Boating through the BC islands means immersing
yourself in a world where cellphone service is
replaced with endless beauty.
M
What better way to celebrate Poppy’s
75th birthday than an 8-day cruise in
the BC Islands.
Story and photos by SARA SATTERLEE
DESOLATION
Y DAD IS A WATER-
MAN. That’s not a term
used for just anyone
who likes the water.
Being a waterman in
the true sense means a person is driven
by a need to be in the water and on the
water for sport, leisure, and sometimes
livelihood.
My dad, in particular, will sail
anything that he can hook a mast on.
He’s raced everything from 2-crew 505
sailboats to 5-foot short-board wind-
surfers. When faced with a lack of wind,
he’ll paddle; for miles. He was an early
adopter of SUP, as he would simply pop
the mast off his longboard and paddle
up the river if she wasn’t blowing.
Nearly all of our family vacations
involved a van with four boards on top
or some kind of boat on a trailer. He
actively seeks the opportunity to spend
the entire day sailing, paddling, or
simply cruising to dinner at sunset with
my mom. It’s his sweet relief from life’s
responsibilities, simply moving through
the water.
While planning for his 75th birthday,
he called upon his crew to plan a sailing
trip through Desolation Sound. What
better way to celebrate three-quarters of
a century on the water than with a crew
of kids, grandkids, and sons-in-law? The
entire family gathered around a big pot
of spaghetti and several bottles of wine.
Maps were unfolded. Calendars were
pulled out. Dates and destinations were
considered. Soccer games and softball
games were crossed off the calendar.
And Poppy’s 75th Birthday Cruise was
marked across eight days of summer. It
should have been 15.
We chartered two boats out of Co-
mox, British Columbia to carry the full
crew. A 32-foot Bayliner, “Frank” and
a 42-foot Jeanneau, “Gloman Magic.”
Our loosely planned itinerary included
crossing Rosario Strait and heading up
to Squirrel Cove, Refuge Cove, Pendrell
Sound, Prideaux Haven, Lund and then
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