From Then to Now

It seems impossible that we have not blogged since leaving Canada last fall.  It has been a delightful and busy winter.  Shortly after making the trek south to Olympia, we packed our bags for Mexico for a trip with Doug's sister, Debra and brother-in-law, Ralph.  First stop was Mexico City.  It took us no time to acclimate and we traveled everywhere on the subway.  (We were never afraid and had no difficulties what-so-ever).We visited Teotichacan which is an Aztec ruin north of Mexico City as well as Xochomilco which is the historical agricultural area that supplied the Azteca capitol.  Xochomilco now is a maze of waterways and plant nurseries. We spent the day aboard a private boat, the Maria Isabel, being poled through the canals.   The next day we were joined in Mexico City by our good friends, Denise and Jim Brennan.






After  fun days in the city seeing the Folklorico Ballet and the National Museum of Anthropology we headed to Valle de Bravo, a cultural heritage town to the south. Thanks to Debra's friendships we rented a lovely lakeside villa (sleeps 16).  There we joined the most wealthy Mexicans and had our first experience at hang gliding.

After a short week Jim and Denise returned to the states we flew on to Puerto Vallarta for a bridge tournament.

It wasn't long before Doug and Jan realized that they had truly fallen in love with Vallara. 

It could have been the spectacular sunsets over Banderas Bay.

Or it could have been the visitors like Maria after her visit with her mom.

Or it could have been the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe where each village pays homage to the Patron Saint of Mexico in a 12 day fiesta.

Or it could have Mardi Gras with characters like Bill.

 

Or maybe the warm ocean waters.


Or maybe the wonderful friends that we made through the months

 we spent there.

So a slight change of plans.  On the boat in Canada for five months and then Vallarta for six months.  Life is Good and we are blessed. 

MAY YOU BE BLESSED AS WELL.

Sailor Jerry and the Beautiful Singing Sea Wench

Welcome aboard to our last guests to the far north of British Columbia were Jerry and Mary Lee of the Sailing Vessel Sea Story. We have made many trips together and met last year in Puerta Vallarta. We spent time enjoying the great restaurants, making new friends and listening to Mary Lee entertain at a local bar.

Although not as temperate, the weather was beautiful on Canada's famed Central Coast. Almost without exception the seas were calm and the fish were biting.

Jerry and Mary Lee had heard tales of great fishing in the Northwest but had never had the experience. Such fun it was - salmon, lingcod, and the beautiful yellow eye. Each of them turned out to be adept fisherpersons and successfully kept us from nearly going hungry.


The Central Coast is further north than is typical for many boaters to travel. The trees are wizen and tell stories of the winter storms. The ruggedly beautiful coast has called to many a mariner. Fortunately, our singing Sea Wench was aboard and not perched on Purple Bluff luring us to the rocks.


Each season we are sad to leave the north coast cruising life but excited about a new and unfolding adventure or two. On to Victoria and next to meet grandson, Jude.

Splendid Salmon, Lovely Ling and Heavenly Halibut

In the sea some of the uglier creatures are the most tasty. Our three targeted fish are salmon, halibut and ling cod. We did well this year - so well that a local guide asked Doug to captain one of his fishing charters but the Canadians frown on our working without a work permit.

There are five species of salmon with the most coveted being the Chinook salmon which is also known as Tyee, Spring, King, Blackmouth and if over 50 lb A HOG. We can not possibly use all of the salmon we hook so we catch and release early in the season. Our biggest release was a 40 pounder - talk about heartbreak.

Ling cod can grow as large as 70 lbs but we release all fish over 30 lbs since they are brood stock. Our big ling this year was right at 30 and hit like a freight train. In a dead tie with halibut in a ugly fish contest it is Doug's very favorite.

Halibut is the most elusive of our targeted fish. Friends sometimes pick them up while trolling just off the bottom for salmon. We have not been so fortunate but were directed to a great halibut fishery and did well. Doug is pictured with an 82 pounder and Jan with a 58. A good day's fishing!

We love to fish, we have many Canadian friends and can not image doing anything else with our summers but summer is coming to a close. One more blog with our friends Jerry and Mary Lee and then off to new adventures!

The Reason (s) For Growing Older

Today is my 63rd birthday and while I lament my graying hair and the few aches and pains I feel in my joints, there are many things I celebrate but most precious to me are the children of the generations that follow.


This posting is a tribute to each of them.



The newest member of our family grandson, Jude Ethan, joined us on July 5th. His Mommie and Daddy are Doug's daughter, Shari and her handsome husband, Ryan. We are so excited to meet him in September and look forward to many good times together. Welcome to our world, Jude!

























Rory and Abigail are three months old today and are the beautiful daughters of our nephew, Seth and his stunning bride, Meghan. We have met both girls and were captivated by their sweet natures and emerging personalities.














GrammyKat holds Rory in the bunting that her greatest Aunt Jan knitted for her (Abbie's is pink and black). We hear that Abbie and Rory are sleeping through most of the night and that Mommie and Daddy are losing that blurry look. A big snuggle to each of you and we will see you in September!










Alexis is the newest member of Kuzi and Wendy's family and is proving to be her own little person. Before her first birthday she made it clear that she was not going to be left out of her big sisters' worlds. She has that fierce determination that I recall in her mother.






Madyson and Payton have been part of our world for a while. Maddie is 6 and Payton is 3. Their world is filled with many wonderful curious things - bugs and such. Both girls astound us with their insights and imaginations. They are stunning and we adore them.

And finally Wendy jumping her stallion.









Pretty babies, pretty mommies, handsome daddies - all in our world. And that is why we must grow older.

Third Time is the Charm or the Trip that was Everything

Some trips you struggle to get a single salmon, never see bit of wild life and the weather sucks. So it has been for Rick and Becky's last two trips north with us.





Rick is an ardent fisherman but with us could not catch a single salmon. Becky loves the sun and it spitefully rained every single day of each trip and the only wild life we could find was a few lonely black bear.




But this year it all changed and in four days we saw it all and caught it all.


Rick and Beck caught a 30 lb salmon and then followed that show with 9 more.


A lonely wolf tracked us from the shore - indeed a rare sighting indeed only our second in four years and never this close.




















We went for crab and caught twenty-four some were 9.5 inches across. We went for prawns and caught 369 - quite a haul for two pulls.











We fished for halibut and Rick hooked three.


























An Orca family of four entertained us for twenty minutes. Daddy (big fin), Mommie (little fin), a second adult and a young one.











And the weather was just glorious - with just one cloudy day. Canadian lighthouses are picturesque with their bright red roofs and spotless white buildings.







There were eagle shows everywhere.











It was a wonderful trip and we all had great time.

Catching The Big Fish

Doug's childhood friend, Denny, and condo friend, Gerry, flew north to fish...and fish we did. It was a marathon fishing expedition by our definition but we will leave fishing on the slack night tides to Denny's next trip.



The flight into Bella Bella was late and so on the first night we only fished for a couple of hours. Gerry picked up three salmon and set the bantering tone of fishing rivalry.











The next morning Denny countered with the largest salmon of the trip at 32 lbs. This is the biggest salmon
Denny has ever caught. And Denny has been on many professionally guided fishing trips.


And the bantering continued as Gerry quickly pointed out Denny's fish fighting cut significantly into his fishing time. Although the four other salmon were of respectable size not one was close to Denny's lunker .







Then we headed for bottom fishing. Jan caught the biggest ling -18 lbs. Then she caused the biggest problem of the trip by getting her line tangled in the prop.










Ever-patient Doug donned his diving gear and untangled the line from the prop which really cut into the fishing time.




The next morning we caught 9 salmon, 2 yellow eye and three lings with Gerry bringing in the largest yellow eye - 12 lbs.









We tried to catch the elusive halibut but the two small ones were not worthy of a picture being just 8 and 10 lbs.


A sucessful fishing trip for everyone!

The