Pitt Lake, BC Cruise

Here we go again!!! And this time I am not going alone! I am towing my sister... 18 ft. Seaswirl Cuddy Classic with a 150 HP outboard... Why you ask?... I'll tell you in due time...














In order to get to Pitt Lake we had to go upstream the Fraser River all the way passed the Port Mann Bridge and then turn North to the Pitt River. Follow it all the way up to the Lake, which, by the way, is the largest tidal lake in the world...



This journey could be called the bridges journey as we had to cross 14 of them and one under construction. Three of them are so low that if you find them closed with the train crossing through them, you have to wait till it passes through and it is open again... Here you can see the Sky Train bridge, the Patullo bridge and the Canadian Pacific Train bridge from New Westminster's Quay...


Once we reached the Pitt River Railroad bridge it was closed and had to wait 40 minutes for all the train traffic to clear so it could be open for me to pass through...

By then it was already dark but I kept going, and finally we reached the lake, which is a tricky one as I had to follow a specific channel in order to avoid the sand banks... Well... Hmmmmm... At least that is what I was supposed to do, but guess what?.... Yup, you are right... I am ashamed to admit it too... I got trapped into a shallow, and to make things worst, remember I was towing my sister?, well, the towing line caught the propeller and got jammed. So here I am, pitch black, trapped in the sand, a rope in my propeller and the Captain was not very happy, needless to say the Admiral wasn't either... Anyhow, the Captain lies down on the swimming grid and tries to reach the rope and he almost took a dive. Then he realized that the bottom was just 3 ft so he could jump into the water and release me from the rope... Wetsuit on, here he goes into the water... untangles the line and pushes me into the deep channel.... Thank you Captain!...

It is already quite late and I don't know where my friends are anchored at so I anchored in what seemed to be a nice spot at the north tip of the first Island you find into the lake, but the wind was blowing and despite my strong efforts to hold my anchor we were dragging towards the island so the Captain and the Admiral decided to switch anchoring location and found a protected spot from the wind where we spent the rest of the night there...

Next morning the Captain took my sister to cruise the lake to find the friends I was going to meet with (No, this is not why I was towing my sister... that will come later...) and he did!


So here I am with two of them!














And here is the other one!!!

We also had a log that worked as a mooring dock for "My Little Appendix"!







This place is in a lake, yes I know, I said it before, a tidal lake... but still a lake... So, why is it called a "Marine Park"...


























Which, by the way, has some spectacular camp sites like this one...












At the beach all my friends crews gathered while we rested quietly anchored and with our stern lines secured...





















Ahhh... here comes the luxury!!! A gen-set powering a pump....




A fire warming a copper coil...













And, yes, the crew was able to enjoy a HOT TUB in the middle of nowhere!!!














While the admiral enjoyed being with the newest crew member... Sherlock




















Any catching today Lalo?

Well... I can tell you now why I brought my sister to this trip... It happens that Joaquim had to be back in Richmond Sunday morning for his first Foot-Ball game of the 2007 season, so the Captain and JoJo took my sister back to Richmond for the game (which was won by the Richmond Raiders Peewee team over the White Rock Titans with a score of 28-6)... Way to go Raiders!!!...

After having a wonderful time at the lake everybody set course back home and, yes, we had to go through all the bridges again... Fortunately, this time they open the bridge for us right away...

Here is a Google Earth map of this journey...

Cruise to Ganges and Sydney, BC

Ahhh... Here we go again!!!









The Georgia Strait was flat as a pond!



And we arrive to Ganges in Salt Spring Island where I was assigned a spot among the BIG BOATS... In front of me I had Bandido who is at least a 120 footer...

Some passers by asked us if we were Bandido's tender...

The Ganges Saturday Market is a must see... walk... and a good place to buy organic and delicatessen products as well as handcrafted art pieces... The crew went to it and brought back several goodies...













After the market walk we were supposed to go to Sydney but I decided that it was too soon, so I had my port engine fail and made the Captain go back to the dock and let the Crew and a friend take My Little Appendix for a ride... Oh boy! They had a blast... raced with other 2 dinghies, water fights, etc...













So, this time I docked right behind my good friend Forever with whom we cruised together the first day... Well, she was sitting there waiting for a Doctor to check a blown exhaust gasket and I was there waiting for that same doctor to check my port engine...













After spending a second night at Ganges and my problem apparently solved we set course to Sydney, or should I say to the "Capital City Yacht Club" at Tsehum Harbor to enjoy a reciprocal moorage... While we were on our way my port engine failed again but we continued our journey anyways...





Let me tell you, this yacht club has some awesome facilities, I was really comfy waiting here for the crew while they took the bus to Victoria in order to see the "Titanic Artifacts" exhibit... Although I have been thinking: Is it a good thing to go to a Titanic exhibit by boat?...










Any way, the crew came back happy and ready to go back home, but it was late already and with only 1 engine available my Captain wisely decided to wait till the morning...

Here we are at Active Passage and I have a big BC Ferry right in front of me!!!













Oh-oh... I have another one right behind me!!! Hurry up, get aside!!!














And here they are crossing side by side right behind me...














Uff!!! All clear, now lets rock and roll with their wake!!!













In this trip we saw several dolphins although the crew was too slow with the camera!!! but the seals are soooooo lazy that they are taking a ride on board this logs being hauled up river at the Fraser's North Arm...














Here is a Google Earth image of this trip...

Cruise to Bowen Island, Gibsons and Gambier Island, BC

It has been some days since we went for the last trip, but until today I got all the pictures I needed to make the report...




Here I am, ready to go again!!!








We started last Saturday, kind of late as my owners had to arrange everything for four kids (my two young crew members and other two visiting crew members from Mexico)...

Let me introduce you to Fernanda...

And he is Jose Manuel, better known as "Joso"...

Our visiting crew from Mexico!!!





Everybody is ready to go and we set course to Bowen Island... So we followed my friend Tia Lynn, who set anchor at Bowen Island, next to Snug Cove
















And Tia Lynn's Captain Shane took all the kids for a JetSki ride!!!








As I didn't have a slip to stay in Snug Cove we continued our journey all the way to Gibsons in the Sunshine Coast where I had a guaranteed bed to sleep (got a full slip all for myself!)...


Here the crew had a nice dinner... Hey Jojo!!! Do you mind sharing some wings with the rest of us?

Sunday morning, after a shower for the crew in the excellent facilities at Gibson's Marina and not before an excellent breakfast for the crew and a full tank of gas for me, we set course to the West Bay of Gambier Island where we were lucky and found that my Captain's friends were at home and they invited us for lunch in their gorgeus house!!!




Here I am at their dock while the crew is sharing with Martin, Tracey, Anna and James an excellent lunch...

In such an award winning house!!!










Later on we went back to Bowen Island where we met again with Tia Lynn while we waited for the winds to ease a bit and make the journey back home more pleasant...













In the meantime the crew had time to relax and walk around...

Here are the Admiral and the Captain...














or run a bit...

or even get wet...



Hey Joso!!! Is the water cold?





It was starting to get late, so, finally we headed home...














and arrive to Richmond while enjoying an awesome sunset!!!













Here is a Google Earth image of this trip's route...













Happy cruising to all!!!

Cruise to Silva Bay, Gabriola Island, BC.

Hello again...

I spent several days under my new doctor's care (or should I say Marine Mechanic?) so he could fix some issues with my two engines. He found several things that were neglected by my previous owners and that now are going to be taken care off. Some of them already have, and some will be done as the actual conditions fail and make it necessary...

Any way, as I was saying, I spent several days off duty, but everything seemed to be ready to go again, so, last Saturday we set course to Silva Bay at Gabriola Island for our inaugural cruise as an Airport Yacht Club Members!...

There was some wind (north-westerlies) so we encountered some 4-6 footer waves and IT WAS FUN!!!, well, at least for me... We might have to ask the passengers on board if they had fun as well... I think one of them got sea sick, but no big deal...

We were half way to Silva Bay when my port engine's alternator got loose (remember I said some things were found that needed to be fixed upon failing?... Well, this was one of them...) and the engine stopped but I was able to arrive to Silva Bay where a bunch of new friends were waiting for Us...

Here I am at Silva Bay, surrounded by some of my new acquired friends from the Airport Yacht Club!!!













Let me introduce you to one of the Dolphin's Crew... This is Antonio who spent lots of time fishing for the first time and he was succesful!!!




HOORAYYYY!!!!








Although the second Crew member whose name is Joaquim (right) being assisted by my new friend Sirena's Captain (Bob) was somehow succesful and caught a new species that, shall we call it "Wires ellectricus"?













Here is Antonio with Mike (the Fleet Captain for the AYC)... Hey Antonio, are those BBQ ribs any good?

Ohh! And that piece of corn sure looks delicious as well!!!

It also happened to be The Admiral's birthday and we even had a home made cake!!! (Baked at Sirena's oven by Audrey)

Did I mentioned that I have lots of new friends? Well here is one of them: Sirena














Any way, after some bizarre incidents and lots of help from so many friends, I was able to run again and we returned to Richmond Tuesday afternoon after enjoying good weather, good company and new friends at Silva Bay...

Here is a Google Earth image of the route...

Now, as we speak, my personal doctor is getting me ready to go for the next adventure!!!...