Sands of Zanzibar: A few, final, fishy, tidbits.

The food was amazing. Remember when I said that we aren't breakfast eaters? Well, we aren't, but I certainly tried to force myself to indulge when the morning after the ham, eggs and pancakes there was a crab omelet. And the next day there was salmon quiche. And then there was eggs Benedict with tiny bits of dilled salmon in the sauce. And all the seafood was caught on this trip.

I didn't take breakfast pictures, I'm not sure why, other than I was usually concerned with getting my caffeine fix.

Lunches were usually made from something freshly caught as well. A snapper wrap. A salmon roll. Some seafood chowder with homemade rosemary focaccia (and oddly enough, this was the only bread we saw this whole time. If I had any complaint, and I feel like a huge shit complaining at all, but just saying, if I had a complaint, it would be that some bread or buns would have been nice.) One day Darren made a giant salad with nuts and seeds and cheeses and different greens and veggies and spices and an amazing dressing, and I really would have enjoyed a bun with it.

Suppers were also something concocted from the days catch.

Crab and pork. I guess the pork was just in case the crab traps were empty. It was sitting on a mash of parsnip and potato.

The presentation was always wonderful and very un-fishing-boat-like. It was heaven.

This is ling cod in phyllo pastry with couscous (omg....you know how I adore couscous....the food so nice they named it twice!) and kale.

This is blackened snapper and polenta in...I hate to say tomato sauce because it was so much more than tomato sauce.

And this is salmon and roasted julienned beets and carrots, also on couscous. (The food so nice I ate it twice.)

And even though the fellows raved about the food, there is no doubt in my mind that their salivary glands went into overtime at the sight of the final nights meal of prime rib and all the trimmings. I gotta say, I was ready for some iron-laden red meat myself. Along with the wine from their organic vineyards, it was a real treat. I might or might not have gone for seconds.

And we can't forget dessert.

A berry compote.

The infamous molton lava chocolate cake with ice cream.

A lemony custard thing, with blueberries that I forgot to take a picture of:

And a raspberry sort of mousse/cheesecake that I also forgot to take a picture of, but it resembled this:

And there was a never-ending pot of Tim Hortons coffee, with all the Baileys one could want, as well as a never ending supply of wine, which was organic. Reds and whites.

To not have to cook a single meal was one of the best parts for me.

To not have to clean a single fish was one of the best parts for Steven.

Charles took care of all the cleaning, filleting, cryovac-ing and freezing. When we got off the boat, our fish was literally packed, frozen and ready to go.

Salmon for supper.

Getting it all sealed up. Actually, this is Stan, the Gorton Fisherman, called such because he was out fishing in his yellow slicker, rain or shine, for as many hours as he could. He stood on the precarious front deck, with "the stance" and fished and fished and fished.

Besides all the eating and fishing and eating and fishing I found some time (lots of time actually) to sneak away and just sit and enjoy the ocean. And a book. And maybe enjoy a glass of wine. Or seven.

And to enjoy the scenery....we really do live in one of the most beautiful places in the entire world.

Steven and Tony going for the day on the little boat.

I like the way the swirl of water looks so smooth in this.

Steven and Tony again, going in the little boat. I was so happy with this picture, it reminds me of a fantasy fairy tale....or heaven or something. Just mystical and soothing. Like the Robin Williams movie about the afterlife.

And this picture is my absolute favorite. To me, it looks like molten gold and I find it mesmerizing. I got a copy enlarged and I just love to stare at it.. No talent, just luck and Mother Nature.

We also saw lots of wildlife. Porpoises...impossible to get pictures of. Whales, both killer and humpback....almost impossible to get photos of. They'd be gone long before I was focused, but we did see one breech...and that was an "Ooooooh!" moment, I've never seen that before, and I think my jaw literally hung open. It was magnificent.

This fellow hung around for quite a while...he'd come up and down like this, but no jumping. But that was ok, this was still a phenomenal sight.

A flip of his tail as he vanished.

An early morning, misty sight.,

Regal but stinky. And loud!

Even the little coves and islands had sights to see.

By the way, this is where we were. Kitimat is a bit above the red mark. We went down the Douglas Channel to the ocean.

This island is Campania Island, we went past that and then, alas, at the end of the week we turned around and went back.

Good bye, beautiful islands.

Goodbye little threesome of boats.

Hello Jasper, Columbia Icefields, Yoho, Banff and Kootenay National Parks. Hello most amazing Storm Mountain Lodge hidden in the middle nowhere...home of romantic cabins and the sweetest restaurant...home of bison burgers and halibut crab cakes and a $12 pear (well, I mean, it was stuffed with ice wine, honey, chèvre, bee pollen and a balsamic glaze.)