It's another bright and breezy morning in Victoria Harbour. Have I mentioned that we've had perfect weather this entire trip?

Yesterday we had dinner with Judy's eagle-watching friends at the Superior, a restaurant just down the street from the Laurel Point Inn overlooking Fishermen's Wharf. Appropriately enough it used to be a sailor's hostel, up until 1961 when it became transformed into a Unitarian Church; it's latest transformation is to an eclectic cafe. We found the menu somewhat bewildering but everything including the waitstaff and musical performers was organic. While Judy and her volunteer forum staff discussed eagles and the changes that will be taking place next year on the Hancock Wilflife Forum, I enjoyed talking with the associated husbands about building construction and music. I nipped out early to pick up my banjo and backpack for the walk over to the music swap at the Bent Mast Pub, about 20 minutes away in the heart of James Bay.

Of course I was the first one there so I settled in at a table with a nice dark ale to await what would happen. The first people to show up were Danda (the local historian) and her husband Julius and we continued our conversation about C. Fox Smith. Then Ross showed up as coordinator of the music circle and invited us upstairs. While we were setting up chairs, two other regulars showed up including a fine singer I had met previously, Aziza I believe.

We started a round of songs and as I was winding up "Shipmates" Judy and her gang came in. So there were 12 of us in the circle, and several of Judy's new friends were also good singers. I managed to get Danda to lead "Leaving of Liverpool" and followed that up with "Bound Away" another leaving of Liverpool song that I've set to music by old-sailor poet Bill Adams. Judy led two songs, "A Parting" by CFS and "Trafalgar" by Ron Baxter of Fleetwood. Ross led some interesting variations of traditional shanties, "Haul Away Joe" and "Santianna" among others. Aziza led a lovely song about "sailing away" which I've never heard and I hope she sends me the lyrics. Julius led "Yellow Submarine" and Linda led "Day-o." Lesley led a lovely rendition of "The Skyboat Song." Somewhere in between I led "Lumber", "Mobile Bay", "The Long Road Home" and "Pacific Coast", all songs based on CFS poems. There really was a great variety of songs and we all had a whole lot of fun.

Today we do some preliminary packing, some final shopping, and prepare for the evening at the Norway House. I'm hoping to meet some of the same folks we sang with last evening as well as some of the ones I sang with 4 years ago.

Monday, we run up to Sydney and catch the morning ferry over to Anacortdes, Washington, cruising through the islands of Puget Sound.

This may be my last post until we return to Maine late Tuesday.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble