Aurora Borealis aka Northern Lights!!!
Jeanne Butler
May 11, 2016
May 8, 2016
Latitude
Longitude
Longitude
Yesterday we left Nanaimo, British Columbia. We weren’t sure whether we were going to be back for one more night or not. Gale warnings were predicted for the late afternoon and evening.
Nanaimo was a beautiful port. We were able to secure a reciprocal through the Nanaimo Yacht Club. Our first showers in three days. Believe it or not, it is not as bad as it sounds. Baby wipes can do wonders! TMI, I know. Mary and I also did a load of laundry. All three of us walked to the grocery store to do some more provisioning for the boat. There are certain things you cannot bring into Canada likes fresh fruits and vegetables and no more than two bottles of wine. There were also things that we decided we would like for meals along the way. Apparently this was our only provisioning stop for a long time on our way to Alaska. The walk was a little hike and more exercise than we had seen in days. We walked along a path through the charming and picturesque waterfront park to get to the store.
We put up the sails and turned off the motor for the first time yesterday. It was heaven to be under sail and not listen to the hum of the motor. Due to the winds being against us we had either motored or motor/sailed since we left. Yesterday I started to learn more about how to read the winds and adjust the sails. I have so much to learn. Both Vaughn and Mary are wonderful teachers and very patient.
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| Windsurfer in the Strait of Georgia |
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| Another one! |
We sailed across the Strait of Georgia and anchored in a lovely cove called Anderson Bay on the Southern tip of Texada Island. After a dinner of Crab Cocktail and Chicken Curry over Rice, Vaughn and Mary plotted on the chart where we hoped to go the following day. I looked on as I was about asleep!
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| Anderson Bay, Texada Island, BC |
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| Anderson Bay, Texada Island, BC |
As all of us were getting ready for bed, Vaughn went outside and discovered something unusual in the night sky. The Aurora Borealis!!! Never in a million years did I think I was going to see the magical lights of the Aurora Borealis on this trip or any other time! We were so excited!!! It was quite bright and appeared almost like a white rainbow across the starry sky. When it finally decided to break up it looked even more mystical. We tried to get pictures but our cameras were not set up for the conditions. What a rush it was and we all felt so fortunate to be able to see it. This is truly the adventure of a lifetime!
Waiting in Nanaimo
May 13, 2016 Latitude 49°10’00.64” NLongitude 123°56’04.96” W Nanaimo Tuesday was a relaxi
Sunday, May 15th
May 15, 2016 Latitude 49°10’00.64” NLongitude 123°56’04.96” W Nanaimo I woke up this morni
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