2011 Trip 4 - Pacific Swift

Despite their best efforts the stars were outshone by the brilliance of the moon and the tails of shooting stars illuminating the calm sea and coastline last night. Today dawned warm and bright, a perfect day to explore Jacobson beach. Dories glided towards the shoreline laden with supplies for having a lunch ashore. Another beautiful walk through the dense rain forest carpeted with cedars, fern and animal tracks brought us out onto another brilliant white sand beach, even more spectacular than the previous one. Warm soft sand settled between toes and azure waves sparkled towards the shore. Jacobson is a treasure trove for beach combers, the wonders of ocean current and swell depositing everything from the elusive Japanese glass floats to hockey gloves and Russian soap. Hot dogs and marshmallows were roasted on a clean cedar fire while gazing out to the open ocean and mountain peaks of Vancouver Island. After working up a sweat playing soccer and frisbee under the blazing sun a mission for refreshment was launched towards the waterfall at the head of the stream feeding a brackish lagoon on the beach. The waterfall was nestled in a verdant valley, cascading over a rock face to plunge 30 feet into a clear pool below. A refreshing shower beneath the strong flow left everyone feeling scrubbed and invigorated. After playing in the surf back at the beach we trekked back towards the Swift waiting patiently at anchor. The anchor broke the surface at 1515 in the presence of a building NW breeze outside the cove. The breeze freshened as we pushed offshore and trainees leapt at the opportunity to scurry aloft and loose topsails. The gentle swell wasn´t a discouragement as they laid out along the topsail yard to cast free the gaskets. Cries of joy rained down from aloft as sail after sail was sheeted home in the afternoon light and the Swift found her stride making 7 knots before a quartering breeze under main, main topsail, courses and square topsail. It was a wonderful sail, sun and wind at our backs, the broad ocean spread out to starboard and the Island crisply etched on the port side. While we sailed south to Kyuquot Sound we passed a lazy sunfish sunning himself on the surface, feebly waving his flipper in greeting as we passed close bye. The wind eased and we ghosted into Kyuquot Sound escorted alongside by several humpbacks, the setting sun painting the creased hills in purple and orange hues, the sea aflame below the cetacean spray. The swell is rocking us gently at anchor behind Rugged Point, songs and cookie smells emanating from the galley.