Ha-harrr, matey! We’re back in Pirates Cove

Subtitle: sandstone, seals, sailing, stern-tying, and sleeping!

Winds and waves carve an endless variety of whimsical shapes along the sandstone shores of the islands in the Gulf and San Juan islands. Those in this photo line one shore of Pirates Cove.

Walt purchased propane for our stove in Nanaimo on the morning of Friday, September 30, getting some good walking exercise in the process, while I rested and wrote and recovered from some dizziness with which I’d awakened in the morning. Our two-hour journey from the docks of the Nanaimo Yacht Club through scenic Gabriola Passage to Pirates Cove on De Courcy Island (which we’ve enjoyed visiting in the past, most recently shortly after Christmas of 2021) took us past shores presenting galleries of sculpted sandstone, several gliding seals, the Entrance Island Lighthouse,

Entrance Island Lighthouse as viewed from a slightly bouncy boat as we passed under sail.

a view of the city of Vancouver across about 20 miles of water, several well-occupied bays, and many rocky islands. We found enough suitable wind to allow for nearly an hour of pleasant sailing at 5-7 kts., and used one of the many chains affixed to the rocks around Pirates Coven to stern-tie once we’d dropped anchor.

Napping was most refreshing on a sun-bathed afternoon as other boats arrived and departed, and we’re considering spending another tranquil day here. Soon we’ll need to consider our immediate destinations–we have about one more month during which to learn and explore, visiting places familiar and new.

One thought on “Ha-harrr, matey! We’re back in Pirates Cove

  1. Congratulations on not having to play any Whiskey Golf on the way down. Since you have lots of time and you’re only really a (delivery) day from home at this point, may I suggest hitting the Butchart Gardens…by sailing down Saanich Inlet, just for the hell of it? I’ve been sorely tempted to do that trip on Sagres simply because if you’re hitting a Cowichan Bay destination and a Saanich destination, sailing it yourself and hopping on a bike is one of the more fun and arguably faster ways to pull that piece of logistics.

    Like

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