Things Get Exciting!!!

July 12

Well, here I was thinking that I had nothing new to post on the blog – as my friend Liz would say, be careful what you wish for!!  We anchored out in Garrison Harbor yesterday afternoon after leaving Roche Harbor.  After listening to the weather forecast, we had already decided against going to Victoria today.  We were sitting in the boat reading our latest Reacher novels, when Bill happened to look out the back door – just in time to watch the dinghy roped snaking over the rail!!  We pulled anchor – not a quick task - and took off after it.  As luck would have it, a guy on another boat saw the dinghy blowing by, got in his dinghy, and caught ours.  Whew!!!  We re-anchored and boy, was it windy!  The boat was swinging around all night.  This morning, we pulled the anchor and got the anchor rode wound up in the prop – no steering and no power!!!  We were headed for a couple of other boats that were rafted together.  The wind blew us to one side of them, they had great family crews, pulled us alongside them and tied us off.  I got on the swim platform and was able to unwind the rode and free our boat with no harm to the outdrive or the engine.  What a great bunch of folks!  One guy was even going to get in a “shorty” wetsuit with goggles, go in the water, and work on the rope.  Thank goodness he did not have to. 

We headed back to Roche Harbor and decided to moor for the afternoon and night.  Both of us were feeling a bit stressed.  I got the laundry done and we will take showers later.  Then, weather permitting, we will head for Victoria tomorrow.  Here’s a photo Bill took of the floating pumpout boat at Roche Harbor: