A full day to enjoy Victoria and finish provisioning. This will be the last real chance at any good fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as any good wine.  A liquor store just a few blocks along Government Street proves to have a good selection including a number of local wines. The 24 hour grocery store is a 10 minute walk away and has everything else we could need.

We’ve all taken advantage of the chance to stock up on items we couldn’t bring with us into Canada – poultry, eggs, certain produce…

We’re docked just in the heart of the Harbor, with the Empress hotel directly off our Bows, and the Parliament to starboard.  Government Street has shopping a two block walk away (including an excellent bookstore that Pat and Rick aboard Eldean recommend).  The Royal BC Museum is a half block from the docks.  Swing music and other tunes from the street musicians along the harbor side walk can be heard at the moment as we fill water tanks, put away provisions and get dinner started.

Earlier today, crews dispersed.  Pat and Rick explored Chinatown.  Dave aboard Ajax rustled up a rental bike and biked 18+ miles to Bouchart Gardens one of the world’s premier floral gardens. He reports it was worth it, but was glad to find that Victoria’s city buses have bike racks for the trip back…    Vanessa, Deceptions naturalist-in-residence, couldn’t quite be convinced to join Dave on his 18 mile bike ride, but did walk the full half block over to the Royal Museum – where she found an equally impressive collection of totem poles and indigenous art.

Tonight we’ll need to make sure everything is battened down for an early 4:45 departure and 11 hour trip up the Straits of Juan de Fuca to our destination of Bamfield.