Company’s coming… don’t fret
Often we are asked to list the best anchorages or marinas for a one- or two-week cruise in a particular area of the Salish Sea. The problem with creating such itineraries is that they are heavily influenced by personal preferences. Do you prefer marina stays or anchorages? Pets on board? Do you like to hike? Are you a foodie? Sail or motor? How flexible are you when weather forecasts take an unpleasant turn?
But it becomes much more complicated when the question of where to go also includes a note that there will be company aboard.
Guests are a can of worms. There are guests who are experienced sailors. And guests who have never set foot on a boat and have no idea what to expect.
There are guests who create no stress, close friends or family who are up for anything and will pitch in to help with meals and clean-up. They accept with a smile your plea to conserve water when you hear the freshwater pump going full speed in the head.
And there are some guests who you really don’t get to know until well into the voyage.
Before a trip with guests, our itinerary deliberations include the following considerations:
- It’s important for us to get off the boat daily to stretch our legs.
- The cockpit on Silom, our sailboat, is small, designed for crossing oceans, not entertaining. It is crowded with four people, not to mention tangled sheets, furling lines, books, shoes and beverages. I’ve always felt that my feet are two sizes bigger in the cockpit. And it’s really not comfortable for aging backs and hips. Guests with the ability to spring out of the way make things so much simpler.
- We don’t want to spend all our time in the galley, so that means at least a few dinners ashore. And meal prep has to be simple. You don’t want guests feeling like they are being waited on — it’s awkward for them.
- Our fridge space is at a premium, so that is always factored into meal planning.
Our first guests this year arrived in early May and set sail with us from Campbell River on Vancouver Island. The following was our itinerary and some of the highlights along the way:
Rebecca Spit – An easy place on Quadra Island to dinghy ashore and pick up the few groceries I had neglected to buy before we left. Always a great walk with a lovely beach to take a picnic ashore and swim. A rock hound’s delight! We’ve seen many whales around there, sadly none this time.
Prideaux Haven – The approach always provides an impressive view of the islets and snow-covered mountains that loom over Desolation Sound. It can get a tad busy here, and next door in Melanie Cove, so we tend to only visit in the shoulder- or off-season. The walking trail along the north shore of Melanie Cove is a hit with first-timers.
Ballet Bay – We were able to sail all the way to this popular Sunshine Coast anchorage. Here we explored the islets and channels by kayak and our diesel heater’s cheery flickering made for a cozy evening. En route to Ballet Bay, we passed close to Savary Island where we planned to go ashore for a beach walk, but the weather was deteriorating and the anchorage along the north shore was fraught with moored vessels and private buoys, so we carried on.
Pender Harbour – We anchored off Welbourn Cove and enjoyed going ashore to wander at Madeira Park, where there is a supermarket and quaint shops. Our guests enjoyed visiting this unique community.
Smuggler Cove – The process of stern tying was more of an adventure to our guests than we anticipated! They chattered about it until long after the event. The lovely walk to the point and kayaking the intricate shoreline were highlights. That evening we took turns bathing on deck which turned out to be good for a lot of laughs.
Gibsons Landing – On the way to Howe Sound we passed close by the White Islets which were covered in sea lions barking, growling and pushing each other off the rock. Another hit with guests. At Gibsons, we anchored east of the harbour authority dock, had a meal out, and wandered the charming town. There are convenient options here if a marina tie is your preference.
Plumper Cove – Claiming a mooring ball was another curiosity, especially when we had difficulty hooking to it and holding on. The help of guests was so welcome! We walked the trails ashore until it started raining, and later chatted with a sailor at the park dock about his unique wooden boat which his father had hand-built and passed on to him. The boating community in the area is eclectic and fun; everyone has a story of interest to boaters and non-boaters alike.
False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf – Sailing in a stiff breeze, our guests were in awe of the size of the freighters at anchor in English Bay as we neared Vancouver. We bought fresh spot prawns for dinner, Ubered to a fabulous Ethiopian restaurant for another dining adventure, walked Kitsilano Beach, strolled Main Street and raved about the evening cityscape. We explored Granville Island and helped a mother goose and her goslings safely cross a street there. All in all, it was a fabulous couple of weeks and our guests flew home from here.
Our next guests arrived on July 3, and we had planned to meet them at Long Harbour on Salt Spring Island where the ferry from Tsawwassen docks. They left their car for the week at the Tsawwassen ferry parking lot.
We anchored Silom in Welbury Bay and dinghied to the rock beach across the road from the terminal. We pulled our dinghy high on the beach, maybe too high since we didn’t anticipate how difficult it would be to relaunch with extra people and luggage. You would think we were newbies!
After lunch and settling in we headed off to follow another planned itinerary:
Sidney Spit – Our timing was perfect. On arrival, the tide was low and the long spit was completely exposed. Many of the mooring balls in the shelter of the spit were missing, so we anchored. The men walked the length of the spit while the ladies chatted and caught up. Our guests loved the view of Sidney across the way at night. Our explanation about everything that we take into account when anchoring was super captivating to them.
Narvaez Bay – This was our next destination, but it was kyboshed by weather. After hours beating into strong easterly winds and steep chop, we were nagged by a fear that Narvaez Bay might not be adequately sheltered. The last thing we wanted to do with guests aboard was to sit up late worrying about dragging. So we made a U-turn and headed for Winter Cove.
Winter Cove – We packed up crackers and cheese, wine and fruit and were fortunate to witness three powerboats come through Boat Pass against a fast current. Sadly, only days before, five people were rescued when their boat hit a reef attempting the same transit.
As an aside…at Winter Cove we also picked some lovely greenery, Vanilla Leaf (Achlys triphylla), also known as ‘sweet-after-death’. Native to the west coast of North America, it has clusters of three large, fan-shaped leaves which have no scent when fresh. But, as they dry, they release a strong, vanilla-like fragrance due to the presence of coumarin. It’s a nice touch if you let hang it aboard in your head!
Port Browning – We all wanted relief from meal prep and dishes, and we needed a shower, so the Port Browning Marina was a great stop. And hauling water in jerry cans from a distant spigot at the head of the docks demonstrated to them why we are the water police. On the morning of departure, the men aboard walked to the bakery at a nearby shopping centre and returned with breakfast. Then we set off, up Plumper Sound to Trincomali Channel. Our guests found the confusion of ferry traffic off Active Pass very exciting.
Montague Harbour – Lovely day on the beach (with good cell reception) and a walk around the point. Our guests have a friend who lives on Galiano Island. She has an studio where she creates and sells glass artwork, as well as two homes, including one with a vast farm attached at the north end of the island. We had a grand tour of all her properties the next day and dinner at the Crane and Robin where we bought a pair of Four Winds beer glasses. (Our boat name means Four Winds in Thai.)
Otter Bay – From here our company could catch the ferry back to Tsawwassen. We arrived too late in the day to visit the Roesland museum, a disappointment since we wanted to share it with our guests, but they enjoyed walking Roe Island.
Our take on it all? We don’t think it matters so much where you take guests. Everything from using a headset to communicate while anchoring, to knocking chain down in the chain locker, to the fabulous wildlife and scenery is interesting and a topic of discussion. So much of what we take for granted is beautiful or fascinating to visitors. Don’t sweat it, enjoy the company and yourselves!
And because meal planning is key to using what you buy, and buying what you need, below are a few simple meal ideas that were a hit:
‘Roccan Tomato Soup with Fresh Buttermilk Biscuits
Greek Salad – Pick your own favourite version of this perfect boatie salad. It doesn’t call for lettuce or other leafy greens and keeps for at least a few days.
Of course, at dinner, we always try to make extra so there are leftovers for lunch the next day.
