“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.” (Ps.107:23,24) 
[What makes this picture so cool is that it’s entirely a reflection in the water, not the actual boat at all!]
And no, that’s not our boat—but we have been out sailing this week and are now safely home (as of this afternoon!) and itching, not just from sunburn, to share some highlights here…
Having gotten away late, due to technical difficulties (and needing to get some yard work done first!)—we sailed into our anchorage the sun having fully set, leaving just one bright clearing in a dark cloudy sky. But in the morning—ahhh, time to sit and survey our surroundings.
Jim brought me this egg, poor little inhabitant didn’t make it out in time…
We set the remains adrift and I did think it a curious picture:
Tides are fascinating. A 16-ft tide can make quite a difference in a few hours time. We walked by this ‘island’ in a lagoon on our way to go swimming in a nearby lake
And on our way back we walked on the bottom of the sea past this once picturesque island now a mound in the mud…
In the meantime we explored a nifty little museum representing some Cortes Island settler history–
And of course I found some ‘heritage’ flowers to capture in pictures…The frizzle-headed shasta daisies were fun and don’t know what these orange ‘ballerinas’ are! But the clematis was the best treat of all:
As we meandered around another island community (Heriot Bay on Quadra Island) one hot afternoon, we plucked up thimbleberries along the wayside, glad to find refreshment, even from these funny little messy berries that aren’t ripe unless they fall apart when you try to get ahold of them—a little like a mushy raspberry, not so tart perhaps, best made into a sauce to top vanilla ice cream—but just fine ‘as is’ too!
I love to sit on beaches of driftwood all nestled among the logs, listening to the water, feeling the ocean breeze and the soothing sunshine…
And it’s a very fine thing to watch the day settle down into evening and row back to the boat to be lulled to sleep by the silence
But always the morning comes that you must get back to life as usual. This familiar and very crucial bell-buoy clangs by day and flashes by night out in the middle of the strait to warn of a hidden reef. We passed it at nightfall on our way out and again today heading home, a sort of traffic sign of the ocean, ensuring that we make it safely home.
“He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Ps.107:29-31)
–LS
[P.S. Viewers should be aware that sailing is not always serene. Not pictured here is:
–the rain and cold of afternoon #1
–the resultant choppy seas, nausea and lost lunch
–the fall of night before we could reach safe harbor (anxiety rising on my part)…
–the motor tinkering mid-day in blazing sun,for hours, to no avail (My cap’t had to row the dinghy, 1 1/2 miles worth of blisters)
Yes, sailing is idyllic, sometimes. And in a perfect world, an endless delight. It may be significant that there are no seas in Heaven! (Rev.21:1)]