Ski to Sea Relay Race

Each year Bellingham hosts the Ski to Sea relay race. It begins way up on Mt. Baker and winds its way down for about 100 miles to the shores of Bellingham Bay in Fairhaven.

It's not your average relay race. The course involves several modes of transportation with teams that specialize in each. It begins with a 4 mile cross-country ski followed by a 2.5 mile downhill ski or snowboard loop. The next leg goes to a runner going downhill 2,200 feet over eight miles until the bicycle leg begins for another 42 miles. At Everson, the canoe team takes over and paddles down the Nooksack River (a bit fast and full right now) to Ferndale 18.5 miles away.

After they pull ashore, the mountain bike team member takes off for a hard 20 mile peddle to Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham. That's where Wayne, Jeanne, David and I watched the race. Colourful kayaks were lined up and waiting for their mountain biker to arrive so they could launch.

I know all of the legs were grueling, but Sunday on Bellingham Bay was not a good time for kayaking.

Once they rounded the breakwater it was 2 to 4-foot waves all the way across. Some overturned right away, but at least there were lots of boats watching to provide assistance if needed.

We then got in our boat to watch the race from water level. Those were some tough kayakers for sure! -- Margy

Buying a New Boat: The Boat is Ours

The week after the inspections, we decided to buy the Bayliner 3058 Motoryacht named Foghorn (I'm sure there's an interesting story there, but it's lost to antiquity). I'm sure you've already guessed that by now. We're very happy with our new boat. Yes, there were some ups and downs during the search and procurement process, but the end result is well worth it.

Wayne and I went up to the Skyline Marina in Richmond for the Victoria Day weekend to stay on the boat and get to know it a better. It was great fun! Because we're going to sell our smaller Bayliner 2350 soon, we didn't want to purchase too many things to outfit the new boat. So Wayne brought a big box of things down from Powell River including life vests, a portable GPS, and tools.

We bought two new sleeping bags for the v-berth bed and stopped at Overwaite (I still refuse to call them Sav-on Foods) for a picnic supper. Because we were on shore power, we could use our microwave oven (too huge for a boat) to make popcorn before we went to bed. When we get to Powell River we'll trade it for our smaller one in the condo. That'll be an improvement for both places.

We took the boat out on the North Arm of the Fraser River towards the Strait of Georgia. We traveled at slow cruise and enjoyed watching all the river traffic including several log booms heading upstream and a barge filled with sawdust from the mill heading out. Back at the slip, we toasted our new boat with a bottle of champagne on the bridge. What a great way to end the day. -- Margy

Buying a New Boat: Getting a Boat Survey and Mechanical Inspection

When we purchased our Bellingham boat from Geoff at Lake Union Sea Ray, we knew the seller and the maintenance records for the boat. Wayne and I trusted the boat we were purchasing was in good condition and free of any major defects. For that reason, and because our U.S. insurance carrier didn't require one, we opted not to get a boat survey.

With our new Bayliner 3058 Motoryacht, we didn't know the seller or the boat broker, and there were no maintenance records. For those reasons, and because our Canadian insurance carrier required one, we chose to get a boat survey.

Geoff also recommended that we get a mechanical inspection of the engines and legs to make sure they were in good operating order. The Foghorn (as in Foghorn Leghorn) has been moored in the fresh water of the Fraser river for several years, but before that it was in salt water and that can be quite corrosive.

Wayne and I met Geoff at the Skyline Marina in Richmond, BC, where the boat is moored. Geoff helped us find an independent survey company and mechanic. During the morning, both inspectors crawled all over the boat looking at the construction, systems, engines and condition. Then Geoff took us out to test the boat in action.

The final stage of the inspection was a haul out at the marina so both inspectors could see the bottom of the boat and the stern drives. The Skyline Marina has a 30 tone boatlift, so we used that. Now that was quite an experience. All I could think was, "Don't drop it!"



After both inspectors finished, they gave a verbal summary of their findings. The written reports followed two days later so we could make our final purchase decision. But the initial report was good.

Both inspections plus the haul out were a bit expensive, but the peace of mind it gave us with an unknown boat was worth it. You can bet when we get ready to sell our 2350 Bayliner it will come with a lot of records for the prospective buy to review. -- Margy

Friday Night at the Marina

This has been such a wet spring so far, but all that rain has brought some very beautiful sky clearing sunsets.

Here's one looking over the Fraser River from Skyline Marina in Richmond, BC.

What better place to enjoy it than from the command bridge of our new boat. -- Margy

Buying a New Boat: We Found It!

Buying a boat is a bit like love, you never know when you'll find it. We went to see a 1993 Bayliner 3058 twice. It was an individual sale through craigslist. The owner kept it well maintained and the layout was very functional. The only downside was twin 4.3L engines. We were afraid they were a bit underpowered to get the boat up on plane. But the up side would be better gas consumption at lower speeds.

Before we went for a demo ride, Geoff found a 1992 Bayliner 3058 Motoryacht just north of the border in Richmond, BC. Wayne was at first reluctant to travel so far, but since it was on the way to Vancouver International Airport, he stopped by on his way home to Powell River.

It was love at first sight. And it had every item on our mandatory list (including price) and almost every item on our "nice to haves" list. Wayne told me all about it when he got to Powell River. He was so excited. We set up an appointment for me to see it on my return trip to Bellingham. We learned that this was the boat we wanted. We also learned that not all boat brokers are as good as Geoff.

Thanks to Geoff's hard work, we found our boat. But now the hard work had to start. A boat can look great from the outside, but what is happening inside. Since we didn't know anything about the owner or his maintenance records, we opted for a complete boat survey and mechanical inspection. What a story that made! -- Margy

Buying a New Boat: The Search

After Wayne and I decided to start looking for a new boat to use on the chuck (salt chuck, ocean), we developed our mandatory and "nice to haves" lists. That helped us keep us focused during our search. The key item was our maximum dollar amount. This had to include any upgrades that might be required to make the boat conform to our mandatory list.

Geoff from Lake Union Sea Ray in Bellingham was a key player in our search. He also introduced us to Yachtworld.com where we could review boats available in the U.S. and Canada. Narrowing the search to the Pacific Northwest (including British Columbia) made the search more realistic.

If we purchased a boat in the States, as Canadian permanent residents, we would need to import it to Canada. This would be advantageous if we could find a boat that was less expensive south of the border. Importing a boat into Canada is fairly simple if it was manufactured in a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) country. If not, it could require expensive import duties. We definitely wanted to avoid those.

From craigslist we found several boats that we went to see. One definitely made it to the top of our list. We also went to several local dealers to see boats in their lots or on their docks. As I mentioned before, this process helped us narrow our search for three Bayliner models: the 2858 command bridge and the 2859 sunbridge (both 28-footers), and the 3058 (a 30-footer). Now all we had to do was find THE boat. -- Margy

Our Floating Vegetable Garden Wins Sunset Contest

In the April issue of Sunset Magazine, there was a call for readers with vegetable gardens to submit a picture to the magazine's Facebook fan page. The winners would receive a set of garden tools. I submitted a picture of my floating garden up at the cabin, and do you know what? I was one of the tree winners and my garden's picture is in Sunset's June 2011 issue. What a great honour!

How does my garden grow? With purple sage, red potatoes, and green lettuce all in a row.

The heart of my garden is my float. It was designed and built by my good friend John. Cedar logs provide the buoyancy needed to keep four 3 X 10 raised beds above the waterline. On the bottom of the beds is a heavy cloth called mill felt. It is porous, but very strong. Frequent watering is needed in the warm summer months, so John installed a solar powered water pump and hose for me.

And supervising it all (and supposedly scaring away hungry birds) is Mr. Owl. His strategic perch at the rear of the float gives him a bird's eye view of his vast domain.

Each year I try to plant something new. Last year it was acorn squash, banana peppers, cucumbers and Scarlet runner beans in barrels on the deck. This year it's garlic in a barrel and up with the potatoes in my hillside plot. What are some of your favourite things to grow? Do you think they would do well in my garden? -- Margy

Buying a New Boat

It's hard to believe, but at the turn of the century (doesn't that make 2000 sound like a long time ago), Wayne and I knew next to nothing about boats. In 2001, we bought our first runabout to get up the lake. In the last ten years, we've added nine more vessels of various types to our collection. So why would we want another boat? Size matters. At least when you are out on the chuck (ocean).

Our primary ocean going boat has been the 23.5-foot Bayliner Halcyon Days. We love her, but the large straits and inlets of the Inside Passage have been beckoning, and the heavier seas and stronger currents made us want a more substantial boat before go.

What's held us back? We've been on the waiting list for a larger slip in the Powell River North Harbour for about nine years. Now that the marina is being redone, the wait is over. And Jim, the wharfinger, found us one that we can see from our condo window. How cool is that!

So off we went looking for a new boat. What better place to start than with Geoff at Lake Union Sea Ray in Bellingham. He helped us get our Bellingham boat a few month ago, so we returned for more of his able assistance.

Wayne and I sat down to create a list of mandatory requirements and "nice to haves." A few of the mandatory items were:

28-30 feet in length
command bridge (flybridge)
dinghy and motor
GPS and depth sounder
and a maximum dollar amount we set for ourselves

We searched on both sides of the border using craigslist, Yachtworld.com, and, of course, Geoff. Because of our good experience with Bayliners, we settled on three models: the 2858 Command Bridge, the 2859 Sunbridge, and the 3058 Command Bridge. To stay within our price range, we looked at boats built in the 1990's with gas engines.

Our search took us from the Pacific Northwest to Vancouver BC. We found several boats that met most of our mandatory requirements and some of our "nice to haves." But how do you know which is the right boat for you? Stay tuned for the rest of the story. -- Margy

West Coast Sunset

Cruising in the Pacific Northwest lets you get some pretty spectacular sunset views.

Can anyone guess the location for this one?

We've been there recently. -- Margy

Stairway to Heaven

It's been a long time since I've written a Wednesday Friends Day post. I would like to expand my "friends" list to forums I enjoy visiting. Today, I was over at one of my favourites about cabin living, the Small Cabin Forum. It's associated with a website of the same name that provides lots of information about cabin construction. I recommend that you visit both.

I was reading some of the posts, and one of the popular threads was "Share Your Outhouse Pics." Now that might not be a topic of great interest to cityfolk, but to us cabin dwellers it's an integral part of our lives. Some were traditional, some fancy and one was a Tufway chemical toilet.

I had to share mine of course. To get there I have to climb what I call the "stairway to heaven." It's four flights up a notch in the cliff. During rainy weather it shares the space with a waterfall.

Up top is our outhouse. It's nothing special, just a one-holer with three plastic bins. One holds TP out of reach of nesting mice. Another holds used TP to be disposed of later. That really cuts down on the quantity of fill if you know what I mean. And the last holds lime and a spoon to sprinkle down the hole to reduce odours.

If you prop the door open, you get a great view through the trees to the lake beyond. Now where could you find a bathroom with that in the city? -- Margy

Edaleen Dairy Delight

We've passed many times heading north and south from the border on the Guide. Edaleen Dairy is on the west side of the road just north of Lynden.

On our way back to Bellingham last week we needed to find a place to stop and change drivers. We picked the dairy parking lot and this sign tempted us inside.

Wayne had a raspberry cheesecake cone and I got the caramel cashew. The single scoop cones were huge for the price of $1.65 (Canadian on par). You can bet we'll be stopping by the Edaleen Dairy again, and again, and again. -- Margy

Rhubarb

Last spring I planted a rhubarb bare root in a medium sized pot on my deck. It's a deep pot to allow for root growth and to help insulate them during the winter. Even so, I wasn't sure it would work.

Rhubarb is a long-lived perennial plant. The directions said to not to cut any stalks the first year to allow the roots to get established. I cheated a bit and took a few to make a pie. Looks like I dodged a bullet.

I would say this is a pretty good start for year two. The pot is in full sun and catches the rain. Plus, it's in a location for easy watering with a can of lake water.

My good friend Margaret from Powell River also posted about rhubarb this week. Head on over to her blog Thistle Garden to see how easy it is to freeze extra rhubarb. Plus, she has a handy tip for using the leaves (they are poisonous) to cut down on garden weeds.

Do you grow rhubarb? What are some of your favourite recipes? -- Margy

Trains Afloat

In my post called Atchison, Topeka and Chuckanut Bay, I shared one of our favourite anchorages near Bellingham. Last Friday, we returned just before dark to catch a few trains before heading back to the marina to spend the night on the boat.

In just a few hours we caught two, a Santa Fe freight train and the Amtrak taking passengers south from Vancouver BC to Seattle.


Do you cruise in the Pacific Northwest? Do you have any favourite anchorages? We are always looking for new places to visit. -- Margy

Avian Trampoline

Two years ago, all of the baby Barn Swallows fell from their nest to our porch roof. None survived. So last year, we gave our nesting visitors two helping hands. First, Wayne built a small wooden shelf to help support their mud nest high up under our eves. The second was a soft "landing pad" just in case any babies got pushed or fell from of the nest.

I used an old sheet and sewed a large pillow. Then I took some polyester fiberfill I had from an old craft project to fill it. The fiberfill dries fairly quickly and retains its loft, making it a good choice for an outdoor "avian trampoline." To help keep the fiberfill in place, I created three pouches in the pillow.

To keep it in place on the porch roof, Wayne used some strategically placed rocks. The pad has an additional benefit. At the end of the season, it can be discarded with all the droppings from the nest.

We are hopeful our Barn Swallows will return by the end of May. If they do, everything is ready for them. The old nest just needs refurbishing and the new trampoline is in place.

And by July, maybe we'll have more babies to watch like these. -- Margy

Vacancy

Vacancy: Move-in ready. One bedroom, lake view condo. Outdoor perch for warm sunny days with nice neighbours.

Freshly painted, just in time for a summer of enjoyment up the lake. All this can be yours for a song.

Today is Sky Watch Friday. Go to the Sky Watch Friday website and you'll see sky photos from all over the world! -- Margy

Quick Trip to Steveston, BC

Wayne and I took a quick trip to Richmond including a dinner stop in Steveston Village, BC. It's cute with lots of shops and restaurants, but what really caught my eye was the working harbour. There were lots of fishing boats varying types. Looking at their sizes, some must fish the Fraser River and nearby Strait of Georgia. Others looked like they could handle the open seas on the west side of Vancouver Island or north to Alaska.

Also, there is the Gulf of Georgia Cannery. The once busy plant that operated from 1894 to 1979 is now a historic monument dedicated to a fishing industry that has dwindled over time. It wasn't open for tours when we were there, but I bet it would be very interesting. Maybe on another less quick trip.

I like visiting touristy towns in the off season. I bet the businesses appreciate it as well. While we were there, we went to Steveston Marine & Hardware. It is an amazing place with just about everything a private or commercial boater could need. Can't make it to Steveston, just go to their website and shop to your heart's content. - Margy