back.



Then just as they appeared, they disappeared moving away at lightening speed.



We pulled into Duncanby Landing off of Rivers Inlet to prepare for our crossing of Queen Charlotte Sound to Vancouver Island.



A playful otter greeted us.



We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and settled in for the night.