Comox, BC

We crossed the Straits of Georgia this morning at 5:00AM, since that's about the only time of day the winds die down enough. BC has had a really windy July, due to an offshore high pressure system that has been sitting in one place for the month. Plus, while a high pressure area in Washington gives us lovely, pretty windless weather, up here it is accompanied by strong winds. There have been gale warnings daily in the Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait areas, and strong wind warnings in the Straits of Georgia. Sigh. We decided to come over here today, since today's "strong wind warnings" were lighter than tomorrow's warnings. C'est la vie.

We spent two days in Desolation Sound before coming across. Desolation Sound is lovely, but not my favorite area. It's so crowded. Every anchorage is chock full of boats, and no one seems to get up early and leave. Farther north, one gets used to getting up and getting out by 6:00am.....once you cross the rapids that separate Desolation from the Broughton area things are more laid back....but, for those of us who do get up early, it means that when we arrive at a new place, no one has left yet, so we end up kind of hanging around, waiting for room to anchor. Not something that either one of us likes to do. So, after getting blown all around for a couple of nights (one in Squirrel Cove and one in Grace Harbour), we looked at each other at 5:00am today and said, "We're goin' over, Ricky!" (Inside joke - trust me, my kids are laughing at this.)

We expect to be home next weekend. I will call Janet when I know what day, and she will notify my WOWie peeps, and of course, we'll call all the kids.........

Mother, Mother Ocean, I have heard your call....