MV Independence: Stress and Confusion

Friday, July 10. Day 6.
Dropping Josef off to meet up with the Hockey Prep Camp people was a bit of a fiasco. It was unclear as to what seaplane dock to drop Josef off at. There's a seaplane terminal just across from Newcastle Harbor and we assumed it was that. We pulled up anchor at 1000. So, off we go to that Seaplane terminal. I didn't want to stay another day in busy Nanaimo and so after we dropped Josef off we were going to continue on our boating trip N. The first stress and confusion was I started to go into the wrong place, evidentally one channel is only for seaplanes and the other entrance for boats. The Nanaimo Harbor Patrol cleared that up for me as a float plane was taxiing just astern of me. Next, there were several boats trying to get in and out of the harbor while we were loading the Zipper. Third stress, the Zipper wouldn't start immediately. Finally, the Zipper started and Kim and Josef were off to the seaplane dock. I meanwhile started slowly cruising down Newcastle Channel. Unfortunately, Kim didn't follow so quick and next thing I noticed was Kim and Josef back in the Zipper. I radioed them and they said they were at the wrong seaplane dock. Oh, it must have been the one at the North end of town where the international flights come in. Unfortunately now Josef was completely stressed and angry. Kim dropped Josef off Josef off and met up with me in Departure Bay. We finally got underway in earnest just past 1100.

Georgia Strait wasn't too bad, there were winds of 10-15 knots with a NW chop of about 1-2'. We made it fine over to Bull Passage area without any further stress. We decided to anchor in Boho Bay just off of Lasqueti Island. We're anchored in 25' of water just S of where it narrows along the W side of the anchorage. There's one other boat anchored with a stern tie to shore just S of us.

We had a lazy afternoon - we took the dog to the beach and then explored around Bull Is. with the Zipper. We saw a rock with several Black Oyster Catchers on it. These birds are completely black with bright orange legs and bill. We came back and made a delightful chicken-vegetable stew/soup.

While supper was cooking I decided to disconnect battery #3 - the starter battery, since it seems to drain the other two batteries when we are not motoring. I also checked the transmission fluid and viola! no more leaks - problem solved.