After checking all systems (to be sure all hoses were attached and boat wouldn't sink) Stargazer is off with her new bottom, shiny topsides, leaving Point Roberts and heading back to Semiahmoo!

Down she goes, back to where she belongs, Robert did a fabulous job! He has only been doing this job for about 3 weeks but we felt completely comfortable with him. He looks like he has been doing this job for a while. Very courteous young man ... age 19!

We watch as Stargazer is positioned to be lowered. Robert is very skilled at this job!
Down she goes!

New bottom, Robert picks up Stargazer for her return to sea. Slowly he carries her back to the haul out station.

We rolled the paint on the bottom, Gene paints underneath the keel, Gene in the engine "room" although there is not a lot of room there. Dave is helping by handing tools. When Gene's back would get tired, then Dave would get in there. They swapped back & forth all day long.
They are a great team!

The boat yard power washes the bottom saving us lots of time!
They set Stargazer in place with stands and give us a ladder so we can get on our boat!

Position slings and up, up and away to dry land she goes!

Boat Haul Out @ Point Roberts

For 5 days we hauled out and lived on the "hard" while painting the bottom, having the prop coated with some new prop coat system that prevents growth, getting an insurance survey and engine work. Living on a boat is sure harder this way. 1/ Climbing a ladder that was 15 feet up 2/ Not being able to allow greywater to go down the drain a.k.a. water catching (it would dump on the ground cloth) ... not being able to use the toilet much (no way to pump out holding tank if it filled up) ... these were the most difficult aspect about living on the "hard."

We painted the bottom 3 times ... Gene wanted to pull the prop shaft and put in a drip-less shaft seal. Well as boat work goes ... nothing is ever simple and takes 3 times longer than planned. After spending a half day trying to remove the prop shaft, it was determined that our engine 4-108 Perkins that weighs 750 pounds needed to be lifted up to remove the prop shaft. After securing a chain fall, the engine was lifted high enough inside the cockpit for Gene to realize that the engine has to be completely removed from boat in order to remove the prop shaft. The boat yard did not have the means to do this for us (because we have a ketch rig and needed to drop our mizzen mast) and thus the prop shaft project had to be abandoned because of time and cost. Gene decided to spend this time chasing down oil leaks since the engine and all hoses were disassembled. So the next day was spent putting the engine back in.

We have a clean bottom & prop, an engine with virtually no oils leaks for the time and a washed and waxed boat. We are good to go for about 6 years with our bottom (2 years per coat of bottom paint) and 10 years on our boat insurance survey!

Chatterbox Falls
We have arrived. It is very cold here today and rainy and overcast. The last time we were here was in August and warm. What a joy to see the Princess in a different season. A float plane comes in as we come in. Only 2 ways to get here. Boat or plane. No roads to this place.

Arriving Princess Louisa.
I forgot how beautiful this place is. One cannot describe the sensation of the majestic Fjord experienced here. I am so glad to be back.

I love photographing eagles. They are a big challenge as they fly so fast or are a bit far away. Also a moving boat creates a bit of a challenge. Here is an eagle on a reef in the Strait of Georgia, one flying overhead and 2 enjoying the evening sunset.

Dark Cove

Dark Cove is named so because the mountains are so high that as the sun sets it gets dark very early here. It was raining and cool at this anchorage. We are a day's run from Princess Louisa now. Lori is trying her hand at fishing. No luck.

Ganges Harbour

We arrive Ganges Harbour on Saltspring Island in the Gulf Islands, BC, Canada after motorsailing for 5 hours. We clear customs via our Nexus passes (passes that allow us to call via cell phone for clearance). This saves us 1-1/2 hours. Normally one has to go to a physical customs dock for clearance. Ganges is our favorite harbour in the Gulf Islands.

May Sailing

We are off ... 15 days of cruising the Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast of BC in Canada!
Ultimate destination ... Princess Louisa in the Sunshine Coast ... hope there is sun there!

A Day in the Life of Sailing

Gene adjusting sails, Bob making lanyard pulls, Gene replacing our propane tank.

Desolation Sound

We say goodbye to the Desolation Sound until the next time.

Another favorite shot

Leaving Prideaux Haven

Hikes

During our stay in Prideaux ... we took a few hikes to explore the area. The rain forest was full of moss, fungi, and ferns! What a treat to see the splendor of creation.

Lake Hike

Laurie and I took off hiking up a trail that led to this lake at the top of the mountainous terrain. It is absolutely amazing to view such a sight and know that many people will never see this place. Such quietness and peace. The lake was down in a valley of which we did not have time to hike down to.

Oystering

While at Prideaux Haven, we learned of an island outcropping for oystering. Bob and I ventured out to the very small island recommended by another boat. I taught him how to harvest oysters! There were tons of oysters. Here we are back at Stargazer shucking a few that we brought back. Out here, you are supposed to shuck the oysters at the sight and leave the shells behind. Which we did for the most part. The oysters were delicious!