Picture: Otter Cove Marina viewed from our anchorage.

End of the day miles: 7
Miles since Mexico: 26,136

Weather: Sunny and warm
Wind: SE wind 10 - 15 knots
Boat speed: 5 knots with motor

We left South Pender Island around 10:30 in the morning; there was no hurry because it was only seven nautical miles away. According to the guidebook, there are different places to stop but we chose Otter Cove Marina/Resort. On the way in we appreciated the guidance provided by the GPS because the entrance to the cove was hidden behind a headland. Upon arrival we all went ashore in the dinghy where we paid $10 to use the dingy dock, but that included Wi-Fi, shower, laundry facilities, pool and toilet so it was a good deal. The Internet proved to be quite fast; it was good to keep in touch with family and friends and the news. Not that we missed the news but it is nice to keep track of current events anyway.

Northern Pender Island is like the southern end, the people are friendly and many artists and musicians dwell there. An impressive feature which does not appear on the southern end is a system of free rides. We could not believe it when we saw a sign in front of a bench on the main road that said something like, "If you sit on the bench, drivers will stop and give you a ride. However, the driver does not take the first person in line, nor do they have to give you a ride". I think that means that if you look like a dubious character, the driver does not have to give you a ride. We thought it would be better if we spit into pairs because we might be able to get rides easier. Van and Ted went into the bushes and Cida and I sat on the bench and waited. It was almost like the old days using ladies as ways of getting rides! It was really not like that at all; we just thought one car may not fit all of us. It turned out that the kind gentleman who stopped, told us there was plenty of room for four people. The man was an immigrant from Germany and told us interesting stories on the way to the shopping center.

The shopping center was small but lively. There was a grocery, a drug store, a stationary shop, a garden center and boutique stores as well as the post office, bank, bakery, coffee shop and restaurants. We had lunch at Jo's Place, the food was reasonable and quite palatable. After eating, we walked a short distance to Port Browning marina and resort which turned out to be much bigger than Otter Cove. There was a large marina and bistro/pub, many water activities such as kayaking, and they even offered camping sites for recreational vehicles. The place was buzzing with people. Previously, we had considered docking at Port Downing but after the visit, we were happy to be at Otter Cove. It is much quieter and more quaint even though Port Downing is within walking distance to the shops.

After wandering around for a bit, we again got a free ride back to Otter Cove from a friendly islander. Northern Pender Island was a memorable visit.