Casting off from Powell River was less emotional than I anticipated- we were ready. We had slept two nights at the dock already and it felt like it was time to go. The weather was calm and it was finally feeling like summer.
A nice group of friends saw us off at the dock and we all waved frantically in our matching shirts, and we were away!
We had all been feeling a lot of stress leading up to take off, a lot of long days and lists top check off. But we also all knew that as soon as we rounded the entrance of the marina and stored those bumpers away, with some wind in our hair, we’d feel relief knowing it was all worth it.
And that’s exactly how it felt.
We were so grateful to have a nice sendoff and to wave goodbye to friends and family, but we were setting off to a season of discovery and digging down deep into what family meant to us.
The next few days were us finding a bit of a rhythm and ironing out a few systems. I had to keep reminding myself to ooze grace and patience: this is a lot of change all at once. As much as we’ve prepared for this, it’s still an adjustment - and can’t you just move out of the WAY SO I CAN GET MY COFFEE?!
A few deep breaths, and a few apologies, and we iron out another system.
We are exploring near us, on Cortes Island where there is an abundance to see and do, and every little bay is somewhat different and has something new to offer. Digory has a goal to catch a fish every day, and so far is doing really well with that! And Piper is incorporating what she sees into her art - and it’s really amazing.
I am sure other parents can relate, but every summer it takes a few days/weeks for the kids to “wash school out of the hair”, and we have been able to see that happen in real time, spending it all together. I can see the attitude and anxiety wash away as the kids carve out their own space and hobbies, and even dive into spending time together. To see them both pop on their snorkelling masks and bob up and down exploring what is around the boat warms my heart and brings back so many good memories of our season in the Caribbean. They are the same kids, just older and taller.
After Matt and I had taken off for a solo paddle board around Shark Spit (Cortes Is), taking in the change of tide over the shallow spit, we arrived back to the boat to both kids having taken a rinse off the back, fresh clothes on and full of stories -
“We saw a SEAHORSE! A seahorse, right under the boat - we thought it was a piece of grass, but then we saw its little face and it was a seahorse!” They were both bouncing with the joy of the discovery. (It turned out to be a pipe fish, but it’s in the seahorse family - and they spotted it all on their own. Thanks for the great book for identifying sea life, blue-boat-Josh!)
It’s these moments, that Matt and I look at each other and saw “yeah, it was worth it”.
Saving up for five years towards this goal, saying “no” to certain extravagances, using our same old cars, living in a small house, budgeting and learning new habits - it was worth it. I know my attitude might change about this, and I’ll cry to go home, but this has been a dream for a long time, and we’re finally doing it and we’ll take the good with the bad.
When I sit on the swim-grid off the back of our boat and dangle my feet in the water after a nice ocean swim, with the sun on my face and salt in my hair, I know all of our hard work and planning was worth it.
We continue on our journey in Desolation Sound Marine park, slowly making our way towards Vancouver Island (path TBD). We have already had friends visit and we were able to buddy-boat for a while, and that also just felt right. We hope to be seeing family on the island early August and then making our way south towards Victoria around Labour Day, and then to leave Canada (gulp) early September.
Thanks for staying tuned in - and we will do our best to keep things updated! We hope everyone is enjoying this deliciously warm summer weather!
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