S.A.L.T.S. 2025

S.A.L.T.S. 2025 - Day 5

The last day of our voyage was filled with blue skies, full sunshine and great wind for sailing. We were able to tack back and forth along the Strait of Juan de Fuca for a couple of hours. Alas, it was time to head back to the Inner Harbour and disembark the Pacific Grace. The week was a real blessing and one we will treasure for many years to come. The crew were fantastic and provided an enriching and exciting adventure as well as meaningful relationships. We will miss our time sailing on the seas aboard the Pacific Grace.

S.A.L.T.S. 2025 - Day 4

Another gorgeous morning and day on the Pacific Grace. The sky has been a bright clear blue without clouds all day long.  After breakfast, we all did a review for the sailor’s test that was completed on the deck. We then weighed anchor and retrieved our two prawn traps that were filled full of prawns. We ended up with 168 prawns and a sunstar that had engulfed one of the prawns, or possibility several overnight. We spent some of the afternoon on the sandy beach on Sidney Spit Island. We were ferried in by the zodiac. It was such a fun afternoon of exploring the beach and playing lots of games. We then spent a few hours motoring over the smooth waters which was so beautiful, but with no wind, so no sails. We enjoyed the most delicious dinner of chicken Alfredo, Greek salad, focaccia, and butter fried fresh prawns. They were so good. We have now anchored in Cadboro Bay to enjoy another awesome evening. The Pacific Swift is here as well. Everyone is well and having a great time.

S.A.L.T.S. 2025 - Day 3

The morning began with another beautiful sunny morning with glass-like still waters around us. We spent the morning in Irish Bay climbing, practicing tying ropes, completing a lesson on sailing terminology, and enjoying more delicious meals like peach cobbler for breakfast and tuna wraps and pasta salad for lunch. After lunch we weighed anchor and set the sails soon after we left Samuel Island. We were treated with sightings of porpoises and Orcas. We had our final lesson on the deck under sail in the late afternoon sunshine. We will set prawn traps at the end of our sail today and will see what bounty we catch over night. 
 
Last night we enjoyed a yummy dinner of chicken chowmein, spring rolls, coleslaw and broccoli. The food has been so good! We also had a great time singing songs and enjoying a warm drink and snack before we headed to bed during mug up. 
 
Everyone is doing really well and enjoying the adventure.

S.A.L.T.S. 2025 - Day 2

We awoke to a gorgeous sunny blue sky with fairly calm waters. Forward watch scrubbed the deck before breakfast and then we enjoyed a delicious feast of bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon, dill, capers, strawberries and jam. We then had a “point of sail” lesson on deck in the sunshine which was followed by lowering the dories as we got ready to row to the beach. We hiked for about 3 kms and ended up overlooking the ocean and enjoying God’s creation. We weighed anchor after lunch and have now anchored in Irish Bay at Samuel Island for the night. The trainees are completing their charting lesson now before we have dinner and enjoy another terrific evening of games and mug up.

S.A.L.T.S. 2025 - Day 1

We arrived in Victoria after a smooth flight and all luggage arrived with us. We boarded the bus and drove straight to the dock to board the Pacific Grace. After a thorough safety orientation, we sailed out of the Inner Harbour. Soon into our trip we spotted some whales which was exciting.  Then we set some of the sails and enjoyed a few hours under sail and we learned how to tie six different knots. We were all thankful for our rain gear as it rained on and off most of the afternoon. We have now anchored in Narvaez Bay on Saturna Island. We will play some games tonight and then have mug up before turning in for a good night’s sleep.  Everyone is doing well and having a great time.