Desolation Sound
September 2005
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Our friends, Scott and Karen Semyan, generously invited us to go sailing with them up in British Columbia’s Desolation Sound in their sailboat, Gata Luna. We spent ten days on the boat sailing to a new and different place each day. We met up with Scott, Karen and Gata Luna in Lund, B.C. on Sept. 9th. Lund serves as the northern start/terminus of highway 101 on the Sunshine Coast, and has a nice little harbor, a general store, a small inn, a bakery and a restaurant. The other “end” of 101 is in Chile; we hope to drive there someday. The Lund area is a sea kayaker and sailor heaven, boasting protected waters and many islands with camp sites and out-houses. The Canadians have designated much of the Desolation Sound area as a Marine Park, so you don’t see much logging on the hills of the islands or refuse in the water. Large areas appear as they may have when Captain George Vancouver charted them on his explorations between 1791 and 1793, with the only difference being second growth rather than old growth trees.
Eric had never been out on a sailboat for more than a few hours, so this was a great opportunity for the two of us to see how we would handle sailing together. We enjoyed it so much that we have been looking at sailboats and talking about sailing ever since. During our voyage around the Desolation Sound area we anchored in Galley Bay, Tenedos Bay, Roscoe Bay, Laura Cove in Prideaux Haven, Walsh Cove, Bliss Landing, Von Donop Inlet, Gorge Harbor, Mitlenatch Island, and our final night in the Copeland Islands. We were blown away with the beauty of the area, the warmer-than-expected water, the abundant marine life and the number of accessible fresh water lakes in which we could swim. Scott and Karen have also posted some words and pictures on their website about their big sailing voyage into Canada, including the time we joined them. Take a look!
While on the boat we talked a lot about life, sailing terms, good books and good memories. We ate wonderful food, thanks to Trader Joe’s and a bit of a female touch in the galley. We learned a lot crewing the boat each day and found that sailing is a great way to spend a heap of time in peace. We are now gearing up to head toward Arizona for a special family engagement at the end of October. We hope to hook up with a friend or two, do some backpacking and pay a visit to one of Eric’s old stomping grounds in the next month if all goes well. We hope to spend November in northern Baja, soaking up some sun and surfing some good waves. We will keep you all up to date as the fall adventures unfold.
That pretty much brings things up to date here on the old website. Hope all is well in everyone’s corners of the world. Love always, y paz esta contigo! – Eric, Sarah & Bruce