Sailing at Oak Bay Harbour

Before our evening sailing adventure we stopped for a late lunch at the Penny Farthing pub in Oak Bay.

 

We arrived at the marina a little early, so we toured the harbour and watched the seals until our captain arrived to take us out on the water.

 

The weather was beautiful - barely a cloud in the sky.

 

(This isn't the boat we sailed on, but I couldn't resist snapping a picture of it.)

Finally out on the water! I took the first shift at the helm.

 

 

Andy chats with our captain, Al, as Kyle steers us around the islands.

 

Arrows pointing up mean that the water is safe to the North of this buoy. 

We had great winds and spent the majority of our time under wind power (only had to turn the engine on when we were heading back to the marina). Kyle and I got to practise some of the maneuvers we learned in our December classes and tacked (catching the wind on the alternate side to turn the boat) six or seven times as well. After three hours relaxing on the water, we finally steered towards shore under the light of the setting sun.

Dowler

We took a tour of the building on Dowler Street that Kyle is working on. The scaffolding finally came down this week!

We wandered around downtown after our tour, and finished our relaxing day with a bonfire dinner on the beach.

Saltsping Island

We (along with everyone else on Vancouver Island, it seemed) decided to ferry over to Saltspring Island to check out the Saturday Market.  We missed the boat we were hoping to catch (but were sixth in line for the next one) so we took advantage of the shops, cafe and free newspapers while we waited for the next ferry.

 

We finally made it on the ferry, only an hour and a half behind schedule.

The weather was gorgeous, though, so we didn't mind at all.

 

Andy was the only one brave enough to sit up top - The rest of us were too cold in the ocean breeze.

We had a delicious lunch at the Shipstones Pub, where Bonnie and Andy had lunched during a visit seven years earlier. (As you can see here - I think we may have even sat at the same table!)

 

We spent an hour or so touring the market. There were so many vendors selling anything you could think of - produce, clothes, soaps, herbal remedies, pottery, artwork and knick-nacks. I ca came home with some olive oil soaps and a topical glucosomine cream that I'm going to try for my wrists and knees.

And of course, we just had to stop and pick up some goat cheese from the Saltspring Island Cheese Farm.  Their animals were feeling rather social this visit, and there were several willing to sit still while I snapped their photos.

 

Andy kicks back to relax on the patio as Bonnie and I decide which cheeses to bring home with us.

We drove back to the Fulford ferry terminal and wandered around the seaside shops while we waited for the boat home.

 

 

 

Andy watching the ferry coming towards port.

 

We really had wonderful weather for this day trip, even if we had to bring hoodies with us.

The Bunkis' enjoying the ferry ride back to Vancouver Island.

A couple of canoes paddled through the wake of the ferry behind us.

Bonnie and Andy had prime seats up on the ferry deck for the whole ride home.

Blue Bayou

Bonnie and Andy arrived safe and sound on Thursday afternoon. We celebrated their arrival with dinner at the Blue Bayou restaurant in Brentwood Bay.

Day Trip Up Island

Mum and Dad wanted to check out more of the island, so we took a day trip to check out a few towns on the coast.

We had lunch at the seaside in Mill Bay.

We enjoyed the Maritime Museum in Cowichan Bay.

 

 

The weather was gorgeous, as usual.

They stopped for an ice cream before heading back on the road.

Dad was very interested in the logging mill we saw in Chemainus.

I was there too. And I have a tan! Yay!

 Mum poses for a quick photo before we hit the road to head home.