Princess Louisa Inlet

Hello everybody!!!

Once again I was ready to go cruising! The Captain, the Admiral and the crew were quite excited as Nini and Papego (the Captain's parents) were coming along for this new adventure... We were heading to Princess Louisa Inlet!!!

However, not always things happen as they are planned... As I was getting ready to leave the dock a big bang was heard and my Little Appendix was ruptured by a boat that lost its bearings while entering into her slip at the marina...

The damage was quite bad and the starboard pontoon was completely deflated...

Fortunately the other boat's Captain proved to be a real Gentleman and got me a new Baby Dolphin...

Here is the Captain setting up the Baby Dolphin with its outboard...

Baby Dolphin had to be towed all the way as the Captain couldn't install the new davit system... But that was great as I had to carry less stuff with me, instead I towed it...

First we headed to Plumper Cove and Gibsons with my friends Forever, Stainle$$ Steal, Sirena, Grand Quetzal, Coronita and Summer sunset. All of them members of the Airport Yacht Club (http://airportyachtclub.blogspot.com/). We stayed Saturday and Sunday at Plumper Cove where the kids had a blast swimming and playing around and the grown ups enjoyed the company and good meals... On Sunday we left towards Gibsons in order to spend Canada Day here... Here are Joaquim and Antonio with their new friend Dante...

The Canada Day Celebration at Gibsons was quite interesting... The local First Nations made a welcoming ceremony to all of the people attending, specially to those other First Nations who came by canoes, including several RCMP officers...
As expected in such a busy weekend, some of us had problems and kept the Coast Guard quite busy... Fortunately for me, I was not one of the culprits...
Now can be the time of the introductions!!! Here are Nini and Papego with Joaquim, Antonio and Dante...
And here the Captain and the Admiral joined the photo...
And here is the whole group from the AYC!!!

This afternoon all the AYC boats head back home but I was really Happy to see my good friend Tia Lynn arrive at Gibsons as they came along for the long journey to Princess Louisa...
On Wednesday we left towards Secret Cove and, yes, you are right, we sneak into Smugglers Cove... However, this time I was so confident that I didn't shiver when the Captain took me inside the narrow entrance of this great place...

Maybe the fact that this time the tide was hide helped me to feel safer pulling in and out of Smugglers Cove...
Hey Antonio!!! Nice catch!!!

At Secret Cove we spent the night and the crew had a great dinner at the Upper Deck Restaurant... a bit pricey but delicious...

Sherlock kept bugging the Captain...

Until he showed us all who was really at command...

And he was sure of keeping an appropiate look out while ongoing towards Eggmont...

As I was approaching Eggmont on Thursday I found myself having to wait for the BC Ferry that was leaving Earl's Cove...
Once at Eggmont my crew as well as Tia Lynn's went for a worthwhile long walk all the way down to see the Skookumchuk rapids in action... They sure are powerful!!! The Captain and Papego have done lots of whitewater rafting, however, they were impressed with the power of this rapids and by the fact that tey are tidal and not river related...
After the long walk a nice dinner was mandated for the crew... The Backeddy Pub at eggmont sure has the biggest hamburger the Captain has had ever!!!

On Friday, July the 4th. we left Eggmont and went up North through the Prince of Wales Reach, then onto Princess Royal Reach, and then into Queens Reach in order to get to the famous Malibu Rapids... Here we waited for them to be at slack as I was not able to cross them before... Belive me, I tried!!!
We were so lucky! There were a couple of spots available at the public dock, so I didn't have to set my anchor...
And who could tell that on Saturday we would have the dock almost for ourselves... It was great!!!

The kids, again, had a blast!!!... Jumping, rowing, swimming, having water fights...

While Nini was enjoying the great Canadian Summer weather we had at the inlet...
And the Captains and Admirals with Sherlock were just soaked from their little photographic excursion...
Regardless of the weather, this place is MAGIC...
But we can not complain... we even had a few hours of sun!!!

And here I am posing for the usual picture in front of Chatterbox Falls!!!
And here is Tia Lynn doing the same...

On the way back we timed it perfectly and Malibu Rapids were at slack, so I could cross them without hesitation...

After the magic and overwhelming experience of visiting Princess Louisa we head back to Pender Harbour where the Captain took me to a nice small marina, the Sunshine Coast Resort and Marina where Nini and Papego enjoyed a nice hotel room, the kids a nice playground, the Captains and Admirals a nice Hot Tub and everybody a nice dinner at the near Grasshopper pub while Tia Lynn and myself got a well deserved rest at the dock...

Every trip has to end... So I was taken (by force, let me tell you) back home... But as I was resisting as I wanted to keep cruising I made the Crew stop for lunch at Buccaneer Bay and then for a small detour into Coal Harbour to pass in front of Point Atkinson and under the Lions Gate Bridge...

All in all, this was a great cruise!!!

Now I am just waiting, as usual, for the next one!!!

Secret Cove Cruise

Shhhhhhhhhh!!! Don't tell anyone where we went because it is a secret!!!

OK, I guess the title already told everybody where we went!

The Captain, the Admiral, the seaman recruits and Sherlock came to get me ready and we departed from my slip around 6 pm Friday May 16, and headed through the Fraser towards Plumpers Cove.















Plumpers Cove is located on Keats Island right across from Gibsons, BC in the Sunshine Coast.


Here I was rafting to Forever's port side and Haven in the starboard side.













One of the delights of being on "the hook" is that the crew has to use the dinghies to go ashore... Here is the AYC Commodore and Forever's Captain taking Antonio, Eduardo and Sherlock ashore... Did you notice that Sherlock is soaked?... He jumped of the boat trying to get onto the dinghy in the back where were two of his four legged friends!


After an awesome breakfast on board of Forever, the crew took me off the raft and we all headed towards Secret Cove...


Right before Secret Cove there is this MAGIC PLACE called Smuggler Cove. It is a Provincial Marine Park with a very narrow entrance. I was afraid that my skipper was going to take me into the rocks!








Here I am getting ready to leave Smuggler Cove... You can see how narrow the channel looks like!

It deserves to come back again and drop my anchor and stern tie here!

Did you hear me Captain? Are you already making plans to come back?


Once in Secret Cove Marina I was comfortably tied at the dock right in front of my new friend "Haven", to my port side I had "Misty Lady" and to my starboard side I had "Stainle$$ Steal" and "Forever"













The kids had a blast, fishing, swimming, racing with the dinghies...

















Yes Antonio, we know! you are an awesome fisherman!... Hey Joaquim, why are you making fun of your brother?


Meanwhile the adults were suffering and making sacrifices... Someone had to eat that nasty gourmet food!









And Sherlock was watching making sure everyone had fun!














We head back to Richmond Monday morning with a small detour to see Buccaneer Bay and a stop at Gibsons Marina for lunch and to let the bad weather pass by... We finally pull into my slip at Vancouver Marina around 5 pm... And now I am waiting patiently for our next cruise...