Photo: Betelgeuse, Stan Hummel's boat, tied to the public dock.

A fine mist turned docks and ramps slippery as we got ready to leave. The radio issued gale warnings but out in the inlet, the water was flat calm. The marina was quiet, most of the slips empty.

"This has been a lonely trip," said Steve as he finished filling the water tanks. Indeed, we had sometimes felt on this trip that we were the only ones out there in a sailboat, or any boat at all! At first we assumed it was because we'd left in June instead of July, but lately we've wondered if there are just fewer boats out there.

I was putting things away down below when I heard voices. I popped my head out the hatch and was surprised to see Stan Hummel, my friend and former co-worker, and his girlfriend Sherry. Like us they were working their way up the coast but, unlike us, were turning south from Tahsis.

An hour later we left the dock, happy to have had time with friends. And we were on our way to Nuchatlitz where more friends awaited us.