The Adventures of Ka'sala

Catching Up - August 2011 to June 2015

It has been four years since our return from our 14 month adventure from Comox to Mexico and home via Hawaii.  During that time, Ka’sala has not been sitting in dry docks.  We spent two summers circumnavigating Vancouver Island, heading north from Comox through Johnstone Strait, around Cape Scott, in and out of the many inlets along the west coast, around Capes, through Race Rocks and Victoria, threading our way among the Gulf Islands and back home.  The following series of pictures are a potpourri of the highlights of these voyages.

Anchorage at Mittlenatch Islands - Salish Sea

Kayaking off Potts Lagoon

                         

Wild Beach at Bull Harbour

The wolves are watching - Bull Harbour

Bull Kelp at Bull Harbour

Lyneita at Winter Harbour, Quatsino Inlet

Anchorage near Port Alice - Quatsino Inlet

Surf off deserted beach around the corner from Columbia Cove

Deserted Beach off the Brooks Peninsula

Deserted Beach near Columbia Cove

Battle Bay

Kayaking in the Bunsby Islands

Unusual Sea Stack - Bunsby Islands

Sunset at Nuchatlitz

Sunlight Off Friendly Cove

Doug Poached at Hot Springs Cove

Hanging Gardens at the top of Esperanza Inlet

Kayaking near Hanging Gardens

Wild Shore off Ucluelet

West Coast Sunset - Barkley Sound

Sea Stack near Bamfield

Doug kayaking through the breach near Fleming Island

Fog Setting In - Deer Island Group

Ballenas Islands near Nanaimo

In the intervening summer we stayed closer to Comox by cruising up to Princess Louisa Inlet and spending some time in Desolation Sound.  On weekends we slipped away to local anchorages at Henry Bay, Ford Cove, Tribune Bay and Deep Bay.  

Sailing up Jervis Inlet to Princess Louisa Inlet

Mighty Cliff Faces of Princess Louisa Inlet

Lyneita and Doug at Chatterbox Falls - Princess Louisa

Chatterbox Falls - Princess Louisa

Private Warm Water Anchorage at Princess Louisa

Skookumchuck Narrows

Sunset at Henry Bay

When we weren’t sailing we were upgrading Ka’sala.  We have learned a lot about our sailboat, and our personal needs, living aboard over the years.  We wanted to make sure we were well prepared for our next big adventure – this time, all going well, to the South Pacific.

In the years since our return, I became principal of a secondary school.  During the school year my nose was to the grindstone and every moment off we were aboard Ka’sala.  Doug completed many projects and continued the upkeep on our house and property.  Two years ago he had the opportunity to join Steve Millar aboard Silas Crosby in Chile and sailed with him, over a four month period, from Puerto Montt to Hawaii via the Juan Fernandez Islands, to the Gambier and Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.  I retired in the spring of this year and we began our preparations for our next cruise in earnest.  This time there would be no return deadlines.

The Journey Begins: June 30 2015

We left the Comox Marina at 8am on Tuesday, June 30.  Technically the beginning of summer, the weather we had been enjoying for the last two months had been glorious – day after day of sunshine and temperatures over 20.  As a result, the northwest winds were blowing steadily down the Straits and were predicted to reach 25 – 30 knots later that day.  As we wanted to clear the north end of Texada Island we anticipated a beat, so we were smart leaving.  As it turned out, the winds did rise to over 20 knots, but we had a fabulous sail, Ka’sala slipping through the waves on her very clean bottom, and we were on the dock in Van Anda, on Texada in time for a late lunch. 

Last Night in Comox - already disappearing!

Goodbye to friends Farrell and Christine

Friends C.A. and Wanda - we'll see you in Mexico next year!

Slipping the lines

Leaving Comox Bay Marina - Ka'sala's home for the last 7 years

Goodbye Comox

Spirited Sail across the Salish Sea

It wasn’t hard to spend two nights on this lovely dock.  We were tired from all the final activities – storing our things, preparing our house for Morgan and Matt, moving aboard, provisioning, last jobs that could easily be accomplished with access to the workshop, etc.  Although eager to get going, I was experiencing a bit of sadness at leaving behind our friends, beautiful home and way of life.  I knew there were many things I would miss on this upcoming voyage, but also knew that I would be coming back – I wasn’t giving everything away for the sea.  The young couple who would be living in our home would be good caretakers and we felt secure in the knowledge that it would be fine when we returned.  Our friends had lots of their own adventures to pursue and I also knew that, upon our return, we would have many war stories to share.  With technology today, it wasn’t as if we wouldn’t be able to stay in touch.

Home coordinates - Comox Bay Marina