Another sunny day today! The crews of Eldean and Aquila take the ferry over to Alert Bay, the population center of the Kawkwaka’waka First Nation, to visit the U’mista cultural center and burial ground, home to a famous collection of totems and carvings. The crew of Deception busies themselves making sure all the boats are ready for the run down the east side of Vancouver island, and everyone takes advantage of the grocery store to restock on fresh vegetables and other essentials, namely scotch and beer.

Water taxis, ferries, helicopters and small sport fishing boats buzz in and out all day, and it is clear that we have re-entered the human sphere of influence. It is a bit of a shock after so long in the sparsely populated north, but the warm weather and smiling faces at the marina more than make up for the change.

Shakeel aboard Telita kindly provided Deception with a fabulous dinner of homemade chicken curry and the day ends with yet another extraordinary sunset.