Thankful had a short day for a change yesterday. Our destination, Sullivan Bay, was only four miles further into the Broughtons than our anchorage at Tracey Harbor. We took it easy in the morning, got a late start, and moseyed in to the bay just after noon.
Sullivan Bay is a floating community tucked into a protected inlet much like Lizzie Cove, except this is a commercial operation focused on supporting upscale houseboats and visiting yachts.
We haven't seen many luxury houseboats this summer, but this community has a couple of dozen. They are moored to the floating piers just like the visiting yachts are. I'm not sure what I expected floating homes to look like. Perhaps a cross between a boat and a normal house? I was surprised by their appearance though. They look just like homes you would see on land, but they are all sitting on top of floating platforms. Some of those platforms are steel, like the barge Judy had her floating home on in Thorne Bay, Alaska. Some are on concrete floats, but most are on criss-crossed log floats that are lashed together with cable or chains. I wonder how many years it takes before those timbers get waterlogged and sink? What happens then to the home sitting on top?
The proprietors have generators that run 24/7 to provide power to the community. There is a store, restaurant, and laundromat among the floats. Water tanks on the hill ashore provide catchment water, but signs warn users that it must be boiled before drinking. The water also has an unappealing tanin coloring. They had free WIFI in the covered party area outside the restaurant, and we spent some time there catching up on email.
A couple of float planes dropped off and picked up passengers while we were there, and a ferry delivered supplies to the store. It was a busy little community. We wanted to have dinner at the restaurant, but all forty seats were booked for last night's prime rib dinner. Shucks.
We did four loads of laundry, bought some supplies in the store, and spent a restful night tied to a pier.
This morning we are continuing deeper into the Broughtons, headed for Echo Bay. The forecast said it would be windy today, but it is glassy at the moment. Perhaps the 1,000 foot high peaks surrounding Thankful are protecting her from the prevailing winds?
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