Our planned departure date for this trip centered around being in Bellingham this weekend for our grandson Kaiden’s graduation from high school and what a fabulous weekend we’ve had!

The few days it took us to get from Pleasant Harbor to the Squalicum Marina in Bellingham worked perfectly as a mini shake-down cruise. Three days on the dock has allowed us quality time with family and friends, and we were able to identify and purchase some parts we needed and do some final provisioning.

Saturday was graduation day. Watching these young people celebrate this rite of passage was an overwhelming joy. Our grandson worked hard through high school and has all the tools to move successfully forward into this next chapter—he’s brilliant, athletic, handsome, and most importantly, kind. He will be attending the University of Washington School of Engineering this fall. I was the beaming grandmother sitting next to his mother, my daughter, as she tearfully watched her son graduate. I’m so proud of her, a single mom who has also worked hard to overcome an abusive relationship, health challenges, and went back to school while working full time and raising her two children to secure a MBA .

Yesterday, Sunday, was celebration day. A party, a BBQ, and being with extended family. It gave us a wonderful opportunity to say our goodbyes to our son, his wife, and two of our granddaughters, as we head off into the sunset for the summer. We also met our daughter’s partner’s family for the first time and they are all lovely people. His son, Fabian, also graduated from Bellingham High School this weekend, and is headed to the University of Victoria in B.C. this fall! How cool is that.

If that isn’t enough, six of our dear friends who live in the Bellingham area came by the boat for a happy hour send off. Talk about feeling the love. Wow, we are so lucky to be surrounded by such amazing friends. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the wonderful people in our lives and the support they give us.

This morning we head out of the harbor for what feels like the true beginning of our trip. With strong NW winds forecast down the Strait of Georgia for the next few days, we’ve decided to alter our plans. Instead of heading north to Vancouver and up the Sunshine Coast, we are headed west to Sucia Island today, and then will go north through the more protected waters of the Gulf Islands. We look forward to a short but lively sailing day ahead!