We were anchored in Montague Harbor on Galiano Island in the Gulf Islands of BC, Canada. We’d crossed the border into Canada from the San Juans and checked into Canada at the Van Isle Marina near Sidney using our newly minted Nexus passes. Having them certainly smooths out the customs process. We used to have to go to a customs dock, call a number, talk to a Canadian customs agent to declare certain items, then wait up to 45 minutes for a local agent to saunter down to the boat for a hands on inspection. If no agent arrived within that time span, (the usual), we were then able to leave and go about our business in Canada.
With Nexus passes we can now call in and do all the declarative work before tying up to a customs dock. After the call, we do have to make our way to a customs dock, tie up and wait 5 minutes for an agent to appear. Five minutes, no agent, good to go. It is way easier and faster. At some point we hope the Canadians will not require the docking component of the process and just do a video chat. The US gave up on the docking requirement with their implementation of the “ROAM” app. When it works, no docking is required. Call in, declare, do a video chat. Done. The operative words are “when it works”. It doesn’t always work… and if it doesn’t it is a PITA to go to a customs dock and work through the analog process. Oh well… We have no problem staying in Canada if the US won’t see fit to let us back in.
After our easy Nexus assisted process, we were in Canada. Next step: make our way over to Montague Harbor and stay there a few days getting our bearings, hiking, and working on our boat bum facades. That first Canadian evening, we had eaten, watched some TV via our new Starlink satellite system, and were at our usual post prandial stations on the back deck, sipping wine. Chatting. Our usual. We started “the chat” nearly a half century ago when we met at Crystal Mountain in Washington. Chatting has been a solid feature of our liaison ever since.
We were expressing amazement about how our day to day lives have morphed from what we had been involved with in Southern California for the past 40+ years: Work, play, horses, skiing at Mammoth, boating etc. Everything was on a tight, regimented schedule. The ratio of work to play was always stacked towards work. Play time was wedged in between unremitting work time for both of us. The usual for sapiens living in modern America. Play was legislated to happen… later. Thank Dog we lasted long enough for play to become our operative reality.
Finally… retirement and a move up to the Pacific Northwest, bumping around in our liveaboard citadel, Great Northern, we have successfully reversed that ratio. Light play, heavy play, in between play is what propels us forward. Oh… there is work. Great Northern is an old boat for sure, but thankfully she has good bones. Being just shy of forty years old, she does require a certain amount of our time to keep her fit and ready for action. But, that form of “work” is not the same as what we defined as work before retirement, eh? Unless of course… the work entails messing with our Vacuflush toilets or any of the pumps associated with it. That form of work is… well… something I’m becoming less and less thrilled to include on my work list. At some point we will replace it all with systems that are more forgiving, better designed, and although not maintenance free, the maintenance should be more reasonable.
Being back in the Northwest, I feel, at times, anthropomorphizing a bit here… how a sea roaming salmon driven to spawn, must feel like when she tastes the pure mountain fed water she remembers as a growing fry. leave the sea, swim up the river. Closer… it’s just around the bend. The gravel, overhanging banks. It tastes… perfect.
I got up to refill our glasses and noticed a slight glow in the sky from the East. I snatched my phone / camera from its hidey hole. When I returned to the aft deck… I saw this and snapped a memory of it for a future time to gaze upon it again:
Which morphed into this:
Then this:
Turning around and viewing the Northwest skyline I captured this:
What form of “play” is this one might ask? Contemplative. Captivating. Our current reality. We can only express our ongoing gratitude to be able to enjoy our surroundings, explorations, and moments such as these. I can only say… expand your sense of play and make your work… that.
Salish Sea Cruising With Blair, Les, Leo, and Bliss 