Trying to capture July’s Gulf Islands flotilla with one-dimensional words would be futile. The wild beauty and solitude of the Canadian cruising ground is best represented by this stunning collection of photographs, which were taken by the many talented flotilla participants. While you can’t hear the forceful puff of an Orca whale spouting in the silent morning, or smell the heady flowers in Buchart Gardens, or taste the sticky-sweet rum-pecan rolls from the floating bakery barge in Montague Harbor, you can feast your imagination on these shots, each worth well over a thousand words.
Next year, consider heading north for vacation instead of south. The Gulf Islands flotilla is unique in that you get to clear in and out of customs by boat at the Canadian border, and anchoring among the many varied gunkholes with large tides and currents is an excellent learning experience. The Gulf Islands provide an incredible playground for exploring, so bring a favorite book, a pair of binoculars, and breathe in the clean fresh air of the Northwest under sail.
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