POSTCARDS

WISH YOU WERE HERE~ A Photologue Of Our Travels.

Cruising The Canadian Gulf Islands~ Trip Wrap-Up.

 

 

We spent the last night of our nearly blissful journey in the seaside village of Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island. The weather was pristine, the water shimmering blue under the sunny skies. Our Cowichan visit should have been postcard perfect, but I got hugely photo bombed by Larry's virus!

I'm home now, flaked out on the bed, unmotivated to slip back into our routine. Summer colds are the worst. 

I am always cheered by trip photos however, and while thumbing through decided to share the last of them with you. 

 

We passed this line fisherman someplace between Ganges and Cowichan Bay. I was taken by how content he seemed in his aloneness. (Admittedly, the black and white filter emphasizes the solitude). After I captured several images, I began to wonder if anyone has ever taken my picture without my knowledge. Have you ever wondered that about yourself?

The small village of Cowichan is built along the water front. Obviously maritime activity and tourism are the main components of the town's economy. There are multiple marinas, boatyards, and yacht dealers. In addition to moorage there is lodging of all sorts; hotel, motel, B and B, and vacation rentals. For more information on Cowichan Bay tourism, visit Tourism Cowichan. 

There are also nice restaurants and boutiques; many of which are seaside-themed. My favorite destination is True Grain Bread. True Grain is an ancient grain bakery which sells unbelievable baked goods made exclusively from organic, unhybridized grains. 

 

 

True Grain Bread is on my top 10 list of favorite breakfast stops in the world. 

I'm quickly losing steam so I'm leaving you now with an additional sampling of photos that hopefully capture the color of the Cowichan Bay. 

 

 

Vintage Boats

 

 

Floating Homes

 

Waterfront Cottages

 

 

And lots and lots of flowers!

Saying goodbye to Canada is always sad. Though we are only a 2 hour ferry ride away from Vancouver Island, and even closer to the mainland BC, our visits are so few and far between. We love our Canadian neighbors and the gracious hospitality they extend. 

 

But real life, full of project lists and responsibilities, called us home. Now there's what I call trip fallout to push through~ unpacking, laundering, grocery shopping, and re-entering. 

Thank you for thumbing through our POSTCARDS this past week. It was a pleasure sharing. 

Dana

POSTCARDS

WISH YOU WERE HERE~ A Photologue Of Our Travels

Cruising The Canadian Gulf Islands Day 4.

We've encountered a roadblock of sorts.  

 

Hello friends. In a manner of speaking, we have run slightly aground. Larry has developed a particularly intense upper respiratory infection. He is really lying low, spending most of his time asleep in the salon. I feel really bad for him. But I guess if one has to be sick on vacation, resting aboard a boat in the Gulf Islands is among the better places to be.

He did rally enough at midday to accompany me into to town via dinghy. As a testimony to how lousy he feels, he asked me, well actually told me to drive. This was a first. 

 

Don't let my smile fool you!

I might look composed, but really I am not a good dinghy driver. I had a difficult time steering the outboard engine because directionally it was very counterintuitive. Upon pushing off from Glenroy's Stern, I sideswiped a catamaran. Seriously! It's a very good thing the dinghy is an inflatable and not hard sided, right? Though no harm was done to either boat, my husband was not happy! After all, he's not feeling good. His reaction was very uncharacteristicly testy, and my erratic driving caused him to snap just a bit. I get it, truly. I was like a 15 year old with a learner's permit, driving for the first time. 

Larry never ever stays grouchy for long, so the rest of the outing was so lovely. We ate a nice picnic lunch on a park bench and strolled around town again. We stopped for iced coffee at Talia, my favorite cafe. We found courtyard seating under a pergola and Larry checked email while I browsed House Boat, the coastal home interiors shop nearby. I snagged a set of 4 beautiful white cotton napkins as a souvenir. I say, "snagged" because the price was good to begin with and the exchange rate is quite favorable. And to top it off we shared a shortbread cookie slathered with apricot jam. Delightful!

Here are a few things that captured my focus today~

 

I love this use of green on green in Talia's courtyard. The rosemary is thriving even in the filtered light. 

 

We bought a cute grocery tote at Thrifty. 

 

We happened upon this car, which reminded me of a vintage Ford Galaxy. It's called a Meteor Rideau  Meteor was a Canadian subsidiary of Ford, and the Rideau, produced from 1954-1961, was named after a river in Ontario.

 

Pretty darn cool! Remember huge steering wheels and the thin metal horn?

 

I've mentioned before that I like to take pictures with high textural appeal. This mass planting of ornamental grass looks appropriately beachy; even though it's struggling in the absence of rain. 

 

And lastly, I couldn't resist pictures of our neighboring boat. It's a very old Chris Craft seemingly abandoned. 

 

We were moored next to her last year as well. It would appear she hasn't been touched in years, and sadly I think she has deteriorated beyond any hope of restoration. 

If Larry feels better tomorrow (he'd better, it's his birthday) we're heading for Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island. Cow Bay, as it is called by locals, is a charming little village about 35 miles north of Victoria. This will be about a 20 nautical mile journey for us, or approximately 4 hours because we cruise at a low speed. 

Thankfully we have sunny skies and breathtaking sunsets to enjoy whether we sail on or stay put. 

 

I'm so grateful for each year Larry and I celebrate together. 

Until next time~

Dana 

POSTCARDS

WISH YOU WERE HERE~ A Photologue Of Our Travels. 

Come To Ganges

Cruising The Canadian Gulf Islands Day 3.

 

In my opinion, Ganges, BC should top everyone's summer destination list. The ideal daytime highs, 70-75 degrees, sparkling blue water, and incredible air quality provide the perfect respite from hot and/or humid weather. You can trust me on this. I lived almost two decades in St. Louis, Missouri, where 90 degrees and matching humidity were the summer norm.

 

Ganges on Salt Spring Island, population 10,200, is small enough to offer laid back island charm yet large enough to offer goods and services to the vast surrounding area. Salt Spring is located between Vancouver Island and the mainland of BC, and is the most highly visited of the Gulf Islands. 

There are a variety of ways to get here without owning, borrowing, or chartering a boat. Most travelers begin their Pacific Northwest Journey in Portland, Seattle, or Vancouver, BC. Any of these major cities is an awesome jumping off point, and if you have a car the journey is probably the most expeditious. With a combination of car travel and ferriy crossings, the trip is easy. Without a car the journey involves ferries and buses and maybe even rail. However, the BC Transit System is first rate and easy to navigate, so don't let the absence of a car deter you. And once you arrive in Ganges you can tour most of what there is to see and do on foot or by taxi. 

 

We always drop anchor about 900 feet away from the public dock. We pick the same general area each time we come because it is quiet and calm and provides us with beautiful shoreline views.

One of my favorite things to do is to take the dinghy into town for morning coffee. This morning I took my camera along and with cup in hand, did a walk-about capturing images of my favorite shops (and my favorite traveling companion).

 

My Favorite Places To Spend Money In Ganges~ A list of five places I always visit while here. 

 

1. Thrifty Foods. Thrifty is a well designed grocery chain in British Coulumbia. The displays are appealing, quality is great, the staff friendly, and the prices are reasonable. Larry and I do a lot of cooking so Thrifty is always a first stop for us. 

 

2. The Tree House Cafe. This is a great breakfast spot as well as our favorite place for carry out coffee. Here they feature Salt Spring Coffee, a local roasting legend. You can see why the cafe is aptly named "Tree House", because it is actually built around a huge oak. The restaurant interior is 

delightfully funky! 

 

3. Salt Spring Nature Works. Local foods, natural foods, bulk foods, and homeopathic remedies are available here. Aren't the displays gorgeous?

 

 

4. Elderberry Yarns. I'm not a great knitter and rarely spend a lot of money when visiting this great shop. But the owner indulges me with lots of time and attention, and always helps me choose a simple project to work on while underway. Her inventory as well as her expertise is marvelous. 

 

5. Cafe Talia. This is a favorite Euro cafe for coffee and pastries, as well as light breakfast and lunch fare. There is seating both inside and out as well as takeaway. I absolutely love it here and encourage you to stop in. 

Many of the little shops and cafes are in early 1900 cottages. 

 

 

 

There is also an abundance of colorful blooms at almost every turn. 

 

 

 

One final note. The most famous of the many Ganges attractions is the Salt Spring Saturday Market. Last year we planned our trip around it and it was an incredibly fun experience. It's probably the finest Saturday market I've ever shopped. 

Have I encouraged or enticed you to come to Ganges? I hope so. If you would like any more information or links to cool stuff, please leave a comment or email me. I love talking travel. 

Off to our next port!

Dana

POSTCARDS

WISH YOU WERE HERE~ A Photologue Of Our Travels.

Cruising The Canadian Gulf Islands Day 2. 

 

Although yesterday was a great day, because that's the only kind of days we have on the water, we weren't able to stick to our loosely constructed itinerary. We had intended to overnight at Telegraph Harbor, but metaphorically speaking, the harbor was a shopping mall parking lot at Christmas. There were no mooring buoys available, no dock space, and despite our best efforts we had no success securing the anchor to the sea floor. So we opted for Plan B, and simply made way for Montague Harbor on Galiano Island. 

We arrived late afternoon and dropped anchor without mishap. One of my favorite activities on boating excursions is to lower the dinghy and putter around taking photographs. So that's what we did. Later we fixed dinner together, relaxed into the evening, and enjoyed the beautiful sunset. 

Because our day was without unique activity, I have only a few pictures to share today. I hope you enjoy them. 

 

There are lots of sailboats in Montague. Many of them are older and are seemingly abandoned to the deteriorating effects of weather. 

 

A whimsically charming boathouse. 

 

A cluster of adorable cabins. 

 

A Pacific Northwest supermodel. 

 

A sentry. 

 

Breathtaking sunset. Bonne nuit!

We are currently en route to Ganges. Ganges is the largest town on Salt Spring Island. It is a favorite of many, many boaters and we too love mooring here. I am excited to visit one of my favorite coffee houses and a first rate cottage interiors shop just down the road. In addition I am attending my first class today (online) in social media marketing. It's amazing to me that the boat is equipped with WIFI and the signal is strong wherever we go. 

Thanks for following along!

Dana

 

POSTCARDS

WISH YOU WERE HERE~ A Photologue Of Our Travels.

We are aweigh just now, boating amongst the Canadian Gulf Islands in beautiful British Columbia. Just to be clear, we do not own this boat. 

 

We have been gifted the almost unconditional use of her, and I am beginning to think that this arrangement surpasses boat ownership in most ways. 

We began the journey yesterday in Sidney, a small waterside community on Vancouver Island. We are so fortunate to live in Anacortes, Washington, a major hub for the state ferry system. We were able to take an early ferry directly to Sidney, where the MV Glenroy resides safely in her sleek little boathouse. 

 

It took us about two hours to cruise from Sidney to Salt Spring Island.  The boat and this beautiful waterfront vacation home are a package. We love this house so we dock here but live on the boat. I am content to simply wander; inside and out. 

 

 

 

I'm sure the photos do not do justice to the quality, simplicity, and livability of this breathtaking home. 

But I hope my photos captured the serenity here. 

You may recall that last year I wrote about this enchanted cottage-the estate's original dwelling place. The cottage still has my heart. 

 

 

I have photographed this dreamy little space from every possible angle. From outside peeking in~

 

And from inside gazing out~

 

Obviously the cottage needs some scrubbing-up, but I love her any way and always.  

 

The gate to the cottage path. 

 

 

On the front porch. 

 

A vintage crab pot.

 

I love this little bell setting by the gate. My guess is it was hanging on a post for many years, serving as a doorbell. Legend has it that the original owners lived in the cottage for several years while the main house was being built; pioneers of  tiny house living.  

I hope you enjoyed Day 1 of our adventure! Our plan is to make our way Telegraph Harbor. I hope you'll cruise along. 

Time for tea~

Dana

 

As a post script: This is the first time I've attempted a blog post with this new app on the iPad. Please excuse any irregularities.