Although I’d need a spring tide to get very far up Pyne Creek, low tide is the best time for finding wildlife. So, at low tide, I decided to check out the drying flats. I didn’t have to paddle far to find a pair of river otters fishing for breakfast. Judging by their size, I’d say they’re catching their fair share of fish.

Not too far from where I spotted the otters, there was a heron fishing.

The low tide had created a little pool where seagulls were enjoying their morning bath.

Al called me on the VHF to let me know that a storm is coming in this evening.  We had a bad experience riding out a storm in Bay of Plenty in the past, so I decided to head back to the boat and talk about where we want to go before the storm hits.  

After discussing our options, we decide to head back to Quigley Creek Cove, where we’ll wait for calm weather before heading up Laredo Channel.  

The sea water pump failed again as Al was pulling the anchor and washing the anchor chain.  I fiddled with the switch and eventually got it working again.  The bottom here is extremely muddy, and Al thinks he might have run the pump so long trying the get the gunk off, that the thermal protection automatically shut the pump down. 

The rain started shortly after arriving back at Quigley.  Al put together a delicious pot of Portuguese Sausage Soup, the perfect meal for this rainy day.

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