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La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Albin Sightings! Where did you go, who did you meet?

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DesertAlbin736
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Home Port: Peoria, AZ USA

La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

June 24, 2018: This topic will cover A25's "La Dolce Vita" and "Willie C." 2018 cruise to Desolation Sound from Blaine, WA via Canadian Gulf Islands to Comox on Vancouver Island & thence across Georgia Strait. Departure set for Monday June 25th.

Check back often for updates & pictures.
La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
DesertAlbin736
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Home Port: Peoria, AZ USA

Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

Update #1, 6/24/18 2100 PDT: Willie C. & La Dolce Vita all fueled & provisioned & set to go, but 6/25 AM departure in doubt. Cold front moving in, rain expected late overnight, wind rising. 20+ knots SW wind possible in Strait of Georgia tomorrow, wind against tide current. May have to sit tight in Blaine one more day, calmer weather expected Tues 6/26 after front passes.
La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
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RobS
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by RobS »

Yup, float plans are always in pencil, only Mother Nature gets to put them in ink....
"All fueled up" - How many gallons do you fuel sippers hold?
With your pictures and Willie's witty writings this will become a good thread....
Rob S.
"TENACIOUS"
1974 Chris Craft 36' Commander Tournament
Cummins 6BTA 330B's

(Former Owner)
"TOY-RIFIC" 2000 28TE, 6LP, Hull 408

Luck is the residue of good design.
kerrye
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by kerrye »

Hold up for good weather. We were stuck in Seneca Lake State Park for three days due to very high winds
DesertAlbin736
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

Update #2: Arrived in Comox shortly after noon, PDT, 6/29/18. Smooth going so far, although ran into a few rough seas here & there, 3 ft chop & ~12-15 kt winds on the nose, but nothing we couldn't handle & nobody got seasick. Actually 2 days ahead of float plan schedule, 1st night in Port Browning, 2nd night in Telegraph Harbour, 3rd night in Nanaimo, & last night in Deep Bay on Vancouver Island, 13 NM south of Comox.
While in Port Browning Dave Kirsop hosted a lovely cookout at his house served up fresh salmon grilled on the BBQ & homemade potato salad & green beans.
Last night in Deep Bay La Dolce Vita & Willie C. rafted up on one anchor. Almost every night has been calm, but one has to account for up to 12 ft tide range.
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La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
Nancy
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by Nancy »

Good to hear from you guys! i'd been wondering how the trip was going.
Nancy
2005 Albin 35CB
Yanmar 6LYA-STP 370
Valentine

Former boats
1995 Albin 28TE, Cummins 6BTA5.9 250, 2012-2022
1978 Trojan F32, 1998-2012
1983 Grady White 241 Weekender, 1988-1997
1980 Wellcraft 192 Classic, 1983-1987
dkirsop
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Home Port: Pender Island, BC, Canada

Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by dkirsop »

Glad to hear you are making good progress. Kathy and I enjoyed hosting both of you at Pender Island. Here are some pictures taken at Port Browning.
WillieC.jpg
Helen, Heidi and WillieC
LaDolceVite.jpg
Steve on La Dolce Vita with the good looking sail rig!
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Hull No. 1013, 1971
DesertAlbin736
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

Trying to post updates from Refuge Cove, but keeps bouncing me out. More later when we get better signals.
La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
DesertAlbin736
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

Update #3, Lund, BC: Brief return to Lund to pumpout hold tanks. Unfortunately Desolation Sound is all 'no discharge', but guess what, not a single pumpout station within Desolation Sound, Lund being the closest. Partly why I had removed the old 9 gallon tank & installed the 20 gallon one. Good case for going with a composting head. Our sailing buddies with their Alden 44 sloop due to arrive in a couple hours.
[attachment=0]20180704_151527.jpg[/attachment]
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Last edited by DesertAlbin736 on Sun Aug 23, 2020 6:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
DesertAlbin736
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

Update #4: Back in Lund, BC for our last morning on the Sunshine Coast. Rafted up with Willie C at a very crowded dock at the Lund marina. Waiting for a slight break in winds from 12 knots in Georgia Strait down to 9 or 10 knots for departure after 9 AM PDT bound for Comox on Vancouver Island. 10 great days on Desolation Sound. Lots of pics to post when we get back home to AZ. Been a bit frustrating trying to post. Refuge Cove was one of the few places with 4G cell service, but that was weak & I'd write a post & be ready to send & I'd get kicked off, lose everything I'd written & have to log back in & start over. This happened several times & gave up. It's so remote, mountainous, & sparsely populated that cell service is spotty to nonexistent.
La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
DesertAlbin736
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

Update #5: Back in the USA. We had a wonderful 14 days in Desolation Sound from June 30 to July 13. It's been extremely frustrating trying to post from locations with weak & intermittent cell signals. Just as I'd write a post & try to submit I'd get bounced off and have to log back in & everything I'd written disappeared into the ether.

But anyway, we returned, Von Donop Inlet to Lund, Lund to Comox, Comox to Hornby Island (where we anchored off a clothing optional beach in Tribune Bay), thence to Nanaimo, & finally to Ladysmith where we attended an Albineers of BC rendezvous. That was awesome. Met a lot of nice folks, had a BBQ, and counting Willie C and ourselves there were SIX, count 'em, SIX A25's tied up in the same marina, including the boat that once belonged to the founder of BC Albineers.

From there we headed down-island to Wallace Island and Montague on Galiano where we and the Willie C crew rode the Hummingbird Inn Pub bus (an experience in itself) to dinner at the pub. Two nights in Montague, and thereafter split up with Willie C. They went on to Sidney & Roche Harbor. We went back to Blaine to deal with a fuel lift pump issue after clearing US customs at Point Roberts. So once back in Blaine we jumped in our truck & drove to Bellingham to pick up a new fuel pump from Tri County Marine Engine, then back to the boat to install the new pump. That was Friday, 7/27. Now we're in Fossil Bay on Sucia Island, heading for Friday Harbor tomorrow.
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La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
OldDemps
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by OldDemps »

Beautiful weather.
There is a Albin 25 for sale in that marina
https://victoria.craigslist.ca/boa/d/albin/6628354514.html
Currently boatless
Prior owner of
SKOL -1975 Albin 25 #2240
JOKA -2006 Albin 28TE Flush Deck
JOKA - 2000 Albin 28TE Gatsby Ed.
DesertAlbin736
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

Yes, that boat is "Alanje". He was there in Ladysmith. We spoke to him as did Rick, aka 'WillieC". The finish on the blue painted f/g hard top is a bit rough, but otherwise OK. This is the boat formerly owned by a founding member of Albineers of BC club, a fellow who is now 96 years old.

By the way, we are now anchored in Friday Harbor in the San Juans
La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
WillieC
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by WillieC »

We're BACK!!!

The original plan was to haul at Blaine and tow the boat back to Hood Canal. We were having so much fun, we altered the plan, docked in Bellingham, borrowed a car and drove the truck and trailer home, returned the car to Bellingham and drove the Mighty Willie C home. We took 5 or 6 days to do the 2 or 3 day trip from Bellingham.

As you can see, this trip has made some serious impact on the Starfleet Commander and me. We no longer speak in hours, minutes, and MPH. Days run into weeks, and I now have a legitimate reason for stumbling around like a full blown drunk on solid ground.

Pictures and commentary to follow once I retrieve the camera/phone from Bellingham. (Having learned to live in the restraints of the 25 foot hull, as soon as they released me to terra firma on my own recognizance, I promptly lost my mind and locked the cell phone in the borrowed car, stopping to check my pocket AFTER I dropped the car keys in the mail slot. This transition is not going well.)

Stand by for NEWS!
DesertAlbin736
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Re: La Dolce Vita and Willie C. cruise Desolation Sound, BC

Post by DesertAlbin736 »

A few pics from the cruise now that I have some downloaded off my digital camera SanDisk card. Still working (actually just getting started) on putting together a YouTube slide show, which is a much more efficient way of posting & explaining many, many more photos & videos.
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La Dolce Vita
1971 Albin 25 #736
Yanmar 3GM30F
Gig Harbor Boatworks Nisqually 8 dinghy
Residence: Peoria, AZ
Homeport: Lake Pleasant, AZ & beyond
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