離開哈帝港，我們意識到，終於進入了蠻荒北方大地的開端了。
這裡開始不再充斥著短期度假遊艇，更多的是漁船與長期航行者。我一再驚訝的發現許多我們遇見的船友每年都長期在此航行。
台灣西岸的台灣海峽以險惡著稱，東岸則是懸崖、礁岩密佈的太平洋，我們對海洋的恐懼與陌生並非無由。我從未想像過海洋也可以如此休閒、甚至可以是長期居住的場所。
在與Rob的第一封信中我告訴他：我需要穩定的根據地，無法想像漂泊的生活。但何時開始，我已經開始適應船上與水面的生活，甚至開始享受這樣的水上與自然生活。
就像在麥爾斯小灣，我們被另一艘已停泊的動力船主熱烈歡迎，如導遊般的介紹環境、給我們他熱愛的八卦雜誌。小灣有他在立刻成為一小型社區。接下來陸續進來的船隻都受到一樣的歡迎與引導。
我們像在街頭碰到其他居民一般的打招呼，交換簡短談話，只是一切都在甲板遙遙相望，或在行進中的小舟進行。我像有時會在淡水的小巷中閒晃一般，坐進小舟探索環境。麥爾斯小灣成T字形，冬、西方小灣的盡頭接連結至不同的潟湖。我最喜歡划至潟湖開口，看著水因漲退潮而往相反方向流動的奇異現象。這裡無法發現新開的小店、路邊新奇的小吃，但是我總會與好奇的海豹不期而遇，觀察不同年齡的白頭鷹、發現不同顏色、形狀奇異的海星，有時又遇到其他船友，又可以八卦一陣最近航行心得。
回到船上，我們閱讀、煮飯、閒話家常，就如同在家j一樣。
[translation]
Leaving Port hardy we finally felt as if we were entering the wild north.
Up here you don't see weekend yachters any more. Mostly you see fishing boats and long distance cruisers. I found surprising to discover how many people take the trip north as a yearly journey.
Taiwan's west coast and the Taiwan Strait have earned a bad name through the centuries of crossing between Taiwan and the mainland. And Taiwan's east coast is made of rocky cliffs that fall straight into the sea. The Taiwanese fear of the ocean is not without reason. I never thought that sea travel could be this relaxing, or that a boat on the sea could make such a nice long term home.
When I wrote my first email to Rob, I said I couldn't imagine life on a boat. I told him that I needed firm ground beneath my feet. But regardless of how we started our relationship, I've already begun to adapt to life on the water. I really enjoy life afloat, living next to nature.
Entering Miles Inlet we were greeted by the skipper of a boat that had already anchored there. Like a tour guide, he introduced the inlet and the different places to drop our anchor. Later he came over and dropped off his copies of the “National Enquirer.” With him in the anchorage, we became a little floating neighborhood. As other boats came in, they all received the same greeting.
It was just like meeting neighbors on the streeet and exchanging small talk, except that we were all standing on our decks, rocking back and forth with the movement of the water, or perhaps bobbing about in our dinghies. It was like exploring the small allies back home in Taiwan, going about in the dinghy exploring the nooks and crannies of the anchorage.
Miles inlet is a “T” shape. The north and south arms of the “T” both lead to lagoons. I like to row up to the lagoon inlets watching the reversing salt water river flow into or out of lagoons with the rising and falling tide.
There's no way to discover a new store here, or find tasty food in some roadside stall, but I do have occasional meetings with curious seals and bald eagles, old and young. I discover starfish of different color and shape. Sometimes I meet some fellow travelers and swap some tales from our journeys.
Back on the boat, we read, cook, chat, just like home.
