May 1.     Westview, Powell River B.C.   Depart 8:10   cloudy skies

               Grace Harbour, Malaspina Inlet   Arrive 12:17

               Lat/Long:   50 03.17’   124 44.70’

               3 feet wind waves, 20 knot winds at our stern  changing to rippled seas

After helping Kansei set sail and waving good by to Chuck and Sara we prepare to head out as well.  Today our destination is Grace Harbour in Desolation Sound .  Of course we must anchor there so we can tell our youngest granddaughter we were in “her” harbor!  Because we have following seas and some strong winds today, the boat is a little rolly (side to side rolls).    We figure if it gets too bad we can go to the little town of Lund which is where Highway 101 ends (or begins).  But by the time we get there the worst of the weather is behind us so we continue on.  We have been told that on a clear day when you round Sarah Point, which is the gateway to Desolation Sound, the view is spectacular.  Well today is pretty cloudy but we get the idea of how magnificent the mountains would be in the sunshine.  Perhaps when we leave this inlet we will get to see the mountains clearly.     

 

 

 

May 2.  At anchor in Grace Harbour.  Rainy all day.  We saw a three kayaks with a total of 5 people paddle in to hike the trail at the end of the harbor.  We decide to stay in where it is dry.  In the summer this inlet has warm water and is a popular swimming hole.  Today it is just a good place for the ducks!  By evening another boat has anchored in the harbor.   Jerry had time to hang some towel hooks in the bathroom and he mounted some fishing rod holders as well.  I made some banana bread.  All in all a pretty quiet day aboard Knot Dreamin’.

 

A little ways away there is a little building (10 x10) on a float.  Through the binoculars we can read the sign on it.  It is a floating bakery.  And earlier in the day we say a boat that is a Boat Café.  Another sign of just how busy things will get here in a few more weeks.  We are really glad to be able to explore the area before in gets inundated with people and boats. 

May 4.   At anchor in Squirrel Cove.   Jerry  has prepared the prawn trap and is ready to try to catch some of those little critters.  He also sets a crab pot but isn’t too hopeful of catching crab in this spot.  

In the afternoon we take a little ride around the cove in the dinghy to get a better look at some of the sights around, like the Floating Bakery.  There is a lagoon at the head of the cove that has a reversing rapid.  The word is that in the summer it is a great swimming spot but even though the sun is out, it is not quite swimming weather yet.  While we are dinghying around a 42 Nordic enters the cove and sets his anchor.  So we go by and visit with them a little.  They are heading to Alaska and once again we were invited to tag along.  We have a nice chat with them about their dinghy which is a Rigid.  We have been thinking of replacing our Livingston with a Rigid but that will have to wait until next summer.  After the little social time, Jerry takes me back to the boat and he sets off to see if  there is anything in the pot or trap.  As he expected, the crab pot is empty. 

But the prawn trap works!!  He successfully captured a mess of those little creatures.  We have never tasted prawns as delicious as these were.  They were like miniature lobsters.  Now this is what we were talking about – fresh seafood, warm sunny weather and a cove almost to ourselves. 

May 5.        Squirrel Cove, Cortes Island, B.C.     Depart 8:00

              6039.9 hours  32,8487 nm    Sunny, calm seas turning to ripples

               Gorge Harbour, Cortes Island, B.C.  Arrive 3:00

We have decided that we will circumnavigate Cortes Island.  There are several little coves and harbors around this island that look interesting to us so that will be our plan.  After a stopover at the Squirrel Cove Store where we can access the internet, we head north towards the tip of Cortes Island through Lewis Channel.  These islands are gorgeous.  They are like the San Juan Islands only much larger.  It is a beautiful sunny day and waters like glass and the scenery is fantastic.  After rounding the tip of the island we head south to Von Donop Inlet.  We have been told this is a place we must see but it is low tide and we aren’t comfortable entering through a shallow and narrow channel so we pass by the inlet.  We will see it another time.  The next bay is Carrington Bay but we can see to the head of the bay without entering and so we don’t go in there either.  The same thing with Quartz Bay and Coulter Bay.  They all look very nice but nothing is drawing us to stop so we continue on.  Next is Whaletown and we figure we would anchor in this harbor but the ferry and its landing take up half of the harbor and the Government dock is full so there isn’t enough room for us to have a good anchorage here either.  That means now we are headed for Gorge Harbour.  To get there we must go through Uganda Passage which is a tricky little spot.  At first it was difficult to see just where to go so we stopped and spent a few extra minutes figuring it out.  Jerry successfully maneuvered us through, no rocks were hit and the sandbar was skillfully passed.  But we aren’t there yet because now we have to go through the entrance to the harbor which is called The Gorge.  It is very narrow with tall rocks on both sides which is why it is called the Gorge.  The currents can be very swift through here and today they are.  We were speed through the water at 5.5 knots and we were up to 9 knots speed over ground through the passage.   So the Captain was tested a bit today but he passed with flying colors.  Gorge Harbour Marina is a nice spot.  We tie up to the docks and immediately are told we need to make reservations for dinner at the restaurant – tonight is fish and chips night.   The dinner was delicious and we lucked out because the restaurant is only open Friday-Monday.  It is a nice spot and the owners are busily preparing for the season which will begin in a couple of weeks.  We are told over and over that we are lucky to be here now before the rush starts.   Today was a red star day – warm enough for Jerry to wear shorts.  Summer may actually arrive after all.

May 6.   At the dock at Gorge Harbour.  We have decided to just hang around here for the day.  The winds are supposed to pick up and this is a pleasant place to be out of the weather.  The sun is out and it is pleasantly warm all day but there is some wind as was predicted.  I was spending some time in the sun on the cockpit (back deck of the boat) when a man comes up and asks me if this boat is a Nordhavn.  So he and I get in to a long conversation about the boat.  He is thinking of selling his 14 acres here on the island and buying a boat.  He had never seen a Nordhavn, just read about them.  So he had lots of questions.  But I had questions for him too.  He has an oyster lease which means he leases the land from the government and is then allowed to harvest the oysters on the land he has leased.  He has been doing this since 1986.  So I wondered if I could buy some from him.  He can’t sell them to the public until they are processed but he told me he would bring me some later in the day.  So I told him Jerry and I would give him a tour of the boat when he came back.  What an interesting man.  He was as pleased with actually getting to see a Nordhavn as I was to get 20 perfect sized fresh picked oysters.  And those oysters are probably the best oysters we have ever eaten.   So Jerry isn’t the only one who can gather fresh seafood for us!

 

May 7.  At the docks again at Gorge Harbour.  There are some hefty winds predicted for today so we will just stay where we are.  We have intermittent internet service so that will keep us busy for several hours.  The sun is out and it is a beautiful day.  After lunch we take a long walk. 

Jerry is quite impressed by the size of many of the cedars.  And he is amazed at all the downed trees that are just lying around.  It seems that there is just so much firewood around that if it is too much effort to get a downed tree then they just leave it.  So far this is Jerry’s favorite island.   The forecast is for milder winds tomorrow so we will go a little further around this island and see what else there is here.

 

 

 

 

May 8.      Gorge Harbour, Cortes Island      Depart 8:34

               6045.3 hours  32,872 nm   Sunny and calm seas

                Cortes Bay, Cortes Island   Arrive 11:30       13.61 nm

                Lat/Long:   50 03.83   124 56.15

It is time to continue on our circumnavigation of Cortes Island.  We go back through the Gorge to the open waters.  This time the current is only pushing us at 2 knots.  What a narrow opening.  We take a detour to Manson’s Landing.  I was hoping to be able to tie up at the Government Dock for a few hours so we could take a walk around and see what there is to see.  But the dock is full of local boats so we continue on.  It looks like a nice sandy beach and there is supposed to be a hike to a lake.  Maybe we will ride our bikes here from the other side of the island.  It does look like a great place to anchor except in a southerly wind.  So we may be back here someday.  Now we need to round the point of Cortes.  The point is called Sutil Point.  As we get near Jerry sees several fishing boats clustered around the end of the island.  It looks like they are salmon fishing and Jerry is getting excited.  He gets out the binoculars to see if he can see any nets being used and fish being caught.  To his surprise he finds out these are not fishing boats just lots of rocks!  I guess he was just wishing and hoping for some salmon fishing at last.  We had thought he would have caught several fish by now but the fishing here is not what we had thought it would be.  I guess we will have to be content with prawns, oysters, and crab for now.  We hope that when we get to Campbell River the fishing will be better.   We passed by Twin Islands which is privately owned.  The story goes that there is a mansion on the island that entertains royalty.  I guess that explains why we weren’t invited to come ashore.  Then it is on to Cortes Bay where we will be at anchor for a few days.  This is a quiet, peaceful cove with some homes around the shoreline hidden from sight by the trees.  Seattle Yacht Club has some docks here and so does Vancouver Yacht Club.  But those docks are empty.  Except for local boats we are the only boat anchored in the cove.  Probably won’t be that way for the whole weekend but we can hope.

 

Hair seems to be a problem in the boating life.  It keeps growing and what do you do about that.  Well I have solved the problem for myself by just letting it grow and wearing a ponytail.  Maybe not the best solution but it seems to be working.  Jerry’s hair was getting to a point where he needed a haircut.  I don’t cut hair and there are no barbers around.  So he solved the problem for many months to come – he shaved his head!  Well not to the skin but he has about ¼ of an inch of hair on his head.  He looks like a new man!  Life is never dull aboard Knot Dreamin’.

 

 

May 9.  On the hook (at anchor) in Cortes Bay.  After spending the morning doing the normal things, breakfast, dishes, tidying,  and Jerry setting the prawn trap it is time to go for a walk.  We heard about a castle that can be toured so we set off to see if we can find it.  Are we ever glad we took that excursion.  There is so much to be said about the castle and King Karl that Jerry and I wrote a separate section on the site devoted just to that topic.  We hope you take the time to read about the King.  We were extremely impressed and pleased to have met Karl Tillner.  After the interesting time spent with King Karl it was time for Jerry to check the prawn trap.  He came back with just enough prawns for dinner and a story to tell about retrieving the trap.  The water was not very choppy but apparently it was too choppy for the Livingston dinghy.  Jerry has been saying we need a different dinghy and this little episode made it quite clear that he is right.  He was taking on water and thought he might be going to sink.  But he was able to get the trap up and back to the boat without having to swim.    Anybody want to buy a 10 foot dinghy?  We have one for sale!  The prawns by the way were delicious.    

 

May 10.  Still on the hook in Cortes Bay.  It is a windy, wet, and cool day here on Cortes Island.  A good day to stay inside and read, write, and knit (only Jan does the knitting.)  Jerry ventured out a couple of times to collect the prawns and set the trap and do some scrubbing on the boat at the waterline.    We watched a few boats enter the bay and set their anchors for the night, made a few phone calls, and enjoyed more prawns for dinner.   It’s a hard life but someone has to do it!  Since there isn’t much happening today I think I will tell about meeting another interesting islander.  I was doing my laundry the other day at Gorge Harbour.  I started visiting with a lady in the laundry room.  She told me she has a radio show each Tuesday on the local Cortes Island radio station.  She introduced herself as Gypsy.  The name of her radio show is Gypsy Mama.   Gypsy communicates with her angels and she also will intervene and communicate with your angels for you.   Then she channels the information to you from the angels or to the angels from you.  Her main objective is to have you be able to do the communicating yourself.  But on occasion “it is helpful to have someone intervene on your behalf with your angels.”   Gypsy also has a gift shop on the island (we were too far away to visit the shop) where she sells healing tools, crystals, drums, and gifts.  She will also do private consultations with AngelTherapy.  She encouraged us to listen to her program and perhaps even call in.   We missed the program because that was the day we were enjoying the oysters which had been hand picked by Pat the Oyster Man.   If we are still in this area perhaps we will listen to Gypsy Mama’s program next Tuesday afternoon.

The Friends of Cortes Island Society have built a series of trails in this area called Kw’as Park.  We may just have to stay one more day so that we can explore this interesting part of the island. 

May 13.      Cortes Bay, Cortes Island.        Depart  9:30   Rain, wind gusts to 25 mph

                 6048.3 engine hours   32,885 miles                  Seas, mostly rippled

                 Tenedos Bay, B.C.                      Arrive 11:58

                  Lat/Long:  50 07.37   124 41.55 

We have detoured from our circumnavigation of Cortes Island to visit several spots that have been recommended to us to see.  These spots are in Desolation Sound Marine Park and are said to be some of the most spectacular places to cruise to.  Our first stop is Tenedos Bay.  This is my favorite spot so far.  It is breathtakingly gorgeous.  It is a cool, drizzly, rainy, gray day but in spite of the dampness the scenery is fantastic.  We have several seals playing around us and a bald eagle flying around entertaining us.  This place was worth the time it took to get here.   We may have to come back here again sometime.

May 14.       Tenedos Bay, B.C.                   Depart 9:12,   fog, heavy mist, calm seas

                  Wing Enging for 35 minutes

                  Main Engine started at 9:49.  6051.8 hours   

                  Prideaux Haven         Arrive 11:09              

                  Lat/Long:  50 08.6    124 40.8

The weather forecast is for rain until late in the day so Jerry figured it would be a good time to travel on to the next spot.  Boating is always full of surprises.  Today our surprise occurred when Jerry brought up the anchor.  He could tell he was bringing up something along with the anchor but what would he see when the anchor reached the surface was the question.  The hitchhiker was a 200-300 pound rock.  No wonder the windless was working so hard in bringing up that anchor.   Since we are only going about 5 miles the Captain decided it would be a good time to use the wing engine.  We have never used it before (which is a good thing because it is for emergency purposes) but it is good to use it once in a while so that you know it is in good working condition should an emergency arise.   The wing engine otherwise known as the get-home engine worked fine but the going was slow.  We were going 2 knots but the current was with us so our speed over ground was 2.6 knots.  That is still very slow so after a while we started the main engine and continued on to Prideaux Haven.  What a spot.  It is no wonder everyone we have talked to said this was the place to visit.  The water is extremely clear and the peace and solitude is stunning.  We have been to many beautiful and scenic places but we both agreed that for some reason this place is the most quiet and peaceful we have seen.  It is so serene that if you have to talk you want to whisper because you hate to ruin the solitude. 

We anchored in a great spot but immediately the Canadian Geese were honking at us.  One, we think the male, was on a large rock for a long time making sure we didn’t come closer.  The other, probably the female, was nearby.  We saw other geese down the bay feeding their babies and we suspect these two had babies nearby that they were protecting.  It was an interesting show of family togetherness.  But that show was eventually usurped by the bald eagles.  Two large eagles were flying around and swooping near the water.  One would fly and swoop then land in a tree.  Then the other would do the same only try to outdo the first.  They continued on for quite a while showing off for each other and entertaining us at the same time.  Towards late afternoon the fog and low lying clouds started to fade away leaving us with what is starting out to be some spectacular mountain views.  What we can see is just a taste of what is to come.  By evening there were still some clouds blocking most of the mountain views but it is easy to tell that the promise of good weather and clear skies is going to reveal some magnificent views of water and mountains.  We plan to stay here for a few days soaking up the views and serenity.

May 15-18.  At anchor in Prideaux Haven.  We took a couple of hikes, one was to a pristine lake.  We explored all the coves and inlets by dinghy.  The water is 65 degrees after only two days of sunshine.  By the end of summer the temperature will be in the mid to high 70’s.  This place is awesome as only the pictures can begin to describe, a truly stunning place to behold.  I could try to describe it but it would not work.  The pictures give you just a clue as to what you might see.

May 19.         Prideaux Haven        depart 6:47     rain, rippled water changing to windy and seas of 2 to 3 feet

                    6052.8 engine hours   32,899 nautical miles

                    Cortes Bay       arrive 15:09

Sadly it is time to leave our beautiful sanctuary of Prideaux Haven.  Our mail is waiting for us at Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island.  We arrive at Squirrel Cove at 9:10.   After getting the mail, groceries, doing the laundry we had lunch at The Cove.  The food was top notch especially the New York Cheesecake that we shared for dessert.  The weather started changing on us while we were at the Government Dock in Squirrel Cove.  The decision is whether to anchor in Squirrel Cove as originally planned or go back to Cortes Bay where there is internet service and wait out the weather there.  We figured we would be just on the boat for a few days because of rain and wind so why not be where we have internet access as well as beautiful scenery.  So we complete our circumnavigation of Cortes Island and head back to Cortes Bay.   The trip was a little nasty because the winds really picked up.  But the confidence and ability of The Captain along with the perfect boat for rough waters made for a safe and successful cruise to our spot for the next few days. 

 

May 20-22.  At anchor in Cortes Bay.  Just waiting out the weather.  Our next spot is about 30 miles away and we need a break in the weather before we head out so we are content to stay put and enjoy watching the boats and seaplanes coming and going, and the young bald eagles flying all around us. 

We took a walk into the little town of Manson’s Landing for some groceries and discovered another road leading back to our anchorage.  The grocery clerk told us that it was about the same distance as the way we had come.   Always ready to see new sights we took the new road.  It was a much more scenic way to walk back to the boat and we got to see more of the lake and more of the island than we had seen before.  But it ended up being quite a bit longer than the original route so our 5 mile walk to town ended up being more like 8 miles round trip.    We needed the exercise but not sure we needed that much!

 

May 23.        Cortes Bay            depart 9:38   sunny, calm seas

                    6057.2 engine hours    32,915 nautical miles

                    Squirrel Cove       arrive 12.28

A bit tired of Cortes Bay we decided to move to Squirrel Cove to be in good position to cruise up Bute Inlet when the weather permits.  So we anchored very near to where we were in the cove last time.  Jerry took the dinghy to the store for some groceries then we went for a hike.  The hike was a primitive trail to Von Donup Inlet.  We were not able to anchor there when we were on that side of the island because of the tides.  So we figured we would hike there and see if it was worth returning to by boat someday.  As I said, it is “a primitive trail” and that is exactly what it was.  We had to crawl under and over many downed trees, cross a stream several times and carefully watch which way the trail actually went.  A few times I got us off the track but Jerry guided us back to the trail.  The trail reminded us both of hiking when we were kids.  As we remember hiking back then, there were few groomed trails.  Through the woods along the way were numerous old growth stumps.  One we tried counting the rings and we figured it was close to 800 years old.  There was also lots of moss hanging around the trees similar to the Spanish Moss we saw growing in New Orleans years ago.  The hike was well worth the effort and we both enjoyed it.

And, yes, Von Donup Inlet would be a great place to anchor sometime.  The hike was about 3 miles round trip and took us about 2 hours.  When we got back the dinghy was floating as we hoped it would be, but the tide had come in much further than we figured it would in the length of time we were gone.  After settling in on the back deck of the boat we soon had guests –  momma and poppa Canadian Geese and their 5 little babies came right to the back of the boat to see if we had any snacks for them.  What a treat to see them so close up. 

May 24.           Squirrel Cove     depart 8:33   sunny, calm seas

                    6060.1 engine hours    32,922 nautical miles

                    Octopus Islands    arrive 13:53

                     Lat/Long:  50 16.76   125 13.68

The weather report was pretty good for cruising to Bute Inlet today so off we go by way of Lewis Channel and Calm Channel.  Once we passed the tip of Cortes Island we are finally in places we hadn’t yet seen.  We passed by Raza Island and Rendevous Islands and then near the entrance to Bute Inlet the waters started getting very rough.  We knew that they would be even rougher the further up the inlet we got so we had to implement Plan B.  The trouble is, we hadn’t developed Plan B before we left our anchorage.  So after quickly perusing the charts we decided to go to Octopus Islands via Hole in the Wall.  Going through Hole in the Wall requires timing of tides and currents due to a narrow opening at the western end which has lots of whirlpools on high tides and currents of up to 12 knots.  It would have been great to have had the evening to prepare for this cruise but we were pretty busy enjoying the scenery rather than develop Plan B the night before.  But we happened to be at Hole in the Wall at just the right time so we cruised on through with the tide pushing us through at a gentle speed of 2.5 knots.   The entrance to Octopus Islands and Waiatt Bay is very narrow.  But following the charts made it easy to navigate into the popular anchorage.  We keep hearing that these great anchorages are crammed with boats during the summer.  To date we have not found that to be true.  There were about 7 other boats anchored in Squirrel Cove when we were and so far that is the most company we have had at one of the “popular” spots.  Here we are in a gorgeous spot and no other boats in sight.  It is a remarkable place and hopefully we will stay here a few days after we have been to Bute Inlet.  During the evening while sitting out on the deck, Jerry noticed that the smells are different on high tide.  On low tide you get the regular sea smells but here when the tide is high you get the smells of the forests.  We need to come back here and see what other things we can discover about these special Islands.

May 25.                Octopus Island               depart 6:47     cloudy calm seas

                      Waiatt Bay, Octopus Islands               arrive 1421

                      Lat/Long:  50 15.82     125 15.31

The weather forecast of light winds is really good for heading up Bute Inlet (Lat/Long:  50 21.10  125 06.50).  So we figured it would be best to get an early start in case the winds do pick up later in the day.  There is a cabin about ¼ of the way up the inlet that we have been invited to use this summer.  We thought it would be a good place to spend some time so today is the day we will see what it is all about.    When we get to the cabin we will need to anchor in the inlet and tie a line to the stern of the boat because the waters here are deep and the stern tie will help keep the boat from moving around and keep the anchor set.  So that means that before we can anchor we will need to get the dinghy down, set the anchor and tie the stern line to shore.  It is helpful to do all this without a lot of wind blowing the boat around.  After we got past the protection of Stuart Island the wind started picking up and the seas started getting choppy.      By the time we got to Fawn Bluff (and Michelle Pfieffer’s cabin) which is just about 45 minutes away from our destination, the seas were about 4 feet waves and the winds were 40 mph.  We were sure that once we rounded the bluff the winds would be even higher.  Well 40 mph is gale force winds and that is about my limit for wind tolerance in a boat at least it is for us.  We wouldn’t be able to anchor, get the dinghy down, and tie the stern line in that kind of weather.  So without further ado we turned around and headed back to Octopus Islands.  This time we had Plan B and Plan C figured out ahead of time.  We decided to go with Plan B which was to anchor in Florence Cove (Lat/Long: 50 18.62  125 10.09) and wait for the tides to be right so we can go through the Hole in the Wall again and back to Octopus Islands.  We had lunch at anchor in Florence Cove, washed the salt off the windows from the morning’s excursion, and waited out the tide change.  We learned something today about the Inlets.  There is still a great deal of snow in the higher elevations and it makes this area exceptionally beautiful at this time of year but that cold with the warming air in the lower elevations causes  great winds known as inflow and outflows.  We were experiencing a great example of a mainland inlet outflow.   We believe that perhaps late summer is a better time for inlets like Bute as the temperature differences are not as great.  Perhaps we will travel Bute later in the year.  We both agree that for now exploring the inlets is off our itinerary.

May 26-28.  At anchor in Waiatt Bay.  What a great spot this is.  Lots of little islands with rounded banks looking like octopus tendrils.  The islands surround the entrance to the bay providing wind protection and this bay is as calm as a lake.  The mountains are in the distance and at twilight the colors of the landscape are greenish gray in various degrees of intensity which creates a stunning view.  One of the nights we were in Waiatt Bay there was a downpour with a gorgeous rainbow arcing directly in front of our boat.  It seemed like you could almost reach out and touch it and the pot of gold was just off to the aft of our boat!  The first night we have to ourselves in this peaceful little bay.  The second night we have company and it turns out to be some people who were anchored in Melanie Cove while we were in Prideaux Haven.   Their boat is Tin Whistle.  We had a nice conversation with them and we will probably be running into them again while we are up here.  The next night another sailboat, Morning Star, pulled into the bay.  Turns out we were anchored with them at Cortes Bay and they saw us while we were in Prideaux Haven also.  It is interesting how you keep seeing the same people around and it is fun sharing experiences and discussing great places to anchor.  Jerry got into the caveman mode while we were anchored here.  He kept seeing rock crab wondering around under the water close to shore.  So rather than set a trap he caught them the old fashioned way – with an oar!  He had a great time catching them and we both had an even better time eating them.  Much to our surprise, the rock crab up here rival the great taste of Dungeness crab.   We had enough for dinner that night with leftovers.  The next day he caught a rock cod to go along with the leftover crab.  But I didn’t have quite enough crab for crab cakes so off he went to catch a couple more.  What a great feast we had that night, crab cakes and cod enjoyed while surrounded with a million dollar view.  What a great way to pass the time.  And time on a boat is an interesting thing.  Mostly time is inconsequential, days come and go and it is hard to keep track of which day it is.  It is amazing sometimes that the entire day has slipped by before you realize it.  But then there are instances where time is crucial and an error in timing can be life threatening.   I have mentioned before about the tides and currents and how they dictate our life.  It is especially true when travelling through “the rapids” and “the narrows”.  There are several areas where the land masses are very close together.  This causes the water to rush through these areas.  Sometimes the currents can be as high as 15 knots or more and sometimes the currents create rapids just like in a river, a rushing river.   And then there is the wind factor to consider in these areas as well.  The solution to getting past these sections is to listen religiously to the weather broadcasts and traverse the waters during slack tide.  Then the passage is easy and causes a person to wonder what all the worry was about.   So we spend a good portion of time on a day prior to travelling composing our route and checking to see if there are any areas that need special attention.  Then we check the tides and currents and listen to the weather broadcasts at each new issuance to hear if there have been any updates that could cause a change of plans.  If weather, tides, or currents conflict with our planned schedule, then they win and we spend our time differently that day.   It may mean simply changing the time we depart but in some cases it means not going that day at all.  Then we have to decide if we go on a hike, ride our bikes, do any number of tasks that need to be  done, or simply relax on the deck and let the time slip away for that day.  Timing is everything and nothing.

May 29.             Waiatt Bay, Quadra Island          Depart 5:46   cloudy, calm seas

                    Rebecca Spit, Drew Harbour, Quadra Island    Arrive  8:45

                    Lat/Long:   50 06.29   125 11.65

This morning we needed to set out bright and early because we are travelling through Surge Narrows and Beazley Passage.  This route should only be navigated at or near slack water.  Beazley Passage between Sturt Island and Peck Island has a minimum width of 197 feet.   Tusko Rock which lies on the north side of the passage needs to be avoided because of strong eddies around the rock.  The strongest tidal streams in the Surge Narrows area reach as fast as 12 knots.  The duration of slack water throughout this passage varies from 5 to 11 minutes.  So here is where timing and planning is of upmost importance.  Jerry checked and rechecked and then checked again the tide and current tables to plan our departure so that we would be at or near slack when we arrived at the Narrows.  We listened to the most recent weather broadcast at 5:00 am and decided the trip was a go.  The waters were calm and the passage was “a piece of cake” according to The Captain.  We took a little tour of Village Bay to see if there was anything of interest there and decided to continue on to Rebecca Spit in Drew Harbour.  After setting the anchor and lowering the dinghy we went to the little town of Hariot Bay, had lunch at the deli, got some groceries and headed back to the boat.  Then it was time to explore the beach.  The spit is a great spot overlooking the bay on one side and the Sutil Channel on the other side.  There is also Taku Resort that we checked out and thought would be a good place to meet friends thinking of coming up this way to meet us.  Then it is back to the boat to prepare for tomorrows cruise through the dreaded Cape Mudge area.  We have been warned to avoid this spot if possible but we need to get to Campbell River so the Cape cannot be avoided.  The tides and currents have been checked and we will wait to hear the weather in the morning before we decide to go or stay.

May 30.       Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island      Depart 6:15    cloudy, calm seas

                   6075.6 Engine Hours   32,979 miles           

                   Gowland Harbour, Quadra Island              Arrive  10:27

                   Lat/Long:  50 04.34   124 12.93

The weather forecast is pretty good, mild winds but seems good enough to head around Cape Mudge.  Much to our surprise the seas at Cape Mudge and around into Discovery Passage are calm as a lake.  There are a few ocean swells coming from the Strait of Georgia but other than that this cruise was mild as can be.  Once again Jerry gets the credit for excellent planning and coordination of all the facts to safely maneuver us through a potentially hazardous area.  We thought we would anchor in Quathiaski Cove but after motoring through we just couldn’t seem to find an anchorage that we liked so we continued on to Gowland Harbour.  By the time we got close to the harbor the currents were starting to flood at about 4 knots.  So we got to see a little of what the currents can do in Discovery Passage.  Gowland Harbour is a residential area overlooking several small islands.  We found a place that was pretty nice and lowered the anchor – home for the next few days. 

May 31- June 1.  At anchor in Gowland Harbour.  Jerry went to retrieve the crab pot early this morning.  He had set it last night with a fish carcass in a metal mesh bait container and the fish head hanging from the top of the trap.  When he pulled up the pot there were five crabs in there – time for a crab feast!  Those crab must have been really hungry.  The fish head was totally gone and when the bait container was dumped out all that was left of the carcass was the fish bones and scales.  It is a mystery how those little creatures were able to devour that fish through the little holes in that metal container.  While Jerry was cleaning the crabs he heard some splashing near the boat.  He assumed it was a seal because we always hear them splashing around.  When he looked up he was surprised to see a couple of porpoises playing not more than 20 feet away from the boat.  There is always so much wildlife and sealife around us that is fun to watch.   We took the dinghy around to the April Cove Marina and walked to the little town of Quathiaski Cove for their weekly Farmer’s Market.  We found the town and the market but no fresh fruit or veggies, just crafts and stuff.  By the time we were back to the dinghy I was ready to get back to the boat and see what those crab taste like!  I must admit that after having Dungeness again, I have to say that I was wrong about the rock crab -  Dungeness is still the best.

June 2-4.          Gowland Harbour         depart 10:00    

                       cloudy, slight breeze, mild seas

                       6080 engine hours      32,995 nautical miles

                       Campbell River, B.C.       arrive 11:14

Just a short little jaunt across Discovery Passage to Campbell River was the plan for the day.  The tide was slack around 10:30 so to avoid a fast current during the crossing we left at 10 in the morning.  Smooth cruising into the marina and another great docking job by the Captain.  We plan to be in port for a few days so we can wash the boat and have it hauled out.

The bottom of a boat needs to be painted every few years and it is time for Knot Dreamin’ to be done.  So the boatyard will haul it out and pressure wash and then we will determine if we paint it now or in the fall.  But while we are here we will finish waxing and other miscellaneous tasks that need to be done.  One of the main things we want to accomplish is to purchase a freezer so we will be able to keep all the prawns and salmon we catch during the rest of the summer.

June 5-6.  We decided to wait until September to paint the bottom.  So after we finished scrubbing and waxing what we can’t get while the boat is in the water, we are now back in the water.  We will be taking off early in the morning and heading for some more great anchorages we have been told that we must see.  There are two other Nordhavns leaving in the morning as well.  We will all three be travelling through the Seymour Narrows together.  We will probably be out of internet connections for a few weeks but will post new entries when possible.

 

 

 

June 7.      Campbell River                Depart 6:34  Sunny, calm seas

                 6084.6 engine hours    32,999 nautical miles

                 Small Inlet, Kanish Bay, Quadra Island     Arrive 10:11

                  Lat/Long:  50 15.65   125 17.43

Today is the day for travelling through the dreaded Seymour Narrows.   Many boaters will not even attempt this route because it is considered one of the most dangerous narrows.  (I didn’t explain this in the last entry because I knew we would not be able to post again for awhile and I didn’t want people wondering if we had made it after reading what the Seymour Narrows is about.)  An important thing to remember is that our boat is a slow boat forty feet in length -  we only do about 5 or 6 knots.  We can push it to 7 or even 8 knots or more if necessary but we rarely do that.  And we are also very heavy, weighing approximately 50,000 pounds.  The Sailing Directions describes the Narrows as follows:

            “Seymour Narrows… commences about 1 mile NW of Race Point; it is nearly 2 miles long and not less than 0.4 miles wide.  The shores on either side are high, rugged and steep-to.  Ripple Rock, almost in the middle of the channel, causes considerable turbulence when tidal streams are running at strength.   Mariners are advised to navigate Seymour Narrows only at or near slack water if their vessel is of low power, or is a small vessel under 66 feet long.  Fatal accidents have occurred to small vessels when attempting to navigate this narrows when the tidal stream is running at full strength.  Small vessels have been capsized with loss of life while navigating Seymour Narrows even near slack water and in reasonable weather conditions; they were in light condition with considerable top weight.  Precautions should be taken to maintain adequate stability and trim even when planning to transit at slack water.  All crew members should be ready to cope with any emergency.  Tidal streams in Seymour Narrows attain 16 knots.  When either stream is running at strength, the eddies and swirls are extremely heavy, and when these are opposed by a strong wind, the races become very dangerous to small vessels.  In the vicinity of Ripple Rock, near the shallowest parts, there are upwellings which vary in strength with the velocity of the stream….Vessels of low power, small craft and strangers particularly, are strongly advised to navigate Seymour Narrows at or near slack water maintaining a midchannel course.  Even at slack water pay attention to the caution given with the description of Seymour Narrows.” 

Prior to 1958 many vessels were wrecked or sank because of Ripple Rock which is in the middle of the channel and causes whirlpools.  In 1958 the horns of Ripple Rock were blown up in the biggest non-atomic explosion up to that time.

Another reference chart said this:  “Ripple Rock, This tide ripped-navigation hazard in Seymour Narrows has claimed at least 120 ships and the lives of 114 seamen before being reduced by 1,375 tons of high explosives in 1958.”

So after reading all of that, we were sufficiently warned of the severity of going through the narrows.  When the other two Nordhavn owners said they were going through at the same time as us, we all felt a little more comfortable making the trip together.  As it turned out, none of us had actually made the trip before but all three Captains agreed on the correct time to arrive at the beginning of the narrows and the time we needed to pull away from the docks in order to be there at the beginning of slack tide.  So at 6:30 we left Campbell River ready to head up the narrows.  It looked pretty cool, three Nordhavns travelling up the passage together, two 40 feet long and one 43 feet long.  By the time we got to the actual beginning of the narrows there were several other boats going through as well.  Because of the great preparation, the trip was fairly easy for all boats concerned.  By the end of the passage, however, the wind starting picking up.   We had the current with us but the winds were against us at 25 knots.  This caused some very steep wind waves – about 3 to 4 feet.  The other two Nordhavns, Autumn Fisher and Navigator continued on to their goal of reaching Alaska.  We turned off at Kanish Bay in our goal of exploring further Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands.   We cruised to the end of Kanish Bay and into Small Inlet.  The entrance to Small Inlet is narrow with depths of about 6 feet at zero tide.  We were close to low tide but the lowest point through the entrance to the inlet was 11.3 feet below the boat.   We found a nice quiet spot and lowered the anchor.   We made it!   We uneventfully cruised through Seymour Narrows and entered into Small Inlet.  And that would be the definition of a successful day of boating. 

 

June 8.    Small Inlet, Kanish Bay, Quadra Island    Depart 11:33  cloudy, calm seas

               6088.4 hours     33018.0 nautical miles    

               Owen Bay,  Sonora Island                           Arrive 1:10

               Lat/Long:  50 19.27    125 13.82

We originally thought we would stay a few days at Small Inlet because there is a good hike to a lake that we wanted to take.  But the weather forecast was for some pretty strong winds and we decided to go to a more protected anchorage.  Once again Jerry needed to study the tide and currents because today would be the first rapids we would be crossing.  The best time to reach the Lower Rapids was 2:48 but that would mean leaving Small Inlet at low tide.  The tide today was even lower than when we arrived yesterday and that would mean only a few feet under the boat when exiting through the narrow inlet.  So we pulled anchor and went out into Kanish Bay to wait for the correct time to leave so that we would arrive at the rapids at the right time.  After lunch and a short attempt at fishing we headed out.  We reach Lower Rapids at 2:48 which was exactly slack tide so there wasn’t any ripples but there were a few swirlys.  Owen Bay is well sheltered from winds so this would be our home for the next few days.  Late in the afternoon Jerry heard a roar and saw white boiling water about a mile away.  It was a high spring tide and he was seeing the rapids of Upper Rapids.  The currents were flowing through there at about 9 knots and the shallow rocks in the fairway were causing overfalls, turbulence, and eddies.   Now that we have seen the rapids, even from a distance, we know what people are talking about.  We will be sure to continue our planning before attempting to cross any of the rapids.  What an awesome sight – best seen from a distance!

June 9.  At anchor in Owen Bay.  It was a noneventful day in the rain. The temperature is very cool today also.  The high was only 51 degrees.   I got a few housework chores completed.  Jerry devised a way to capture rain water so we can use it to wash down the boat instead of using the fresh water from our tanks.   He also managed to catch a couple of Dungeness crab and a rock crab for dinner – yet another crab feast!

June 10.  At anchor in Owen Bay.  The rain has stopped so we spent the day doing some more waxing.  We are beginning to feel like the Karate Kid, “wax on, wax off, wax on, wax off.”  Jerry did take a break to catch a fish.  And then he checked the crab pots two more times in the afternoon.  We ended up with a total of 8 crabs!  Since the crabbing was good and the weather improved we decided to stay another day.  It is a very pretty spot and although there are a few cabins around the bay there seemed to be no one in them and there are no other boats anchored here.

June 11.  At anchor one more day in Owen Bay.   More waxing today.  Jerry has now finished waxing all the gray parts of the boat, the hull.  I have almost completed the forward deck.  The goal is to have the boat waxed by the 4^th of July.  At this rate we might just make it.  The dinner menu is for crab cakes so I spent a couple of hours cleaning crab which is never a bad thing to do.  The Captain said the cakes were delicious.  And we still have 4 more crab left to eat, but no one is complaining!

June 12.     Owen Bay, Sonora Island    Depart 6:03  sunny and calm seas

                    6091 engine hours,   33030  nautical miles

                    Wildernest Resort, entrance to Toba Inlet, B.C.  Arrive 10:38

                     Lat/Long:  50 19.10      124 46.37

We needed to get an early start today so that we would arrive at Upper Rapids near slack tide and just around the corner from the Rapids is the entrance to Hole in the Wall which also needs to be entered at slack or near slack tide.  Upper Rapids is one of the lesser ones because it only reaches 9 knots at its highest, but there are a few rocks in the way that cause more swirly action.  And some of you might be thinking, “Rapids in the sound?”  That’s what I first thought.  I didn’t realize that there were such things – and so many of them.  But it is because there are so many narrow inlets and so much water rushing through them at the peak of the high and low tides.   Jerry got us started into the rapids but then he got busy checking the watermaker and the engine room so I was left to drive us through the rapids – Yikes!!  It really wasn’t so bad because we had the timing correct.  But there were a few places were it was pretty swirly kind of like driving a car on ice.  But I got us through and only acquired one or two more gray hairs as a result.  Our destination was a marina/resort behind Double Island at the entrance to Toba Inlet.  We were going here because someone had recommended it as a great place to go.  All along our trip starting way back in Anacortes, people would tell us of places we had to see when we were up here.  So we wrote down the places people told us about and are doing our best to see them all.  We weren’t really sure about this place and Jerry thought we would probably not want to stay.  But we were pleasantly surprised.  It is a remote resort with dock space for about 8 boats (at the most), 3 cabins, and a few camp sites.  There is no restaurant or store.  There is no electricity at the docks but there is all the water you want to use (which is unusual for most of these small marinas).  They have their own elaborate homebuilt hydro-electric plant which is fed by an unbelievable waterfall which you can hike to.  So we went to see it.  The trail was pretty steep in some parts; they had ropes available to help pull yourself up the hill.  It was a short hike but so spectacular.  Since the hike to the waterfall was so short we started out on another of the trails around the resort.  But when we came to the bear scat I decided I had walked far enough.  There are a lot of bears around here and many people come with the hope of seeing some of them.  Jerry wouldn’t mind seeing them when they are on the shore and we are on the boat.  But seeing the scat was close enough for me! 

June 13.  At the docks at Wildernest Resort.  This is such a great spot we decided to stay another day.  The owners, Kyle and Andrea are very nice.  They have a two year old daughter and have owned the resort for about five years.  What a great place to live and raise a family.  Kyle spent quite a long time talking to us about the area and some great spots to go see.  He told us we really should go up Toba Inlet at least halfway to see the waterfalls up there.  So when we leave tomorrow if the weather cooperates (little wind and good visibility) we will go see what he was talking about.  Kyle felt pretty bad because a commercial prawner, we believe, took Jerry’s prawn trap.  Jerry had set his trap on the south side of the inlet and then within an hour hear came a commercial prawner and he set his traps on the north side of the inlet.  The prawner was anchored overnight just out from the marina (which didn’t make Kyle very happy either).   The next morning the commercial guy had pulled his trap line from the north side and reset the line right over our trap on the south side of the inlet and our trap was gone.  We know that jerk removed our trap but since we did not witness it we could not accuse.  Kyle new what had happened as well and he was kind enough to offer giving us one of his traps but Jerry refused.  Later Kyle gave us a mess of prawns (he usually sells them to his customers) which was enough for our dinner.  What a nice guy.  So we gave him a jar of canned tuna.  He couldn’t wait to get back to his house to try it.   In any case we must now buy another trap, 400 feet of line, floats and a small anchor to replace our stolen gear.

It was really windy all day today which was a good thing because the wind blew away the clouds.  With the clouds gone we could see the phenomenal view of the towering mountains.  When the sun goes down the mountains turn a gorgeous shade of pink and purple – a truly awesome sight.

June 14.    Wildernest Resort, Toba Inlet         Depart 7:51   Sunny, ripple seas

                 6096.6 engine hours   33051 nautical miles

                 Roscoe Bay, West Redonda Island   Arrive 15:18   36.1 nautical miles

                  Lat/Long:  50 09.62     124 46.04

Wow, what a day full of spectacularly awesome sights.  We started the day pretty early in our cruise up Toba Inlet to see the waterfalls.  The forecast was for a windy day so we got an early start in the hopes that we would be out of the Inlet before the winds kicked up too much.  Going up that inlet is an amazing sight.  There are 5 & 6 thousand feet high mountains on each side that plunge straight down into the water.  The depths of the water in the inlet are as much as 500 meters.  The mountainsides are covered with Douglas Fir that are growing out of the rocks.  Occasionally there is a spot where the rock is just a shear wall and no trees can grow there but everywhere else are trees.   About two thirds of the way up the inlet is Racine Waterfall.  We arrived there at 10:45.  Seeing that rushing waterfall gushing out of the rocks high above us and plunging straight into the inlet was well worth the trip.  Because of the deep water we were able to get very close to the falls.  An awesome sight.  

 But we needed to start heading back because the winds were starting to pick up.  We had 20 knot winds against us most of the way back and 2 foot wind waves.  But once we got into the wider portion of the inlet the wind and waves calmed down and we were back to rippled seas.  As we passed Wildernest Retreat we radioed Kyle and thanked him for sending us up Toba and we thanked him once again for the delightful prawns.  Toba inlet was definitely a great sight to see.  The next stop on the agenda was Walsh Cove.  It was just across Pryce Channel at the beginning of Waddington Channel.  One question I hope to find the answer to is, what is the difference between a “passage” and a “channel” and also what is the difference between an “arm”, “inlet”, and a “sound”.   Walsh Cove had several boats already anchored in it.  It looked like a great spot to spend the night but we decided to travel on.  We didn’t feel like sharing the space with that many other boats.  The next possible anchorage was Roscoe Bay which is a little further south down Waddington Channel.   What a great cruise down this wonderful channel.  The water is calm and there are several little coves that look like they would be good places to anchor.  The entrance to Pendrell Sound is off this channel.  There is a guy and his wife that we met several weeks back who go to Pendrell Sound in May and stay until September in their 34 foot CHB trawler, Sheba Queen.  They have been doing that every year since 1986.  It must be a great place and sometime we will go see it for ourselves.  But today we had our hopes set on Roscoe Bay.  This anchorage is an interesting place because the entrance to the bay is over a shoal that dries at zero tide.  So entry must be timed such that you enter near a high tide.  Once inside the bay you can’t get out until the next high tide or at least be sure to know what the depth will be when you leave so that you don’t get grounded.  When we entered the bay we had 6.8 feet under us.  We aren’t really comfortable with that little amount of water but we made it just fine.  And are we ever glad we did.  Another truly spectacular spot.  We have a view of the snow capped mountains out the back window and a tiny waterfall off to the starboard side.  At the head of the bay is a creek that leads back to a fresh water lake.  There are several hiking trails around so tomorrow we plan on doing some exploring.  And the best thing of all is that we are the only boat here!

June 15.  At anchor in Roscoe Bay.   We took a hike today, up to the top of Llanover Mountain.  It is 2200 feet high and 6 kilometers to the top.  For reference purposes, it is like hiking Damnation Trail which is in the Redwoods south of Crescent City, two and a half times.  Now that is a hike!  The trail was rugged and very steep in some parts.  I must have asked Jerry 50 times if we were on the trail.  We are pretty sure that not a lot of boaters take this hike.  And as far as we could tell there is no other way to access this trail than by the water.  This is really the remote wilderness.  I had read in a book that the bears usually don’t come out between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.  So I was hoping that any that might be in this area were on Daylight Savings Time!  There didn’t seem to be any signs of bears on this trail but just in case they were around the next corner, we clapped our hands often to scare them away.   We took the trail at a leisurely pace and before we knew it we were at the summit.  There is a cairn at the top with a jar containing pencil and paper so that you can record that you were there.  We were the first ones there for the year.  The view was good but trees prevented us from having a spectacular vista. 

We ate our lunch and made some phone calls because we could get some cell coverage up there.  We called Bud to let him know we had hiked all the way to the top just to be able to wish him a Happy Father’s Day.  Then after lunch we started exploring the top of the mountain a little and found a magnificent spot with a panoramic, unobstructed view.  We wished we would have found this part before we ate our lunch.  But we will know better next time.  It would be a great place to spend a few hours just absorbing the sights.  We saw a few boats on the water but were kind of surprised that there weren’t a lot more since it was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon.  There were lots of large butterflys at the top of the mountain and we saw some pretty purple wildflowers.  Also we saw tiny red buds at the tips of the pine trees.  We had never seen these before but it looked like they were the start of the pinecones.  We had to tear ourselves away from the view to hike back down the mountain.  It had taken us 2 ½ hours to get to the top and only 1 hour to get back down.  It was a great hike and we hope to do it again sometime.

Before we left in the morning, Jerry had rigged up an anchoring system for the dinghy so that it would not be grounded when we returned and would also be able to get to easily.  The system had worked perfectly so back to Knot Dreamin’ to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening resting up from the hiking adventure.   By the end of the evening there were 3 other boats that came to join us in this pretty little bay.   They all jumped in their dinghys and headed for the