Strong winds came as the storm front met our arrival at Cape Mudge. We had timed the slack at Seymour Narrows and slid through with the final pulse of the flood which had topped 14 knots just two hours prior to our arrival. The race against the turning tide began immediately south of Seymour. We fought our way around the cape against 3.5 knots of ebbing current and a building wind. An unexpected run and bite of salmon added at least two dozen fishing boats to the environs off the cape. We watched as one nearby boat landed a twenty plus pounder and decided to try our hand but with no such results. After thirty minutes of dropping a leaded herring, we threw the engine in gear and set the stay and main to beat against the rips and building seas. We had our sights set on Stag Bay on the northern side of Hernando Island however the seas and winds at 9pm in the evening were putting that goal in question. After rounding Wilby Shoals on the southern tip of Quadra, we turned for Rebecca Spit and ran with the weather a final seven miles to protection and a very late but hot dinner. We dropped our hook in the waning light at the southern end of Drew Harbour not far from the campsites along shore. A hearty soup was soon simmering on the stove as we listened to and watched the firework displays from the jovial campers celebrating their national birthday. Sometime before midnight, the wind in the halyards replaced the cracks and whistles from shore and sleep was completely welcome.