A Day of Exploration: McLane Cove/Stretch/Hope

Being tucked in Jarrell's Cove and tied to a dock for the night, I never once heard the north wind howling. I don't think it did. This is a wonderful state park and a favorite of many boaters. Again, I have it all to myself and take a leisurely morning watching the swallows flit back and forth to their houses on pilings, the Great Blue Heron taking note of all activity and the kingfishers chattering away. Its 1030 hrs and I slowly move from the main dock to the pump out dock at the entrance. This has got to be the most efficient pump out that I have ever used. Impressive, indeed.

I'm off headed back up Pickering Passage to check out some areas I noted in traveling down yesterday and from previous passages through these waters. My first stop is McLane Cove. The chart shows a nice indentation with room to dinghy under a bridge. There are several boats on private mooring buoys as housing is along all of the shoreline. The tide was ebbing and I  decided to save  anchoring here for another trip. I move on over to the big, unnamed bay between Stretch Island and the mainland.

This one had been sunk and tied to a tree

I anchor easily in 24 feet of water and spot a lagoon behind a large beach. It seems to extend quite a bit farther, so this is my cue to do some rowing. The water is crystal clear and we slip into a nice well hidden salt water lagoon which provides a perfect swimming area for the homes on the hill. I turn Pashmina to starboard and continue down a long inlet. The oysters in the muddy bottom are longer than my hand and there are plenty of them here. 5 Hooded mergansers take flight and I see several raccoons along the shoreline. It is a lovely little ecosystem and I continue to row until Pashmina scrapes bottom at 4 inches of water.

Impressive Stone
A rock erratic from a pliestocene glacier

Entrance area off lagoon

I take a right hand turn around this sand point and am in the lagoon

The inner lagoon

Barnacle and Shell encrusted tree limbs

This peaceful lagoon touched my heart and by the time I had rowed down and back, I was moved to tears of joy bubbling up inside me. Nature really touches my heart, everything is in order; the sweet, innocent raccoons know how and when to dig for their food, the mergansers have nurtured their new family and oysters are growing in this safe haven. I wanted to leave it just as I found it, so life could go on forever.

1740 hrs I have made my way down Pickering Passage to Hope Island, which is a small state park with 5 buoys. I circle the island checking it out, only to find all the buoys taken. I anchor on the northwest side in 20 ft of water and savor the sunset.

Day's run: 17nm
Total: 40nm