Coastal Adventure Day 5: Savary Island to Quadra Island

Wednesday, October 13th, 2023

It’s time to move on. The past two evenings have been a wonderful blend of decadence, laughter, tears, old stories and new songs but my cup for listening and receiving another‘s world and perspective is full. I’m hungry to once again be the captain of my ship and I'm hungry too for a non-orthodox breakfast.

I ride back across the island and turn down the path I had met Pascal only a few days before. The morning is cool and the coastline is an open expanse with only the odd beach-comber canvassing for its secrets. My food sack carries several produce items from a previous shop that were never used and I intend to turn them into a meal on the beach. The romance of cooking from a small stove on the beach while drinking an espresso is simply to much to pass up. I spend the morning luxuriating over the meal as inefficiently as possible and savour every bite. My last moments on the island are spent enjoying the views: a couple holding hands, a raven’s beating wings, boats slowly passing in the distance; Savary is so sweet.

I return to the dock now, waiting for the taxi to come pick up islanders and travellers. The conversations around me are about the clams this year, arguments about where dad said he’d be (everyone’s waiting) and where the truck is parked up island; it’s a perfect moment of bustle reminiscent of Amity Island and its inhabitants in the movie Jaws. I can practically hear John Williams’ music as we depart the island.

At this point in the day I look ahead to the relay of boats potentially involved in my destination. The first stop is back to Lund where I join a second charter with a group of ladies who are heading out for a week of hiking and camping. Their destination is Sarah Point which marks the beginning of the Sunshine Coast Trail. The landmark for Sarah Point is almost indistinguishable to the casual observer. The pilot of the boat effortlessly maneuvers our taxi up against an imposing wall of rock and it is up this uninviting surface the three ladies clamber up. The pilot then takes me to the third stop at Cortes bay and its from that point that I must decide where I will end my day.

Up until this point I had remained deliberately ignorant of further ferry schedules and distances around Cortes Island. I thought it might be nice to spend some time exploring and seeing the sights as I had heard wonderful things about its beaches and ambiance. However pangs for comfort and familiarity announce themselves; I want to see Bre, I want to hang out with our friends and I want to stop performing for a bit. I look up ferry times; I have two hours to get across the island and the route isn’t long. My only obstacle are the constant slopes and pitches of the road. I’ll get there in time but the road will make me work for it. Good. I need to get some shit out.

I arrive at the ferry with time to spare. The fourth boat ride of my day is exceedingly pleasant and I join a few others on the top deck looking out at the glassy sea as the late summer sun plays off its surface. Seemingly unable to help myself I offer to take a photo for a couple beside me enjoying the view. They are on their way back home to Qualicum from a bike packing trip into the bush. We ask each other about the other’s travels and they invite me to stay in their backyard when I come through town. I gratefully accept the offer and we exchange information.

It’s time to be with friends and family. For a brief period I don’t want to be interested, I don’t want to listen, I don’t want to perform, I don’t want to empathize. I arrive in Quadra to everyone’s surprise as I was expected the following morning and breaking the expectation in this regard feels good. My day concludes with a warm shower, clean clothes, a dinner of fresh-caught salmon and star-gazing around a fire.

Until tomorrow,