Victoria | Before heading to Juan De Fuca Strait

 

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The Empress Hotel, The view In front of The Inner Harbour Marina

Greetings from Victoria, British Columbia! Our passage currently finds us in the capital city of BC. Our boat is docked right downtown in the Inner Harbour Government dock. We started the Passage from Prince Rupert since 12 April 2014 through BC Inside Passage, Vancouver Island, and we just arrived to Victoria yesterday.

The problem lately we quite very concerned was the  overheating  engine. After constant cleaning and flushing and part replacement Steph found the cause in Sidney. Stephen finally found that the cause came from the rust created in the water jacket on the gear box part of engine. He made a tool from a flexible drive shaft from an electric drill and was slowly able to remove the built up rust scale from the beast. Now as Steph says the flow is better than he has ever seen it in the 16 years he has owned the boat. We ran the engine hard for 6 hours yesterday and it never came close to heating up! What a huge relief. We have family guest with us for a few days, Gerry came across from Grande Prairie and join us from Sidney to Victoria, but Unlucky no wind!  He also sponsored us the moorage at The Inner Harbour Marina {situated in front of The Empress Hotel} For our last preparation before head to Joan de Fuca Strait and exit Canada to the Pacific Ocean. Crossing the pacific powered by offshore sailboat Dufour35. Also to continued from a previous post from Maple Bay to Genoa Bay to Cowichan Bay and to Sidney.  We would like to present some photos with this post. Hope you enjoy the journey with us. Have a great weekend!

From Sidney to Victoria, Vancouver Island Friday 30 May 2014 

12.45 hrs Leave Sidney Harbour, Pass San Juan Island {Haro Strait}

17.05 hrs Docked at The Inner Harbour Marina. {Moorage sponsored by Gerry}

Sidney to Victoria


 

Welcome to the rich harbour 

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Van Isle Marina {Only the finest Yacht} that we could not afford to moorage.

Cowichan Bay to Sidney

Monday 26 May 2014 11.30 hrs Leave Cowichan Bay. Pass Salt Spring Island, Satellite The next stop is Sidney and we decided to    but there are too many boats and also private boys. Commercial operators now have the whole bay seeded with bouys.  No safe place to anchor anymore in the entire harbour. Progress!!!. After anchored for about two hours then we move to the Authority Harbour which is not far. The major commercial Marina’s charge $1.50 ft and  up. American – Canadian flags with notice Only the finest Yachts. Obviously that excludes us and our modest means. Well OK broke.  ‘Black Pearl’ a luxury attractive sailboat. We also check on the moorage for the Port Sidney that is very close to shopping center. Moorage is $ 1.50 per ft.  There was also no place to tie or land the dinghy so we decided to go to the government dock and raft up with the real people.

Sidney 26-29 May 2014 Monday. The problem of the water overheated seems positive from the test engine the other day. Stephen finally recognized the problem it used to happened long time ago. The rust create and block water part.

 


Genoa Bay to Cowichan Bay on 24 May 2014 {Cowichan Bay 24-25 May 2014}