Squirrel Cove

After a restful night in Jervis Inlet, we decided to make a break for Desolation Sound.
This is a 40 mile stretch, which for us is a long way. The weather was perfectly calm most of the day which meant we were motoring. Looking back at our previous experience with this course it seems we are always either motoring or trying to bash our way into a strong NW wind - if I have a choice I prefer the former.
For some reason, there was a strong current going our way for the whole distance which made short work of the passage. Instead of our normal 6.5 knot speed, we cruised at between 7.5 and 8.0. By 2:00 PM we had passed the Copeland Islands and officially entered Desolation Sound. With only about 5 miles to go, a light SE wind came up and we were able to just drift downwind the rest of the way in about 1-1/2 hours with just the Genoa out.
We had our anchor down in the huge, well-protected bay of Squirrel Cove on the SE side of Cortes Island by 4:00 PM.
The next day (Saturday), two boats from our dock in the marina in Nanaimo showed up in the anchorage. Pure coincidence as we were all heading in different directions when we got here.
We had a good time trying out the dinghy and my outboard repairs, exploring a nearby tidal lagoon and commuting to the nearby village of Squirrel Cove where we could buy a few staples at the store and spend time on the deck of restaurant, meeting old and new friends over a few brews. For the first time since we left Nanaimo, it really feels like summer has arrived. Shorts and tee-shirts are the in fashion and we have to start worrying about too much sun.
Today (Sunday), Sue and I found a trailhead near our anchorage and were able to do some hiking in the rain forest - a nice break from sitting on the boat.
Tomorrow I think we will try our luck in an anchorage on the opposite side of Cortes Island - someplace we have never been before.

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