After a DVD evening we awoke to fog and waited - enjoying a big bacon and egg breakfast. The sun broke and we made our way over to Alert Bay. At Sointula you look across the bay and can see Port McNeill and Alert Bay is just around the corner. We even managed to sail a bit in the bay and had the current with us, so we were back in shorts and sunshine. The channel is busy with local and ferry traffic and there is a directional requirement so one has to keep their eyes open.
We docked in Alert Bay behind a sailboat called Mel al lena from Deep Bay. We got acquainted with Doug and Candace and their imposing looking yet friendly Rottweiler Pearson.
We walked to the First Nations Museum and store and took great pictures along the way in the sun. There was a bizarre dock with a plane landed on it....(a local yarn there I later learned) we saw the tallest totem pole - and there perched on its top was a huge eagle posing for us! On the recommendation of Dan (a friend of Eric the Wharfinger) we walked along a lovely waterfront to the "non reserve" part of town, which seems clearly delineated at the ferry terminal. We had a beer at the Nimpkish Inn, newly reopened and lounged on a beautiful sun drenched patio with a view to Port McNeill. We ate dinner at a little restaurant called the "Pas'ntime" whose name reminded us of our old Barnesville restaurant! There was a harbour view there too with planters full of Irises and a bistro feel.
We returned to Aleydabeth having missed our promised "happy hour" so we invited Doug and Candace back. Lyle enjoyed a cigar on our deck chairs, and the we came inside for a while. Doug offerred advice and anchorage suggestions for the circumnavigation, as he had made the trip before. I enjoyed our chat...she has visited Greece and Italy and told lovely stories over Scotch and wine.
We awoke to fog again and wandered into town where "Seafest" was underway. We were treated to a parade of children in costumes and floats, then there was dancing performed by First Nations children in the village square. There has been a real effort to revitalize tribal taditions and teach the children language, culture and customs of their heritage. There was a residential school here run by the Anglican Church. It's peeling paint and concrete structure is a haunting reminder of a Canadian injustice. Everywhere are reminders of the criminalization of the traditional "potlatch" and the inconsideration of the Indian Affairs department of the 20th century. Lyle visited the kiosks and purchased traditional arthritis medicine made from devil's club ( a plant that used to plague him in his hiking days!) He was told he needed to make friends with the plant and it would help to heal him.
When we returned to the dock Mel al Lena was gone and had been replaced by Gwyneth. This was a fine circumstance as we planned to try and find Gwyneth in Port McNeill. She eventually would circumnavigate the island with Lyle. We introduced ourselves and met Andy and Danielle. Danielle is also leaving the boat and her hubby in favor of crew in Port McNeill.
They invited us to join them that evening at their friends' home in Alert Bay. Jo - a former CBC correspondent and Dave Lewis a "salt" who works for Fisheries and runs a marine service that rescues boats treated us to a salmon feast, complete with Andy's folk songs and guitar and Dave's storytelling. We met another couple, Mike and Betty from the boat Paramour out of Seattle, an old wooden boat that his father owned. They have cruised this way many times and have met Jo and Dave before I gather. The six of us walked home after good company, good red wine and good food.
When most of the fog lifted on Saturday we made our way back across the bay to Port McNeill, where we fuelled and docked. (The fuelling was a little dicey and I did a suspended crab imitation caught between the boat and the dock---sigh....it will get better I suppose).
Lyle's mind has turned towards his circumnavigation of the island, he has purchased his charts and is studying them; and my mind has turned to leaving Aleydabeth. For the first time this is bittersweet for me.
On Sunday Tony and Mike arrived- the two crew members for Aleydabeth and Gwyneth. I had spent a quiet day packing, waiting, reading and as always when the end comes to a vacation one's mind returns to the demands of the everyday and I planned my return to Parksville.
What beautiful remote areas I saw. What a great place to live and explore!