The Peterson Cup Cruising Rally: Together on the Salish Sea

I described the Peterson Cup Cruising Rally to a BCA member whose boat is currently in Mexico. His response was, “It sounds like cruising when you go offshore”. You are exploring new areas and moving from place to place with a group of like-minded sailors. It sounded like a fun event to tie into our summer plans and turned into an incredible week of sailing, meeting new friends, and exploring the Gulf Islands together.

The Rally

The group met at the Dinghy Dock Pub on Protection Island near Nanaimo on the first day to decide our time of departure and the destination for the first night. As a group, we determined departure time and destination for the first night based on the conditions. Our timing also allowed us to watch the start of the famous Bathtub Race leaving from Nanaimo Harbour the next morning.

As planned, we set out the next day with the goal to rendezvous with the group at Kendrick Island just off Gabriola Island that evening. One of the ideas behind the Peterson Cup is to sail as much as possible and we love to sail. Up went the sails the moment we were out of the anchorage in an attempt to get to a good spot to watch the start of the Bathtub Race. Unfortunately, the winds were light and we struggled to make way and instead watched the racers from a distance.

Blake single-handing Sea Fever

In the meantime, those who motored out a bit farther were able to catch some great wind. Once we finally made it to Snake Island, the winds picked up and we joined in the fun with steady winds for the remainder of the day. It was a great beginning to the rally and when we gathered that evening, there were lots of smiles, but pure exhaustion from our single-handers, especially for those who crossed Georgia Straight the day before. After that day of good (read ‘breezy’) sailing, the group decided on two alternate routes to get to our next destination, either through Gabriola Passage or into Georgia Strait and then through Porlier Passage. About half the fleet decided to go each way.

Cookie Cutter and Dobro Dani crossing on the way to Porlier Pass

We were excited to go the outside route through Porlier Pass, a passage we hadn’t taken before. The winds were a bit lighter and we needed to motor out to find the wind and stay with the group. It was another beautiful day and the fleet set off with Salt taking the long route with big tacks (we thought they were headed to Vancouver), Dobro Dani taking the route along shore and the remaining fleet staying somewhere in between. Each of these strategies worked and we all came together at the passage at nearly the same time.

Salt taking a long tack

That night, after anchoring in Clam Bay, we took our dinghies through the cut and gathered at Telegraph Harbour Marina for our onshore get together. Each fleet member shared their thoughts on the day’s sail and we decided upon the next legs of the rally: to Montague Harbour, Beaumont Marine Park and then on to Winter Cove. Our final leg was to end up at Port Browning to join the August BCA Rendezvous.

In the true spirit of cruising, rally members had a few quick repairs to make along the way. For us, this was a rip on the UV strip on our Genoa. After a sail repair kit was borrowed from Cookie Cutter, down came the sail, and after a bit of time on the foredeck the sail was ready to go again.

Reflections

One of the biggest takeaways for us was that socializing together was great, but sailing together was amazing and resulted in the best stories when we got to shore. We met new friends and gained a taste of what it would be like to cruise with others offshore, with the bonus that we were doing it in the comfort of our very own Salish Sea.

I want to thank Connie and Peter for doing such a great job organizing and leading the rally in 2025, and everyone who participated.

Evening gathering at Winter Cove

About the Peterson Cup Cruising Rally

The Peterson Cup is more than just a rally, it’s a celebration of sailing, friendship, and exploring the Salish Sea. Inspired by Past Commodore Lex Peterson, who encouraged BCA members to “Do it and get out there while you can,” the event is all about creating unforgettable memories, fostering good seamanship and building lasting friendships while sailing. In 2025, the rally was hosted by Connie Morahan and Peter McMartin on Cookie Cutter. A total of 12 boats participated including three single-handers, 8 couples, two cats and one family. The cup was presented to Shannon & Doran Jones,  Lunetta at the August Rendezvous.