With our great trip north behind us we were now looking to kicking back and learn what cruising is really about. Lottie was due to join us on the 25th so we had 8 days to carry out a grand tour of the Broughtons. We settled on a clockwise tour and put a rough plan together based on the idea of circumnavigating Broughton Island.

After a rest day on the 16th full of cleaning and restocking the marina owners held a potluck in the evening. We had a wonderful time with everyone and they were all intrigued at our experiences to date, somewhat surprised we had made it this far!

the next morning after a great breakfast we headed out. We motored up and round the west of Malcolm Island. after a little time we picked up a pleasant breeze from the south east and had a wonderful sail up towards Numas Islands. After passing the islands the winds died and we were back to motoring into Wells Passage. As we passed a marker we saw another yacht coming towards us. Drawing level the two crew started shouting and gesticulating and then we noticed them quickly turning round and heading back towards us. In a panic we checked all over the boat to see what they may have noticed until they drew level, no more than half a boat length away and we could hear them. It was a couple of people we had met earlier and they were merely coming to say hello!

After this we cruised easily into Napier Bay, a lovely anchorage with only 4 other boats there.

Th next day we left Napier bay in a dead calm. After a short 2 1/2 hours we stern tied in Grappler Sound, the furthest north we made on our trip at almost 51 degrees north. We were incredibly lucky to have the place all to ourselves and spent some time exploring a lagoon called Overflow Bay. The entrance is a very small channel which turns into a small cascade depending on the tide, flowing in at high tide and out at low tide. With this being the only connection point to the sea there can be several feet difference between the sea and the lagoon at high tide creating quite a waterfall.

After a very relaxed afternoon and night we woke to a wonderful still day with perfect reflections across the sound. As we sat drinking our morning tea we had a visitor drop by; a juvenile Grizzly! We were both really excited until we realised he was coming closer and, as we had stern tied we were less than 100 feet from the shoreline. We heard him crashing through the undergrowth close by but he didn't come out to say hello though!