Octopus Islands

September 14, 2010

Octopus Islands Provincial Marine Park, Quadra Island, British Columbia, Canada

Even though it rained (again) on our visit to the Octopus Islands, it was fantastic (we must be Washingtonians!!).  We just hunkered down our first evening and Austin beat us at all Scrabble with “JADE” for 60 points!!!

    

The boys dove into their schoolwork the next morning as we all waited for some clearing.  Mid-morning, Brad and I took a little kayak tour that included going through a slot that is probably high and dry at low tide but had cool currents surging one way and then the other when we transited it.  In the afternoon, it dried off enough for a trip to visit the “Cruiser’s Cabin” and do a little reconnaissance for the next day’s hike.  There was a kayak group from Toronto camped on the beach where the trail begins and we chatted with them a bit before heading back to our nice, warm, cozy boat!

Clearing Fog – Waiatt Bay

Hiking to Small Inlet and Newton Lake

   

                      

The next morning dawned still with fog here and there.  As it started to clear, we cut homework short and headed off for our hike.  We crossed a small isthmus from Waiatt Bay to Small Inlet and then continued up to Newton Lake.  We are all very excited to be back in our native evergreen forests (second growth or not).  In the afternoon, schoolwork was finished, naps were taken, islets were explored, and plans were made for our Cruiser’s Cabin artwork and the rest of our week.

The priority for our final morning in the Octopus Islands was to complete and hang our new art in the Cruiser’s Cabin.  It was decided that we would add to our previous contribution from 2005 when we visited with the Voodoo Child and had part of the Toland family aboard.  Upon arrival, there was a kayak tour group having a fabulous picnic lunch on the newly rebuilt deck.  We hung our newest attempt at driftwood art (power tools are a definite plus).  Back at CAPAZ, we had a quick lunch before we needed to pull anchor and head for Osikollo Channel’s slack tide.