Day 388 What it is all about.

As we sat on shore yesterday, it finally came to me that this is what this adventure is all about. As we sat on shore, there in front of us was the vast Canadian Rockies stretching as far as the eye could see and not another soul had crossed our paths for over a day nor would I expect one for as long as we stayed where we were. We had the peace and solitude we had been looking for for so long. We were alone in the majesty of nature. It took me back a few steps. This is what I have been waiting for for so long. Just the two of us and the world!

People have asked me what I wanted out of this trip ever since we started talking about it and my answer had always been "To be in a cove all by ourselves with no one around enjoying the peace and quiet and seeing the stars at night without any city lights". Yesterday, I think we finally arrived. Being in a small bay that can only be reached by traversing a Sound, and with the write ups for it not that great(they don't know what they are talking about)in the cruising guides, I think we could stay here another week and not see another person. There aren't even that many birds in here. We saw our first eagle of the area yesterday afternoon. Not even any sea gulls so far. The sad thing is that we will be moving on today to continue our journey but the experience of this little bay will stick with me for quite a while.

Yesterday started out cloudy and then broke into a magnificent day with bright sunshine and a few little clouds around the hills. It was so bright, we had to wear sun glasses and sun screen for the first time in quite a while. After lunch, we took off in Puff to tour our little edge of the world. In and out of little coves looking at streams slowly pouring into the bay. Trees, rocks and fish, both big and little, as they swam past our little dingy. We made our way slowly around the edge pulling up on shore at a rock out cropping and taking a short hike around the shore. You couldn't go inland because the land is so densely forested you couldn't penetrate it. Plus there was always the threat of bears in the area. We've been told to watch ourselves when we go ashore. We tend to make as much noise as possible when we pull in to scare any away that might be in the area. We traversed from side to side taking it all in. From the beauty of the forest to the stretches of forest that had been clear cut for the timber. That just made us sick to see some beautiful areas cut down to dirt and then left to mar the view. Some have regrown and covered and some are still just sticks and dirt. So sad.

Once we returned to Zephyr, I set about polishing some of the bronze on deck. The two dorade vents on the stern deck are now covered with bronze caps until we get South. I have been working on them on and off trying to get them nice and shiny. No real reason, just something to do. I've tried several commercial cleaners--Flitz and Prism Polish as well as several "home brews"-lemon juice mixed with baking soda. Salt mixed with vinegar and flour to make a paste to rub on. I even poured ketchup on them and let them soak over night since that was recommended at the Wooden Boat Festival by a local foundry in Port Townsend. Yesterday, I did the lemon and baking soda. That was rated as "very good" by Practical Sailor. I'd give it a fair at best. I rinsed off the deck and then tried "Miracle Cloth". It cut through a lot of the tarnish and really did a great job. It had been rated is "excellent" by Practical Sailor and they are right. The bronze looks great. Now some of the deck rings on the dorade vents for the other cowl vents farther forward don't look as good as the ones on the stern, but give me time and I'll get them there. Flitz, Prism Polish, and Miracle Cloth all promise that using their product will prevent them from tarnishing for a longer time. I've found that once shiny, coat them with Penetrol and they will stay pretty for much longer. I did our bow rollers months ago and they still look pretty darn good considering what they go through with salt water hitting them everyday.

All the cats came up on deck and enjoyed the day. Even Shadow, our 17 year old boy came up and strolled the deck--at least until Blue herded him back inside. He came out later and worked on his tan. It's not that easy for him to get up the stairs but he does alright. Snowshoe strolled but sat in the shade of whatever he could find. Blue just looked for something or someone to mess with. It was a beautiful day for all of us.

We're off for Shawl Bay Marina to get the laundry done and prepare for going around Cape Caution in a few days. From what I have heard, it is quite a trip.