7/16 Silva Bay

This morning's winds repeated their routine, with gusts even higher than those when we were at anchor that first morning. And, as in the days before, they subsided by noon leaving a pleasant day.

We are enjoying our stay here at Silva Bay. We have a front row seat to the boats coming and going as well as all the other harbor activities, including the arrivals and departures of Tofino Air. This seems to consist of a single Dehaviland Beaver float plane that makes several crossings over to Vancouver and back each day. In addition to the main passage into the harbor past Shipyard Rock there are two "local knowledge" shallow entry ways, and the float plane uses these for its runways. In the mornings, when the wind is blowing up to 20 mph from the north, he comes in via the south entrance and takes off out the north entrance. In the dead calm of the afternoon it's more just his choice. The float plane dock is at the end of the fuel dock, less than 100 feet from our bow. He usually cuts off his engine when he's about even with our bow and drifts on up to the dock, where an attendant is usually there to take the line that hangs down a few feet from the wing. At times it seems as though his port side wing is overlapping our bow as he passes, but in reality there's always a few feet clearance.

We didn't go out fishing today, but Trav and I took the Bar-T-Na out of the harbor for a short cruise. There is no holding tank pump-out station anywhere on the island, so some sea time in open waters became a necessity. Once clear of the harbor, Trav went below to operate the pumps while I kept the boat headed into the waves and away from the rocks. I stayed at the helm as we entered the harbor and approached the dock. The Bar-T-Na drifts a little differently than the Potentate in the wind, so my landing wasn't the best – but there aren't any splinters in the dock nor gouges in the hull so it goes into the success column.

I mentioned earlier that Barb is a poet as well as an accomplished artist and art teacher. Here is a poem about the Potentate, which she wrote a few days ago as we were plying the waters through the Gulf Islands.

The Potentate

The sturdy, the strong,

The wonderful Potentate

Is a 56 year old boat,

With 52 feet of length.

She is a glamour queen

That cruises the ocean blue.

She has a fine wooden structure

That's roomy and comfortable.

She's a stately treasure

That brings great pleasure to all.

Keep on cruising, Potentate.

Share your charms for years to come.

Barbara Wills

Thanks, Barb - this will find its way into a frame and become a keepsake of this Sentimental Journey for those years to come.