Picture: Ted and Pam enjoying the outdoor art gallery on Pender Island.

End of the day miles: 21

Miles since Mexico: 26,129

Weather: Sunny and warm

Wind: SE wind 5 to 20 knots

Boat speed: 5 knots, sometimes with motor

Anne came to say goodbye in her stylish bright green biking attire with matching tennis shoes and helmet. It was Lee's birthday and he had a celebratory golf tournament. We all took numerous pictures before "Shuang Yu" pulled away from the dock of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. The surrounding area was breathtaking and the visit with Anne and Lee was equally terrific.

The welcoming southeast wind took us to Port Bedwell (official port of entry) on South Pender Island, arriving in the early evening. Most mooring balls were occupied so we anchored. North and South Pender Islands are separated by a narrow canal but connected by a one-lane bridge. As always, Van wanted to do some reconnaissance for the following day so he and Ted went ashore immediately after anchoring while Cida and I relaxed and cooked dinner onboard.

We knew exactly where to stop for coffee and homemade breakfast rolls the following morning at the resort because of the guys' previous evening preliminary work. It was pleasant having coffee outside overlooking the bay. Next, we meandered up the hill and tried to look for the hiking trail to the lake. We saw a brightly colored painting on the road and below, it said, "Outdoor Art Gallery" with an arrow pointing toward it. Like a giant magnet, we were attracted to the art display in the grounds of a small ancient church in a forest. Near the gate, as we entered the area, a man was singing and strumming on one of his numerous guitars. Paintings, using different media, stood on large easels dotted amongst the tall trees in addition to tables full of carvings and pottery. It was the most unusual, and appealing, display of art that I have ever seen. We bathed in the ambience for a long time before continuing our journey up the main road.

A dirt road led off the main road, behind a closed gate, which was easy to walk around. A gentle, uphill, three-mile climb, lead us to a small body of water called "Greenburn Lake". Water lilies filled almost the entire lake. The blossoms have a yellow-greenish center with roundish petals, unlike the lotus which has pointed petals. We loved the quiet, tranquil setting so we decided to eat our packed lunch there. Cida and I picked a few water flowers to decorate the table aboard the boat. Later, back aboard Shuang Yu, we relaxed with a glass of cold beer after a perfect day.