Goodbyes

Maia and my mum and stepdad

We're in Sidney - on the southern end of Vancouver Island. The last few days have been a whirlwind of visits. We fit in as many people as we could, but missed out on seeing so many more.

Maia's suprise birthday visit from the Maxwells (she turns 8 in a few days)

The air is cooler now and despite the sunshine, it's clear that summer is winding down. The sense of wanting to stay longer, wanting to do more, see more of the coast and explore deeper into inlets is dampened by the fact that the water has dropped by 10 degrees C over the past few weeks. It's clearly time to head south.

saying goodbye to my sister Deb and family

We'll be spending the next few days woking hard. Evan has a to-do list taped to the wall and I have my list of deadlines beside the computer. Maia has a stack of new movies and her homeschooling program to keep her busy.

southern migration

This is the stage of leaving that's a bit of a blur for me from our last trip. I recall anchoring at Sidney Spit and trying out our sextant, doing the calculations and repeatedly finding ourselves in the southern hemisphere (we decided the new fangled GPS thingy was going to have to do!) And I recall siting in our final anchorage feeling like I didn't want to go but then meeting a young couple who had just retured from their journey and being energized by their joy. But beyond those images - the memories are gone. I'm sure it was like now - a race against the weather while we try to find all the parts we need, finish all the paperwork we have to have in order and fit in as many last minute goodbyes as possible.

Knowing how much we have to look forward to should make our departure easier for me. But this time, even more than last time, I'm aware of the beauty of the place I'm leaving and friendships and family ties I'm trusting to the stresses of oceans and distance.
It's not easier to leave. It's not easier to say goodbye.
The only thing that is easier is that this time I know what we're heading toward.