Old longings nomadic leap,

Chafing at custom’s chains;

Again from its brumal sleep

Wakens the ferine strain.

The verse at the beginning of The Call of the Wild (written by Jack London in 1903) captures the feeling on board Distant Drummer as we returned to the water after five months of winter in Canoe Cove. Our re-launch yesterday went well but not without a couple of hitches, of course. There was a leak at the rudder post gland which needed to be tightened and more packing added. There was also an air lock in the fresh water cooling system in the engine which took several hours to figure out but finally today we are on our way. I can’t wait to cast off the lines and get back to our cruising life.

Finally Distant Drummer is going back into the water – yippee!

Last week we were lucky enough to borrow a car from our friends in Maple Bay which came in really handy for getting everything done in order to be ready to get back in the water. Hauling provisions, transporting propane tanks and jerry cans of ethanol-free petrol (neither of which can be taken on the bus unless you’re a suicide bomber!) and all the other little last minute tasks were made much easier. Thanks Steve and Carolina.

Neil admiring the size of the barrels and wondering if he can sneak one out

We also had time for a couple of outings. We visited the Victoria Distillery in Sidney (it’s amazing that we hadn’t found it before) and had a tour of the factory before sitting down to quite an extensive tasting. BC has a strong culture of liberation when it comes to alcohol, with small independent breweries and distilleries creating craft beers and premium spirits. Originally the Victoria Distillery only produced only gin (regular and oaken) but have since expanded to include vodka and rum, eau de vie and a delicious chocolate liqueur. It was a warm and cozy place to shelter from the rain!

The quiet anchorage at Sooke

On Tuesday we drove down to Sooke which is a key-hole harbour close to the southernmost point of Vancouver Island.  In the small town there we noticed several shops selling cannabis, we haven’t seen that elsewhere on the Island. Sale of marijuana is currently permitted in BC for medicinal use only but legalization for recreational use is on the way, as it is in many states in USA. We had a walk on Whiffen Spit, a sand bar which almost blocks the entrance channel into the harbour, and then enjoyed lunch in a great little bistro called “Route 14”.

Enjoying a gin and tonic at the Victoria Distillery

Our next blog will likely be posted from US territory as we need to leave Canada to file our tax rebate applications. We will spend a few days in Friday Harbor before we return to Canada and head over to Van City.

Yeehaa!

Suzy