INDEPENDENCE CHRONICLES

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Roche Harbor, WA to Vancouver, Canada

Well we made it into Canada! A little windy and bumpy in spots during our move to Vancouver (54NM) and quite a few logs in Boundary Bay. Almost two years to the day, when we looked down through an airplane window (on our way home from cousin Jennica’s wedding) and said “we need to bring the boat to this area”…and here we are!!! We will visit with my family and enjoy this lovely city before we head towards Alaska.

Entering Burrard Inlet to English Bay with many tankers and bulk carriers waiting to enter the busy port of Vancouver, Canada

Passing under the Lion’s Gate Bridge

The Vancouver skyline as we enter Vancouver Harbor

Canada Place and the Cruise Ship Terminal

Entering Coal Harbor where we will dock at Harbor Cruises Marina.. We are put into a fairly challenging slip to reverse into but Larry does a stellar job after a six hour run. We are thankful to be tied-up and the Captain departs the Independence to check in with Canadian Border Patrol and Customs. We had previously checked with the harbor and the officials that all we had to do was call in from the Harbor Office. Well…not so easy. You won’t believe it when I tell you that the Canadian Border Patrol (CBP) made us move out of our slip, a 100 yards, to an “Official Check-in Location” across the harbor. Larry then called the number for the CBP and they immediately approved our entrance to Canada. We then moved back into our challenging slip and proceeded to start happy hour a little early that night.

The weather improved the next day but I have still snow skied on warmer days

The eye-catching Alberni building by Kengo Kuma, the Japanese architect

A pretty and cold morning run around Stanley Park

Harry Winston Jerome, B.C.’s Athlete of the Century 1871-1971, winner of six track world records. Very humbling as I slog my way around the park.

Stopping during my jog to take a few photos of the amazing totem poles of Stanley Park. This is a red cedar portal constructed over three years and completed in 2008 by Coast Salish artist Susan Point.

Nine totem poles at Brockton Point are a collection of art that have come from all over B.C.

Shore to Shore sculpture by Luke Marston, a descendant of the Coast Salish and Portuguese communities.

Thank you to my sweet family, Renee and Dave, who helped us provision for our trip North, We had a blast and will hopefully see them on our way South in a month or so.

Some fun ladies on the dock, with a love of shadow puppets, agreed to take our picture

Time to check out some local brew in Stanley Park….

…and visit Derek, Jennica, Eli & Viv. So fabulous to see my sweet relatives in Vancouver. Thanks for the great time!

Always a lover of aviation. Harbor Air is amazingly busy with their seaplane tours.

Of course my favorite the de Havilland Beaver.

A view of the Independence from the restaurant ‘Lift’. Next to us is the 55 foot Nordhavn charter boat ‘Penalty Box II"‘.

Larry and I finish-up our stay in Vancouver with a bike ride around Stanley Park. The Lion’s Gate Bridge in the background.

Just an average day in Stanley Park at English Bay