Ten to fifteen knots of wind is the forecast for this morning, diminishing in the afternoon. We decide to get an early start, and if conditions look good for crossing Georgia Strait when we get to Nanaimo, we’ll head across the Strait. With some luck, we might be in Smuggler Cove on the mainland this evening. I hate leaving Montague without getting an ice cream, but we’ve got some time to make up, so we can’t dawdle.

Sea conditions were very good when we left at 0700 hrs, and we made good time to Dodd Narrows. The wind, however, was picking up, and conditions out in the Strait weren’t what you’d call ideal. However, they were reporting 4 knots of wind at Mary Island, where we’d be headed, so we decided to stick our nose out and give it a go. It was a bit bumpy for the first hour. The seas were right on our beam, so we had to tack back and forth across the Strait to minimize the rock and roll. Luckily, we only had 18 miles to go.

Being Saturday, and a beautiful sunny day to boot, Smuggler was full of boats when we arrived. I thought we’d have to continue on to Boho Anchorage on Lasqueti Island, but Al was able to wedge us in between a couple of small boats. The boat next to us had three large dogs aboard. I can’t imagine where they all slept. The owner was tying a stern line ashore, so he wouldn’t swing.

This is such a gorgeous spot, and the sunset was spectacular.