August 8 and 9th
Hoisted anchor, headed north toward Nanaimo. Went through our first “rapids” Tod narrows. We were going with current at 3-4 knots and it was not an issue.
When arrived twas a busy evening there with lots of boats had to anchor at edge of anchorage. After circling we ended up barely inside the outside markers as shown at the circler intersection of route below. There are some nice trails to hike from the Newcastle Park dock and a nice walk through a cool bohemian neighborhood on Protection Island from there dock shown below.
We went to nearby Newcastle island park and it was very nice. Old pulpstone quarry (for grinding lumber into pulp), also had coal mines but now a park with trails all around.
Newcastle Park Dock 
Newcastle Park Dock
Newcastle Park Pulpstone
Newcastle Park Pulpstones
Newcastle Park Hike
Nice old dance floor/building built in early 1900s. At one point was a big destination for folks from Vancouver to visit (after mines and quarry closed). We were on island short time in afternoon and got back to boat about 5;20pm at which time a police boat came around and said we had to leave??? What they meant is we had to get off the boat. Apparently we had arrived on a day the Canadian Snowbirds (similar to blue angels in USA) were doing a practice show in the harbor and we had to be off the boat in case they crashed I guess. So we went to the Dinghy Dock pub on Protection island. We had some appetizers and beer and watched the show.
Dinghy Dock Pub
Crew At
Dinghy Dock pub
Canadian Snowbirds
Dinghy Dock Pub
Guys deployed crab traps after that and then we had dinner on the boat cooked up the crab we had caught in ganges with drawn butter and sides salad.
Next day we took dinghy into Nanaimo. Walked the town which was ok, a few stores and a couple galleries. Had lunch at pirates fish and chips place. It was good… halibut and chips for Gary and I and Alex and Marcia had Salmon. Went shopping at BC liquor and grocery then back to boat. Everyone was chilling and I was as usual not tired so I went to the island and jogged the perimeter trail (Cut short at end cause it twas long!). No wildlife sighted but nice jog on water and through forest of cedar and madrones. Dogs got to swim before, during and after. We had the red crab we had caught in Ganges for dinner.
Nanaimo Marina 
Nanaimo Pioneer Plaza 
Nanaimo Fort 
Downtown Nanaimo 
Plenty Crab For Dinner
Guys checked the traps and we had lots of Dungenous crabs YAY. They took up traps but then regretted it since they had so many dungenous so they went back out and deployed them.
The next AM they check traps (more crab) and we raised anchor to cruise across
strait of Georgia to Pender harbor/Garden Bay (which has several marinas).
Good Pot-1 Dungeness Crab 
Good Pot-2 Dungeness Crab