5 hours 29.6 miles
Another beautiful sunny day to cruise. We are heading to one of our favorite anchorages, Khutze Inlet. The water is calm and we have encountered no challenges today. Khutze Inlet is breathtaking. Imagine Yosemite Valley filled with water. We will anchor by a waterfall, not unlike Yosemite Falls. Now imagine that you have this whole wondrous place to yourself. Most boaters don’t anchor here because it is quite deep (we anchored in 90 feet) and has a couple tricky shoals. We usually have excellent luck with crab at Khutze, so we put the crab pot out with great expectations.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Shearwater to Windy Bay
9 hours 62.8 miles
JOAN’s BIRTHDAY (I picked out my present at Shearwater, a beautiful pair of silver earrings)
We have a big day planned. We have fully realized that we have to be in Juneau for guests by July 20th and we have a long way to go. We are going to have to keep moving north and no more dilly-dallying. We are entering Fiordland (the Canadian’s want it spelled that way) National Recreation Area. We are seeing many waterfalls and high, snow covered peaks now. We traveled all day without seeing another boat. It is almost spiritual to be alone to admire this area. Windy Bay was calm and beautiful. We anchored behind a small island and had a peaceful night.
JOAN’s BIRTHDAY (I picked out my present at Shearwater, a beautiful pair of silver earrings)
We have a big day planned. We have fully realized that we have to be in Juneau for guests by July 20th and we have a long way to go. We are going to have to keep moving north and no more dilly-dallying. We are entering Fiordland (the Canadian’s want it spelled that way) National Recreation Area. We are seeing many waterfalls and high, snow covered peaks now. We traveled all day without seeing another boat. It is almost spiritual to be alone to admire this area. Windy Bay was calm and beautiful. We anchored behind a small island and had a peaceful night.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Miles Inlet to Green Island Anchorage
6 ½ hours 45 miles
We spoke to Tom & Pat on Aventura last night and again at 4:30 AM (yes, we really got up that early). Weather looks good and we are heading out again for Cape Caution. As we exited the anchorage we were immediately in 4 foot ocean swells. We didn’t see and white caps or waves like yesterday. The rollers got to about 6 feet as we passed Cape Caution and entered Fitz Hugh Sound. Aventura hugged the east coast and we hugged the west coast of Calvert Island. We met again at Green Island Anchorage. This place is lovely and we have never been here before. It is fun to try new places.
We spoke to Tom & Pat on Aventura last night and again at 4:30 AM (yes, we really got up that early). Weather looks good and we are heading out again for Cape Caution. As we exited the anchorage we were immediately in 4 foot ocean swells. We didn’t see and white caps or waves like yesterday. The rollers got to about 6 feet as we passed Cape Caution and entered Fitz Hugh Sound. Aventura hugged the east coast and we hugged the west coast of Calvert Island. We met again at Green Island Anchorage. This place is lovely and we have never been here before. It is fun to try new places.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Allison Harbour to Miles Inlet
4 hours 22.7 miles
OK, this is it, the worst day ever. We were up early and did our normal run around to make sure we are ready to go. We knew this would be a difficult day because we want to pass around Cape Caution. Although the charts say we will be traveling in Queen Charlotte Sound, we are really just in the Pacific Ocean. Have you ever stood on the rocks or beach on the California Coast and watched those beautiful waves crashing? They’re not so wondrous when they are crashing on your tiny little boat in the ocean. Actually our previous crossings of through this area have been unpleasant but nor horrifying. Things started out normally and everything was under control for about one hour. We put our scopolamine patches on early so we were ready to “rock-n-roll”. Merlin and I were resting down in our cabin while Fred was at the helm. It wasn’t too long until we were crashing through waves which lifted the boat up and then dropped it to the point where Fred could only see water outside. He figures the seas were about 3 meters in height. Merlin and I stayed put whiles everything fell around us, the second cabin, the galley and salon. I was actually seasick while lying down. When I got up I had to step around boxes, etc to get to the helm. Fred had very wisely turned around at Cape Caution to seek shelter from the chaos. The first safe haven we reached was Miles Inlet. We have never been here before but it looked protected and the water was flat calm. Fortunately we arrived at low tide so we could see all the rocks. There is a sailboat here already but that is OK. We pick our spot and Fred is trying to drop the anchor. About 10 feet of chain came out and then there was a sudden stop. No matter how hard Fred jumped on the chain it would not budge. Fred figured that this was the result of the chain resting in a pyramid and then getting knocked over in the rocking of the boat. This now created a huge knot. We have a “lunch Hook” of an anchor with ten feet of chain and then rope. Fred dropped that and we were secured while he went to deal with the chain locker. We had to strip the bed and place a waterproof tarp there so Fred could literally pull all of the chain out of the locker and untangle it. He was not too pleased because it took several times to accomplish this. Finally we were secured on a proper anchor for the night. Now we have to deal with the aftermath. The box of books on the upper bunk fell in the hall. The medicine cabinet in the head opened and there were medicines all over the sink and floor. The refrigerator had opened and most of the contents fell on the floor even though it had been locked. Fred was devastated that the Cool Whip may have damaged. Boxes fell over in the lazerette. The worst damage was on the fly bridge. Two of the davits for the dingy were pulled out of the deck. The dinghy engine was supported by the deck and rubbed pretty well on the fiberglass. It is amazing that all the parts were there. I even found the CHB teak signboard lying on the upper deck. The screws had come out and it fell there. I was amazed that we didn’t loose it. The only room not to suffer rearrangement was the engine room. Good thing, I guess. Slowly but surely we are getting put back together. At about 3:00 PM we heard our friends on Aventura call us. They are anchored at the same island, just around the bend in Skull Cove. Hopefully we can get out of here tomorrow but am afraid that Fred & Merlin would rather spend the summer right here. Hopefully a hot meal and a good night’s sleep will give them hope.
OK, this is it, the worst day ever. We were up early and did our normal run around to make sure we are ready to go. We knew this would be a difficult day because we want to pass around Cape Caution. Although the charts say we will be traveling in Queen Charlotte Sound, we are really just in the Pacific Ocean. Have you ever stood on the rocks or beach on the California Coast and watched those beautiful waves crashing? They’re not so wondrous when they are crashing on your tiny little boat in the ocean. Actually our previous crossings of through this area have been unpleasant but nor horrifying. Things started out normally and everything was under control for about one hour. We put our scopolamine patches on early so we were ready to “rock-n-roll”. Merlin and I were resting down in our cabin while Fred was at the helm. It wasn’t too long until we were crashing through waves which lifted the boat up and then dropped it to the point where Fred could only see water outside. He figures the seas were about 3 meters in height. Merlin and I stayed put whiles everything fell around us, the second cabin, the galley and salon. I was actually seasick while lying down. When I got up I had to step around boxes, etc to get to the helm. Fred had very wisely turned around at Cape Caution to seek shelter from the chaos. The first safe haven we reached was Miles Inlet. We have never been here before but it looked protected and the water was flat calm. Fortunately we arrived at low tide so we could see all the rocks. There is a sailboat here already but that is OK. We pick our spot and Fred is trying to drop the anchor. About 10 feet of chain came out and then there was a sudden stop. No matter how hard Fred jumped on the chain it would not budge. Fred figured that this was the result of the chain resting in a pyramid and then getting knocked over in the rocking of the boat. This now created a huge knot. We have a “lunch Hook” of an anchor with ten feet of chain and then rope. Fred dropped that and we were secured while he went to deal with the chain locker. We had to strip the bed and place a waterproof tarp there so Fred could literally pull all of the chain out of the locker and untangle it. He was not too pleased because it took several times to accomplish this. Finally we were secured on a proper anchor for the night. Now we have to deal with the aftermath. The box of books on the upper bunk fell in the hall. The medicine cabinet in the head opened and there were medicines all over the sink and floor. The refrigerator had opened and most of the contents fell on the floor even though it had been locked. Fred was devastated that the Cool Whip may have damaged. Boxes fell over in the lazerette. The worst damage was on the fly bridge. Two of the davits for the dingy were pulled out of the deck. The dinghy engine was supported by the deck and rubbed pretty well on the fiberglass. It is amazing that all the parts were there. I even found the CHB teak signboard lying on the upper deck. The screws had come out and it fell there. I was amazed that we didn’t loose it. The only room not to suffer rearrangement was the engine room. Good thing, I guess. Slowly but surely we are getting put back together. At about 3:00 PM we heard our friends on Aventura call us. They are anchored at the same island, just around the bend in Skull Cove. Hopefully we can get out of here tomorrow but am afraid that Fred & Merlin would rather spend the summer right here. Hopefully a hot meal and a good night’s sleep will give them hope.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Port McNeill to Allison Harbour
6 hours 38.5 miles
We had every intention of hitting the road (water) early. Due to some bad luck and planning on our part it didn’t quite work out as planned. Common wisdom says that when one is crossing a large body of water, the conditions will be more favorable in the early morning. Well, we didn’t pay our moorage yesterday so we have to do it this AM. I went to the dock office at 7:30 while Fred went to get us some lattes for the road. This also allowed Merlin some sniffing and peeing time ashore. Soooo, there is a sign on the dock office door saying they won’t be in until 10 AM today. I went to meet Fred at the coffee shop and it is closed tight (even though the sign says they should have been open 30 minutes ago). I headed back to the boat and waited for Fred. Bless his heart (and latte addiction) he went up to a restaurant in the mall (about 3 more blocks) to get us our coffee. We left the dock about 8:00 AM to head over to the fuel dock. I’m not just saying this; Fred did a spectacular job of getting us off the dock. We were wedged in in such a way that our escape would not have been possible with any wind at all. Fortunately we didn’t have to wait in line at the fuel dock. We took 227 gallons (we think it cost about $2.93 US / gal). While we were there I called the marina office and said we had to leave before they were open. No problem, ‘have VISA will travel’. We finally left Port McNeill about 9:00 AM. It is raining softly, there is no wind and the water is smooth as silk. We were going to stop in Blunden Harbour, but while Merlin and I were having a beauty nap, the skipper made a management decision and we went an additional 15 miles to Allison Harbour. The harbour is about one mile long and much protected from Queen Charlotte Straight. This will give us a head start when we go around Cape Caution tomorrow morning.
We had every intention of hitting the road (water) early. Due to some bad luck and planning on our part it didn’t quite work out as planned. Common wisdom says that when one is crossing a large body of water, the conditions will be more favorable in the early morning. Well, we didn’t pay our moorage yesterday so we have to do it this AM. I went to the dock office at 7:30 while Fred went to get us some lattes for the road. This also allowed Merlin some sniffing and peeing time ashore. Soooo, there is a sign on the dock office door saying they won’t be in until 10 AM today. I went to meet Fred at the coffee shop and it is closed tight (even though the sign says they should have been open 30 minutes ago). I headed back to the boat and waited for Fred. Bless his heart (and latte addiction) he went up to a restaurant in the mall (about 3 more blocks) to get us our coffee. We left the dock about 8:00 AM to head over to the fuel dock. I’m not just saying this; Fred did a spectacular job of getting us off the dock. We were wedged in in such a way that our escape would not have been possible with any wind at all. Fortunately we didn’t have to wait in line at the fuel dock. We took 227 gallons (we think it cost about $2.93 US / gal). While we were there I called the marina office and said we had to leave before they were open. No problem, ‘have VISA will travel’. We finally left Port McNeill about 9:00 AM. It is raining softly, there is no wind and the water is smooth as silk. We were going to stop in Blunden Harbour, but while Merlin and I were having a beauty nap, the skipper made a management decision and we went an additional 15 miles to Allison Harbour. The harbour is about one mile long and much protected from Queen Charlotte Straight. This will give us a head start when we go around Cape Caution tomorrow morning.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Joe Cove to Port McNeill
(Father’s Day) 3 hours 22.5 miles
When we left Joe Cove the sun was shining and the water was very calm. Well, as soon as we got out into Queen Charlotte Straight we started getting our butt kicked. I think we measured a high of 34 mph wind and 2-4 ft. seas. We were quite safe, just not comfortable. Arriving in Port McNeill is always nice. We are out of the worst of the weather and we are in a really charming little town.
When we left Joe Cove the sun was shining and the water was very calm. Well, as soon as we got out into Queen Charlotte Straight we started getting our butt kicked. I think we measured a high of 34 mph wind and 2-4 ft. seas. We were quite safe, just not comfortable. Arriving in Port McNeill is always nice. We are out of the worst of the weather and we are in a really charming little town.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
More Pictures
Since I haven't been provided with new blogs yet, but have been more pictures, that's what I'll share. Once I get more of the blog, it will be post-dated. -Heather
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Viner Sound
The sun is shining so we will stay another day. Fred placed the crab pot at our usual lucky spot. He went to go pick it up about 4:00 PM and we were surprised that we only caught two Keepers (large males). There were eight more babies and females. At least we will have a nice supper tonight. We went for a dinghy ride near low tide and sure enough saw our requisite black bear looking for food. Our day is complete.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Pierre’s Bay to Viner Sound
1 hour 3.7 miles
We always like coming to Viner Sound because it is right in the middle of the Broughton’s and these nice little marinas but feels like true wilderness here. The sound is narrow and deep and shoals out very quickly at the head. On previous visits we have always seen black bears and caught Dungeness crab. There were two buoys in the north bay and one had to anchor in the south bay. Now we see that there are two new buoys in the south bay and the one closest to the shore is free. It sure looks like it is too close to shore but we creep up on it and we moored there without any problem (unless you call Fred having to stand on the bow in the pouring rain to hook a line to the buoy a problem). It is really pouring rain so we will set the crab pot in the morning.
We always like coming to Viner Sound because it is right in the middle of the Broughton’s and these nice little marinas but feels like true wilderness here. The sound is narrow and deep and shoals out very quickly at the head. On previous visits we have always seen black bears and caught Dungeness crab. There were two buoys in the north bay and one had to anchor in the south bay. Now we see that there are two new buoys in the south bay and the one closest to the shore is free. It sure looks like it is too close to shore but we creep up on it and we moored there without any problem (unless you call Fred having to stand on the bow in the pouring rain to hook a line to the buoy a problem). It is really pouring rain so we will set the crab pot in the morning.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Glendale Cove to Duck Cove, Port Elizabeth
4 ¾ hours 33.5 miles
The sun is out and we are looking for bears. Still none on the beach we are near. I saw a deer out there which tells me that a grizzly is probably not near. We hopped into the dinghy to search the edges of the cove. What luck! There is a mom and cub turning over rocks around the corner from Aquila. We cut the engine and just watched in awe. This is partly why we are cruising like this, to see nature first hand. We have to pinch ourselves sometimes. As if it couldn’t get any better, our dolphins came back and were diving in front of and under the dinghy. Merlin was so funny, he didn’t bark just looked over the side as if to ask “where did they go?” At noon we have hauled anchor and heading back out Knight Inlet. There are whitecaps and winds up to 35 mph. Waves up to 4 feet. Worth it to leave Glendale Cove anchorage.
The sun is out and we are looking for bears. Still none on the beach we are near. I saw a deer out there which tells me that a grizzly is probably not near. We hopped into the dinghy to search the edges of the cove. What luck! There is a mom and cub turning over rocks around the corner from Aquila. We cut the engine and just watched in awe. This is partly why we are cruising like this, to see nature first hand. We have to pinch ourselves sometimes. As if it couldn’t get any better, our dolphins came back and were diving in front of and under the dinghy. Merlin was so funny, he didn’t bark just looked over the side as if to ask “where did they go?” At noon we have hauled anchor and heading back out Knight Inlet. There are whitecaps and winds up to 35 mph. Waves up to 4 feet. Worth it to leave Glendale Cove anchorage.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Lagoon Cove to Glendale Cove (Knight Inlet)
4 ½ hours 26 miles
We planned this 25 mile trip into Knight Inlet to see grizzly bears. There are no good anchorages and the one in Glendale Cove is marginal at best. Knight Inlet is quite wide and there is not much to see except snow-capped mountains in the distance. About a mile from the anchorage we were greeted by a group of dolphins. They were playing in our bow and stern wake. One has to smile just watching them. They seem so joyous and playful. Several of the dolphins are on their side looking up at me as I am leaning over the bow taking pictures of them. We anchored in the recommended spot in Glendale Cove. Much of the bay is foul due to old pilings & logs. We expected some rocking & rolling but this is ridiculous. We use our new flopper-stoppers at every anchorage and we thought they were helping, but… Both Fred & I had to put on Scopolamine patches to cope. Merlin is a basket case. Poor baby needed to be cuddled constantly (I know, not a big hardship). There are no bears in site when we got there. There had better be some tomorrow morning because we can’t take another night of this. The rollers off of Knight Inlet hit us a beam no matter what the tide is doing. The rollers stopped about 8:00 PM.
We planned this 25 mile trip into Knight Inlet to see grizzly bears. There are no good anchorages and the one in Glendale Cove is marginal at best. Knight Inlet is quite wide and there is not much to see except snow-capped mountains in the distance. About a mile from the anchorage we were greeted by a group of dolphins. They were playing in our bow and stern wake. One has to smile just watching them. They seem so joyous and playful. Several of the dolphins are on their side looking up at me as I am leaning over the bow taking pictures of them. We anchored in the recommended spot in Glendale Cove. Much of the bay is foul due to old pilings & logs. We expected some rocking & rolling but this is ridiculous. We use our new flopper-stoppers at every anchorage and we thought they were helping, but… Both Fred & I had to put on Scopolamine patches to cope. Merlin is a basket case. Poor baby needed to be cuddled constantly (I know, not a big hardship). There are no bears in site when we got there. There had better be some tomorrow morning because we can’t take another night of this. The rollers off of Knight Inlet hit us a beam no matter what the tide is doing. The rollers stopped about 8:00 PM.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Lagoon Cove
We always stay a second night here because it is so pleasant. Bill’s wife, Jeanne, has a beautiful garden. She also has a vegetable garden for their personal use. We put the dinghy in the water and took a nice boat ride this afternoon.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Port Neville to Lagoon Cove
3 ¼ hours 19 miles
By the time we were ready to leave at 9:00 AM on this overcast morning, we were alone here. We encountered about one foot chop in Johnstone Straight but it smoothed right out when we turned into Havannah Channel. Chatham Channel is a narrow passage which shoals rapidly on either side. One must follow range markers to stay in the deep water. Since we have been here before it is not too anxiety producing and we know where to look for the markers. We have one more narrow passage on our way to Lagoon cove, Hole in the Wall. Just as we were entering this channel we were passed by a Tolly (causing significant wake). He was on his way to Lagoon Cove too. He was sure in a big hurry to get to the dock before us. Fred had his righteous indignation all worked up when the skipper of the Tolly came over and apologized. Lagoon Cove is one of our favorite stops in the Broughton Archipelago. The owner, Bill Barber, is a sweetheart and an awesome storyteller at happy hour. The docks are very nice, have a shower, gift shop and mini chandlery here. We replaced our crab trap and we are looking forward to fresh crab soon. Up on shore is a nice trail to the other side of the island. We can’t take Merlin very far because they have bears and at least one wolf on the island. Merlin was able to wander around near Bill’s house to get a bit of exercise. We met up on the deck for happy hour at 5:00 PM. Bill always provides a huge bowl of prawns just caught this morning. By adding the other appetizers to the prawns we call this dinner, not just happy hour.
By the time we were ready to leave at 9:00 AM on this overcast morning, we were alone here. We encountered about one foot chop in Johnstone Straight but it smoothed right out when we turned into Havannah Channel. Chatham Channel is a narrow passage which shoals rapidly on either side. One must follow range markers to stay in the deep water. Since we have been here before it is not too anxiety producing and we know where to look for the markers. We have one more narrow passage on our way to Lagoon cove, Hole in the Wall. Just as we were entering this channel we were passed by a Tolly (causing significant wake). He was on his way to Lagoon Cove too. He was sure in a big hurry to get to the dock before us. Fred had his righteous indignation all worked up when the skipper of the Tolly came over and apologized. Lagoon Cove is one of our favorite stops in the Broughton Archipelago. The owner, Bill Barber, is a sweetheart and an awesome storyteller at happy hour. The docks are very nice, have a shower, gift shop and mini chandlery here. We replaced our crab trap and we are looking forward to fresh crab soon. Up on shore is a nice trail to the other side of the island. We can’t take Merlin very far because they have bears and at least one wolf on the island. Merlin was able to wander around near Bill’s house to get a bit of exercise. We met up on the deck for happy hour at 5:00 PM. Bill always provides a huge bowl of prawns just caught this morning. By adding the other appetizers to the prawns we call this dinner, not just happy hour.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Octopus Islands to Port Neville
45 miles 5¼ hours
We had to be up at the ungodly hour of 5:00 AM in order to pass the Okisollo rapids at slack tide. It is another beautiful sunny day and all is calm until we enter Johnstone Straight. This was not unexpected. The straight is a large body of water and when the prevailing winds are from the North-West and the current is traveling West to East it makes for rough water. About an hour out of our destination, the Coast Guard came on the radio to announce that there was a gale warning in effect in Johnstone Straight. Oh well, here we are… I think it was only about 2’ chop. When we pulled into Port Neville there was no one on the dock. Good for us, we get our choice of about 4 locations. Because of the winds up to 30 mph we thought the dock would be more secure than anchoring out. I stepped off the boat and tried to attach the stern line to keep the boat from continuing forward and hitting some pilings. Fred had to jump off the boat and help me. Right here the current and the winds were heading one direction…forward. All ended well. Merlin & I traveled most of the way on the sofa asleep. Fred got his nap after we arrived. While Fred was sleeping, I made us some chocolate chip cookies. About 2:00 PM we all went for a walk up by the old store (closed) and a house/post office. No one is in but we know it is OK to walk on the property and go down onto the beach. There is a sign up saying to watch out for the bears and the cougar. Initially we didn’t have Merlin on a leash because we appeared to be alone and we expected Merlin to come when called. What we were surprised by was a deer. It not only seemed somewhat domesticated, it wanted to play with Merlin. This was cute until the deer seemed started by Merlin and it was obvious that the deer could hurt Merlin. I carried him all the way back to the boat but the darn thing kept following us. I found a big stick and gave it to Fred in case the deer needed some persuading. No, no one was injured but we sure had a fright. By dinner time the dock was full and there were four sailboats at anchor in the bay. One of the boats on dock was a 25 foot Ranger Tug. It isn’t nautical, but they are so cute. Fred & I looked at one in Alameda for fun. They come fully equipped with everything from electronics to bow thruster (and they are towable).
We had to be up at the ungodly hour of 5:00 AM in order to pass the Okisollo rapids at slack tide. It is another beautiful sunny day and all is calm until we enter Johnstone Straight. This was not unexpected. The straight is a large body of water and when the prevailing winds are from the North-West and the current is traveling West to East it makes for rough water. About an hour out of our destination, the Coast Guard came on the radio to announce that there was a gale warning in effect in Johnstone Straight. Oh well, here we are… I think it was only about 2’ chop. When we pulled into Port Neville there was no one on the dock. Good for us, we get our choice of about 4 locations. Because of the winds up to 30 mph we thought the dock would be more secure than anchoring out. I stepped off the boat and tried to attach the stern line to keep the boat from continuing forward and hitting some pilings. Fred had to jump off the boat and help me. Right here the current and the winds were heading one direction…forward. All ended well. Merlin & I traveled most of the way on the sofa asleep. Fred got his nap after we arrived. While Fred was sleeping, I made us some chocolate chip cookies. About 2:00 PM we all went for a walk up by the old store (closed) and a house/post office. No one is in but we know it is OK to walk on the property and go down onto the beach. There is a sign up saying to watch out for the bears and the cougar. Initially we didn’t have Merlin on a leash because we appeared to be alone and we expected Merlin to come when called. What we were surprised by was a deer. It not only seemed somewhat domesticated, it wanted to play with Merlin. This was cute until the deer seemed started by Merlin and it was obvious that the deer could hurt Merlin. I carried him all the way back to the boat but the darn thing kept following us. I found a big stick and gave it to Fred in case the deer needed some persuading. No, no one was injured but we sure had a fright. By dinner time the dock was full and there were four sailboats at anchor in the bay. One of the boats on dock was a 25 foot Ranger Tug. It isn’t nautical, but they are so cute. Fred & I looked at one in Alameda for fun. They come fully equipped with everything from electronics to bow thruster (and they are towable).
Monday, June 8, 2009
Squirrel Cove to Octopus Islands
We have been looking forward to this stop. The anchorage is surrounding by a number of smaller islets and rocks which only appear at low tide. It makes for wonderful kayaking. We saw some raccoons scavenging on the rocks during the day. We thought they only came out at night. A couple from another boat came over in their dinghy to ask us if we had seen the Driftwood Museum. We had no idea it was there, so we went looking for it. Apparently someone started this in an old cabin. There was some very creative work there.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Squirrel Cove (dock)
We had planned to leave this morning but Fred got caught up in trying to fix the water maker. It costs $25/day to stay on the dock (with 30 amp power). The time got away from us so we will leave tomorrow. We tried to XXXXX but the bicycle pump we have will not generate enough pressure. Fred went up to the store to see if they had a better pump. The lady at the cash register said top wait a minute, she had one in the car we could borrow. We did and it worked great. Merlin got more beach roaming time. Wow, when the tide comes in the beach is gone.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Isabel Bay to Squirrel Cove
10 miles 1 ½ hours
Undoing a stern tie is easy. You just cut loose one end and roll it up from the other. You have no idea what kind of flora and fauna get attached to the line. This stuff has to be removed before it gets wound onto the reel. We keep the line on a reel meant for garden hose. The day starts out overcast with a temperature of 60. We started the water maker to top off the tank. Normally it only takes 10 minutes for the system to be producing clear drinking water. For some reason we were not able to get acceptable water from the system today even though it seemed to be working fine. Another crisis?? Fred placed all new filters in the system last month. We were going to anchor out in Squirrel Cove but I thought we could tie up at the dock and get laundry done and fill the water tanks. Well, there is power on the dock but no water. Fred is going to have to work on the water system now. The fun never stops… They have a lovely gift shop, a grocery store and a restaurant here. Fred took me out to dinner tonight. The sun came out around 1 PM and the temps are in the 70’s. We had a table on the deck looking out at the cove. Fred’s prawns were excellent but my steak was half gristle. We commented on this to the server and the chef took my dinner off of the bill. Maybe we will return.
Undoing a stern tie is easy. You just cut loose one end and roll it up from the other. You have no idea what kind of flora and fauna get attached to the line. This stuff has to be removed before it gets wound onto the reel. We keep the line on a reel meant for garden hose. The day starts out overcast with a temperature of 60. We started the water maker to top off the tank. Normally it only takes 10 minutes for the system to be producing clear drinking water. For some reason we were not able to get acceptable water from the system today even though it seemed to be working fine. Another crisis?? Fred placed all new filters in the system last month. We were going to anchor out in Squirrel Cove but I thought we could tie up at the dock and get laundry done and fill the water tanks. Well, there is power on the dock but no water. Fred is going to have to work on the water system now. The fun never stops… They have a lovely gift shop, a grocery store and a restaurant here. Fred took me out to dinner tonight. The sun came out around 1 PM and the temps are in the 70’s. We had a table on the deck looking out at the cove. Fred’s prawns were excellent but my steak was half gristle. We commented on this to the server and the chef took my dinner off of the bill. Maybe we will return.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Grace Harbour to Isabel Bay, Lancelot Inlet
3.6 miles 1 hour
Fred is not a happy camper. Not only was there no crab to be had, Fred lost the whole lot, float, line and pot. He looked high and low and the pot was gone. We left Grace Harbour and headed down Malaspina Inlet to Isobel Bay. To call this a bay is an exaggeration. It is a rocky inlet that will hold only one boat, and that boat is us. After anchoring it became clear that we should stern tie to make sure we stay off of the rocky shore. In concept stern tying is simple. After the anchor is down, someone in a dinghy needs to run a line from one side of the boat, up around a tree on shore and back to the boat. Therefore the boat is secured at bow and stern. Sounds simple doesn’t it? The poor someone (Fred) had to drive the dinghy, climb a rocky ledge and run the line around it and back to the boat. Then he has to get the line back to the boat and secured. As he was pulling on the line the dinghy swung around and crossed over the line he was pulling. Now he can’t start the engine because he might fowl the prop. So he uses a boat hook to try and get the line out from under the boat. Not working so well, so far. Instead of using the engine and driving the dinghy back he is holding on to one end of the line and pulling hand over hand on the other. I really had to keep from laughing since Fred is working so hard. We have 600 feet of line on the reel and we almost needed 601 feet. The end result was great. We were securely anchored in a beautiful spot all to ourselves. After lunch we took the dinghy over to the adjacent island. It was a great spot for Merlin to run around and we got a little more exercise. Merlin thought he was really hot stuff. He was running over the rocky area and got a little close to the water line. It seemed like slow motion as he slid off the rock into the water. He started paddling away and was back on the shore before Fred or I could get to him. He was pissed! He was shaking and rubbing his head in the grassy area and running round pretty good. When we got back to Aquila he got dumped right in the shower. Getting him clean was the easy part. His fur was full off little stickers. I had to pull them our one-by-one. He tolerated this way better than I was expecting. As soon as the shower was over he wanted to head to the couch. I headed him off and got him out onto the foredeck. It is a beautiful sunny day and he can get brushed and dried off out there.
Fred is not a happy camper. Not only was there no crab to be had, Fred lost the whole lot, float, line and pot. He looked high and low and the pot was gone. We left Grace Harbour and headed down Malaspina Inlet to Isobel Bay. To call this a bay is an exaggeration. It is a rocky inlet that will hold only one boat, and that boat is us. After anchoring it became clear that we should stern tie to make sure we stay off of the rocky shore. In concept stern tying is simple. After the anchor is down, someone in a dinghy needs to run a line from one side of the boat, up around a tree on shore and back to the boat. Therefore the boat is secured at bow and stern. Sounds simple doesn’t it? The poor someone (Fred) had to drive the dinghy, climb a rocky ledge and run the line around it and back to the boat. Then he has to get the line back to the boat and secured. As he was pulling on the line the dinghy swung around and crossed over the line he was pulling. Now he can’t start the engine because he might fowl the prop. So he uses a boat hook to try and get the line out from under the boat. Not working so well, so far. Instead of using the engine and driving the dinghy back he is holding on to one end of the line and pulling hand over hand on the other. I really had to keep from laughing since Fred is working so hard. We have 600 feet of line on the reel and we almost needed 601 feet. The end result was great. We were securely anchored in a beautiful spot all to ourselves. After lunch we took the dinghy over to the adjacent island. It was a great spot for Merlin to run around and we got a little more exercise. Merlin thought he was really hot stuff. He was running over the rocky area and got a little close to the water line. It seemed like slow motion as he slid off the rock into the water. He started paddling away and was back on the shore before Fred or I could get to him. He was pissed! He was shaking and rubbing his head in the grassy area and running round pretty good. When we got back to Aquila he got dumped right in the shower. Getting him clean was the easy part. His fur was full off little stickers. I had to pull them our one-by-one. He tolerated this way better than I was expecting. As soon as the shower was over he wanted to head to the couch. I headed him off and got him out onto the foredeck. It is a beautiful sunny day and he can get brushed and dried off out there.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Grace Harbour
We stayed here in Grace Harbour and planned to hike or kayak today. Well, as the temperature kept climbing our energy kept decreasing. Fred certainly tolerates (loves) higher temperatures. Lying around and reading seems to be the best bet. After we seemed to have solved the engine problem, Fred started craving fresh crab on the menu. He placed the pot near the entrance of Grace Harbour and we’ll pick up our pot of crabs in the morning.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Pender Harbour to Grace Harbour, Desolation Sound
51 miles 7 hours
We walked into town to the Java Dock before leaving the marina. Fred told Ian (the harbormaster) that if he saw us again today it was because the boat was for sale. Well, the port engine started right up and kept running all day. We traveled up Malaspina Channel to Desolation Sound. It is hot and there is not a cloud in the sky. We are starting to get closer to those snow capped mountains. The water is gently rippled and there is a small breeze. We don’t think it gets better than this. As we head into Desolation Sound and turn into Malaspina Inlet we are now into one of Canada’s marine parks. Merlin has been a big boy today and didn’t need to be cuddled while we were under way. There is a small sailboat in Grace Harbour but the bay is large enough for several boats. We open the windows and doors to enjoy the quiet beauty. At about 6:00 PM we see Raven come into the harbour and anchor in a little corner.
We walked into town to the Java Dock before leaving the marina. Fred told Ian (the harbormaster) that if he saw us again today it was because the boat was for sale. Well, the port engine started right up and kept running all day. We traveled up Malaspina Channel to Desolation Sound. It is hot and there is not a cloud in the sky. We are starting to get closer to those snow capped mountains. The water is gently rippled and there is a small breeze. We don’t think it gets better than this. As we head into Desolation Sound and turn into Malaspina Inlet we are now into one of Canada’s marine parks. Merlin has been a big boy today and didn’t need to be cuddled while we were under way. There is a small sailboat in Grace Harbour but the bay is large enough for several boats. We open the windows and doors to enjoy the quiet beauty. At about 6:00 PM we see Raven come into the harbour and anchor in a little corner.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Pender Harbour
We have the anchor up and are heading out of Gerrans Bay at 8:00 AM. The port engine lasted 20 minutes before it died. We still hadn’t exited Pender Harbour. We moved into the middle of the bay and we turned off the starboard engine while Fred bled lines, etc. on the port engine. Suffice it to say the port engine died two more times. We finally called “uncle” and I looked up which marina here had mechanics. I called Madeira Marina and they had an end slip that Fred was easily able to get to with one engine. The Harbour Master, Ian, was most helpful and made some calls for us to mechanics before we were even able to get up to the office and sign in. We took the cell phone with us for return calls from any mechanics and headed back up to the Java Dock. Would you believe that the mechanic who returned the call was Hugh, whom we met yesterday? We finished our coffee and headed back to the boat. Hugh and Kandy showed up almost immediately. Fred, Hugh (all 6’5” of him) and Kandy were in the engine room. It was cute the way Kandy looked after Hugh, even though he didn’t really need it. Hugh was convinced that the fuel lift pump needed to be replaced. Fred had a spare aboard. I laugh at the spare parts we carry but thank goodness for them. After Fred replaced the port side fuel lift pump the port engine started right up and ran for 20 minutes. Hmmm… Could our problem be fixed? Hugh came by to pick up the old lift pump and took back to his shop to rebuild it. Fred was so mentally exhausted he took a nap and I baked a loaf of bread and chocolate-chip cookies. My poor captain deserved it. We took a walk in the late afternoon to let Merlin enjoy terra firma as much as possible. The marina is pretty small and quiet so we had Merlin off the leash for awhile. It is so cute to see him running flat out with his ears flapping behind his head. As we were heading back to the boat we passed a sailboat, Raven. Suddenly there is this medium sized black dog that comes jumping off the boat and on to the dock to play with Merlin. It was really cute to see, even if the dogs were more interested in running and playing than in answering our calls. The owners of this sweet black dog came out to collect him. He is a lab mix named Promethius. Is that a great name or what?
Monday, June 1, 2009
Pender Harbour
When we were up and awake we took the dinghy into “town” via Madeira Marina. Pender Harbour is not huge by San Francisco standards but it is quite large with many islands (privately owned) and little bays here and there. It is a wonderful shelter and has access to the best shopping we are going to get for the next few weeks. Since this area is accessible by automobile there is no shortage of supplies. We headed for the JavaDock for an excellent latte and muffin. We sat in the patio so Merlin could mingle and meet some very interesting folks. Hugh & Kandy were at the next table and talking about Merlin led to other things. Kandy is a retired psych nurse and Hugh seems to have been there done that all over the world. He was with American troops in the Middle East in the 60’s. We had a nice walk after our snack and stopped by the market for some produce. Fred took us on a bit of a tour before getting back to Aquila. There are several time-share condos going up here with nice private marinas. They seem to be aiming for Americans. The one called The Painted Boat is complete and lovely. It even has a restaurant on-site. In the afternoon Fred continued general maintenance in the engine room and I did likewise in the salon, etc.
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