Trip One

Just in from Trip One.  I have never been on Trip 1-3 before so this was not only my first trip cooking for greater than 5 days but also my first time up the inside passage.  Wow so so lovely.  Longer trips are also so great because of the relationships built with the kids, the forming of a community with 38 unknown people and just more intentional devotional/discussion time with the kids.  And really the places we go are so much cooler!! Here is a brief recap.. for the official log

http://www.bosunsmate.org/tracker/?action=log&trid=100

We left the inner harbour to cool and drizzle ( was it really the end of June as we sat on deck in our poofys and pants)

As we cleared active pass by about 2000 the sun came out and it seemed to be abit warmer in the Strait

Skippers

Sunset heading up the Strait of Georgia

We did a night run that first night altheway up to Savary Island.  I forgot my camera on the boat so no pics of that.  The next day was cold and dreary  but we had a fabulous sail up to the tip of Quadra Island.  Day 4 however was almost perfect.  We spotted whales as we turned to head up into Desolation Sound.  Four Orcas as we entered Whale Passage
Tristian in prime whale viewing spot

Michelle and Sam are kinda excited =)

Where will they pop up next ??

My fabulous assistant Cook

Megan the Bosun's Mate

After a gorgeous run up... Teakerne Falls!!!

The falls... for size compare to the person at the bottom right...  The falls were amazing to shower in.  So powerful  I thought my contacts would pop out of my head as I went through the falls to the amazing place under/behind them

A side waterfall

We were rafted that night to the Grace which always makes for a lovely evening with twice the amount of trainees and hanging out with friends.
The next day we hiked up beside the waterfall to the lake which feeds it and went swimming.

Steph and I

The Tanis and Arwen trying to fit David into his costume =)

Zach hung out with us for the trip

I don't have pics for the rest of the trip because Im bad like that... next trip better I promise.  But after Teakerne we spent the next 4 days slowing making our way back down the strait.  Swimming in the sunshine, playing on the beach and sailing in the sunset.   Ps  I also was the live Man Over board in the middle of the Strait of Georgia... got 4 minutes of peace and quiet before they picked me up =) 

For the next trip which starts Friday check out this link and clink on Pacific Swift Trip 2 for the skippers logs. 
http://www.bosunsmate.org/tracker/?action=group&tgid=22

Dereks Grad

 My older little brother graduated from high school at the end of June. Congratulations Derek for finishing 13 years of school.  Much prayer for what exciting adventure life holds in store for you.  

 Thanks U. Gerald for the zoom lense.. unfortunaly can not exactly make up for sitting at the back of a gym =)

 My sisters pintrest find.  super easy to assemble and make

Next day grad banquet derek and his friends washed a truck and then let me snap a few pics before they headed off

 Dont think Derek has ever let me take thismany pictures of him!!!

Here is a post to catch up for the past couple of weeks... busy weekends and lack of internet has made this lapse into a long time between posts.   Sailing itsself has been good.  Summer has not yet arrived to the west coast which has made for a long cold spring.  I finally broke out the shorts and tank at the same time for a couple of hours last week. I am excited for the summer season to start.. new places as we head up Desolation sound, interesting mixes of kids, the opportunity to build longer and tighter relationships with the trainees and maybe finally some sunshine!!

Sarah- note the   many layers and scarf!! not exactly summer clothes
Sailing with the ForeTop and Courses and Main in Trincomalli Channel between Saltspring and Galiano Island

Second week in June a few of us headed up to Tofino for a few days.  Saturday we took advantage of the sunshine and mediorce surf conditions and went surfing and boogie boarding for the afternoon.  It was super gorgeous.   Then hiked across the headlands a few beachs down to watch a surf compition.

That night we camped out in our friends parents yard in Tofino. They have an amazing house right on the beach.   We hung out on the beach... played baseball with kelp heads and driftwood and a game of charades as we watched the sunset.

The view from their path to the ocean

Chillin on the beach

The next day the pouring rain and completly fogged in condtions kiboshed our plans to hike Lone Cone but insead we hiked (slogged through the mud and roots) down Radar hill to a completly sucluded beach (unfortunatly the camera didn't come along)  It was just gorgeous and wild.  After we headed over to Long beach for a walk and sleep in the sand. 

The next weekend was also super special as my family and Corina came out to stay with me and participate in the a half day sail on the Swift. 

 Dad Climbing the rigging

 The Grace also on a Day Sail

Megan who lives in Victoria now also came on the sail

Camera Died so some Iphone pics

 Corina helping furl the headsails

 Joel up and the tippytop of the foremast

I have had the past week off between our spring and summer season. It was a good break in which I headed back home because my oldest little brother was graduating from highschool (AGHHHH). Its been a nice realzing week though lots of famil ytime.. fishing with my dad, hanging out with mom and lots of walks and little hikes. 

Fishing at Chilliwack Lake

Our only pathetic catch of the day

Six on Sunday

1)       The last few weeks sailing have been fabulous. However the sunny spring that I was promised by the other crew members “May and June are just gorgeous... hot and sunny sometimes not very much wind but nice and warm”… has not come true.  Granted the layers of down and wool are not present but neither are the shorts and tee-shirts.  We had the privilege of sailing last week with the members of Power to Be, I was fortunate to have sailed with them as well two years ago and have been looking forward to the trip all season. We had a mix of both the developmental needs program and the high-risk youth on board and it was so incredible the way the two groups blend and interact to capitalize on each other strengths.  It was a trip also filled with much laughter and joy with the unrestricted enthusiasm and joy that each of the youth bring.

2)      My house mates and I are discovering that house maintenance actually requires someone being home to do it… we may soon be voted off the block for our unmowed front lawn….. never mind not owning a vacuum cleaner… a lawnmower may be the next purchase

3)      As a frequent flyer on BC ferries let me give you a few tips- some from personal experience some from the fascinating pastime of people watching

a.       Always know where your keys are, if you are in your vehicle make sure they are in the ignition- never good for the line to be moving and you not

b.      Take a moment to orientate yourself to where your car is parked on the vessel.  You may not know your port from starboard but look what side you are on in regards to the middle of the vessel.  The fact that the boat turns around a few times is not an excuse… your car didn’t move and no matter; what you will never have to back off the ferry. 

c.       Don’t laugh, say a prayer for the person who has there hood up while every one goes around them in the line… one day it may be you and you would hope that people are praying not laughing

d.      “may all people please return to their cars in preparation for boarding” is the best time to get in the line at Starbucks really as long as you are not parked at the very far end of the line you have plenty of time

e.      The BC ferries website on your phone with the % of ferry fullness is the best gauge as to what time to leave home/how fast you need to drive

f.        Wonders of wonders if you were planning to go the island this month the government is having a sale =)  40% off on the weekends… they have to fill there exhorbent amount of sailings somehow… why is it with all the added sailings there is never a 8pm.

4)      I may have been wearing a scarf while driving with the air-conditioning on in my truck… very occasionally the need to look cute overrides common sense.  On second thought common sense was also overridden this week when I felt the need to touch a fly zapper to see if it worked (got quite a buzz)

5)Im still plugging through “An Imperfect Offering”  so good but with a content the needs to be be evaluated and thought on.  This quote from todays read- a conversation between the author and another worker as they struggled to get back into Rwanda. 

“ Even if it is impossible to help the refugees, we must keep trying and find the truth of what is happening, and we must speak. Sometimes speaking is the only action that is possible. To not speak is to fail the possibility of humanity. NO, all is not fair in love and war. IF we are to remember or even discover what love really is, what peace really is, if there is to be real hope for any of us, we need to be reminded of this. 

6- Location- Spirit of BC- abeam Beaver Point

Reading- Not much…. just between books

Cooking Next- Jambalaya