August 3 - 10: The Week Ending With Telegraph Harbour C&C Rendezvous

Monday: Prepping and A Fast Sail

Time is ticking away—I can't believe we've already been home from Lil' Ollie for 10 days! Today is day 11, and we are spending this week getting ready for the upcoming C&C Rendezvous. My goal is to pack up the boat on Thursday afternoon and cast off late Friday morning to arrive at Telegraph Harbour Marina around 1:00 PM. I always like to beat the rush so I have better docking options.

Greg's replacement part for the outboard motor finally arrived—a new water pump kit. He was proudly bragging once he got it fixed, which made me happy knowing we’ll have it ready for our next rendezvous at Port Browning the following weekend. When you have to anchor far out, having that 15 HP motor on the dinghy makes us fly over the water. It saves so much time making multiple trips back and forth to check on Artemus, especially when it’s chilly out.

(From our day out on the water...) On Monday, August 3, we took Asia, my grandson Brandon, and his partner Lydia out for a sail. It was the absolute perfect day for it! We managed to hit 7.6 knots of speed in around 15 knots of wind—so satisfying! I forgot to start our tracking app until partway into the trip, but it captured most of our zigzagging. The B&G display showed a solid 7.4 knots at one point, though I definitely saw it slip up to 7.6 for a second!

Forgot to add the tracking until part way into our sailing.

B&G display showing 7.4 knots

Wednesday: Ferry Day

Today was the day I took Asia back to the ferry. To read the story about Asia's visit and our day together, tune into offtheboatandintotheboot.blogspot.com.

Thursday: Pre-Trip Jitters & Packing

Because I had a late coffee on the way home from dropping Asia at the ferry yesterday, I woke up around 3:15 AM and couldn't fall back asleep. I got up shortly after—it's all a bit of a blur now! Since I couldn't sleep, I worked on my TOPS report, though my sleep-deprived brain made me move at a snail's pace. We spent the rest of the day getting everything ready to take down to Lil' Ollie, but by the end of it, I was simply too exhausted to go. We decided to stay home for one last night in our bed, rather than on the boat as was originally planned.

Friday: Casting Off and Dockside Appys

We finished packing, loaded up the RAV4, and headed over to Maple Bay. We loaded everything onto Lil' Ollie—it felt like much less gear than our 50-day trip, though I probably still brought too much food as usual! We left the dock just before noon. Naturally, a few things got left behind: the cat's brush, my eye drops (though thankfully I had extras on board), the cherry tomatoes for Saturday's Greek salad, and one other thing I can't quite remember.

We sailed for a portion of the way, making at least 5 knots motor-sailing with just the working jib. We arrived at Telegraph Harbour Marina around 2:30 PM and had a successful docking on E-Dock (port tie), right behind Hessian, owned by Kevin and Kim Greenwood from Victoria. Kim is a fellow cat lover—they have three at home—and because her leg has been giving out on her lately, making it hard to get in and out of the cabin, Kevin solo-sailed up while she planned to drive up tomorrow.

After securing the boat, we headed to the café to check in and grab one of their delicious ice cream cones. While there, I ran into the artisan who makes some of the earrings sold at the shop—the same vendor I bought earrings from back at the May rendezvous! She showed me an oil-diffusing crystal that scent-emanates through a wooden lid, perfect for freshening up stale air on a boat. My ears perked right up, and I planned to check out her market stall the next day.

Later that afternoon, everyone gathered on the deck for an appy-and-beverage social. The table was overflowing with a fantastic selection of food! We learned they were selling C&C West Coast Rendezvous souvenir bucket hats and insulated bags. We sat with Theresa and Scott from Sooke, who keep their boat in Ladysmith, and had a wonderful time laughing with them as they reminisced about competing in the 24-hour race around Salt Spring Island.

After a few weekend announcements, everyone headed back to their boats. Greg and I watched an episode of Suits (remembering how we watched the series finale of The Resident on the final night of our 50-day trip!). I made the bed, realizing I'd taken our bedding home to wash and completely forgot to bring back the duvet—it’s still sitting in its big bag at home waiting for a trip to the laundromat this week! Even without the duvet, fresh sheets felt great. The fitted sheet I brought didn't fit the V-berth mattress, but I used an extra flat sheet instead, topping it with a fleece blanket and throw when it got chilly later in the night.

Saturday: Tech Talks, Boat Open Houses & Potluck Trivia

I slept soundly and woke up around 6:15 AM. After trying unsuccessfully to sleep a bit more, I got up and we enjoyed our morning coffees and breakfast in the cockpit. At 9:30 AM, we headed over to the pavilion for the C&C Tech Talk, where owners ask each other troubleshooting questions. My question was: "Do other boats with rod rigging hear their mast sing or hum?" Many owners chimed in with a "yes!" and offered clever fixes, such as wrapping a small spiral of line or Dyneema around a stay, tying stays together to shift the resonant frequency, or adding a small dampening mass.

Next was a presentation from a North Sails representative. I got a bit lost in the technical talk, and with all the day's scheduled activities back-to-back, I worried I wouldn't make it to the market before our afternoon boat open house. I decided to slip away early! At the market, I bought the peppermint-infused crystal for the boat, a pair of red earrings to replace the one I lost when everything fell off the table during a heavy heel on our 50-day trip, a soap dish with a sponge, a loofah, and a baby muslin facecloth I wanted to try out.

When I returned, the sail talk had wrapped up early, so I headed down to Lil' Ollie to make lunch and prepare for the boat viewing. The peppermint crystal came in handy right away—I had bought it specifically to clear out the diesel smell that lingers in the quarter berth after motoring!

After lunch, we set out to tour the other boats on the viewing schedule. It was fascinating to see everyone's unique solutions. One boat had a curtain rod installed across the front of the V-berth with ringed curtains—a great idea we might adopt! It offered privacy for anyone in the quarter berth while neatly hiding stored gear like extra bags, food bins, spare sails, and hatch covers.

Sometime during the day, I met Kim from Hessian. She had driven up so she could participate in the evening, but had to catch the ferry back to Victoria right after dinner because of her leg. I was so glad she made the effort—we bonded over being cat lovers (she has three at home!).

After the boat viewings came a miniature boat-building activity and race. As intriguing as it sounded, we were exhausted—viewing boats takes a lot out of you, and we had only seen a third of them! We retreated to Lil' Ollie to rest. I played a couple of pieces on the piano, did some dishes, worked on my blog post, and recharged.

I then got to work prepping a Greek salad for the potluck. Realizing I had forgotten tomatoes, Greg saved the day by fetching four fresh ones from the market building. Since Greg doesn't like feta, I always serve it on the side. He had also picked up extra feta, though it turned out to be a non-dairy "Feta Cheeze"—not quite the real thing, but not bad, so I put it out too!

Just as I finished, the bell rang for dinner. Greg marinated chicken for the grill, and we gathered our dishes, food, and wine to head to the pavilion for a delicious meal.

Afterward, we played a boat trivia game. To my shock, I scored 17 out of 19 by making wild guesses! Last year I did terribly, but fortunately, this year's questions were fresh from the tech talk and boat tours. Three boats tied for first with 18/19, and the grand prize—a stand-up paddleboard—went to the owner of the boat docked right behind us. Since he already had three on board for his grandkids (a couple of which were on their last legs), I didn't feel so bad about missing out!

During the door prize draw where every boat won something, Lil' Ollie was called early. Greg gave me carte blanche to choose, so I picked an extra-small red, white, and blue C&C rugby shirt I’d admired on another sailor. I hoped it was a men's XS so it would fit—and it did!

Draw prize choice: C&C rugby shirt XS with logo on arm.

Sometime that day, a lightbulb went off: I realized where I knew Kevin from Hessian! He had previously spoken at a BCA (Bluewater Cruising Association) club night alongside three other sailors, sharing their experience racing Hessian in the Race to Alaska (R2AK) from Port Townsend as "Team Ship of Fools." Since motors aren't allowed in that race, they had to remove theirs and ship it to Alaska for $234 back in 2024. I was actually the one who sent out the BCA announcement email for that talk!

After visiting with everyone at the picnic tables, we headed back to the boat to watch Suits. I was so tired I kept falling asleep, so we called it a night.

Sunday: A Leisurely Hike, Paddleboard Testing

Rendezvous check-out was at 11:00 AM, but with an open schedule, we decided to stay an extra day to relax. We chatted with neighbors as they departed. Kevin on Hessian needed to time the currents through Sansum Narrows on his way to Sidney, so he waited until noon. He had to back his boat all the way out past Lil' Ollie's wide 12.8-foot beam—the tightest spot on the dock! Greg guided him clear, and thankfully there were no rubs.

Once the docks cleared, I sat down to work on my blog. Just then, Richard stopped by to see if we wanted to walk over to the pub for lunch. Since our dinghy was still at home port, a walk sounded like a great way to stretch our legs and get to know people. It's a bit of a trek to the pub—you can see it across the water, but you have to hike up and around the ferry terminal with one steep hill on the way there and two on the way back!

During the walk, a thought suddenly struck me: "I have a piano student get-together on Monday—why didn't it show up on my calendar?" I checked my phone at the pub and was relieved to see it wasn't until 2:00 PM, giving us plenty of time to sail home Monday morning without rushing.

We enjoyed lunch and an IPA (a glass for me, a pint for Greg) with Richard, Anne, and another couple, Jeff and his partner, who had paddleboarded over. On the hike back around 4:00 PM, we stopped at the café before its 5:00 PM closing, for Cherry Bordeaux ice cream—one scoop in a waffle cone for me, two in a cup for Greg. I also bought a set of three handmade cosmetic bags before returning to Lil' Ollie, which I got a great deal on.

While we were gone, staff had moved Lil' Ollie up into Hessian's former slip. Looking at the narrow passage, I panicked a little: "Oh no, I've got to back up past all these boats tomorrow!" I walked down the dock to check departure times with everyone. I was most concerned about Elision, the sailboat directly behind us, but the owner assured me he'd be leaving tomorrow too and would keep an eye out.

I took a quick nap, and when I woke up, Anne stopped by to ask if I wanted to try out Jeff's paddleboard (with his permission from lunch!). I had mentioned wanting one, but quickly realized you have to be in great shape to maneuver oneself onto one, go from sitting to kneeling to standing—definitely a fun challenging way to get a workout!

Later, Ross from Elision walked over to chat and promised to be ready with his boat hook during our departure tomorrow. I asked if his boat name had a nautical meaning, and he explained his wife, a professional harpist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for 35 years, chose it from a musical term meaning "a missing note." Learning I had my piano on board, we hit it off and swapped boat cards! He mentioned she was currently in Toronto playing an orchestral gig.

We spent a low-key Sunday evening eating a light meal and watching Suits. While munching on some almonds, I felt something strange on the inside of my bottom right tooth—note to self: call the dentist tomorrow!

Monday: Smooth Sailing and Musical Reunions

Today was my turn to back Lil' Ollie out past Elision and the other boats! I decided not to stress over it—what will be, will be.

After final goodbyes with Richard, Anne, and Ross, we prepped the boat. At 9:25 AM, Greg adjusted the lines, I put the engine in reverse, turned the wheel, and began backing out into dead-calm waters. Neighbors from Elision and Catharsis stood by with boat hooks, but I didn't get close to either! Once clear of the slip, I turned port to head out of the harbour. The tide was low, so I stayed close to the green buoy and starboard of the red buoy to keep plenty of water under our keel.

With light winds, we motor-sailed all the way back to Maple Bay. As we arrived, the wind picked up to 11 knots, but since Greg had just flaked the sail, we motored into our home port and celebrated another flawless docking with a high-five! We arrived just before noon, leaving me plenty of time to eat lunch, change, and drive to my 2:00 PM piano student gathering. I arrived a few minutes early so I called the dentist office and made an appointment to get my tooth checked out. I managed to get the appointment for 8am tomorrow. Without my sheet music, I played my two summer memorized pieces: Beethoven’s Für Elise and Handel’s Passacaglia. Everyone played wonderfully, and my teacher Ann performed two massive pieces by Haydn and Rachmaninoff (will I ever play that well?!).

I returned to Lil' Ollie afterward to finish packing up, and we headed home. Just as we arrived, a delivery driver dropped off a package containing my new backpack, portable charger, and iPhone stand, for our upcoming Italy trip and two pairs of cute sandals—a perfect end to an amazing rendezvous weekend!

If you want to read about how our Italy prep is coming along, have a peek at offtheboatandintotheboot.blogspot.com!