PORTAGE BAY SHELTER

Another night surging and straining on the anchor rode, another night of the wind howling mournfully in the rig and even more rain.  Today has been much like yesterday, southerly wind, low cloud and rain showers.  Wet, wet, wet and still no sun.

The forecast this morning was 25 knots from the direction we want to go with a small craft advisory.  I decided to stay at anchor and get on with a few odd jobs, read a book, watch a movie, do some baking and have a leisurely Sunday.  I baked bread and chocolate chip, cranberry and coconut muffins.  The bread turned out well.  The muffins are best described as rock muffins.  They are not soft and fluffy, best eaten when dunked in tea to soften them up a bit.

Last night the other yacht in the anchorage moved up to the head of the bay to try for more shelter.  It gets shallow further up and I was surprised how far he got in.  This morning he came out just before low water and went aground, I watched as more of his boot topping became visible.  It took the poor guy more than two hours to get free and into deeper water.  He will not have good memories of Portage Bay.

There is a need to get to port soon.  Last night I cut open my last lemon for a nightcap rum and coke and found it was rotten inside.  That is the last of my fresh fruit apart from an onion so need to restock before I get scurvy – or drink rum without lemon.

This morning I found a water leak in the forward cabin, some water is coming in where the chimney passes through the deck.  I think the chimney got a knock when I was re-stowing the pig on deck, probably cracked the seal.  When we get a dry spell I will re-caulk it.

The barometer is starting to rise and I expect tomorrow will be a beautiful day to continue down Frederick Sound to Petersburg with a beam wind in glorious sunshine.