Annual Boat Maintenance at Valley Marine in Powell River

Valley Marine boat services in Powell River.

Winter is a good time for annual boat maintenance. The shops are less busy, and long months of inactivity are hard on boats. Having ours in top shape makes us confident it will be ready whenever the weather is good.

Our Bayliner 2452 called Halcyon Days needed to be scheduled for annual winter maintenance, so we asked Jeff Munro at Valley Marine to arrange for transportation from our moorage in Powell River's North Harbour to his shop in Paradise Valley.

This week Jeff called to let us know everything had been completed. He met us at our storage hangar and backed Halcyon Days right into her spot. Now that's great service!

Jeff backing Halcyon Days into her hangar winter storage spot.

Here's Halcyon Days all tucked away for the cold, wet, windy winter months. Looks like she'll have lots of good company and a great view.

Halcyon Days will have protection and good company all winter long,

Halcyon Days will be back in the water in May, ready for new adventures like the ones in Wayne's books Up the Strait, Farther Up the Strait and Up the Inlet (shameless plug).

Thanks Jeff and Valley Marine! If you are in need of excellent boat maintenance and repair services, give them a call:  

Valley Marine
3407A Padgett Rd
Powell River BC,

Phone: 604-485-9257

They also have boating supplies, shrink wrap service, storage and an upholstery shop onsite.

Say "Halcyon Days" sent you. -- Margy

Remembering a Fierce Fall Storm

Our float cabin in 2001.

Storms in fall and winter are the worst. Low pressure systems build in the Gulf of Alaska, swoop down Vancouver Island, cross the Strait of Georgia, and head up Powell Lake. With the lows come rain and high winds. It's the wind that causes the worst damage.

Our first boat.

We bought our cabin in Summer 2001 and had several weeks of wonderful weather. The next Thanksgiving (the U.S. kind in November), I got a week off from work and went to Powell River on my own. The weather was partly sunny for my boat trip up the lake. Good thing, I'd never driven a boat alone before. Thankfully, John rode in formation to make sure I made it okay.

Stiff leg at low water.

After a few nice days a storm moved in. The rain was heavy and strong winds made the cabin jerk forcefully back and forth on her ¾” steel cables anchored to the cliff. On the backwards swing, the stiff leg (a log that prevents the cabin from hitting the cliff) bounced off the rock, sending reverberations through the float and into the cabin. With daylight, everything calmed. Whew!

Cliff anchor bolt with cable needing replacement.

The next evening a new low slammed into Coastal BC. The steel cables and their anchor bolts had been weakened the previous night. Just after dark, the wind blown motion of the cabin ripped a steel cable free. With the greater range of motion and stress, another cable snapped. With each gust of wind, the cabin swung far out into the lake, only to snap back, causing the stiff leg to ram into the rock wall.

Adding a second anchor cable for future storms.

The motion was constant and nerve wracking. The lake wasn’t safe to navigate, so there was no way to leave. To say the least, it was a very long night. Fortunately, the remaining cables held and I could talk to Wayne (still in California) via our satellite phone for moral support. You might think a night like this would have scared me away, but I love the cabin, and knew John built it skookum (strong) to be safe in all kinds of weather.

You can read the whole story in Up the Lake and learn how I got the nickname Frontier Jane. If you have a kindle or e-reader, Up the Lake is free from Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, and many other online e-book sellers. -- Margy

Airplane Noise and Blue Skies

If you love to watch military aircraft, Whidbey Island in Washington State is the place.

You can camp at Deception Pass State Park or enjoy the beaches near Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

Take a seat and hear the jets roar or watch the marine patrol aircraft take off and land.

If you have a military ID, you can enter the base for an even closer look at the EA-18G Growler fighter jets ...

... and the larger maritime patrol and reconnaissance P-3 Orions and P-8 Poseidons. All of these planes and their personnel keep our country secure and safe.

In between sorties there are blue skies and white clouds to enjoy. -- Margy

Available Online: "Flying the Pacific Northwest"

Perfect for Pilots
and Aviation Enthusiasts of All Kinds

Flying the Pacific Northwest

by Wayne J. Lutz

Description: Airports of Western Washington and Oregon form the backdrop for adventures in the Pacific Northwest. Take the controls of a Piper Arrow, as your personal flight instructor leads you to out-of-the-way spots where recreational aircraft give us the freedom to pursue personal goals. Hints for cross-county and local flying, as presented by a 7000-hour FAA certified flight instructor. For armchair pilots and experienced pros, this book is an escape so realistic you’ll swear you’re airborne.  

Kindle $5.99

Print from Amazon.com $10.95

Check with your favourite e-book dealer 
for other formats.

Check here if you need a Kindle 

or free Kindle App.

If you enjoy the book, consider writing a review at Amazon.com
Happy reading! - Wayne