July 10-July 31 2007 Summer Trip with Linda & Bev, Jim, Cory & Zack Francies, & Sandy Burns: Bellingham WA, Pender Harbor, Princess Louisa Inlet, Canadian Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, San Juan Island
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Los Angeles to Bellingham Washington in 28 hours

Lined up to cross Canadian Customs

Pender Harbor: Last minute provisioning before sailing into the wilderness. 

The entrance to the Fiord that will take us 50 miles inland, through the Cascade Mountain Range

Transversing between mountain peaks that rise to 8000 feet

The water depth is over 1000 feet here. The snow level is about 3500 feet

Entering Princess Louisa Inlet: the closest road is 50 miles away

The head of Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox falls

Mako at anchor under Chatterbox Falls.  Tell me again, why did I come back?

Meet the neighbors.  They are visiting from New Zealand.

The Fog rolls in

There are over 100 waterfalls through the length of the fiord

Entering civilization: Nanaimo

Chemanius, BC

The town is famous for the 30 murals that adorn the buildings

Linda in heaven:  She is wondering why she came back...

The fishing harbor of Cowichan Bay

Maybe I should put flowers in the Shelby on the wall

A scene right out of Murder She Wrote

Cow Bay 'Floatel'.  Each Houseboat is a waterborne hotel room

Dave Andrew's father-in-law, Hiro in Silva Bay

The Cow Bay maritime museum also restores old wooden boats 

Mother Goose.  We had no pretzels for the rest of the trip, and the ducks couldn't fly

Linda is speechless upon seeing a bakery where everything is handmade including the flour.  The flavors are out of this world

Crab fishing in Maple Bay

The Empress Hotel in Victoria

Vic Edelbrock's boat docked in front of the Empress Hotel.  The Empress was

hosting a car show celebrating the 75th year of the 1932 Ford.  Vic was driving

up with a caravan that included Brizio, and planned to stay on his boat.

Vic's Rods (the non-car variety)

The Francies family in Butchart Gardens

Butchart Gardens

Butchart Gardens

The Sunken Garden at Butchart

Cory playing in the Sculpture Garden at Roche Harbor

The Mausoleum at Roche Harbor was built by founder John McMillian.  Each column represented a male member of the family.  When one of his sons crossed him, he had the column that represented his son removed, and permanently ostracized him.  That's cold.

Captain Zack

Eastbay Sound, Orcas Island, San Juan Islands.  At the head of the dock is a small shack where 2 Thai Sisters cook food every Thursday and Friday afternoon.  It was the best Thai food I've ever had.

Sydney Spit Marine Park, B.C.