Well, after plenty of careful consideration of the elements involved in a safe crossing of Queen Charlotte Straight, past Cape Caution, we had a rare and excellent one! Captain Wiel is on top of his nautical game, and our First Mate now gets it. Especially after tonight. We moored in Shearwater on Day 8 (We know - our content and Creative Director are a day behind, but bear with us - it's been adventurously busy!) Our neighbors made the crossing, the day after us, in a giant 72 Foot boat and got tossed around, in 4 meter swells, like a cork from the bottle of red that we drank after our smooth crossing. Nice work, Captain!
God's Pocket - love the name. A safe-haven passage at the entrance to Queen Charlotte Strait that's a Diving Resort, for divers that are clearly averse to warm water and Mai Thais.
The raw and intimidating beauty of Queen Charlotte Straight was not lost on us, nor is it lost on the Coast Guard, or the many light houses, along the way. Your staff photographer was struck, in a patriotic and comforting way, by the presence of the color red - we are truly blessed to be Canadian.
Saying good-bye to Cape Caution and hello to the Humpbacks. 30 Yards off the boat we got a heart-stopping display that made us realize we are in their world, and not the other way round.
We carried on, past the whale pod, to Pruth Bay, on Calvert Island, and anchored in a sheltered bay, in front of the Hakai Institute - a research facility that welcomes researchers, educators and students to accommodations that look like those at the Post Hotel. It is most certainly one of the most pristine and naturally beautiful places on earth.
Captain Wiel overlooking the West Beach on Calvert Island and a shot of a rock formation on the beach that is clearly the reason that artists derive so much inspiration from nature.
Two of our favorite traditions continued on spectacular Calvert Island - The Inside Passage Selfie Tour and the Tradition of the First Mate Swimming Everywhere he can. So great!
And finally, to round out the annals of Day 7 (being written late, with a glass of scotch in hand, on Day 8, (as our commitment to creative communication and photography has come into question in the editorial pages), the irony of posting a picture from Day 3, now, is not lost on us. But what the heck - it's a great one that we just got from our pal, Eric. A beauty of our beloved Perfect Pitch.
...and a tiny one of our staff photographer... :-)
Till our next post, no doubt out of sequence, but full of appreciation for where we are, and what we're doing, and the many that have made this all possible - good night and love y'all.