Cruising the BC coast
4/28
Our day in Seattle has been long and very interesting. This is the day we start a 12 day cruise up through the islands of BC on our way to Alaska. The problem is, that this is the only stop for food that we will have until we get up there, so we had to pack the boat so full of food that I can’t even believe it. Literally, it was a 50′ trailer full of food and supplies waiting for us at the dock. I have no idea how we did it, but we got it all on the boat and it even slightly fits. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that two of the crew on the boat were pre-screened for passage into Canada and were denied. So now that means that the Stewards and the Deck Hands will both be a man down for the next twelve days. The plan is to fly the two that can’t get into Canada up to Alaska, then we will pick them up once we get there. It shouldn’t be too bad, because oddly enough it was the two that we on the lower end of how much work effort was put out, and so every one should be able to step up and overcome the problem.
We did a really cool thing tonight, we went up into Union Lake, which is in the middle of Seattle. I can’t even begin to explain how cool it is to be on the boat in the middle of a major city like Seattle. The only bummer was that the video I took didn’t end up being very good. My camera is just not that great at taking pictures at night. We also went through a Lock on the way into and out of the lake, this was my first time doing this, so I thought it was pretty cool. From what I understand, when we go onto the Columbia River I will get my fill of these, but for now the whole concept is pretty intriguing.
The plan is to head up and explore the San Juan Islands tomorrow. I’ve wanted to see them for a long time now, so that ought to be cool. The Olympics off in the distance have been pretty enticing as well. I really need to come back up here and back pack the area some day. I’ll add it to my list of things to do in my lifetime, boy that list seems to get longer now a days. I think that’s a good thing.
It looks like the internet on the boat is under some kind of maintenance, so we are denied access for the day. Looks like it will be another double post for tomorrow….
4/29
We made it up through the San Juan Islands this morning then on to Sydney, British Columbia on Vancouver Island where we had to stop for customs. I’m sure that I missed most of it, because I was working when most of the process occurred, but getting through customs wasn’t all too bad. I’m sure that if I had had driven up to Canada by myself it would be a different story, but I’m glad to say it my first time was no big deal.
After we made it through Customs we headed up to the Gulf Islands, where I was pretty impressed by the way the glacial ice had shaped much of the area, it looked like many of the mountain tops were cut off with a knife. I was told that as we go north the terrain only gets more and more beautiful, but this is already the most amazing place I have ever been. It’s going to get real good before the trip is over, I can already tell. In the afternoon we made it up to a place called the Strait of Georgia, the best that I can explain this area is that it makes the Olympics look pretty lame, and I love that mountain range. I see why my mother is so in love with this place, though I’m not sure if she even really got to see how cool this place really is. I’ll have to email her and ask.
The boat has been plagued with all kinds of maintenance issues lately. Most notably would be our dishwasher in the Galley, and more obviously the internet, but also the chlorine system for the drinking water has been giving the engineers some serious trouble. I’m just going on record as saying those guys do some amazing things, with practically nothing, very cool to see and I’m very greatful to have them on board.
Tomorrow we head up to Alert Bay, a town with some interesting history supposedly. I will let you know more tomorrow, I can’t wait.
