2016 Desolation Sound

2016 ended with a Sept/Oct three week cruise from Anacortes, WA up the full length of the Strait of Georgia to Desolation Sound and back. This trip was primarily spent in Canada, though it did involve our first visits to Jones Island and Deer Harbor in the San Juans.

Our first time to Nanaimo

Must be nice to just ship your megayacht wherever you want it to be.

Perfect conditions heading north in the Strait of Georgia.

We definitely waited to leave French Creek after watching the Lasqueti Island foot ferry bash its way into these winds and waves.

Entering the Desolation Sound area.

Rustic Refuge Cove

Cassell Falls, Teakerne Arm.

Rounding West Redonda Island.

The waterfall above Toba Wildernest Resort.

Partway back Toba Inlet.

Toba Inlet waterfall.

Leaving what would be our furthest point on the trip.

367 feet deep right off the shore! This is not atypical in the Desolation Sound area.

We found the somewhat lost hiking trail up Mt. Llanover, through the logging slash. Above Roscoe Bay.

It looks like pan dulce grows in the forest here...

The view of the northern Strait.

Quite the tow.

Looks familiar! But definitely not the B.C. Coast!

Chemainus, quite the interesting town to visit, famous for its murals.

A painting of famous Emily Carr paintings!

Quite the little community, with a slug at the top.

More perfect late fall weather.

Wallace Island

Conover Cove on Wallace Island.

Casual downwind conditions in the Strait of Georgia. 

The temporary only stoplight on Orcas Island required some supplemental instruction!

A sunset hike after a successful day of hitchhiking on Orcas Island near the end of a great trip.

2016 Summer and lakeside wildfire

A major exciting point on Jackson Lake in late summer of 2016 was the Berry Fire that exploded on the northwest shore and spread all the way to the south entrance of Yellowstone NP.

The Balboa 24, Turva.

The fire on August 27th.

Strong afternoon winds and dry conditions led to very fast fire growth.

The Bombardier CL-415 Super Scoopers 260 and 263 operated by Aero-Flite were fighting the fires. 

1,600 gallons picked up in 12 seconds, at least per Wikipedia.

Not too often probably that you get to watch a scooper pick up water with the fire it is fighting visible in the background.

The lake must be big enough that they didn't need to close it for boats.

They were actually flying north though, towards Yellowstone.

They fly in formation one behind the other, and made the round trip in very regular intervals.

A smoke-filled valley.

The winds filled in even worse the next day.

2015/2016 late winter

Nice April skate skiing conditions.

Much faster method of travel on the water surface, unless maybe we get a sailboat that foils!

Playing follow the otter tracks.

Sometimes straight, sometimes not.

It just keeps going....