Our Cruise and Learn began with a quick flight from our home in Vancouver to the town of Powell River, the gateway to Desolation Sound Marine Park. The small plane hugged the rugged coastline, and we were treated to aerial views of the Sunshine Coast, a special treat for me as this is where I was born and raised.

After the half-hour flight, we touched down in Powell River and set off to find our sailing instructor and trusty yacht “Shadowfax”, aptly named after Gandalf’s swift steed in the Lord of the Rings. We rode in an old, converted station wagon-cum-taxi to the Marina, where we immediatedly spotted our sailboat, the prettiest boat there. We were feeling pretty pleased with our luck.   We unloaded all of our gear and met our instructor, Les, an old salt whose life revolved around a lifelong sailing obsession and tending his beehives. A taciturn fellow, he gave us a rundown of our sailboat and all of it’s quirks before leaving us to settle in and adjust to life aboard.

Our first night was spent aboard Shadowfax, moored in the Marina. We did some studying and some last-minute preparations before getting to bed early. We awoke at dawn the next morning after a rough sleep (I was later to discover that I would never sleep well moored to a dock. The constant noises of the boat rubbing against wood and the slapping of the dingy against the bow was hard to ignore). We made a quick and hearty breakfast before finally setting out for Day 1 of our sailing adventure.

We chose to make our sailing trip in early May, so we could pick up our basic sailing skills and have the entire Summer to practice. As May is still a bit dicey weather-wise, we made sure to pack our foul weather gear. It turns out we sure needed it on our first day! It was blustery, rainy and cold. The sea was a dark and forbidding blue, and my hands never quite warmed up until we finally anchored for the night.

The one truly amazing event, though - besides gaining our sea legs – we had the fortune to experience was on our first day at sea. We were taking turns skippering the boat, getting a feel for the wind, when all of a sudden there was a great frothing of the water in the distance. We grabbed the binoculars and were amazed to see an astoundingly large pod of Pacific Whitesided Dolphins coming right for us! There must have been 1500 Dolphins jumping and racing our way. They swiftly enveloped our boat, coming within mere feet of the 5 flabbergasted humans aboard Shadowfax. After a few minutes they were just specks in the distance behind us, but they were an amazing highlight even our instructor Les, after 30 years on the seas had never experienced before.

After a chilly wet day, the clouds finally parted in the late afternoon just in time to anchor in deserted Grace Harbour. We had only encountered a few other vessels throughout the day, and enjoyed having the beautiful harbour all to ourselves. The protected waters were calm and glassy, and we anchored easily in the muddy bottom.  Desolation Sound is a popular area for boaters in the Summer months, despite the few settlements and amenities. Earlier trips I have made to the area were busy, with hundreds of pleasure craft tooling about and enjoying the beautiful islands, majestic fjords and snug coves. Early May, however, allowed the area to live up to it’s name. Desolation Sound was indeed deserted.

Check it out: 

Here are a few of my favorites, hopefully you’ll find them as appealing as I do!

• Beach weather: Although it may not quite be suntanning weather yet, the second the rains go away and the sky gets brighter, Vancouver locals head to the Coast in droves. Kits Beach’s volleyball season starts, the buskers return to English Bay, and families head out to Spanish Banks to secure a prime beach blanket spot from which to watch the skim boarders.
• Patios open: Vancouverites love to eat outside, so from May to September, restaurants everywhere dust off their patio furniture, turn on the heat lamps, and brighten up their dishes by offering them al fresco.
• Weekend road trips: Whether you’re heading to Victoria, Whistler, Tofino, or further afield, there’s plenty of charming & exciting natural & urban wonders within easy driving distance.
• Innovative art: Emily Carr’s graduate art show runs May 1st to May 11th… Up and coming artists show off their latest and greatest, plus art galleries all over (including the big Vancouver Art Gallery) are showing off new exhibits and designs.

This past weekend I got to celebrate my brand of winter fun up at Cypress Mountain, where non-skiiers and skiiers alike can come together to march up a hill, and slide down a track in a giant rubber tube.

Holding onto friends’ feet and spinning madly, it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself tubing. Screaming like little children - in fact, proudly outscreaming the little kids all around - my adult friends and I careened down the hills in our mish-mash of snowgear.

If you’re looking for a fun winter getaway from Vancouver, and don’t have the time, money, or inclination to commit to a ski day at Whistler, tubing is a great alternative. Only $15 for two hours, and 30 minutes by car from downtown Vancouver, what better way to enjoy the snow?