Thursday, July 2: Day 29: Rainy Day in Prideaux Haven

Rainy Remnants and a Change of Plans

There is a very specific, comforting kind of peace that comes with waking up to the sound of steady rain drumming on the deck when you are perfectly secure, stern-tied, and tucked away in a safe haven.

We awoke this morning to a solid wall of rain blanketing Prideaux Haven. While the downpour has finally let up for the moment, the sky remains a heavy, moody gray, and the forecast is calling for at least two more days of wet weather. Faced with a soggy horizon, Greg and I didn't need much convincing to make our decision: we are staying put for another day of pure rest.

Sometimes, the weather gods dictate your itinerary, and usually, they know best.

Our original plan was to weigh anchor and head toward Cortes Bay to catch up with our friends, but a quick update from them completely changed our minds. While we’ve been enjoying blissful, windless calm inside our protected little nook, they’ve been getting buffeted by a highly uncomfortable 24-knot wind blowing straight into their anchorage. Hearing that made us incredibly grateful for our quiet spot—and firmly solidified our choice to sit tight.

Instead of Cortes Bay, we are now turning our sights toward Refuge Cove for our next hop. But for today? There is absolutely nowhere else we need to be.

Right now, the galley is cozy, the coffee is hot, and Artemus has found the ultimate rainy-day sanctuary, fast asleep and curled up tight right beside the companionway under the shelter of the dodger. If a 17-year-old boat cat can master the art of a lazy, rainy afternoon, we figure we should probably follow his lead.

[Photo: Artemus checking out the view from under the dodger, taken from down below in the cabin.]

[Photo: Artemus waits out the rain]

There is always something I seem to forget to put into a post, so if you notice things changing slightly from time to time, it's because I've gone back to add a missing photo or a forgotten incident!

After working on the blog and other computer related tasks, we settled in for a delicious, comforting late lunch: canned baked beans, a hot grilled cheese sandwich, green olives stuffed with pimento, and a crisp dill pickle. Perfect rainy-day fuel.

With the rain keeping us inside, I took full advantage of just sitting here and tackling some computer work. I had my year-end to do for TOPS. Yesterday I managed to get the weekly ledger completed, and today I tackled the big ones: the annual Totals spreadsheet for the annual audit and the monthly report for June. All of that information has now been sent off to the other executive members so they can take it from there on my behalf. It feels so good to have that crossed off the list!

We did get some incredibly sobering news today (or perhaps it was yesterday). A couple who are fellow BCA (Bluewater Cruising Association) members had a major mishap not too far from where we are now. On June 22nd, their sailboat—which is larger than ours—struck a rock in the Copeland Islands and tragically lost its keel.

Oh boy, this is just terrible. I haven't found out all the specific details yet, but another BCA member has generously set up a GoFundMe page to assist them with the massive, unexpected expenses they are suddenly facing. They are trying to raise a minimum of $10,000, as the total bill is expected to be on the top side of $30,000 or more. I truly hope they are able to get the help they need. If you are able to help a fellow cruising family, the GFM link is: GoFundMe: Accident at Copeland Islands.

As I write this, I just heard Greg taking the motor off the dinghy (Big Mack)—which is usually our official sign that we will, indeed, be weighing anchor tomorrow.

Will it be Refuge Cove, Cortes Bay, or somewhere else entirely?

Late Evening Update: Freshly Baked Goodness!

Greg has a hankering for some focaccia bread, so he's whipping some up as I write this post. We've even got some fresh rosemary on board and coarse sea salt to sprinkle over the top. It's smelling absolutely heavenly in the salon right now!

[Photo: Greg's homemade focaccia bread, made right here on the boat!]

• Comments are Welcome! Please feel free to chime in—just make sure to hit PUBLISH when you are done. If you aren't signed into a Google account, your comment will show up as "Anonymous," so please type your first name and last initial in the comment box so I know who I'm replying to! (If you are signed into Google, your name will show up automatically.)

• Check Back for Updates: I quite often write and update this blog as the day goes by. If you want to catch the whole story, be sure to check back and refresh your browser! I've also been known to add details after the day is over—or even days later if I suddenly remember something I forgot to include.