Week 18

Friday night in Hope was a wash-out - literally. When we set up camp and went to bed, it was a clear and beautiful sky, so we didn't set up our tarp. Sometime around 3AM the rain started. In spite of getting the tarp out, it was too late, and the water managed to collect around and in the tent. We broke camp while it was still raining, and headed out on the highway, stopping in Chilliwack for a bite of breakfast. In the immortal words of our buddy Stan, who we were planning to visit in Langley: "Don't camp in a Valley" . Good advice! Instead of stopping into Langley to visit, we decided we'd best just continue on through, to get to the boat where we could dry out our stuff, and have a dry berth. By the time we got to Horseshoe Bay, waiting for the ferry to Langdale and Gibsons, the sun was out and it turned out to be a beautiful warm day. So instead of continuing to the boat, when we got to Sechelt, we took a campsite again, and set out our things to dry all over the camp, moving foams and tarps, tents and blankets, into sunny areas. Most of it dried, and we set up camp again. There was no rain in the forecast, but just in case, we set up the tarp. Good thing, too - we got a few showers overnight, but nothing got affected this time. We packed up and continued north along the Sunshine Coast, crossing Jervis Inlet into Saltery Bay.
Crossing Jervis Inlet on the ferry



We found a very pleasant picnic spot near Saltery Bay, and made our lunch, and basked in the warm sunshine. From here it was less than an hour to Lund, to the boat. We arrived Sunday afternoon, opened up the boat, and settled ourselves in. Jack's Boat Yard is a very traditional style yard, with lots of help and locals to keep one entertained.



The boat awaits us in the boatyard






Monday was a workday....sanding the boat's bottom in preparation for painting, and checking out the various systems to make sure all was working well. Tuesday was another day of working on the boat, with the first coat of antifouling paint for the bottom, and cleaning the decks and hull. We also managed to do a bit of work on the battery/electrical system, and recheck the stuffing box. As I sit in the main saloon of the boat, typing this portion of the Blog, we are both feeling a bit sore from doing a bit of work rather than just sitting and driving, or walking. One more day of painting and readying, and we will launch the boat Thursday back in the water for a short cruise to Desolation Sound. We can't go home until the end of the month, because of our house-sitters....so a short sailing cruise is in order.
Today being a Tuesday, it is another Day of Reckoning. So here are the totals for week #18:
Distance Travelled: 671.0 Km Gas: $88.07 Food: $273.64 Accommodation: $108.20 Other: $122.18 Total: $592.09 This week was $108.00 under budget! With one week to go, I don't think we can save enough to make up for all of the over-budgets, but we don't have gas or accommodation costs, with the boat. One more ferry to go, for the run across the Gulf to Comox.