26 June

With time now running short, we started turning our attention to getting home before we had to get back to work on 02 july.  Our first step was a wet but lively sail form Joe's bay to Bamfield.  Arriving in Bamfield in pouring rain we first moored at the east dock and investigated the shop.  We soon realised however that there was more life on the west dock so as there was room, headed over there for the night.  Docking was a bit frisky with a significant cross wind but after a couple of attempts we managed to get in and safely secured.  That evening we headed over to "The Wrechage" and met up with a couple (Tom and Hannah) who were just getting ready to head off on the South Coast Trail.  Both were also from the UK and worked repectively for EY and Deloite! - what;s the chance!  We had fun chatting wiht them and left them to head back to their accomodation on the east side around 10 (last ferry) - feeling somehwat smug going back to our boat knowing they would be camping for the next few nights! (anyone can be uncomfortable). 

27 June

The next day was still overcast but we decided to stay another day and get an early start heading back into Juan de Fuca Straight the following day.  So we had a lazy day to fill and went to explore Brady Beach, a fantastic spot to while away a couple of hours with great rock pools and some very impressive sea caves. 

It was low tide and I mnaaged to get right into the caves but it was very ominous hearing the waves coming in.  After grabbing a couple of photo's I was happy when I was back on the rocks outside the cave - getting trapped in there with a rising tide would not have been fun!

28  and 29 June

We woke as dawn was just breaking on the Friday and motored out of Bamfield into a flat calm.  An uneventful, but long day motoring saw us into our usual spot at Becher Bay for the night.  The next morning we made a leisurely start and sailed wide of  Race rocks to get on a course that should have allowed us to sail all the way back to the RVYC.  Unfortunately the wind died though and we puttered into RVYC early afternoon after a great month away

With the round island trip now behind us and some overnight passages we were both more confident in both our own and the boat's abilities. On our way back to RVYC we started discussing what we needed to to for the next major trip out - when we aim to head south and away for the next four years!