Land Ho!!!! Orca III home in BC waters again

Well we made it. 21 days at sea and we are finally in BC - actually we had a total 65 days at sea since we left NZ! that's a lot of sailing!! think I did enough for a while. hahaha

Steve checking in with Customs in Victoria Harbour!


the kids with Jenny from Malachi - everyone so happy to be on land and in BC!!
we are in Victoria, and getting ready to head to the Bluewater Cruising Rendezvous "farewell to the Fleet" . this will be fun!! Robert and Rose from " Tillicum" met us at the customs dock and welcomed us home!!!! What a lovely treat - they drove up from California ( that's where left Tillicum) they came and hung out on Orca III with the crew from Malachi and we had another surprise - ....................

Robert and Rose from Tillicum

Someone was calling my name from behind the gate at the marina....... who could that be?

Tamara and her girls Lidia and Isabella - friends of Maya's from False Creek Elementary !! they happened to be in Victoria, wow, we loved that!! so they came aboard and we chatted away and the kids played. Kyle , Maya and Emma all went for a swim at their hotel today! What a treat to see them!! Thanks Tamara for finding us!!!Lidia, Maya and Isabella - what a great surprise!!

Then Nathaniel surprised my by showing up at the grocery store in the trunk of Rose's car!! yep, family ask him about that... so we have been spending the day with him, another treat !! ( he is my cousin) Nathaniel even joined the crews from Orca III, Malachi , and Tillicum for lunch at .............. Guess where?!!!! do you know?

that be Nathaniel and Steve!!!the milk shakes! we all got one , and the burgers..... well triple "O" !!!

one of the many dolphins that welcomed us in! we even saw orcas too, all in the Straight of Juan de Fuca
My family watching the dolphins, we never get tired of them!!
Prepare for Battle!! the night we had a water fight with Malachi at sea!! they were prepared!notice the sling shot, very good!!
us getting closer for the fireworks display! notice how calm the water is!!

just hanging out at sea

that's our Kyle!

our stow a ways!! taken by Emma the photographer at sea