The morning started off “right” when Jim spotted a black bear on shore. We didn’t move fast enough to catch it with the camera. Pulling anchor before 8am, we headed north in calm waters. Now determined to be our designated wildlife spotter, Jim soon spied a pod of 5-6 orcas. We slowed our speed to watch for awhile.
As in previous days, the waters and VHF were busy with traffic. This tug was pulling 3 barges, but we weren’t far enough away to catch it all in one photo.
At noon we pulled into the tiny village of Lund, sited at the “end of the road”, according to the cruising guides. After this point, there’s only gravel road, if any, along the coastline.
There’s not much in Lund, but everything there is nice: the hotel, pub, bakery, gallery, sweater shop, and kayak rental shop.
All had top-notch products on offer, including free wi-fi, so we very briefly caught up on email . . . .
. . . and bought lunch at the bakery, eaten on the outside patio.
The courtesy dock for boats not staying overnight was an off-shore float, so we had to dinghy into shore and then back to the boat.
At 3pm we pulled into Squirrel Cove off Cortes Island, a place we first visited when traveling as guests on a 60-foot pilothouse trawler Gold Rush from Port Angeles to Ketchikan up the Inside Passage in 2009. Squirrel Cove is a favorite spot among visitors to Desolation Sound, and Wednesday night we counted 51 boats anchored throughout the area. Our son Ryan used to come here every summer as a child, and until recently there was a “floating bakery” that took orders the night before, then churned out fresh-baked bread, cinnamon buns and more for pick-up in the morning. Sadly, the structure is still here, but not the business.
Wonders of modern technology mean Jan was able to use her iPhone and Skype to call her 90-year-old Mum in Australia. We have a cell signal here for voice or text, but no Canadian data plan for email or internet.
Late in the afternoon Cathryn was rooting around in the pantry above and behind the refrigerator. She isn’t tall enough to reach items in the back, so dragged a chair over. After retrieving an item, she stepped off the chair and her foot landed on the handle of the fire extinguisher. Sadly, the cotter pin that holds the handle in place had fallen out, so a loud popping noise followed, along with a good quantity of fire extinguishing material. Fortunately this was an ABC-type extinguisher, so it was powder, not foam, but it made a huge mess and startled all of us. Bob kindly assisted with the clean up while Jim and Jan prudently stayed out of the way.
Bob and Jim had fun checking out nearby boats and their residents while grilling dinner. We’re told one of them spotted some topless sunbathing women.
We’re anchored in 30 feet of water and conditions were calm all night.
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