summer: return to cabbage island
Date: July 15, 2017
Time Start: 9 a.m.
Time Finish: 9:50 a.m
Cruise From: Winter Cove
Cruise To: Cabbage/Tumbo Islands
Engine Hours Start: 654
Engine Hours Finish: 655
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny, clear skies, breezy, mid 70's
Aren't we brave! We head through Boat Pass at high tide slack on a breezy but sunny Saturday morning. An eagle calls farewell from the tree tops, and we are through the pass with ease. It isn't a turbulent, rushing, and swirling sea like we saw yesterday. Timing is everything!
Time Start: 9 a.m.
Time Finish: 9:50 a.m
Cruise From: Winter Cove
Cruise To: Cabbage/Tumbo Islands
Engine Hours Start: 654
Engine Hours Finish: 655
Weather/sea conditions: Sunny, clear skies, breezy, mid 70's
Aren't we brave! We head through Boat Pass at high tide slack on a breezy but sunny Saturday morning. An eagle calls farewell from the tree tops, and we are through the pass with ease. It isn't a turbulent, rushing, and swirling sea like we saw yesterday. Timing is everything!
Mainland B.C. is hazy and Mt. Baker but a shadow through the morning air. We have sparkling water this morning, and one empty buoy waits just for us at Cabbage Island. Beautiful! We are near the trailhead and kiosk on Tumbo Island, and Dan takes the dinghy to shore to check out the trail.
We go to shore on Cabbage Island for some beach time and to pay our moorage fee. A park ranger arrives just as we are stepping ashore, and she is collecting the fees. Well, Dan doesn't have his wallet with him, thinks he has grabbed a $10 bill, but it turns out to be only a $5. Embarrased, he heads back to NORTH STAR to get the correct payment. The ranger is happy with us . . . for now!
With low tide beckoning us to walk out on the shelves extending from Cabbage Island, we start exploring and enjoying the wonderful world of marine life that exists here.
And then it happens . . . the ranger is ashore, heading our way and calling and waving at us. It turns out that we are trespassing, the shelves we are enjoying so much are part of a wildlife refuge. There are no signs on the park kiosks or along the beach stating this, and she agrees that the Canada Gulf Island National Park Reserve needs to make this clear to visitors. The only way people are informed is when the ranger happens to be in the area. For now, we are SO GUILTY! But have we ever enjoyed this amazing marine habitat! We reluctantly retrace our steps to the main beach area.
We find lots to enjoy as we take the dinghy along the shoreline of Tumbo Island. It is so nice to see thriving sea stars once again, they seem to be making a healthy comeback from the wasting disease of a couple of years ago.
We do lots of eagle watching and listening to their calls on this mellow day. We swim, even though it is chilly in the water today, unlike our recent visit when the water was 70 degrees. Today the water is in the low 60's. The winds pick up, moving us indoors to the cabin for dinner. It has brought the clouds needed for a colorful sunset.