We're back in the USA! Yay! We spent a couple of nights (Sea Otter Inlet & Phillips Inlet) off of Fitz Hugh Sound and waited for better weather. We were blessed with good weather which enabled us to cross Queen Charlotte Sound which is in the open sea. Then onward through Queen Charlotte Strait. After 7 hours of swells, I was happy to finally stop somewhere. We spent the first night anchored in Blunden Harbour which is on the east side of Queen Charlotte Stait. Then staying next in Growler Bay (W. Cracoft Island), then onward to Port Neville and trying to go around the maze of 50+ net fishermen boats netting for Coho salmon. We met some interesting missionary couples that cruise around the area. They lease the Hansen family land & homes in that area. The Hansen family had lived at Port Neville since 1891. I took some pics of their old grocery store that closed in 1960. The wonderful family history was the father, Oly at the post office, and his wife, Lilly, gave boaters in the area weather reports in Johnstone Strait via their radio. They passed away, and their daughter, Lorna, carried on the weather report tradition until NOAA provided the information. Lorna raised her daughter on the family land but eventually moved to Campbell River as the post office & grocery store closed, and she wasn't able to make a living and has leased her land. The morning we left there were 26 Hansen family members having a reunion with the missionaries. I really wanted to meet Lorna, and her family but felt the dock space for them was far more valuable to them so we moved on. The weather was still good so onward through Discovery Passage to Gowlland Harbour (Quadra Island). We were nervous about going through Seymour Narrows rapids that can run to 16 knots, but we came through during flood and it wasn't so bad as the written literature. Then we spent a few days in Campbell River. It was the Canadian's Thanksgiving Holiday and the stores were closed. But we spent a few days cleaning the boat, doing laundry, and purchasing groceries. The last few days were just gorgeous, but we knew they wouldn't last. We crossed over to Lund, B.C. for a night. But the next day when we headed out, we heard gale storms in the forecast. They weren't kidding! We didn't have good shelter in that area so we ended up going into Selma Park (near city of Sechelt) where we still didn't have good shelter. Our boat was too big to fit behind their tiny breakwater & the float was full with local boats. So we ended up anchoring near the entrance so we could have more swing room. But when the gales hit, we were pounded with one storm after another. We spent 4 days there while the winds and rain blew! Thank God our anchor held or we would of been grounded on the beach! John ended up putting a stern anchor out too. We had gone this direction so we could go to Vancouver to meet Jacquie Champion, but the gale robbed us of those precious days. We spent the entire day on Tuesday cruising to USA waters with a storm right behind us. The day trip was fairly smooth except the last hour was breezy and bumpy. We're visiting our favorite island, Sucia Island, before heading into our home port, Cap Sante Boat Haven, in Anacortes. Then all the preparations will start with unloading, loading into RV, laundry, and cleaning every inch. Believe me, this life is not glamous! Perhaps the wealthy that can afford service staff help. But it's definitely not the case here so no envy please! Yes, I got to see dolphins chase our boat, whales, and grizzly bear's but that horrible storm we hit in Frederick Sound has frightened the daylights out of me!!
