Coal Harbour, Vancouver

I'm home, rafted at dock. Lewis said it would be easy solo. "Just drift up on the other boat," he said. Lewis is a tugboat captain. It's easy for him. I worried all week about this "landing". It was awkward but really, Lewis was right, rafting solo, isn't that difficult. Of course the other boat was full of junk and has no places to tie to other than stanchions so it was a scramble. I had a lot of bumpers out both sides though. And tomorrow I'll clean it up.. Right now I'm exhausted.

I left Salt Spring Island at 10 am and caught the turn at Active Pass at 12 30 pm Active Pass is always a bit scarey as it's a five mile jaunt, takes me an hour usually, and the currents can be 6 knots which is vicious when that's beyond my engines maximum. I've surfed it on a tide when I was more certain of the boat's state of repair. There's usually a lot of traffic, including ferries passing too.

I was glad to get through. In Georgia Straight I caught a southerly wind which allowed me to use my self steering hydrovane with the foresail full out. I balanced the 3.5 knots of wind power with another knot of engine and had at least a knot or two of tide power. I was doing 6.5 over land. This was good because I had to make the turn for Second Narrows.

The wind died a couple of hours out of English Bay so I lowered the sail and ran the engine at 5.5 knots, hand steering the rest of the way.

I called Dad just before Second Narrows. "How's the weather," he asked. "Lovely," I said. "It's been snowing so much in Ottawa I can't open the door onto my balcony," he said. We exchanged happy new years and he wanted to know about the cat on ship. It was good to wish him happy 2010 new year.

Coming into Coal Harbour I saw the great Winter Olympics Logo all lit up. It's very impressive. Then I was home and am now glad to have electricity, heat, the cat's curled up and I plan to read before I fall asleep early.

Happy New Year 2010!!!