We love the Columbia III, we love the BC Coast and we thrive on all the great people we meet during the summer, but after the boat has been gone from home for 41/2 to 5 months is does feel wonderful to be home again. Home, and all our guests happy, the season safely over. There are ALOT of pieces to this mothership puzzle, ordering food, preparing the boat, caring for guests and safely husbanding visitors from around the world through an adventure that many say in life-altering. When we finally tie to our home dock I can sleep all night! and not get up 2-3 times to check the anchor, to check the battery bank, to check the weather . . . Home again safely, and with thanks.

We strip the boat each fall, all the books and mattresses and bedding comes off and are stored in our home. It takes a while! The kayaks come off the roof and are stored under cover.


Lifejackets placed in dry storage, the cupboards cleared, cleaned and supplies inventoried.

the galley is scrubbed top to bottom,

The mattresses removed,

and the boat gets tidier and the house messier!

And once we got the Columbia III settled to bed, we started on preparing for our 2010 season. Even a couple of friends who happened by for dinner got pressed into service as we prepared our fall mailout to our guest list.