Todays itinerary centred on the time at which we need to pass back through Dodd Narrows, slack water being at 1.46pm.

It was hard to predict how long the journey would take but we could not afford to miss this timing as the nexy slack water would be after darkand therefore we would not get back to Nanaimo in time toreturn the yacht to the charterers.

With that in mind we were awake early and Bill and Chris had the yacht motoring out of Booth Inlet by 7am. Admittedly We were still in pyjamas, but we were on our way and enjoyed breakfast as we motored along. No wind today and no sun either, so it was hard for this penultimate day of our trip not to feel something of an anticlimax.

By 9.30 we were only 6km from Dodd Narrows, so feeling that we had rather got ahead of ourselves we dropped the prawn trap and anchored in Herring Bay on Ruxton Island for a couple of hours.

We exlored the bay in dinghy and on paddleboards. Bill and Chris spotted Kingfishers and collected shells, whilst Mike and I admired the sculpted rocks with their bizarre 'bubbles' and 'eggs', and Beth did arty things!

Finally the magic time for passing through Dood Narrows approached, so after keeping an ear out on VHF Channel 16, Mike sent the message requesting passage. On the way down we had heard an exchange between a convoy of three yachts sailing north and a tug towing a huge load of logs travelling south at the same time. The latter had no intention of giving way so we wondered what happened!

Luckily there was only us and one small motor boat heading through and both going north at slack tide so it all went smoothly and soon we were the through the narrows and on the other side, fishing in the Northumberland channel, and south of Protection Island.

We made our way to newcastle Island and abchored in Mark Bay - the anchorage suggested by Ian for its close proximity to Nanaimo Harbour and our early return tomorrow morning.

Having anchored in the bay we can see why other people have told us that it is similar to Portland Island - ie it is a round island that you can circumnavigate on foot. In other respects there is no comparison as although the island itself is pretty and unpopulated and forested with nice beaches, the area is completely surrounded by ports, buildings, factories , boats and people! Nevertheless we set off to run around the perimeter and find that after just a few metres than paths are deserted and the fall colours in the forest very beautiful.

On return to Mark Bay, we find some totem poles to photograph and also that Mike and Beth are already back on board, showered and sitting with gin poured on deck!

After a quick dinghy trip to the bins we freshen up and prepare for supper out at the Dinghy Dock pub.

By now it is raining as per the forecast so the dinghy trip over to the pub is brief but damp!

Things start badly at the pub when the waitress insists on seeing Beth's ID despite the fact that she is 27!

Mike flounces out to go back to the yacht to fetch her passport but has to shuffle back when he realises he has forgotten the keys to the outboard, by which time Beth has realised that she has a photo of her passport on her phone...

The evening improves from there on with a good supper including salmon burgers, prawns, herbed halibut and good beer. The dinghy ride back to the yacht is hilarious being somewhat low in the water and very rainy, but by then spirits are high and there is a last night feel. We snuggle up on board ready for an early departure tomorrow.