We left Nanaimo to cross the Strait of Georgia with weather warnings for high winds. But the currents were with us and overall it was a cool and rainy, but not unpleasant crossing. We motored into a calm and inviting False Bay on Lasqueti Island around 8pm.
The next day we left early to catch the right currents. Alden got us going while I slept in (with ear plugs). The morning was calm and beautiful. We turned off the engines and drifted at 2 knots while we had breakfast. Afterwards, I continued our drive as Alden napped in the sunshine.
As we rounded the corner of an island hundreds of bats emerged from a cave in the cliffs. Our heavy engine rumblings must have awoken some primordial hatred in their tiny napping brains. The swarm fell upon us, darting this way and that with their gnashing teeth. They torpedoed our heads, bombing the decks and shredding the bimini. I shrieked and dove for cover while Alden brandished a fire extinguisher and fought them off. I managed to maneuver us away from the island while hiding under the helm. Finally, as the fire retardent settled they beat a retreat back to their musty layer and left us to catch our breath and assess the damage. It was a close call for all involved.
The rest of our cruise was very pleasant. We reached the Yaculta rapids a little early and drifted northward with the current while we lay in the sun and enjoyed the view of the surrounding mountains.
We crossed the rapids about an hour before slack with the tide in our favor and had little incident.
It turns out there is no place to anchor in Big Bay so we ended up mooring at the Dent Island Lodge. We indulged in a dinghy joy ride through the rapids and whirlpools, then sat in the luxurious hot tub at the lodge and enjoyed our life.
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