Overlapping seasons: Skiing, sailing and hiking

April 26: Downwind sail back to home berth in Stanley Park

It is that crossover time of year. A time we can go for a sail, a hike, or go skiing.

Finally got out on Pelagia at the end of April for a few sunny days. First night (Wednesday April 24), we anchored in Port Graves in Howe Sound, one of only two boats. A beautiful quiet, calm night. Too warm to bother lighting the furnace. Next day, with gale force southerly inflow winds forecast for Howe Sound -- not a good forecast for Port Graves, as it is open to the south -- we headed over to the Vancouver Rowing Club's dock space in Snug Cove (Bowen Island). Again, just two boats on the club docks. "Snugly" tied up, we then went for a 2-hour hike (OK, a walk) around Killarney Lake. The forecasted inflow gales never materialized and we had another nice quiet eve on board. It was a nice visit, as we have not been to Snug Cove since 2016. (Surprisingly, the same folks from SV La Reina who helped us go up the mast in April 2016 were back again when we were there this April.)

At the far end of Killarney Lake (Bowen Island)

Our plans were to spend a third night out on Pelagia. However, the forecasts were full of 35-40 knot gale warnings for the Strait of Georgia, beginning late Friday night. With a dinner arrangement with friends back home in Whistler on Saturday night, so we decided it best to head back to Vancouver Friday. We had a nice, gentle downwind sail all the way to Stanley Park. We stayed Friday night on Pelagia at VRC in Stanley Park; at 12:20am, the winds started howling. They stayed howling all night and Saturday. Heading home Saturday morning, driving over the Lions Gate Bridge, we marvelled at the nasty seas out in Vancouver's English Bay. We were very glad we returned to Vancouver on Friday!

Back in Whistler, there is still lots of snow on the mountains, and skiing has actually been very good (indeed, one can still ski from the Peak all the way down to the Village... but only for a little while longer*). David has been having some good days on the hill (Michelle thinks it is too warm to ski.). A most fun run was down Seppo's ( empty of skiers, as the Garbanzo Chair is shut down for the season thus one has to hike up to reach Seppo's (only 10 mins)). Skiing off the Peak has been excellent.

*May 5th turned out to be the last day to ski all the way down to village. On May 6th W-B closed the lowest portion, digging it up to prepare for the bike park opening. Downloading on gondola from Olympic midstation now required.

May 3rd: Whistler

May 3: Looking down "Seppo's" -- still tons of snow. Lots of fun.

The Peak and Whistler Bowl (May 6th)

Temperatures down in the Whistler valley are now reaching into the 20s (degrees C), so perhaps it is getting too warm for skiing for even David. Bears are out of hibernation and we are seeing them regularly on the golf course.

It is an interesting time of the year here.