Cow symphony...

 

Along the bike route...

Bicycling the Via Claudia Augusta: Augsburg to Verona

 

Via Claudia Augusta

Back to Europe (finally!).

First, 10-day inn-to-inn cycling trip along the Via Claudia Augusta, from Augsburg (Germany) through the alps to Verona, Italy. A self-guided but organized trip. (Inntours provides luggage transport, hotel bookings AND transport over two passes in the Alps.)

 After the bike trip, we head to Greece for two weeks. 

Summer 2026: 6 weeks on Pelagia

 

A trip similar to Summer 2025. We started late due to new engine installation, so we didn't go above Cape Caution. Total of about 600 nm.

Quite a bit of rain in the Broughtons, but enough sun to keep us happy. It was great to be in cooler (15-23 degrees C) temps and no wildfire smoke.

Managed to get about 60 nm of sailing.

New engine was great. However, we had a very strange issue where we found the bolts on the coupling between the propeller shaft and transmission all loose (indeed,3 were off!). This despite David having checked their tightness 50-hrs earlier (running time). We have our suspicions as to how this came about.

Funny episode was kayaking into Booker Lagoon on a spring tide... and getting stuck inside before the current allowed us to paddle back out to our boat (2 hours later). A real newbie mistake (it could have been worse, we could have been stuck for 4-5 hours). We were able to laugh about it.

Waiting out the tide in Booker Lagoon....

 

As usual, we had an excellent sail back down Johnstone Strait -- NW winds 27-25 kt made it easy and reasonably fast. 

Only one new-to-us anchorage this summer (Percy Anchorage, near Nanaimo). 

After a week relaxing in the Desolation Sound area, we had a sail to Pender Harbour (where we stayed 3 nights at the VRC outstation), then another sail across to Percy Anchorage. We briefly detoured to Clam Bay in the Gulf Islands to meet up with Wayne and Lee on SV Chanter. We had one last good sail across Georgia Strait, completing our Summer trip at our VRC berth.

   

To the Broughtons and Cape Caution (almost)

Bit gloomy in Beware Passage

We did an (unusual for us) dinner time transit north through the Yaculta rapids. Easy transit with few other vessels and no gin palaces roaring though (a welcome change). But not arriving to anchorage (Bickley Bay) til 9'ish pm a pain. Then we had an easy, albeit motor, trip up Johnstone Strait  A few days in the Broughtons the several in Sointula and 1 night provisioning in Port McNeill.

Yesterday, we decided to setup for going around Cape Caution, motoring 6 hrs to just SE of Caution at Miles Inlet (a favourite).

This morning (Saturday), conditions were perfect for going up and around Cape Caution. BUT the weather forecast above Caution for the next 5+ days had 20-30 (!) knot winds every day (plus rain, etc). It sounded depressing. Given our late leaving for this Summer's cruise, we decided to turn back.

Maybe next year....

Right now, we are heading towards Wells Passage, calm seas, little wind. 

See many sea otters along the way.

Rain and some winds are forecast here too (but not so bad... no "30 knots" in forecast... yet).

(We spent the following 3 nights in Napier Bay, with no winds. Lots of rain. Bears. And some walking.) 
 

Sun comes out for kayaking (Mimkwamlis village site)

Summer 2026: Vancouver to Bargain Bay (Pender Harbour)

This Summer, our "live" location (maybe 1/2 day behind) can be found here:       https://track.myzoleo.com/livelocation?se1aV0V8QD  

Finally! We got away for our Summer 2026 cruising... with our new engine! 

A little late (we usually leave in mid June). We "plan" on being out 6 weeks, at least getting up to the Broughtons.

Today, we left late (due to low tide), but made it up to Bargain Bay. Even managed an easy sail (SE winds) for about half of it. 

(On the way, we looked into Secret Cove to possibly anchor for the night, but locals had placed buoys -- not real "mooring" buoys -- and crab pots, making it uninviting to anchor. This is a problem throughout B.C.'s south coast. So we continued on to Bargain Bay, which was lovely.)

A new "iron genny" for Pelagia! (Betamarine Beta50)

Installed: Pelagia's new Betamarine BETA50

 HAPPY CANADA DAY! 

Our trusty Yanmar (4JHTE) was getting on in years (37 yrs!) and hours (~6600 hrs). It was running well but showed several signs of upcoming issues, some quite pricey. (We received a "worst-case" scenario quote of C$22k!)

We decided to repower. 

We looked into getting a new Yanmar, but were put off by several issues: (i) Yanmar's base price was 2x a Betamarine Beta50, (ii) the Yanmar technology was more-advanced "common rail" relying on a electrical control unit (ECU) -- the problem was this would be more sensitive to fuel issues and any repairs would require a Yanmar dealer/mechanic, something not easily found North of Campbell River, and (iii) for the install, the local Yanmar dealer required Pelagia to be hauled out for an unspecified duration (add $$) and there have been issues with work timing here in Vancouver.

We decided on a Betamarine Beta50. The engine is a marinized version of a Kubota tractor engine, so parts and diesel mechanics are easily available. The technology is more simple, thus easier to maintain and repair.

The installation was done by the Canadian Beta distributor Gartside Marine Engines in Sidney BC. We were able to bring Pelagia to their dock and the Yanmar removal and Beta50 install done while Pelagia was still in the water. (There was no charge for time at Gartside's docks.) 

Sad seeing the old Yanmar out of the boat...

 

Of course, the install took longer than planned (well, welcome to boats...), and Pelagia's 3-blade fixed propeller had to be "re-pitched" twice. The first sea trial resulted in smooth engine running but the engine RPMs couldn't get up to the 2800 specifications. This meant a 2nd propeller re-pitch was required. Also, the propeller produced a very loud "singing" for RPMs between 1000-2000 rpm -- something the propeller wizards could correct. The 2nd re-pitching added another week, BUT the end result was success: no more propeller singing and no problem getting RPM up to 2800.  

We've had a few cruising days with the new engine: 2 between the second re-pitching (as the problems were discovered on a Friday), and 4 getting the boat back home to Vancouver (including a raucous sail across Georgia Strait).

Gartside also completed some other improvements, such as (i) all-new sound insulation of the engine room after cleaning, (ii) moving the external regulator so that it is now easily accessible, and (iii) new raw water strainer that was moved to a new, easily accessible location.

We also purchased (as an addon) a "NMEA2000" module for the Beta50. David ran cables and hooked this up to our existing NMEA2000 network (upgraded to allow more instruments) yesterday and now we have engine RPM, TEMP and OIL PRESSURE on our chartplotter in the cockpit.

Furuno chartplotter engine display (sample)

SO FAR, we're happy with our new Beta50. The process took longer (4 weeks rather than 2 weeks) than expected, wasn't cheap (but FAR FAR LESS that what a Yanmar installed in Vancouver would have cost us!). We definitely would recommend Gartside Marine Engines (Sidney, BC). 

Hopefully it keeps Pelagia going for many years to come.    

Now for some Summer cruising.... 

D's hip replacement...

 

6 weeks post-op, all going well. No longer need the cane to walk. Follow-up with surgeon today indicates all well. X-rays show cracked femur has healed well  (break occurred during hip replacement procedure). 

Fingers crossed for some hiking this Summer (and Fall), sailing (!) and, hopefully, back skiing next season.