LUNCH pages

Lunch at Sporty's reputedly 'Port Hardy's favorite joint.' Over-breaded but excellent fish, blackened snapper on an okay salad, and a cider that lists as its second ingredient Vodka.

We passed our 'observed Covid tests' administered by a nurse named Rochelle.

One more meal to come: something sushi.

After the usual excitement of a water take-off we flew north over islands, salmon pens, beaches, and a lot of forest. Finally, settlements in sight (Bella Bella and Shearwater Resort) we banked sharply over Gunboat Passage and Haydon made a smooth landing on a bit of chop in the bay in front of Shearwater Resort on Denny Island. Captain Eric, Marjan, and Jen the cook met us and led us through a very light shower to the Great Bear II. After Captain Eric’s thorough safety briefing, he showed us to our comfortable cabin, explained the toilet, and, with the crew, made us feel at home.

Soon after, the Great Bear II was underway around the top of Campbell Island and on through the Seaforth Channel, then north into Mathieson Channel between the Don Peninsula and Dowager Island. Jen served us a delicious lunch: salmon and cream cheese with pickled onions over pumpernickel bread and a lovely salad with strawberries and candied walnuts.

One of our fellow passengers, Trina, kept claiming islands that she deemed small enough that she could afford them. Here's one.

Jen and Marjan served lunch while underway, magnificent scenery, including several waterfalls, decorating the ‘walls’ of our dining room. Roasted Butternut Squash soup and bruschetta with savory tomato.

Harlequin Duck

At the head of the inlet, the mudflats at low tide were alive with life, from worms and squirting clams to megafauna. Amazing how when large critters are present, even the most interesting small critters do not receive the attention we’d usually give them.

Another delicious lunch when we returned to Great Bear II.

In the afternoon, a marine excitement delayed the afternoon excursion, while ‘Yellow Cow’ had a steering meltdown and for awhile Captain Eric thought he’d have to go help out per ‘the Rules of the Sea’ as the closest able vessel – apparently an inexperienced couple on the aforementioned Cow managed to confuse their autopilot and steering system, and in a four way conversation with Prince Rupert Coast Guard, a commercial tug, the Cow, and us, it was finally worked out that we didn’t need to respond. Eventually they accepted the tug’s (for money) tow offer, but not before the Cow’s captain asked the Coast Guard to get his wife to stop harassing him.

About this time of year we usually visit with my friends Kathy and Tony in Bolinas: pretty drive down Highway 1, stop in Point Arena for Franny's for pastries to keep us on a sugar high for the whole trip, Gualala for lunch at Trinks sitting on the ocean side. Not enough sugar from Franny's so we got a lemon meringue tart to follow our blackened chicken sandwich and fresh squoze orange juice.

Then the twisty, scenic ride south through Sea Ranch, past Fort Ross – same as last year and the year before, so no pictures.

The ride is beset by frightened drivers who looked at their maps in Leggett or San Francisco and though the coast route couldn't be more than an hour longer than straight mostly freeway Highway 101. 

To Freeman Toyota to get our Prime's 40k service, and then on our way home. The prevailing traffic was travelling at 72 miles per hour on the freeway, above my rated top speed, but I kept up through the busy midtown section.

After a stop at Oliver's for groceries we can't find in Fort Bragg (guanciale, organic pork tenderloin) I stubbornly set my cruise control at 65 and felt like the pebble perturbing the stream. 

Lunch at Lauren's. We think Lauren's was better in her old digs: more spacious, more Boonville. The Caesar was good although the cretins were to hard, and the peanut sesame noodles were too peanutty.