Why sailing away from British Columbia?  The climate is now very pleasant, the food is excellent and it seems to be a potential of many years of cruising in this maze of island and inlets. We decide to sail again out west with objective the Barclay sound; the biggest in Vancouver island.

Decision is made to cruise clockwise: It seems much less boats on the west coast than in the inside passage during the end of the holiday period and we hope to cruise the east coast (inside passage) in september when ALCYONE ll find more space in the anchorages.

ALCYONE is happy, Helena is back on board !

Sailing again next  to Victoria harbour always so busy with cruise ships...

Strict rules to respect when transiting Juan de Fuca strait

as this is the border Between CANADA n USA... (got a VHF call from her)

First night in Sooke harbour...so funny the kelp on the starboard rudder...

Funny also the seals waiting some salmon pieces from the kids...

We left ALCYONE in the middle of the SOOKE channel...

using this private dock ...

to buy fresh food downtown...

with the ok of these 2 gentlemen

Less funny back on board: The spring tide is playing with our anchorlines...

n just after removing the first log, another one even heavier arrived:  this overload to the mooring is dangerous...

...n tooks a while to remove...a good lesson:  We ll never anchor again in the middle of channels during spring tides !

PORT SAN JUAN: The last possible stop in the strait north/canadian side before heading to BARCLAY'SOUND

"You catch it, we cook it" SAN JUAN is first at all a fishing place...

...with a road (pretty long) access for trailers

...and a warm pub as an alternative to eat salmon.