Saltspring Island foray - there and back again

Cole and I set sail for Saltspring Island on Friday morning.  Back home Saturday evening.  Cole's purpose was to visit Bob McKay and interview him about his role in the restoration of the Old Ranch House in the 1970s and about how he got to the Slocan.  Bob did the kitchen cabinets, the eating benches, the roughly-planed panelling upstairs, the upstairs ceiling (with Cole) and …?

It takes a while to get to Saltspring on the "milk run"...

First stop - Sturdies Bay on Galiano Island

Second stop - Village Bay on Mayne Island

Third stop - Otter Bay on North Pender Island

Fourth stop - Long Harbour on Saltspring Island
(actually this is a leaving rather than a coming photo; we were stuck below-decks on arrival)

En route, the sky was grey but not leaking; the sea was silver ...

… and every piling at each ferry dock had its sea-gull or cormorant ...

In mid-channel, the captain announced a "man-overboard" drill.  A life-ring was tossed, alarm sounded, and rescue-boat launched from the top deck.  It all seemed a bit in slow-motion, but the life-ring-in-distress was duly rescued, the rescue-boat hauled back on board, and we steamed on to Long Harbour.

In Ganges, a Scrabble tournament seemed to have most hotel rooms booked, but we found a fine room for the night at the Seabreeze Inn just south, up the hill.  Then north on Robinson Road to Bob McKay's home and studio (201 Grantville).  (Our one previous visit to Bob and his wood-turning shop was with Colin, Teagan and Griffin - which March?)  A full two-hour conversation with Bob and his artist wife, Joanne Evans, followed by seafood chowder at the Harbour House Hotel in Ganges.  Lots of grist for Cole's Old-Ranch-House chapter.

To Ruckle Park the next morning - next posting.