Last year was like the shakedown cruise of our new summer live-aboard life – everything was new and unfamiliar. Four boating seasons had gone by without me after my lengthy illness but now the tides were changing and I had everything to look forward to.
We bought Vestri, our 1976 CHB trawler, made a few alterations to get her just right for us, and spent two months in Desolation Sound getting familiar with the rhythm of live-aboard life. All too soon it was time to tuck her away for the winter.
This year, we embarked on our first full season of living aboard.
Getting started, though, was a bit like getting your boat stuck in the sand at low tide. It was low water slack – that time during the lowest tide when the water stops moving as it slowly changes direction. Like watching a kettle come to boil, you wait and watch for the waves to slowly creep back up the beach, and it seems to take forever.
Vestri was in need of new bottom paint, but as the job progressed, it quickly turned into a major ordeal. The job, which was supposed to be a quick sand and a new coat of paint, revealed deeper issues that needed to be addressed. There was a layer of marine growth under all that old paint! The job turned into a full bottom restoration. (For the full story, check out my video on Vestri’s Bottom Restoration on Ray’s Love Your RV & Boat YouTube Channel.)
Just like going clamming during the low low tide, the only thing to do was dig deep and find something positive to make from it all. For me, that is always photography.
That layer of marine growth that emerged on the bottom of Vestri was a treasure trove of textures. I captured these unique textures and transformed them into a new texture collection. There’s something mesmerizing about the way the aged and weathered surfaces can breathe new life into a photograph. (Keep an eye out for the Vestri Texture Collection, coming soon!)
We also took advantage of the downtime to prepare for the journey ahead, adding an extra 10 meters of chain to our ground tackle in anticipation of deeper anchorages up north.
Anchors Aweigh!
June 15, 2024
Finally, with Vestri launched and all the work behind us, we set off on a short shakedown cruise to ensure everything was shipshape.
Vestri was ready—but we were not. Ray and I both came down with COVID.
In need of a safe harbour to ride out Covid, we anchored in one of our favourite anchorages nearby: Gorge Harbour on Cortes Island.
The images above show where this year’s boating trip takes place. The Discovery Islands, Desolation Sound, and farther north, the Broughton Archipelago are located between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, Canada. There are endless bays, harbours and passages to explore all in the protected waters. There are still fast running currents and weather conditions to deal with, but the water is not exposed to the huge waves you would get in the open waters of the west coast.
I have created an interactive map where you can zoom in and out and see each leg of the trip! Click on any of the maps to view the interactive map.
It’s a unique place with a narrow entrance that opens into a perfectly sheltered, circular anchorage. There’s no better spot to ride out a storm—or a bout of COVID—without worrying about which way the wind blows. Our reinforced ground tackle gave us the peace of mind we needed to rest easy.
June 24, 2024
Nine days later, feeling stronger, we were ready to move on, but Vestri had not gone anywhere in all that time. We needed some more short trips to be confident that she was okay to leave civilization behind and venture into the wild.
First, we did a bit of exploring around Cortes Island to scout out new anchorages for the future, like this one at Carrington Bay.
Then we headed over to Rebecca Spit on Quadra Island, a place I’ve frequented many times. It’s a favourite spot for a swim in some of the warmest waters around this area.
Finally, the tides turned, our high water tide arrived and it was time to venture out into the sea, to explore new places, play in the waves, and uncover whatever new adventures lay ahead.
Our goal for this year is the Broughton Archipelago Marine Park. Nestled between the north end of Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, it’s a breathtaking maze of tiny islands and islets it would take a lifetime to fully explore.
It will be the farthest north I’ve ever navigated on my own boat, piloting in waters I’ve never ventured to before, and a full season of living aboard Vestri.
Next stop: Von Donop Inlet, Cortes Island
Interested in a seeing the boat? Check out my video tour of Vestri on Love Your RV & Boat!
P.S. I just love Vestri! Such a cute craft with a definite personality. She may not be a speedster, but she gets you there.
She is cute, isn’t she? Vestri has turned out to be the perfect boat for us. It took a little while to get used to going slow, but I love it now.
Hi Anne,
Traveling with you and Ray vicariously is the next best thing to being on the water and the road myself.
I’m calling Ray your Anchor Man. He not only broadcasts your travel news and videos, but handles the actual anchor as well.
Both of you capture so well the beauty of wherever your travels take you.. I look forward to each and every blog, newsletter, video, and photo. I’ve even watched some of Ray’s repair videos even though I have no actual need to learn how to do those repairs.
Kudos to both of you!
haha, anchor man! He’s definitely down to earth. Grounded 😀
I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying the photos and videos Suzy. I am trying to catch up on posting the stories from our travels, but I feel so fortunate to be back out here again. It takes most of my energy just to plan and be on the trip plus photography and editing, I’ve left writing to to the end. But I’ll get there! Thanks for sticking with me all this time.
Hi Anne …… loving the narrative and photos!!! Looking forward to the sequels and more photos! And the texture pack 🙂
Hi Andrew! So glad to hear it, thank you so much for your wonderful feedback 🙂
So inspiring and Serene. Your Peace is the foundation in these photos….
What a wonderful phrase, I love that Mias, thank you!
Always enjoy following the adventures of you and Ray, Keep up the good work. So happy to see you enjoying life again ater your bout of bad health and now, as a married woman.
Hi Paul, thank you so much! It is awesome to be out enjoying life again, what an incredible year this has been. Every day is a little celebration of getting my health back. Thanks for your comments.
Glad you guys are venturing out! North of Cape Caution is amazing too! Did you find the culturally modified tree in the Birdwood Group?
Cheers John.
Hi John, no I didn’t see it. We did go by the Burdwood Group, and we were going to anchor there, but the depth on my sounder was very different from what the chart showed and it made me uneasy about it, so we moved on. I need to figure out why there was such a difference. It looks like a beautiful group of islands to explore, so we will definitely go back. I’d love to go north of Cape Caution too, we might to that next year. I wanted to get a bit more experience with Vestri under my belt before taking that on! Thank you so much for your comments!
Anne & Ray,
So happy for you both to return to the remote waters exploring and capturing such incredible photos and video. Thanks for taking me along with you, through your adventures! Glad to hear you are feeling stronger and your health is improving! Thanks for sharing your art.
Hi Bill, your comments are very much appreciated! It is fantastic to be back out here again experiencing the ocean and all her creatures. I feel so fortunate to get my health back and be able to do fun things again. And make art too!
A great new adventure ❤️
It really is! At first I wasn’t sure about having a slow boat, but it’s perfect. On my fast boat I had to go home every day, but now it’s a one way trip on a live-aboard. We are both loving it.
Hi Anne
Am enjoying reading about your experiences wit Vestri.
Was hoping to see you out on the water but we sold our sailboat last Fall.
My tumours are still slow growing so we are cruising on big ships now. Just got back from a Voyage of the Vikings Cruise and are doing Hawaii and the Panama Canal over Christmas.
Perhaps we will see you sometime at the Thunderbird RV Park if you still spend time there.
Pete and Chris Kendell
Hi Peter! I am so glad to see your comment and find out that are you still doing well. I’m so happy for you that you two have been having so many wonderful experiences. The trips you have gone on are amazing and you are experiencing so much more than most people do. It’s truly an inspiration. So Voyage of the Vikings – Norway, Iceland, up there? I bet that would be incredible. I still haven’t made it to Norway. Norway and Greenland were at the top of my list when I had to stop international travel. I’m not sure when I’ll go now that we have the boat. You can only have so much fun at the same time!! 😀 Again, so glad to hear you are doing well. Hopefully our paths will cross soon. We haven’t been going to Thunderbird since we got the boat either. We’re based in Lund now, although we still go to the island to visit family.
You’re living the dream Anne! Safe sailing.
We certainly are living the dream!! Sometimes I can’t believe I’m actually out here again after wondering if I had seen my last days on the water. Vestri is definitely easier on the body than Snoopy was! Hope you both are doing well and we look forward to seeing you guys sometime around October when Vestri gets put away for the winter.
Wow, what a fun adventure you are adding to your nomad RV adventures. Both things I’ve always wanted to do – so I am living vicariously through you and your blog. Thanks for taking us along.
Hi Kathleen, I highly recommend it! Boating is the perfect compliment to RVing and we love the life of exploring and adventure. I hope you get a chance to try one or both. In the meantime, I am so happy you are enjoying the posts and photos, I appreciate your comments!
We sold our boat but kept the fifth wheel — your photos and updates let me live vicariously through you!
Hi Mary, Thank you so much for your comments, I am happy you are enjoying the boating posts. We considered selling the RV and truck to allow us to get a better boat and go full time on the boat. But I love RVing and going to the desert in the winter. And I know that boating is only fun when the weather is good. It turns out Vestri is perfect for us and allowed us to continue RVing too. Sorry to hear you sold your boat, but I’m glad to continue to RV. It really is a wonderful lifestyle.
Interesting–and interested in more to come, from a landlubber who wouldn’t dar to do such a thing, 🙂
Hi John, I grew up on Vancouver Island, so I guess being out on the ocean is in my blood. Ray originally came from the prairies though and he is more of a landlubber. It took me years to talk him into this. But now he loves it too. It’s just like and RV, but on the water! Fortunately Ray already knew all the systems like an RV has (except the marine engine stuff) and I already had the boating experience, so it has worked out really well for us. Glad you’re enjoying the posts so far!