With our rendez-vous to pick Di up in Victoria fast approaching, I left Poet's Cove on Monday to head for Cadboro Bay, a short 8 miles only from Victoria harbor.
We left under auspicious conditions. Dark menacing skies and raising winds appeared to match the forecast for Small Craft Advisory, and then the rain started coming down just as I was raising the anchor. Princess and I got wet enough that we needed a good shake.
It didn't take long for the engine to warm up the heating loop, and soon I was enjoying the comfort of my newly found trawler life style.
Typical of the region though, the weather cleared within the next 30 minutes, and the Small Craft Advisory prove pointless once again. This seems to be a common thread around here. So we continued on in gorgeous and calm weather.
As usual, my navigation software proposed the shortest route by taking us close to rocks. As usual I extended the route by taking deeper and safer options. In particular I stayed in Haro straight, with the "big guys". That elicited a lot of curiosity from Princess who just took a perch on the bow to watch the bulk carriers and container ships go by.
Entrance into Cadboro Bay isn't difficult but like many places around here, you better have good charts and better use your zoom at the correct resolution. A small rock can hide in the larger scales that will only appear when you zoom in. I use multiple screens as well as paper charts. C-Charts and Navionics are my electronic charts.
The forecast for the night predicted up to 35 knots North-westerlies, so I laid out a lot of chain. Of course, it came as no surprise that the night was completely calm and uneventful. There is something about being ready that keeps bad weather away?
Di is already on her way back. We're getting the band back together!