Princess Louisa Inlet and what a journey to and from

Princess Louisa is one of those places every NW boater has on their list. We had managed to go many years without making the visit, because if we had enough time we wanted to go further north, and if we had less time we stayed further south. Louisa is such a journey unto itself that you must be somewhat determined to get there.

And we were this time.

James Bay, Prevost Island

We took a week of vacation and had a hard time getting over our disappointment of not having time to go up to Desolation Sound, or to reprise our journey around Vancouver Island from last summer. We've set the bar pretty high for Aeolus adventures and we have insatiable desires for such trips to begin with. Faced with the prospect of a week in the Gulf Islands would make most people giddy, and yet we were wrestling with feeling disappointed at the idea of being in such familiar waters.

We left on a Saturday and headed up and across the border to James Bay on Prevost. That is an easy day from Friday Harbor. It was there that we decided to head on to Princess Louisa.

July 4th escapade and Sea Star sadness

As is our pattern for the three day holidays, we got away to British Columbia to avoid the crowds in the American islands over the 4th of July. It sounds somehow unpatriotic to go to Canada for the 4th of July, but I suppose it celebrates the freedoms our founding mothers fought for. Having been to Tumbo many times this winter and early spring we decided to go to some less traveled favorite places instead. We got to Friday Harbor on Thursday night and slept well for the Friday departure for points north.

On the way north, passing Spieden Island

Our first stop was Russel Island just off the southern shore of Salt Spring. It is a gem of a little island with an easy anchorage on the north side. It is unique in having a standing home from the pioneer days and even a visitor welcoming program hosted by direct descendants of the original non-native settlers. The matriarch of the family was half Hawaiin and half First Nations, and her husband was evidently half Caucasian and half First Nations. Now, their great grandchildren take turns in July and August staying at the home and telling stories to the visitors. It's the only place in the Salish Sea that has such a program. I really appreciate it, as I believe that pioneer history is fading from the islands and landscape quite quickly.

While on Russel we walked the shoreline looking for sea stars, having heard about the wasting disease that is killing them all up and down the West Coast. Sure enough, we could not find any for some time. And then, when we did find one, it was the most tragic and pathetic looking thing. It was missing several limbs, and shriveled up in death's grip. This disease just dissolves them from inside like they were held in an acid bath. Walking along the shore a little further on and we came across two more in the same dead and decrepit condition.