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.