The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...
- Thread starter JamesTXSD
- Start date
Thursday, August 9th. We were up early; Joan decided to get some laundry done before we head out. The good news: the machines were available; the bad news: the laundromat doesn’t open until 7:00. Hey, the lights were on and the door was open... we took that as a sign. Joan was able to get 3 loads of laundry done in between showering and getting ready.
After a home-cooked (boat cooked?) breakfast of French toast, sausage, and bacon, Joan went to the store to pick up a few things while I got the boat ready to head out. Just before she got back, another boat came into our row, making our exit a challenge. We had to back around 4 other boats, without much room on either side... we managed to keep everyone's gelcoat intact.
One last listen to weather while we motored out of the bay; it looks like a great run to the south. If the weather holds, we will try to make it around the Nanaimo area, about 90 miles away. Standing between us and Nanaimo: the Strait of Georgia.
For the first 5 hours, the forecast held true - the Strait was smooth, almost glassy. The only thing we had to watch for was the constant threat of logs and other debris in the water. When I needed a break, Joan drove like this so she could see over the nose of the boat. We cruised around 18 knots, making good time, getting a great ride and a decent fuel burn.
About an hour and a half out of Nanaimo, we could see some weather building over the mountains. Shortly after that, the chop on the water started to build. It wasn’t long before the Strait was getting downright lumpy. I pulled back on the throttle to keep the ride comfortable.
About 8 miles out of Nanaimo, we were gaining on a large boat and increased throttle to get around them... their wake was large enough to send our bow skyward, momentarily sloshing our fuel away from the pick-up hose. The motor sputtered and an engine alarm shrieked. It was pretty apparent what had happened, but it was still startling. Joan poured in our extra fuel while I restarted the motor and kept us turned into the waves. We continued on into Nanaimo, where we stopped at the city marina to fuel up. There was still plenty of fuel left - I should have suspected something.
From there, we went across the waterway to Newcastle Island and found a place at the park docks... $14 for the night. With the weather looking nasty, we felt better tied to a dock (the anchorage was very full).
I walked Molly while Joan got the boat set up for the evening. Our timing was good - it started to rain a short time later. We are snug, dry, and comfortable.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
After a home-cooked (boat cooked?) breakfast of French toast, sausage, and bacon, Joan went to the store to pick up a few things while I got the boat ready to head out. Just before she got back, another boat came into our row, making our exit a challenge. We had to back around 4 other boats, without much room on either side... we managed to keep everyone's gelcoat intact.
One last listen to weather while we motored out of the bay; it looks like a great run to the south. If the weather holds, we will try to make it around the Nanaimo area, about 90 miles away. Standing between us and Nanaimo: the Strait of Georgia.
For the first 5 hours, the forecast held true - the Strait was smooth, almost glassy. The only thing we had to watch for was the constant threat of logs and other debris in the water. When I needed a break, Joan drove like this so she could see over the nose of the boat. We cruised around 18 knots, making good time, getting a great ride and a decent fuel burn.
About an hour and a half out of Nanaimo, we could see some weather building over the mountains. Shortly after that, the chop on the water started to build. It wasn’t long before the Strait was getting downright lumpy. I pulled back on the throttle to keep the ride comfortable.
About 8 miles out of Nanaimo, we were gaining on a large boat and increased throttle to get around them... their wake was large enough to send our bow skyward, momentarily sloshing our fuel away from the pick-up hose. The motor sputtered and an engine alarm shrieked. It was pretty apparent what had happened, but it was still startling. Joan poured in our extra fuel while I restarted the motor and kept us turned into the waves. We continued on into Nanaimo, where we stopped at the city marina to fuel up. There was still plenty of fuel left - I should have suspected something.
From there, we went across the waterway to Newcastle Island and found a place at the park docks... $14 for the night. With the weather looking nasty, we felt better tied to a dock (the anchorage was very full).
I walked Molly while Joan got the boat set up for the evening. Our timing was good - it started to rain a short time later. We are snug, dry, and comfortable.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
OK, So I Was Wrong... Friday, August 10th. It was still raining when we got up. The weather forecast looked decent - no big winds; there was plenty of visibility under the overcast, so we decided to head out. The timing to go through Dodd Narrows is best at 8:30; that’s only 6 miles away from where we spent the night, so it was easy to make it.
When I powered up again after going through the narrows, it happened again - the motor cut out, alarms shrieked. This was followed shortly by Joan shrieking, “You need to do something about this.”
“I’m trying.” Everytime I’d power up above 3,000 rpm, the power would cut out and the alarms would sound. Not much fun. I called a couple marinas within 10 miles to see if they had any fuel additive to take water out... nope. The closest service facility we could find was about 12 miles away... and not what you’d think of for service - they operate and repair tug boats. Close enough. I set the GPS to take us there and gave them a call on the cell phone.
Jim, the guy at the other end of the phone, said they’d do what they could to help. Knowing that the best speed would could make was about 6 to 7 knots, we estimated our time in there at about an hour and a half. Jim said we should check the oil level. I let him know that when we were safely tied to a dock, I’d consider turning off the motor and taking off the cowl.
So, for the next hour and a half, I would ease the throttle forward... power would cut out, alarms would sound. Joan’s lips got very tight and thin. I called the Honda dealer who did our last service and explained the symptoms to him. He also said that is sounded like an oil problem, not a fuel problem... Honda has a safety feature that when the oil level gets low, it restricts rpm so the motor won’t be harmed. If not oil level, he said that it might be an oil sender. We pressed on.
I tried to ease the tension by mentioning, “If this were an airplane, we wouldn’t be able to limp along. Now, that would be a real problem.” Joan didn’t seem to think this situation was much better.
When we got close to Chemainus, it was tough to distinguish where the actual harbor was... oh yes, this made things better. I proceeded slowly (as though I had any other option) and we found our way in. The rough-looking tug facility looked pretty to us.
A guy came to the dock as we were pulling in and said, “Tie off here, I’m just finishing up this tug and I’ll be with you in about 15 minutes.” Perfect. This was my new friend, Ed.
While we waited for Ed, I took off the engine cowl and checked oil... so low it barely registered on the dipstick! Not a good situation, but hopefully it will be the solution to our immediate problem. Of course, the tug place didn’t have any oil for a small motor like ours. My new friend Ed drove me a mile or so to where I could buy oil.
Back at the boat, we poured in almost half the boat’s total oil capacity. I have no idea if we have a leak (not likely, ‘cause we’d see that in the water), have burned oil (also not likely, ‘cause it’s a Honda), or we didn’t get the right amount of oil put in at our last service. It is embarrassing to admit this, but because it’s a Honda, I’ve felt we don’t need to check oil regularly. Yes, I was very wrong. My Mother always said, "If you can't do it right, at least you can serve as a bad example."
I put the engine cowl back on and started the motor... I revved it up to see if the motor would cut out... it ran perfectly. Whew!
I asked Joan what she’d like to do now; it wasn’t even noon yet. “Get me a slip in the marina next door.” “Yes, ma’am.”
I walked up and around to the marina to make sure they’d have a slip for us - no problem. The marina is very small, but very nice docks; 30 amp power... and the downside: right next to the ferry dock.
We ran Wild Blue out into the open bay to make sure she was OK - everything ran normally. I called the marina on the VHF to get a slip assignment. Harmon, the marina manager and our next new friend guided us into a slip.
We got Blue settled in, fed Molly, and walked into town. Chemainus is actually a very neat place - their claim to fame is many full-building size murals. There is a walking tour that goes for blocks.
We had lunch at an outside cafe and just kicked back. From there we headed out to see the murals of Chemainus. Turns out, it’s quite a tourist attraction... the town is old, but well kept. Many homes are adorned with flower gardens. Shops, cafes, and my favorite - lots of places that sell ice cream! We walked by one place that was making fresh waffle cones and putting them by the window to cool - not fair! Of course, we stopped to have one. After the stress of the morning, this was a very welcome break.
There were street musicians, sculpture, and a very nice atmosphere. Nice.
On our way back to the boat, we stopped in a grocery store and picked up a few things. Then watched the ferry unload and load... up close and personal.
My buddy Brent told us that Chemainus was a neat place to visit... odds are we would have gone on by if the motor had been running normally. It’s not too impressive from the water. But, we give Chemainus two thumbs up.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
When I powered up again after going through the narrows, it happened again - the motor cut out, alarms shrieked. This was followed shortly by Joan shrieking, “You need to do something about this.”
“I’m trying.” Everytime I’d power up above 3,000 rpm, the power would cut out and the alarms would sound. Not much fun. I called a couple marinas within 10 miles to see if they had any fuel additive to take water out... nope. The closest service facility we could find was about 12 miles away... and not what you’d think of for service - they operate and repair tug boats. Close enough. I set the GPS to take us there and gave them a call on the cell phone.
Jim, the guy at the other end of the phone, said they’d do what they could to help. Knowing that the best speed would could make was about 6 to 7 knots, we estimated our time in there at about an hour and a half. Jim said we should check the oil level. I let him know that when we were safely tied to a dock, I’d consider turning off the motor and taking off the cowl.
So, for the next hour and a half, I would ease the throttle forward... power would cut out, alarms would sound. Joan’s lips got very tight and thin. I called the Honda dealer who did our last service and explained the symptoms to him. He also said that is sounded like an oil problem, not a fuel problem... Honda has a safety feature that when the oil level gets low, it restricts rpm so the motor won’t be harmed. If not oil level, he said that it might be an oil sender. We pressed on.
I tried to ease the tension by mentioning, “If this were an airplane, we wouldn’t be able to limp along. Now, that would be a real problem.” Joan didn’t seem to think this situation was much better.
When we got close to Chemainus, it was tough to distinguish where the actual harbor was... oh yes, this made things better. I proceeded slowly (as though I had any other option) and we found our way in. The rough-looking tug facility looked pretty to us.
A guy came to the dock as we were pulling in and said, “Tie off here, I’m just finishing up this tug and I’ll be with you in about 15 minutes.” Perfect. This was my new friend, Ed.
While we waited for Ed, I took off the engine cowl and checked oil... so low it barely registered on the dipstick! Not a good situation, but hopefully it will be the solution to our immediate problem. Of course, the tug place didn’t have any oil for a small motor like ours. My new friend Ed drove me a mile or so to where I could buy oil.
Back at the boat, we poured in almost half the boat’s total oil capacity. I have no idea if we have a leak (not likely, ‘cause we’d see that in the water), have burned oil (also not likely, ‘cause it’s a Honda), or we didn’t get the right amount of oil put in at our last service. It is embarrassing to admit this, but because it’s a Honda, I’ve felt we don’t need to check oil regularly. Yes, I was very wrong. My Mother always said, "If you can't do it right, at least you can serve as a bad example."
I put the engine cowl back on and started the motor... I revved it up to see if the motor would cut out... it ran perfectly. Whew!
I asked Joan what she’d like to do now; it wasn’t even noon yet. “Get me a slip in the marina next door.” “Yes, ma’am.”
I walked up and around to the marina to make sure they’d have a slip for us - no problem. The marina is very small, but very nice docks; 30 amp power... and the downside: right next to the ferry dock.
We ran Wild Blue out into the open bay to make sure she was OK - everything ran normally. I called the marina on the VHF to get a slip assignment. Harmon, the marina manager and our next new friend guided us into a slip.
We got Blue settled in, fed Molly, and walked into town. Chemainus is actually a very neat place - their claim to fame is many full-building size murals. There is a walking tour that goes for blocks.
We had lunch at an outside cafe and just kicked back. From there we headed out to see the murals of Chemainus. Turns out, it’s quite a tourist attraction... the town is old, but well kept. Many homes are adorned with flower gardens. Shops, cafes, and my favorite - lots of places that sell ice cream! We walked by one place that was making fresh waffle cones and putting them by the window to cool - not fair! Of course, we stopped to have one. After the stress of the morning, this was a very welcome break.
There were street musicians, sculpture, and a very nice atmosphere. Nice.
On our way back to the boat, we stopped in a grocery store and picked up a few things. Then watched the ferry unload and load... up close and personal.
My buddy Brent told us that Chemainus was a neat place to visit... odds are we would have gone on by if the motor had been running normally. It’s not too impressive from the water. But, we give Chemainus two thumbs up.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Saturday, August 11th. Everything ran fine with the motor today. We left Chemainus before 9:00, heading towards Sidney on Vancouver Island. Along the way, we ran through another narrows, along a couple channels, through some islands, and decided to bypass town and head for Sidney Spit, a sandy island that is a Provincial Park.
Sidney Spit has mooring balls, an anchorage, and a dock. We were surprised to find plenty of space at the dock. We pulled in, tied off, and took Molly for a walk on the island... yes, she is Sandy Claws once again.
There is a small ferry that takes passengers to and from Sidney. Most of the passengers were here for picnicing, a few had camping equipment. There were several other boats at the dock, but by 6:00 (time to pay for a dock fee), we were the only ones left here. When I asked the ranger about it, he guessed it was because of the weather; today was overcast and cool.
There were plenty of boats at anchor and on moorings; same with kayakers and dinghies. One person at the dock told us that this place can be kinda loud with people partying at the dock... obviously not the case tonight. Besides the peace and quite, we had some TV reception... the first time in quite a while we’ve been able to see news and weather... but these Canadians do their weather forecasts in Celcius; it kinda creeps us out to hear, “High tomorrow will be a comfortable 22º.”
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Sidney Spit has mooring balls, an anchorage, and a dock. We were surprised to find plenty of space at the dock. We pulled in, tied off, and took Molly for a walk on the island... yes, she is Sandy Claws once again.
There is a small ferry that takes passengers to and from Sidney. Most of the passengers were here for picnicing, a few had camping equipment. There were several other boats at the dock, but by 6:00 (time to pay for a dock fee), we were the only ones left here. When I asked the ranger about it, he guessed it was because of the weather; today was overcast and cool.
There were plenty of boats at anchor and on moorings; same with kayakers and dinghies. One person at the dock told us that this place can be kinda loud with people partying at the dock... obviously not the case tonight. Besides the peace and quite, we had some TV reception... the first time in quite a while we’ve been able to see news and weather... but these Canadians do their weather forecasts in Celcius; it kinda creeps us out to hear, “High tomorrow will be a comfortable 22º.”
Best wishes,
Jim B.
The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow... Sunday, August 12th. Well, for a moment. I was up early; turned on some heat... it was 61º in the cabin, 58º outside. Then the sun broke through... for a short time. I dropped the window cover on the sunny side - let the sun shine in.
A few minutes later, I saw a full rainbow on the other side of the boat. I got my camera out and stepped out to get a photo.
You may have heard me say, “No rain, no rainbows”... a few seconds later, the rain came down. Back in the boat.
We cleaned up, had some breakfast, checked weather and got ready to roll. The rain was done before we were ready to shove off.
Our destination for today: Victoria, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It’s the capital of British Columbia... and I’ve read that it is more “British” than London. The guide books all have great things to say about Victoria. The area has a population of 350,000. We’ve enjoyed our time at anchor in the scenic Desolation Sound; now it will be fun to check out a city environment.
Coming into Victoria Harbour...
Got a slip right in front of the Empress Hotel, in the middle of the hub-bub at the waterfront... street performers, vendors, the little water taxis. This is gonna be fun!
We bought bus passes and have been exploring this afternoon. What a great city! More to come.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
A few minutes later, I saw a full rainbow on the other side of the boat. I got my camera out and stepped out to get a photo.
You may have heard me say, “No rain, no rainbows”... a few seconds later, the rain came down. Back in the boat.
We cleaned up, had some breakfast, checked weather and got ready to roll. The rain was done before we were ready to shove off.
Our destination for today: Victoria, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It’s the capital of British Columbia... and I’ve read that it is more “British” than London. The guide books all have great things to say about Victoria. The area has a population of 350,000. We’ve enjoyed our time at anchor in the scenic Desolation Sound; now it will be fun to check out a city environment.
Coming into Victoria Harbour...
Got a slip right in front of the Empress Hotel, in the middle of the hub-bub at the waterfront... street performers, vendors, the little water taxis. This is gonna be fun!
We bought bus passes and have been exploring this afternoon. What a great city! More to come.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Jim/Joan, from your brochures on Victoria and all, you probably already know to go to the Royal British museum. We toured through it last month as the last stop on our Princess Cruise before going back to San Francisco. Best museum I've ever been to, plus the Titanic is on special tour through October (I believe), wonderful, must see.
I sure enjoy your travels, thanks for taking the time and pictures.
I sure enjoy your travels, thanks for taking the time and pictures.
Jim – good to see you posting about your travels again.
If it can happen to you, it can happen to me. I have decided to carry an extra quart of oil with me from now on. Watch your oil level like a hawk for awhile to make sure you do not have a leak or the engine is not using oil.
________
Dave
If it can happen to you, it can happen to me. I have decided to carry an extra quart of oil with me from now on. Watch your oil level like a hawk for awhile to make sure you do not have a leak or the engine is not using oil.
________
Dave
If you have a motorcycle endorsement on your drivers license they will rent you the large scooter at the rental place across the street from the ferry landing. We took that scooter all over town. Especially nice out to the southeast through the old homes and the golf course and the harbor on the east side. Then we buzzed out to Buchart Gardens. Great way to travel in a great city. Without the endorsement they will only rent you the one person small scooters. But still fun and functional.
Sunday evening...
We were back to the boat in time to see the sun go down - as you can see from the photo, there was a small break in the clouds right at the horizon... just enough to give us a pretty sunset.
As dusk turned to dark, the area around the waterfront took on an even more festive appearance: the vendors had spotlights on their wares, the musicians and other entertainers worked near bright street lights.
The lights from the streets and marina made the area feel secure; the lights that outline the Parliament building are visible from our dock. It’s all very pretty. We looked through some of the city information and laid out what we want to see and do for the next few days and called it a night.
Monday, August 13th. It was a quiet night around the marina, we both slept well. Molly is still a bit unsettled with all the commotion.
After showers, I washed down the boat to get the salt off, then took Molly for a walk. We had to go almost a block to get to some grass; along the way, we visited with people and Molly got petted a time or twelve. She enjoys that. Joan picked up around the boat while Molly and I were out for our stroll.
Then it was off to find breakfast - we walked past a couple sidewalk cafes, but were looking for something more than pastries. We found an interesting looking small place amongst the shops; maybe 7 or 8 tables, and they were still serving breakfast. We read the local paper while we waited for our food; it almost made us feel like “land dwellers” again.
We hopped on another bus for a tour along the water, and got off where we saw a boat stuff place... nothing we needed, other than an excuse for more wandering. Then some window shopping, until a carmel apple called my name from a shop window. Still more wandering, until a wine and spirits shop called Joan’s name.
We went in and I listened to the snooty owner and a customer talk about “the fruity characteristics” of this and the “brightness” of that. I know nothing about wine; my palette is not refined... but I do know when someone is looking down their nose at me. When the owner asked, “Is there anything I can help you find?” I replied, “Yeah, she wants some wine. Preferably something that’ll get her drunk quick - she gets a bit frisky when she gets a bottle or two in her.”
No, I didn’t really say that. Joan would have killed me. But it is a way better story, don’t you think? :lol:
We walked the rest of the way back to the boat, dropped off her wine, checked on Molly, and continued touring. The Empress Hotel is right across the street from us... it has hosted the rich and famous. We weren’t dressed for “high tea”, but it was interesting to look around. The grounds are beautiful and the whole place is pretty swanky. Of course, it is a lot more expensive than what we are paying for slip rental... after all, they get a view of the boats and we have to look at them.
From there, we went across the street to take a tour of the Parliament Building. The young tour guide was very informative, and the tour was enhanced by an actor who played the part of the architect - all very nicely done. Joan called it “interesting, without too much history.”
We came back to the boat to rest our weary feet and get a bit of refreshment before searching out a place for supper.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
We were back to the boat in time to see the sun go down - as you can see from the photo, there was a small break in the clouds right at the horizon... just enough to give us a pretty sunset.
As dusk turned to dark, the area around the waterfront took on an even more festive appearance: the vendors had spotlights on their wares, the musicians and other entertainers worked near bright street lights.
The lights from the streets and marina made the area feel secure; the lights that outline the Parliament building are visible from our dock. It’s all very pretty. We looked through some of the city information and laid out what we want to see and do for the next few days and called it a night.
Monday, August 13th. It was a quiet night around the marina, we both slept well. Molly is still a bit unsettled with all the commotion.
After showers, I washed down the boat to get the salt off, then took Molly for a walk. We had to go almost a block to get to some grass; along the way, we visited with people and Molly got petted a time or twelve. She enjoys that. Joan picked up around the boat while Molly and I were out for our stroll.
Then it was off to find breakfast - we walked past a couple sidewalk cafes, but were looking for something more than pastries. We found an interesting looking small place amongst the shops; maybe 7 or 8 tables, and they were still serving breakfast. We read the local paper while we waited for our food; it almost made us feel like “land dwellers” again.
We hopped on another bus for a tour along the water, and got off where we saw a boat stuff place... nothing we needed, other than an excuse for more wandering. Then some window shopping, until a carmel apple called my name from a shop window. Still more wandering, until a wine and spirits shop called Joan’s name.
We went in and I listened to the snooty owner and a customer talk about “the fruity characteristics” of this and the “brightness” of that. I know nothing about wine; my palette is not refined... but I do know when someone is looking down their nose at me. When the owner asked, “Is there anything I can help you find?” I replied, “Yeah, she wants some wine. Preferably something that’ll get her drunk quick - she gets a bit frisky when she gets a bottle or two in her.”
No, I didn’t really say that. Joan would have killed me. But it is a way better story, don’t you think? :lol:
We walked the rest of the way back to the boat, dropped off her wine, checked on Molly, and continued touring. The Empress Hotel is right across the street from us... it has hosted the rich and famous. We weren’t dressed for “high tea”, but it was interesting to look around. The grounds are beautiful and the whole place is pretty swanky. Of course, it is a lot more expensive than what we are paying for slip rental... after all, they get a view of the boats and we have to look at them.
From there, we went across the street to take a tour of the Parliament Building. The young tour guide was very informative, and the tour was enhanced by an actor who played the part of the architect - all very nicely done. Joan called it “interesting, without too much history.”
We came back to the boat to rest our weary feet and get a bit of refreshment before searching out a place for supper.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Pat Anderson
New member
One thing not to miss in Victoria is dim sum in Chinatown. Victoria's Chinatown is much smaller than Vancouver or Seattle, but very interesting. For those not familiar, here is a definition of "dim sum" from the web:
A selection of small dishes served for snacks and lunch in China. These dishes include a wide selection of fried and steamed dumplings, as well as, various other sweet and savory items. The term for this Chinese style of eating translates as "Heart's Delight." Originally dim sum referred to the Cantonese practice of serving small dishes in the teahouses. The method involved food being brought to the table on a cart or tray. The customer would then select the items they desired.
Try Don Mee Restaurant on Fisgard Street, on the second floor. Not sure this is the one our Chinese friend from Victoria took us to or not, but it has great reviews...hint - if they LOOK like chicken feet, they ARE chicken feet! You don't have to like or try everything on the carts!
On edit - Don Mee IS the dim sum restaurant our Chinese friend from Victoria took us to - just confirmed on the morning 2 meter ham net...this is a great place.
A selection of small dishes served for snacks and lunch in China. These dishes include a wide selection of fried and steamed dumplings, as well as, various other sweet and savory items. The term for this Chinese style of eating translates as "Heart's Delight." Originally dim sum referred to the Cantonese practice of serving small dishes in the teahouses. The method involved food being brought to the table on a cart or tray. The customer would then select the items they desired.
Try Don Mee Restaurant on Fisgard Street, on the second floor. Not sure this is the one our Chinese friend from Victoria took us to or not, but it has great reviews...hint - if they LOOK like chicken feet, they ARE chicken feet! You don't have to like or try everything on the carts!
On edit - Don Mee IS the dim sum restaurant our Chinese friend from Victoria took us to - just confirmed on the morning 2 meter ham net...this is a great place.
Pat-
We used to do the dim sum thing in San Francisco's Chinatown. Everything came on the same little bowls (some, more expensive, with two or three bowls stacked under them together), and they counted up the bowls to determine the price of your dinner!
Pittied the dishwashers!
Joe.
We used to do the dim sum thing in San Francisco's Chinatown. Everything came on the same little bowls (some, more expensive, with two or three bowls stacked under them together), and they counted up the bowls to determine the price of your dinner!
Pittied the dishwashers!
Joe.
Jim,
The maritime museum is very interesting. It is a little small but has 2 interesting around the world boats - Trekka and a dugout canoe sailboat (don't remember the name but remember the story).
Of course there are good books about both of these boats and the people that sailed them. The owner of Trekka also sailed with a family on a 45ft Ketch that attempted to round cape horn twice and was pitchpoled both times. Don't remember the name of that book but more fun reading.
Victoria is a fun place to visit.
Steve
The maritime museum is very interesting. It is a little small but has 2 interesting around the world boats - Trekka and a dugout canoe sailboat (don't remember the name but remember the story).
Of course there are good books about both of these boats and the people that sailed them. The owner of Trekka also sailed with a family on a 45ft Ketch that attempted to round cape horn twice and was pitchpoled both times. Don't remember the name of that book but more fun reading.
Victoria is a fun place to visit.
Steve
Wow, thanks for all the tips, folks. We'll try to work in as many as we can. We walked through Chinatown, but have concerns that I'll be eating something like sum-young-yak.
Here's how the rest of our evening went...
Body Piercings and Tattoos... We found a great little outdoor pub/cafe for supper. Our table was near the sidewalk and Bastion Square... just perfect for people watching. We noticed the large percentage of people with large tattoos and/or facial piercings.
While walking around after supper, we came across a shop that did piercings and tattoos. Let me state right up front that I have nothing against either; after all, I do have some ink. Joan, on the other hand, is not a big fan of tattoos; but she does have pierced ears.
Years ago, Joan and Steph encouraged me to get an ear pierced. My argument against that was, “It’s not my thing.” Translation: that’s gotta hurt like hell, and I’m not doing it.
As we walked by this shop, I said to Joan, “Did you want a tattoo?”
She surprised me with the response: “If you get a piercing, I’ll get a tattoo.”
I surprised her with: “Deal!”
The situation was escalating.
I thought a cute tattoo right above her hind end would be nice. Then she said to me,”So, you pick out a tattoo for me and I’ll pick out a piercing for you.”
I could see I was losing control of the situation.
“Well, where did you have in mind for a piercing?” I asked, hoping she’d say, “Ear.”
She called my bluff and said, “Tongue!” :disgust
“Ooooooooooo, no, no, no, no, no, no... let me think about it for a second... absolutely NO!” When I bite my tongue accidentally, it almost brings tears to my eyes. Poking a hole through that particular appendage is the worst I can imagine. Yes, worse than that. Besides, having a chunk of metal in there has got to change your taste buds, and gluttony is one of my favorite sins these days. Ah, the woman knows me too well. :roll:
“Deal or no deal?” I could see she was about to bust out laughing.
“No deal,” I said. Shot down in flames. Never negotiate with an apponent who knows you and your weaknesses so well.
We laughed, walked, and held hands. Listened to some of the musicians along the waterfront. Visited with boat neighbors on the dock. Looked at the lights. It was a great evening.
Best wishes,
Jim
Here's how the rest of our evening went...
Body Piercings and Tattoos... We found a great little outdoor pub/cafe for supper. Our table was near the sidewalk and Bastion Square... just perfect for people watching. We noticed the large percentage of people with large tattoos and/or facial piercings.
While walking around after supper, we came across a shop that did piercings and tattoos. Let me state right up front that I have nothing against either; after all, I do have some ink. Joan, on the other hand, is not a big fan of tattoos; but she does have pierced ears.
Years ago, Joan and Steph encouraged me to get an ear pierced. My argument against that was, “It’s not my thing.” Translation: that’s gotta hurt like hell, and I’m not doing it.
As we walked by this shop, I said to Joan, “Did you want a tattoo?”
She surprised me with the response: “If you get a piercing, I’ll get a tattoo.”
I surprised her with: “Deal!”
The situation was escalating.
I thought a cute tattoo right above her hind end would be nice. Then she said to me,”So, you pick out a tattoo for me and I’ll pick out a piercing for you.”
I could see I was losing control of the situation.
“Well, where did you have in mind for a piercing?” I asked, hoping she’d say, “Ear.”
She called my bluff and said, “Tongue!” :disgust
“Ooooooooooo, no, no, no, no, no, no... let me think about it for a second... absolutely NO!” When I bite my tongue accidentally, it almost brings tears to my eyes. Poking a hole through that particular appendage is the worst I can imagine. Yes, worse than that. Besides, having a chunk of metal in there has got to change your taste buds, and gluttony is one of my favorite sins these days. Ah, the woman knows me too well. :roll:
“Deal or no deal?” I could see she was about to bust out laughing.
“No deal,” I said. Shot down in flames. Never negotiate with an apponent who knows you and your weaknesses so well.
We laughed, walked, and held hands. Listened to some of the musicians along the waterfront. Visited with boat neighbors on the dock. Looked at the lights. It was a great evening.
Best wishes,
Jim
Pat Anderson
New member
Ah so...probably not too much dim sum in Texas or South Dakota! It might BE sum-young-yak, but it is one of greater taste treats in the world! Come on, step out a bit, live a little - you have my permission to decline the tongue piercing though!
Pat Anderson":10bg5w2l said:
If it isn't served at the "Crab Palace", I'm not so sure I wanna eat it. (Beef - it's what's for dinner) :wink Remember how I feel about fishy-stuff? Yet, Joan wants to have some fish & chips at Fishermen's Wharf here, so that is on the menu for today. And just so you don't think we're total bumpkins, we do have Chinese restaurants in Texas and South Dakota... right there in our little home towns. Yes, sir, serve me up a big ol' platter of that chicken-stuff... dang, I got the feet and beaks, what'd you get?
And now for something completely different...
I was getting a bit rusty on my worrying skills... and a friend from down south gave me this heads-up:
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tr ... model.html
Just something to keep an eye on right now; not like we can do anything from this distance. :? The hurricane shutters are down and any loose stuff has all been put away. That lime green line runs right over the top of our house at predicted landfall. :shock: The powder blue line puts us on the "dirty" side. The orange line would run north where there is less population along the coast. Of course, the best scenerio would be for it to come over cooler water (not likely to find any of that) and just dump some rain for our reservoirs.
We'll see what Mother Nature has in store.
I was getting a bit rusty on my worrying skills... and a friend from down south gave me this heads-up:
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tr ... model.html
Just something to keep an eye on right now; not like we can do anything from this distance. :? The hurricane shutters are down and any loose stuff has all been put away. That lime green line runs right over the top of our house at predicted landfall. :shock: The powder blue line puts us on the "dirty" side. The orange line would run north where there is less population along the coast. Of course, the best scenerio would be for it to come over cooler water (not likely to find any of that) and just dump some rain for our reservoirs.
We'll see what Mother Nature has in store.