Nanaimo to Pender Harbor

This was the day that we would cross the Strait of Georgia, which can be challenging if the winds are up. So we set out early (about 6:00 or 6:30 am) when the seas seem to be the calmest. We were met with perfect, sunny weather, and glass-like seas. One group had a pod of porpoises travel with them for a good 15 minutes, playing in their wake. I had the good fortune to see two porpoises jump once out of the water, but then they stayed hiddedn. Participants said it was one of the best crossings they’d ever experienced.

The weather on the trip is even better than we could have possibly imagined. One of the locals told me that they have had record highs three days in a row – hitting into the 80s each day. Down close to the water, the warm sunshine makes for perfect temperatures. Experienced participants keep reminding me to enjoy it, as this is very atypical weather and cold wet days are the norm for the Inside Passage especially this early in the season.

The trip to Fishermen’s Marina was just a few hours. We pulled in some time between 9:00 and 10:00 am, and had the whole day to enjoy the area. And what a gorgeous area it was. There were great places to kayak or canoe and a few cute restaurants in the area. The staff was given free time to play and we made the most of it. A few of us went out kayaking, and were joined by two very curious seals. One was especially playful and kept nudging our kayaks. It was an incredible thrill for me – and made me miss our dog Harley (the seal looked an awful lot like her).

There was a little burger joint on the island that had internet connection. Most of the staff hooked up there, downloaded email and uploaded blogs. I couldn’t get my (new) computer working properly before I had to head out for an event I’d organized – you may have noticed my lack of postings since the trip began. Well, I can’t blame it totally on the internet connection, because I didn’t have any copy ready to post at that time anyway.

From 3:30-5:50 pm, a naturalist spoke with the group about the different animals and fish we could expect to see on our cruise up the Inside Passage. It was a great talk, and everyone really seemed to like it. After that, I spent some time chatting with different participants, and passing out gifts (each day, we have a gift for the participants which has been an organizational nightmare that I won’t get into here).

Chef prepared another amazing meal that night, despite the fact that the stove has a tendency to trip the breaker every 15 minutes, requiring a reset. The food has been so fantastic and plentiful on the trip, I know I’m going to gain 5 lbs. by the time we are finished.

After dinner, when most everyone had gone to bed, staff got together again to talk and laugh, and watch for shooting stars. The evening get togethers are really becoming one of the daily highlights of the trip for me.