On Saturday morning we ate quickly, and Glenn returned the rental car. I made a final run to the grocery for a pair of jeans - more appropriate wear for the cool days to come. And with that, we were off.

We rounded Portage Island, cruised north in Hale Passage and turned west at the north point of Lummi Island to cross the main shipping channel into the San Juan Islands. Every shallow bank was strewn with networks of crab pot buoys and rock markers so we plotted carefully and kept our speed low.

[caption id="attachment_4024" align="alignleft" width="150"] Along the lower BC coast[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4022" align="alignleft" width="150"] Canadian customs[/caption]

Once across we could thread between Sucia and Matia islands, beautiful refuge harbors filled with sailboats, and kept westward to S. Pender Island and the Canadian customs office at Poet's Cove. The ordeal of checking through Canadian customs required a 5 minute phone call with a lovely Canadian customs girl, and poof, we were off again. Two hours later we arrived at the summer island resort of Ganges Harbor, and our berth at Salt Spring Marina (a tricky dockage requiring avoiding rocks and spinning the boat into our slip).

Comm. Elwell and others were already in port, and after a refresher drink at the marina restaurant, Glenn made the obligatory cocktail visits. Tom and I relaxed for a bit, then became concerned that Glenn was being held hostage so we came to rescue him, which required us to accept vodkas and introductions all around. Finally we proceeded ashore for dinner at what must be a Relais and Chateaux restaurant, given the personalized menu and excellent meal of perch and dessert berries.