Leaving work at UVic, I rode my bike down the hill to Gyro Park, launched the dinghy (I have to get the kids to name the damn dinghy), and was soon underway to meet Tania and the kids following a short sail to Finnerty Cove. It turns out Tania was taking the kids to the beach in front of Queen Alexander and since there was pretty much zero wind, despite the strong wind warning, I motored against the ebb tide for an hour to meet them.

Rio was absolutely beside himself when he saw the Jolly Roger flying from the spreaders on Trouper 2. As I rounded the point and entered the cove, Rio ran out to the end of the cement wall and immediately began giving me directions. "OK dad, turn off the motor." "Can you come and pick me up in the dinghy?". But as they didn't have their life jackets with them, and due to the lateness of the hour, I didn't retrieve the PFDs from the van. Instead we spent a very pleasant hour exploring the beach and playing catch. We saw an otter climb out of the water out on the point with a salmon in his mouth. He was soon joined by a seagull hoping for some scraps.

I only wish we could have slept on Trouper 2 but Finnerty Cove is a very exposed anchorage and we didn't have anything packed so, as the hour neared bedtime, I walked the crew up the foreshore to the van and said goodbye. Returning to the beach, I launched and was soon back onboard. I thought about have dinner there but then realized there was only about an hour left before sunset so best to get under way and eat later.

Sail to Finnerty Cove

Click for chart view.

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Trouper 2 at anchor after a sail to Finnerty Cove

Rio and India on the wall at Finnerty Cove.