Spillman Family Winter Cruise

So finally my mum and dad make it to Canada for a white Christmas and the Spillman family is together again for the first time in a long time. The travel bug has made it difficult to get together in recent years with my brother and I living in Canada and travelling the world. Also mum and dad have been getting around to Hawaii, South Africa, Peru, etc.

Spillman family together for a white Christmas with Loree showing us fun in the snow

After playing in the snow the Spilly's as the family is often nick named went to Vancouver Island to try for a spot of winter sailing. While a little chilly it was still a great trip. Mum and Dad finally got to see the "Dream" in the flesh and see what it has all been about.

Uncle Dave and Aunty Pat helping us plan the first Spillman family cruise

Mum and her two baby boys all grown up LOL

Dad supervising the kids hard at work drinking hot tea and coffee

An excited mum taking the helm

Dad sailing us onto another anchorage

Getting the outboard motor on the tender to go ashore

Heading ashore now to explore

Deserted beaches

Deserted anchorages

Heaters not working so all bundling up under the blankets to stay warm while watching a movie

Me cramed into the locker fixing the heater

Another hike to see the fog

Heater working and a much more pleasant time inside now playing cards

Frivolity ensues and the Spillman boys have some fun

Fort McMurray crew try their hand at cruising

After a cruise around with my brother and Uncle (see previous blog). Loree flies out to visit from Fort McMurray for her first cruise on the new boat with me. Our friends Anne-Marie and Jeremy whom recently moved from Fort McMurray to Vancouver catch the ferry over to the Island and join us for a cruise. Below you can see a story in pictures of cruising the Islands. While there are no pictures of it there were many games of "sequence" had where Jeremy become the insuferably undisputed winner. Good friends, food and booze led to a great long weekend trip.

Anne-Marie can cook a great feed

Enjoying lazy life at anchor after a big hike

Winch that main halyard a little on the job training for the new crew

The ladies taking charge and showing how it is done

Team work 

Another great sunset

A chilly last day motoring home

Cruising with my bro

Another trip to the boat and this time my brother can make it so off we head back into the Gulf Islands after being away from the boat too long. This time there are two Sailor Spilly's on board as my big little brother come too along with my Uncle Dave.
First point of business is to load up with timber for a delivery run to a mates place. I got more comments from the old salts walking the dock about how nice the timber was than how nice my boat was.

The crew having loaded timber boards for delivery to Saturna Island

My younger brother Anthony taking charge on the was to Saturna

Delivery complete and enjoying a beer with the locals, oh what a life to live in Gulf Islands

Checking out the rig before heading out

View from the top of the mast about 60ft up in the air

The work is done now time for some play exploring the Islands and off too Montague Harbour amongst other places.

Pub crawl by boat

So a marvellous adventure was planned for a pub crawl by boat around some nearby islands to sample the beer that was available here in the Gulf Islands of BC. The motely crew consisted of

• Sailor Spilly - Justin
• Chief Navigator and Beer Connoisseur - Uncle Dave
• The big cheese - Jesse
• The Aussie Wanderer - Pat

From left to right Justin, Pat, Dave, Jesse

The route is shown below with stars indicating stops

And no for some gloris pics of a great trip

Jesse steering towards the next pub

Pat at the helm

A sunset in amongest the Gulf Islands

Snake charmer in actio

Smoking BBQ and another great Sunset back on the mooring in Teshum Harbour

Farewell