Goin' Home to Powell River, BC

Our Powell Lake float cabin home.

As the Mick Jagger and Rolling Stones lyrics go:

I'm goin' home, I'm goin' home
I'm goin' home, I'm goin' home
I'm goin' home, bome, bome ...
Home, bome, bome ...
Back home,
Yes, I am.
Alright!

I bid a short farewell to my loyal Margy Meanders readers. Time has come for Wayne and me to leave for our Powell River Canadian home. We've waited since March to make the move due to strict quarantine requirements. But now is the time since the Canadian quarantine requirement was extended to August 31.

Wayne and I drove to the Pacific Highway crossing in Blaine. Because we became Canadian citizens in 2018 and Powell River is our home, we were allowed to cross the US/Canada border that is closed to non-essential travel for US citizens and other foreign nationals.

BC Ferries recommended that everyone remain in their vehicles.

Rules are in flux right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so check with the Canadian Border Service Agency and US Customs and Border Protection before you try to go.

Back in our Hewscraft finally heading up the lake.

We'd hoped to wait until the quarantine requirement was lifted, but decided it was best to go now while there was still some summer left to enjoy our float cabin home up the lake. And there couldn't be a better place to isolate ourselves for the required 14-day quarantine period and beyond if needed.

First Narrows on Powell Lake means we are almost home.

The border crossing was smooth and our BC Ferries connections worked perfectly even without reservations. We left the Bellingham condo (which has been our Washington residence for self-isolation) at 8:12 am after loading the last of the groceries to make it through the quarantine period, and arrived at our cabin deck at 6:15 pm. That's a little longer than normal to make the 260 kilometre (162 mile) trip because we built in extra time for border paperwork and early ferry terminal arrivals.

There's no place like home!

While we are up here in Powell River, there will be little content to share on Margy Meanders. But never fear, we will be back in Bellingham and the States by late September if pandemic conditions allow.

In the meantime, come visit us on the Powell River Books blog for Canadian and off-the-grid stories.

Living through the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone worldwide. Wayne and I hope you and your family are doing as well as possible during these difficult times. -- Margy