The annual end of year cruise to Poets Cove was held the 19th, 20th and 21st of September and was simply put, a journey of friends. This year’s cruise was truly about the water, the boats and the friends.  There were new members, and new boats.  There were old members and old boats.  There were members returning from months in Alaska and members heading out for fall cruising.  There were new, continuing, and renewed friendships.

We sailed on the tide with Chuck and Roberta McCord. We crossed the Bay, went up Hale Pass, and over to Matia.  We passed Sucia and Patos watching Blackfish and Porpoises play. Past Skipjack Island, past Gowland Point and into Poets Cove we went.

We saw Gordon and Susie Hilaski glide across Bedwell Harbor returning from Alaska. We watched the sunset behind Gary & Dianne Turner on the Customs Dock with their daughter Marlin.  We met Bob & Bessie Christman, owners of the Firehouse, cruising with Dick and Mary Jane Vetter.

We saw Bob and Marsha Riek stern-in-starboard-tie their Camano Troll for the first time with Joe and Judy Coons.  We saw Max King cruising with new members Matt and Brenda Dennis under the staysail of his Maple Bay 27. We watched Alex Marr single handle his Beneteau into the slip after an overnight at Sucia.

We helped secure Jim Langei and Mary Jo into their slip.  We welcomed Paul and Cheryl Meyers when they arrived off the ferry.  We enjoyed the new Alaskan dog shirts on board Island Pilot with Bob and Jane Simica.  We helped tie bow in, then stern in, Gary and Mary Baker who brought John and Teresa Van Haalen.

We had a dock party on Friday with the solar heat of the sun keeping us warm.  We had a dockside potluck breakfast fit for Kings in the rain on Saturday morning.  We solved the world’s problems under intermittent showers on Saturday afternoon.  We watched the sunset having dinner, playing darts and telling lies over drinks Saturday night.

And we met new friends at Poets Cove 2008 – friends from Pender Island, friends from Victoria.  Friends from Calgary, and friends from North Vancouver.  And we certainly renewed existing friendships.

And we created a new tale of adventure, intrigue and mystery from the high seas adventures of the cruise of the BYC to Poets Cove in 2008…..a tale that involves piracy, attempted murder, international intrigue, secret affairs and survival….a tale that will be told, a tale that will be talked about, a tale you want to be careful about asking details of.  You may end up in the story that is unfolding as we speak, a story that is continuing as a never ending story until its conclusion in character next year over the weekend of September 18, 29 & 20, the dates for Poets Cove 2009.

Remember, It’s the Water, It’s the Boats, It’s the Friends.

John & Patricia