If stuck, it's best to be stuck someplace decent

Campbell River, for instance.

I had been hoping that the storm would die down by now and we could get on our merry way south today, but it's still blowing ~30 knots, and that's here in the shelter of the marina. Still, Mandy had to make the decision, ultimately... I was too tired to decide. So we paid for another night and will sit it out instead of beating south toward Comox or Texada. We had to move to a different dock, however, and had a heck of a time doing so in this wind.

I brought us in last night on the windward side of the float, using the wind to take us in and braking with the engine and it was pretty smooth. Getting off again was another story--I could swing the boat off using prop walk in reverse but the wind kept the bow pressed in against the float. One of the marina staff helped us by pushing off as we swung around, but after I got off I didn't have enough room astern to build steerageway sufficient to swing the bow upwind (which I had to to get out of the dock). So the wind kept blowing us down toward shore as we were stuck athwart the channel between two floats--I couldn't go forward or reverse, since there was only 60 feet of space and we took up 33 of that. I finally decided to just let the wind carry the bow in and managed to get a clear enough shot astern to reverse out. Not pretty, but it worked.

Bringing her in to the new spot, which was even more constrained, was easier... just a repeat of last night, with an extra pair of hands to help. In any event, better all this hassle than having to try to come in from leeward with our little 20 horse engine and gimpy shift lever.

We've taken advantage of the extra time to get some shopping done and I hope to get rested up. Mandy met a neighbor on the float who has invited us over for coffee later, presumably to hear the gruesome details of our accident. I should take the CD of photos along.

Mandy is out at the stores again and I'm just chilling out on the boat, listening to the wind whistle through the rigging. A part of me wishes we were out in it, but I know that's not wise, particularly with our various defects and the vicious reputation of Cape Mudge in a southeasterly. Still, I'm intent on getting out of here tomorrow, even if there is left over slop--we've seen plenty of Campbell River already, as hospitable as it is.