HMS Quadra is running full tilt now, i used to work there for five years,at the cadet camp at Goose Spit, i loved it and made some very good friends there.
Every morning now, we hear the band playing for the raising of the flag, and all the cadets march around the whole compound.
Brings back a lot of memories……
The cadets learn to sail too, among other things, and after 9 o’clock all the little sailboats come out into the bay. Together with all the little boats from the sailing club, its one very busy place!!!
The dragon boats practice every Wednesday and Saturday, there are several boats but our favorite is the white one, with the short gentleman at the helm, he would steer the boat close by Curtsy ,so we could shout encouragement to the hard working paddlers. Their strength and rhythm is superb, a joy to watch.

Sailing practice in Comox bay.

Rest spot at the Spit.

Senior sailors.

It is July 6th, we were suppose to head out today, back to Pender Harbour, but the first thing we saw this morning, looking out , was nothing….nothing but a grey/white everything, smoke!!!!
There is a big forest fire burning near Sechelt, some of the forest contains first growth trees, it is situated in a very difficult area, the terrain is steep, and fire fighters are having a huge battle on their hands.
It is immensely sad that yesterday, a tree faller died in the fire.
The wind coming our way is now SE, but when the fire started it was blowing a very hard NW, downtown Vancouver is blanketed with smoke, people are advised to stay indoors, to not drive on very busy highways, the air quality is very bad.
Right now, sitting here in the cockpit, i cannot see the Glacier, at all!!! I cannot see the Spit, everything is white.
I took some photos , to give you an idea.
We now hope to leave tomorrow, maybe we just go and have a look out there. Bert is painting on the boat right now

Early morning, a strange light shines in the bay.

Around 11 am, somewhere in the background is the Spit…..

This beautiful little sailboat with its red sails came by, she looked so lovely in the afternoon light.

Comox glacier in the back ground.

A beautiful ketch came into the harbour, a wooden boat, her name is “JAN VAN GENT”, and we admired her very much so. As soon as we see a boat like that, we think, oh , maybe we should trade Curtsy in, but then the next thought is a huge wakeup call , the work!!!! can you imagine the work??!!! a wooden boat, NO WAY!!!!!
So we admire them, from afar……

The ketch: ” JAN VAN GENT”

her gorgeous bow

Bert, admiring the “JAN VAN GENT”

We have 7 solar lights on the boat, one old one, 10 years old actually, that is still going strong, four plastic black ones, and two , very cute little glass balls, they make a beautiful pattern on the deck every night, i bought them in Australia, and yes, they are glass, which is not such a good idea, but i keep a close eye on them, and they are not in the way .
All of them hang on the lifelines, so at night, the whole boat has light, when she bobs up and down, the lights make a circle pattern from a distance and folks know its Curtsy out there!!

one of my little Aussie solar lights.

At sunset, Bert relaxing on deck.