August 23rd Halkett Bay to Ron Francis Marina

August 23rd  Halkett Bay to Ron Francis Marina

departed 5:40  High smoke  62 degrees

We put down the poles and fish anticipating strong easterly winds. They helped tremendously to lessen our rolling with the waves.

Unfortunately, the crab were not interested in our gourmet snack last night. Six crab made it into our traps and only one was a keeper. We showed him mercy and released him. It's the end of the summer, and we figured this usually abundant bay was pretty much crabbed out. Couldn't help but be disappointed. Would have enjoyed returning as successful hunters and gatherers to impress our friends. Can't complain, though. The crab were good to us throughout our trip.

Passed by English Bay and Vancouver but could not see a thing through the thick smoke.

It ended up being quite breezy with winds up to 20mph.  We entered the river at 8:00 am following a tug and barge.  Our boat was running slowly at 4.6  knots while we pushed against the ebb. Several speed boats passed way too closely leaving us rock in their wake. We had to blow our horn at one small "speedster" which was heading right for us at a high speed. They have much more  maneuverability then we do and can more easily turn and dodge. That driver must have been distracted because he didn't make a move until the very last minute. Yikes!

Dave had to act quickly when a tug pulled out of a dock towing a barge within a quarter mile of our boat. He had to put the Belle in reverse. Way more excitement then needed.

The bridge was not operating so we had to circle the island in shallow depths. We cruised into our new spot on the dock at 12:30. We are no longer in the tight corner which was so difficult to exit on the day we departed in May. We are so grateful.

We were greeted by Ron and Lynne who congratulated us on  completing our quest. Ron remarked to Dave, "Figured you would be hard to live with now. You probably think you're some kind of Christopher Columbus!"

Millions have made the same journey, but for us it had been a test of our resilience and resolve.  It was also the fulfillment of a dream, and along the way I found myself growing even more in love with my husband.  Oh, Captain, my Captain...thank you for keeping us safe and staying so positive even when there was a bit of whining in your ear.

                             Celebrating Ron's 90th birthday two days after we returned.




STATS

110          days away from home

97             days of boating

65             destinations

49              anchorages

14              docks/marinas

 2,467        nautical miles

3.1             average gallons per hour

2.0            average miles per gallon

36.2          average miles per sailing day

  6             average hours sailed each sailing day

385           sailing days

   6kts       average speed

1,431       total fuel usage (gallons)

August 22nd Pender Harbour to Halkett Bay

 
August 22nd  Pender Harbour to Halkett Bay

departure 6:00 am  59 degrees   smokey skies

After a relaxing evening of just bobbing in the bay, we both had a much needed good night's sleep. Having to awake at 5:30 was less painful because of it.

                                                                 Smoke Screen


Before we left on this wondrous trip, our children gave us DVD series. We have managed to view all of the "Blue Blood" and "Deadwood" box sets. They came in handy when, after a long tiring day of boating, we could just tune in and tune out.  We still have "Justified" to finish.

                  We put "pedal to the metal" to pass in front of these two tugs and their log rafts.


Today is Ada's first day in Kindergarten. We talked to her last night on FaceTime. Her mom said she was feeling a bit nervous about starting school. Hopefully, our pep talk helped calm the butterflies.

Georgia Strait was kind to us the last two days. Enjoyed and appreciated the calmness especially with the poor visibility caused by the smoke.

                                                     BC Ferries frequent the strait


It was 72 degrees when we arrived at noon in Halkett Bay.  The water temperature was 70 degrees and some people on the many boats joining us there were enjoying a swim.

All the bait we had in our freezer was added to our crab traps and off we went to deliver lunch to the local crab population. While out there a boat came by to retrieve their traps and reported to us that they had no keepers. We still had high hopes for a catch. Wouldn't it be great to celebrate the end of our trip with fresh crab!

August 21st Squirrel Cove to Garden Bay

August 21^st Squirrel Cove to Garden Bay in Pender Harbour

Departed 5:30 am (ugh)  plenty smokey

Trying to catch the tides in the right direction, we left quite early this morning. It was a good decision. The Belle reached a speed of 8 knots. The smoke was thick and the morning sun was a big spectacular orange pumpkin in the sky. Its reflection was a bright red stripe in the water. My photos do not do justice to its beauty. I found myself staring at it without discomfort because of the smoke screen. It was mesmerizing. David cautioned me not to stare so long.

We pressed through heavy fog all morning for 7 hours arriving in Garden Bay at 12:30. During our cruise there was a radio call regarding a dinghy in a bay off Vancouver Island whose engine was running with the boat spinning in the water.  Victoria radio officer kept asking if there was anyone in the water. He was urging near-by boaters to search.

Pam texted us and said that they woke up to sunshine in Squirrel Cove. David texted back describing our gloomy boating conditions.

Been listening to CNN and NPR radio most of the day. The drama over the Cohen pleas and the Manifort verdict kept us in suspense (as well as the entire world) until early evening. Not a good day for President Trump.

August 20th Squirrel Cove

                                                                     Anita's dog, Wyser

 August 20^th  Squirrel Cove

Anita had left her phone on our boat last night so Dave and I took the dinghy over to her home this morning to return it.  Her trusty dog, Wyser, barked continually at us as we approached the house. After gaining his trust,  we were allowed to pass, and he was our friend from then on. We enjoyed a cup of coffee and made arrangements to bring our boat over to her dock later on that day in order to take on some of her sweet well water.

It was so smokey in the bay that my eyes were irritated, and I got an annoying headache. The smoke is worse than yesterday. Pam and Dennis are only on their third day of a three week cruise. Sure hope they find some clear skies somewhere along the way.

                                                             Smokey Cove

When we hauled our anchor out to head over to Anita’s, Pam yelled from her boat, “Oh, is that how you do your laundry now?” I had no idea what she was talking about until I looked over the bow and saw a dirty stinky wet t-shirt dangling from our anchor. You just never know what that anchor might  bring up to surprise you!

In the afternoon, we went off fishing with Pam and Dennis on their Silver Streak boat. I was the “winner” with three catches…2 quillback and one small rock fish which all were released. Also brought up a disgusting plastic bag. Dennis brought up a small rock fish and that was it. Not much luck but great fun. I sure hope David and I can continue fishing once home. I am hooked.

Anita invited us all to her home for wine and cheese and then we made our way down to her dock for barbecued salmon courtesy of Pam and Dennis.  We certainly didn’t let the smoke or the mosquitoes interfere with our good time.

The most enjoyable times of our trip have involved friends and family. Connecting with so many along the way and sharing our adventure with them has been the highlight of this Alaskan adventure. They have all helped to shape our fondest memories.

August 19th Rebecca Spit to Squirrel Cove

                                                              Smokey skies

August 19^th  Rebecca Spit to Squirrel Cove

We were both sitting in the wheelhouse with no real rush to get going. I was journaling and glanced at David who was a bit antsy. Even after nearly 100 days of boating, David is still like the little boy waiting for the final school bell to ring to signal the start of summer vacation. He is still an eager skipper.

The anchor brought up with it a massive saltwater salad. Had to really work at untangling the kelp from it. The sun was a ball of orange masked by a screen of smoke. We have traded fog for smoke these days. It moved into the harbor yesterday and has lingered. Only looks worse in the direction we are heading.

Our trip to Squirrel Cove took only 3 ½ hours but we encountered a lot of boat traffic especially those small speedy fishing boats. We found an anchor spot perfect for two rafted boats as we await our friends on the Ocean Cape. The smoke followed us.

Our friends, Pam and Dennis, arrived around 3:00 that afternoon and rafted up to us. David had prepared a rib roast and lasagna for dinner and our friend, Anita, who is a Squirrel Cove resident, returned from a family wedding in time to join us. Pam grilled up some asparagus and made a magnificent green salad…what a treat to have fresh vegetables!!!

Sitting up on the Ocean Cape boat deck for hours, we chatted and laughed while enjoying fine wine, a delicious roast and lasagne, and lively conversation. The evening was topped off with David’s tasty pumpkin pie and whipped cream. It was great to be with friends.

Aug 18th Gorge Harbour back to Rebecca Spit

                                  The red dots on the blue water represent all the boats anchored with us.

August 18^th  Gorge Harbour back to Rebecca Spit

David and I watched a neighbor haul their dinghy back up on their deck with their fancy retractable winch. We were boasting that are methods for the same task were like a “well oiled machine”.  We got up and decided to show everyone how it is done.

Once the dinghy was raised high above the water, I handed off the dinghy line to David, brought up the fenders and then headed up the ladder to the boat deck to help him land the dinghy. Our routine is like a well-rehearsed dance, partners supporting each other with grace and confidence. Right. As I climbed the ladder, I found the trap door closed and after I folded and clipped it in place, it loosened and rudely struck me on the top of my head. That was the first debacle. The second was the gangway cover secured with Velcro and snaps. I fumbled with the fabric trying to escape. Meanwhile, David landed the dinghy all on his own. We could not control our laughter. Yep, a well-oiled machine…that’s us!

                                                                                 

During my time at the helm today, I had to slow down after spotting a whale surfacing just a few hundred feet from our bow.  That got David’s attention and he quickly reappeared from the engine room. David agreed it was a good move.

                                                                Uganda Pass

We returned to Rebecca Spit to attend a dinner show. The performing storyteller, Grant Lawrence, is a Canadian author and CBC radio personality. He shared excerpts from two of his three award winning books. One story had to do with the BC Ferry system and brought hysterical laughter from the audience. A childhood memory of his family attending a potluck in Desolation Sound which turned out to be a gathering of nudists was charming and more than a little amusing. Grant was joined by three musician friends who provided stories in song. A good time was had by all.

Our evening was shared with our table mates who were local residents. Dennis left the U.S. as a young man. He shared that he had become disgruntled with the politics in the U.S. at the time he left and now has a duel citizenship. His wife, Meghan, was a retired Canadian teacher.  The four of us all live in rural areas which are tourist destinations, and we had a long discussion on the pros and cons of the tourist invasions. Dennis and Meghan are snowbirds who spend their winters in Palm Desert.

We had to drive our dinghy back to our boat in the dark after the show. Getting myself into the boat was pure comedy. Somewhat tipsy, I had to step off a wobbly dock and into the boat. That was only going to turn out badly.  Instead, I chose to aim my bottom for the bow of the boat and when planted, swing my legs awkwardly into the boat giggling uncontrollably. Not graceful but effective.

We cruised across the darkened harbor while I held two flashlights over the bow. How David found our boat amongst all those other vessels when all I could see were anchor lights, I just don’t know, but he zipped right alongside the Belle.

Did find some boat names worth sharing:  Natural High,  Peer Pressure, 50 Cubits, Never Home, Any Excuse

August 17th Rebecca Spit to Gorge Harbour

August 17^th  Jessica’s birthday   Rebecca Spit to Gorge Harbour

Departed 9:00  63 degrees  sunny

It was a short hour and a half jaunt to Gorge Harbour today. David revved up the engine to 1300 rpms but he didn’t like the engine vibration he was hearing. At 1100 rpms, it cruises smoothly.

It was a tight rocky course through Uganda Passage before entering the secluded Gorge Harbour. We found a good holding spot and lowered the dinghy for our “look-see”.  The harbor, like Rebecca Spit, is filled with pleasure boats of all sizes. Not many looked like us. The Yellow Fin which we have seen moored on the Fraser River was docked at Taku Marina. It’s a beauty, and we were told it costs $85,000 a week to charter the entire boat.  The Far Niente from San Francisco has a crew of 7 and 10 staterooms for a mere $130,000 a week. 

                                                                The Yellow Fin

The Gorge Harbour Lodge was surrounded by beautiful landscaping connecting the cabins, pool and restaurant. When we returned that evening to take in some live music on the deck, families were sitting out on the lawn with children chasing each other all over the complex. The band entertained everyone with Irish jigs, Scottish waltzes and even a polka. To us it seemed like the perfect family vacation destination.

                                               The Belle from the restaurant window

While sitting in the wheelhouse, we heard a radio call to the Coast Guard from the boat to our starboard stating that there was a boat in Gorge Harbour dragging its anchor and drifting. The owners of the reporting boat had put out their fenders on their starboard side for collision protection.  A small older sailboat eventually drifted into our sight, but in a short time, it looked as if the anchor had finally grabbed hold of something.  The owner did return and made sure all was well.

There was another radio call from a boat which had gone aground and had a line wrapped around its propeller. Victoria Traffic put out the location and several boats in the area went to their aide. One boater reported that all passengers were on land and safe and that he would stay until the Coast Guard arrived. We are always impressed by the willingness of fellow boaters to step up and help those in need.

Winds reached 27 mph in the late afternoon. The Belle was really swinging.

August 15th and 16th Shoal Bay with Rebecca Spit

August 15^th Shoal Bay to Rebecca Spit

6:00 am  59 degrees high fog

It got breezy last night and David spent the early evening sitting in the wheelhouse listening to the anchor and watching our swing. He decided to let out some additional rode and finally felt more at ease. David was able to get some sleep.

Around 11:00 a small fishing boat cruised in and his powerful searchlights lit up the entire bay. That did wake us up.  Another wakeup call came at 4:00 am when he departed. With the searchlights on our boat, I expected to hear a voice through a megaphone, “This is the FBI. Come out with your hands up.”

Lots of traffic through the rapids today. Everyone working the timing just right. Passed a fleet of small charter fishing boats all along one shore. Must be a hot fishing spot. Wish we could have 

stopped. David remarked that the rapids were exciting enough this morning that if it had been our first time through, it would have been a whole different experience! He knew what to expect, it delivered, and he was ready. Makes all the difference.

We entered “unchartered territory” for us…Drew Passage. As we did, the smoke started to roll in. Throughout that passage and Sutil Channel, we spotted several whales. It never gets old. Always exciting.

We anchored in Rebecca Spit a little after noon just across from Taku Resort. This is a very popular destination with many boats anchored and docked at the resorts. The Marine Park draws campers and day trippers. The spit is a narrow long strip of land which creates a natural breakwater. We are facing the sandy beach and can see the campgrounds and cars traveling down the road on this skinny stretch of land. It was 78 degrees when we arrived and by 2:00 it was 90 degrees.

Our dinghy was down in no time and we went exploring. Ended up at the Heriot Harbour Inn pub for a beer and then walked to the store for groceries trying not to buy more than we could carry back to the boat. We noticed a schedule of artists performing at the inn and put our names on a waiting list for a storytelling and music performance on the 19^th. If we get tickets, we will make it work.

                                                                Heriot Harbour Inn

                                                                  Giant chess board

Our friends, Geoff and Donna, were to meet us in Campbell River on the 19^th. They have been anxious to escape the smoke-filled skies in Medford, Oregon. When I texted that we were seeing smoke, as well, Geoff checked the air quality in Vancouver. Surprisingly, it was worse than in Medford. They questioned the sense in spending all that money just to see more smoke. Reluctantly, they made the difficult decision not to join us. Disappointment all around, but we certainly understood. Just hope they find a smoke-free alternative! We look in the direction we are headed and can see lots of smoke in our future.

August 16^th Rebecca Spit

Our itinerary has a bit of wiggle room now that we are not going to Campbell River. Staying here another day did not take much consideration. We are enjoying ourselves. This morning we headed out to do some fishing. Right off the bat, I snagged a very young sand shark. Minutes later, I pulled up a larger shark whose fin was hooked. It was whipping about as David tried to release him. I was afraid he was going to flop into our boat and start chomping on something!

The next tug I got was a strong one. I was working hard to reel in the line. I turned to David and said, “This feels like jaws to me!”  Instead I had managed to tangle my lure in a bed of kelp and my hook brought up a slimy green mass. We figured we were in shark country so motored on into the harbor and tried our luck there. I was holding David’s pole when I got a hit. He finished reeling it in and on the end was an even bigger shark. We gave up. Figured we would try fishing off our boat. Where are all the halibut and salmon, eh?

David is taking advantage of the nice weather and is scrapping window frames and sanding. The guy knows how to have fun.

Crowds of adults and children were enjoying kayaking, sunbathing, swimming, paddle boarding, and fishing while soaking up the sunshine.

August 14th Sydney Bay to Shoal Bay

August 14^th    Sydney Bay to Shoal Bay

67 degrees     smokey

After a morning visit on the Belle from our dinner companions, we shoved off at 11:00 and headed for Green Point Rapids.  Our guests were most complimentary about the Belle which made us feel quite proud of her.

Whirlpools greeted us leading into the rapids. The sailboat in front of us was towing its dinghy and that small boat was being pushed from port to starboard. We were to hit a certain point on an island halfway through the rapids at 12:44 for the best crossing. We reached it at 12:42…BAZINGA!

The rapids proved nothing compared to the powerful wake created by a large yacht speeding past us. The Belle and its shaken  contents definitely felt its presence. 

It took two attempts to get a good hold in Shoal Bay. There is quite a shelf in the bay. We were experiencing depths at 90 feet dropping quickly to 30 feet. It had warmed up to 76 degrees and there were traces of smoke circling the mountains outside the bay. The Belle was bathed in glorious sunshine.

Heard there was a pub on shore so it took no time at all to drop the dinghy and head for the dock. It was a pleasant stroll on the pier to the green grass and flowers surrounding the pub, cabins and main house. There is an extensive vegetable garden, and you are welcome to purchase anything that appeals to you.

                                                               

                                                            The pub porch

We sat out on the front deck of the pub which was actually a house. You order your drinks at the kitchen counter. The “living room” was an art gallery with pottery, photographs, books and t-shirts.  While on the deck, we were joined by five Canadians including our bartender.  They shared local knowledge of several areas in Northwest BC and told plenty of “fish tales”. We were warned that as we make our way south, there will be even more smoke. Our friends, Geoff and Donna, are meeting us in Campbell River. They texted us saying that they were so anxious to escape the smoke in Medford, Oregon. I fear they will find no relief.

                                                                   Garden Gate

I had only one pint of beer and was looped. Forgot how much more potent beer is in Canada.

August 13th Douglas Bay to Sydney Bay

                                                                Smokey skies

August 13^th  Douglas Bay to Sydney Bay

Departed  11:20  60 degrees  cloudy

Having two days in Douglas Bay was a wonderful escape from the long days of cruising. I have to admit that I was feeling a bit weary from having to slog our way through heavy fog for days. The stillness of Douglas Bay calmed me and David’s all the better for it!

We felt “recharged” as we left after a leisurely morning timing our crossing of Whirlpool Rapids today at slack tide. This is our first rapids in a series of rapids ahead of us over the next three days. There will be short hops between rapids. Shorter cruising days suits me just fine.

Yep, there were whirlpools in Whirlpool Rapids but they were manageable. It was hard to believe that it was slack tide. There was no slacking on the part of the whirling water. Don’t even want to think what it would be like at maximum flood! David said there could be currents flowing up to 7 knots.

The Belle cruised through Wellbore Channel to Chancellor Channel past fish farms and stripped forests from logging. We entered Loughborough Inlet and tried out a new anchorage in Sydney Bay. There was what we thought was fog masking the mountains, but when David put down his window, he said, “Oh, no, that’s smoke. Smell it?”  We have heard different accounts as to the number of fires burning now in BC from  600 to thousands. We were told that 165 fires were lit by the lightning storm we witnessed in Cutter Cove. Visibility has drastically been affected.

                                           Book exchanges are found at most marinas

Met a couple at the dock when we were cruising the bay in our dinghy. They have a “one-off” (not factory built) boat designed by Captain Robert Beebe, one of the founders of the Nordhaven powerboats which are built to cross the oceans. Abbie and Jim are from Rio Vista, California and moor their boat in Bremerton, Washington. We were invited aboard their boat, Compass Rose, and chatted for quite some time and were invited back for a barbecued ling cod dinner.  Jim has a honey of a spot where he hooks huge ling cod. However, he did not divulge where this cod “gold mine” was.  

                                           David walking past the Compass Rose

Another couple on a sailboat at the dock, Julie and Dennis, were hailed to join us for appetizers at the picnic table on the dock. They were from the Tacoma area. Abbie shared a little about their recent trip circumnavigating Vancouver Island, a trip David and I had considered doing. She described it as a “storm run” and not a pleasant or relaxing trip. We crossed that idea off our list.

On our first trip to Desolation Sound we cruised into Beaver Inlet which is just on the other side of the point from Sydney Bay. We had read that the most protected anchorage would be found in Edna Cove. When we got there, we found a float home taking up the entire cove. We were a bit disgruntled that someone would stick a float home blocking the best anchoring spot around. As I remember correctly, we anchored near Edna Cove but did not have good protection from the wind so didn’t get much sleep.

What we didn’t expect to hear was that Abbie and Jim owned that float and lived there for 10 years!  They remembered seeing us in the inlet. They got tired of all the blasting being done by the logging companies to construct their roads and all the noise from their machinery. They were also annoyed by curious boaters that would cruise close to their dock and peer into their windows.

The dock in Sydney Bay is owned by a gentleman named Dane. He is selling the dock, house, out buildings, boathouse, and logging rights for most of the bay property for a mere 4 ½ million dollars. It is a beauty of a spot.

                                                               Heron on the logs

August 11th and 12th Cutter Cove to Douglas Bay

August 11th

60 degrees and cloudy

We cruised down Chatham Channel at low tide with depths dropping as low as 19 feet. Lots of whirlpools pushed us off course and plenty of rocks demanded our attention. The engine was running at 1200 rpms, but we were still cruising at only 3.9 knots. David had used the Furuno radar to determine the tides and this was not what he expected. According to David, we should have entered the channel at slack tide. It wasn't slacking in anyway.

Once we entered Havannah Channel, things smoothed out for us.  We spotted several active logging sites along the way.

                                                   Getting ready to haul up the anchor

We planned to pull into Port Harvey for the night hoping to get a spot on the dock. We visited the Red Shoe Pub for some cinnamon rolls during our last visit in this area. In 2015 the barge holding the store and pub sunk. It was rebuilt in 2016, and we were looking forward to checking out the new facilities.

David rechecked the weather report for Johnstone Strait which we planned to traverse tomorrow using Port Harvey as our jumping off place. The conditions tomorrow were not going to be great and the strait can get mighty nasty.  At that moment, the winds were light and as disappointed as we were not to stop in Port Harvey, we thought it best to "get while the gettin was good".

Five and a half hours later we anchored in the popular Douglas Bay in Forward Harbour on the cusp of Desolation Sound.  We are treating ourselves to a two night stay. We have the time and need the rest.

We got a call from Ron about noon checking up on us the next day. He thought we were cruising Johnstone Strait today and was going to chastised us for taking such a risk (he is always checking the weather). I am sure Ron was relieved when David explained that we were anchored in Douglas Bay for a second night and would not be traveling on the strait again this trip. We did good.

12 boats joined us in the bay last night.