Author: zoebird2005

Jim notes that my last post was titled Port McNeill to Kwatsi Bay and I only got to Mound Island!

We left Mound Island and went back to the dock and Minstrel Island where we got the prawn pots ready to go. Left the dock and went to a little bay about an hour away up Knight Inlet. We dropped the pots and went back to the dock for the night.

The next morning we got going early because the wind was expected to come up in the afternoon. We went back to the bay and pulled up the pots. We put down 4 prawn pots.

After pulling the pots we motored across Knight Inlet and through Sargeaunt Passage to go to Kwatsi Bay dock. Another one of our favourite docks in the Broughtons. We like to visit with Max and his wife Anka if she’s here. And during the usual season there are dinner pot lucks and happy hours on the dock. Of course this is not a normal season!

It was nice to see Max. The marina is up for sale so it could be his last year here. We saw a cougar here one year. I have photos of that exciting event! We’ve met some lovely boaters on the dock here.

There was another boat come in to the dock when we were here – a 21 ft Ranger Tug. We had a socially distanced visit but they didn’t spent the night. We stayed two nights. And had a wonderful prawn and penne pasta for my birthday dinner!

We left Port McNeill with plans to travel to an anchorage we’ve been to before called Mound Island. It’s a pretty spot with an ancient clam midden beach and little built up hills around the beach that used to an old First Nations village site.

Along the the we decide to try out the Pearce Islands instead. It’s in a little provincial park reserve – Cormorant Channel Marine Park. We been hearing about how pretty this anchorage from fellow boaters for years. It is small and it was often full of boat we thought. We went in just before lunch. It is larger of a spot than I expected. And we dropped the anchor. And the wind blew us around in circles for a couple of hours. Maybe an hour and a half. It was blowing a gale in there! And there with quite the current as well. Lily was not impressed! So we decided we’d pull up anchor and head of to Mound Island instead!

We took the skiff down and took a little spin about the anchorage. We did not go to shore and walk around the mounds. We did walk around the beach the first year we came up here in 2014. We had Jenny with us.

There was one other boat in the anchorage with us. A small boat from the Port McNeill area with a couple that were out for the night with their 6 year old grandson. We sure want to take Key with us! He’s not yet four. I think Key is as big as the little 6 year old boy. He was having fun pulling the crab pots with his Grandad. We were jealous!

We had a lovely evening. No wind! We left the next morning to head back to Minstrel Island to try to get prawns – as the last time was a bit of a failure. We had a spot we knew from previous trips to put the prawn pots.

We had some things to do that required cell service and the Internet so we’ve been at North Island Marina for two night. The Marina is open. There have been maybe 3-4 traveling boats at the dock. Very VERY quiet here. Of course the marina would normally be a little quieter in May but there would be a lot of Americans at the dock stopping on their way north to Alaska.

We saw an American pleasure boat on AIS a couple of days ago and contacted them on the radio. On talking to them we found out they were two boats travelling together. They were allowed to enter Canadian waters to take their boats to Alaska only because they were residents of Alaska and able to prove that to Canadian Border Services with documents of place of residence. They were permitted to travel through BC waters but not allowed to go to shore or to a marina. But they could anchor up along the trip. We have not seen any other American boats, not even fishing boats making their way north.

There were a couple of Canadian boats at the dock the first night we were here. They were heading up Seymour Inlet the next morning. We are thinking of going up Seymour Inlet as well on this trip. We’ve never been up there. Good place to isolate!

We are heading off this morning. All our tasks completed. We are going back into The Broughtons. Jim needs to get prawns! Failure to get prawns is not an option!

Back in the day Minstrel Island was a real happening place. There is a lot of history here. There was a dance hall, a theatre, a hotel, a brothel, a school. It was a regular Union Steam Ship stop. It is worth a google. In later years it was a busy Marina for pleasure boats.

Minstrel Island History

I’m not sure if that link will work! A little bit of history.

We were first told about the old docks at Minstrel Island a few years ago. When we first went there we were quite surprised to find there was a lot of dock space and an old walkway to shore. It was pretty overgrown and dilapidated when we first went there. But the docks were still fairly good. Useable. And Free!

Last year the old docks and walkway to shore were removed and a brand new float was put in for boaters to tie up to overnight. There is no longer shore access. The new float is great !

Jim and I put down two prawn pots before going to the dock and then five hours later we went and pulled the pots hoping for a dinner of prawns.

We had Tomato Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner!

We’ve always wanted to stop at this pretty little anchorage that was up Havannah Channel. We’d travel by often but there was always one or two boats in there. Usually sailboats. And it is very small and only really big enough for two or maybe three boat.

After our drive by to see Port Harvey we dropped our anchor in the empty anchorage just between two little islands.

There is an old clam midden beach there. This is First Nations site.

Port Harvey Marina was one of our favourite stops along the way north. The first year we ventured north to The Broughtons we met George and Gail and stayed at Port Harvey Marina. We had only been as far north as Shoal Bay the previous year.

We spent a night at Shoal Bay then the next morning we headed to Forward Harbour to spend the night. We arrived about 2 pm and dropped the anchor. It was a very windy day and after a little relax we had to take the skiff down off the boat deck so we could take Jenny to shore. One of the winches failed and we were not able to lower the skiff into the water. Which was a big problem for Jenny. And of course a big problem for us !

We decided to pull up anchor and head to the first dock we could. We would be able to take Jenny to shore and then figure out where and how we would get the winch repaired or replaced.

Port Harvey was the next stop. It would be another 4 hours or so before we would arrive. Once we got enough cell service in Johnstone Straight we called and George answered the phone. On explaining our situation he said they were quite full but come on in. They could move a couple of boats around and make room for us.

We didn’t arrive until after 7 pm. It was a really tight spot for us to dock. I think it was where George usually docks his boat. There were a number of people there that helped with docking.

We didn’t even think about it at the time but realized when we arrived that it was Canada Day. The dock was full of boats. There was a big party going on!! Games and food! George had cooked up a big batch of chilli – and told us how sorry he was there wasn’t any chilli left for us. That’s the kind of guy George was. Then when it got dark there were fireworks for Canada Day. Quite the end to the day!

After that every year we went north we’d go to Port Harvey going up and coming back down. George had a little restaurant of sorts and made pizza and ribs and cinnamon buns. If we had cell we’d phone in our pizza order before we arrived. Or as soon as we’d get to the dock George would help tie up and give out slips of paper to write out your pizza order. We’d often stay a few days. A perfect spot to wait out the winds in Johnstone Straight.

And the cinnamon buns! George would be up at the crack of dawn so the cinnamon buns were ready by 8 AM so we could all head on our way with his great big fresh and delicious cinnamon buns. We never left with a couple!

In April of 2018 Jim and Michael were out on a fishing trip and they stopped into Port Harvey. Jim said George has just finished getting the new pizza oven installed and he was very pleased with himself.

In August of 2018 our last stop at Port Harvey was the day after George died. It was just such a shock to hear the news. George’s wife Gail was there. Shortly after she left Port Harvey and put the Marina up for sale. We never went north in 2019.

We heard the Marina sold in Early 2020. We decided to stop in and check it out on our way to Maltipi.

There were a lot of boaters that loved Port Harvey and spent a lot more time there than we did. George started the Port Harvey Yacht Club. The latest time we saw George we were going to join but they were all out of their burgees so we said – next year! And next year never came.

We spent two nights in Forward Harbour at anchor waiting for the gale warning to end in Johnstone Straight. It was very quiet. Not another boat the entire time. It was overcast and windy. I read a couple of books. No Dear Jane – though Jim mentioned it a couple of times!

I didn’t even take photos! Except one of Lilly doing her usual climb around the shelves in the saloon. The shelf is where I put my collection of shells and rocks and wood I’ve collected over the years. It’s not so comfortable for her to climb around anymore!

We didn’t have much in the way of cell service in Forward Harbour. An occasional text message would randomly appear. It was hit and miss to reply.

Right now we are traveling north up Sunderland channel towards Johnstone Straight. The wind is 4.2 knots. Seas are calm. We are planning to go to a little anchorage called Maltipi today. We’ve always wanted to go there but it’s a very tiny spot and has always been busy. So hopefully it will be empty today.

We left Von Donop at 7 am for the timing to arrive at Dent Rapid during slack water. Usually there are a number of boats all going through at the same time, even this time of year. There would be a lot of Americans out in May heading to Alaska. This year there was one other boat along with us. They headed into Nodales and we came north to Shoal Bay.

Shoal Bay is one of our favourite spots to stop. There is a small dock here. We’ve been coming here since the first year we got the boat. Mark and his wife are great hosts. It’s a beautiful spot. They have a little garden and a pizza oven and a music festival in August. Often there are weekend events planned. We’ve never been to the music as the dock fills up and boats are often rafted together at the dock. It will be very different this year without the American boaters.

Lots of photos today.

Yesterday was a short trip to Von Donop. Only about three hours. So I stayed awake the entire time!!

So far since we’ve been away it’s been mostly napping and resting for me! There is the little snooze as we travel along, then the afternoon before dinner nap – followed by dinner and then and the early evening after dinner nap and then early to bed for me!!

The one thing we accomplished yesterday was our Jolly Roger is now flying high!

Now that we are flying the Jolly Roger that means by the law of the sea we can board and take command of any vessel on the sea. So we are going to see if we can find a nice super yacht out there!! You never know!!

We are on our way to Shoal Bay today and it’s raining. Of course it started just as I went out to pull up the anchor. We had to leave early to catch slack water at the Dent rapids. It’s a short trip today. Not sure if I will have time for a nap!

We had a fairly uneventful motor from Bargain Bay to Squirrel Cove today – except for the depth sounder issue. There is always something!

The depth sounder is losing the bottom around 500 ft. I guess it’s about 15 years old now. So long as it doesn’t lose all contact with the bottom we can manage. Mostly it’s important to have it working when we are in shallow waters – narrow and shallow passageways and when we anchor. So far so good there!

There are about 12 boats in Squirrel Cove. Of course it’s early in the season and there are no American boats here. It’s likely the border will be closed all summer to America travellers. The BC parks are just open for day use right now so we decide not to anchor in Prideaux Haven. The parks are supposed to be open for overnight use on June 1st.

Lilly is settling in to the routine. It is still strange not to have Jenny. Usually when we anchor up the first thing we need to do is get the skiff ready and take Jenny to shore. Of course with COVID-19 we plan to stay off the shore as much as we can for now. We will eventually go to docks and go for walks in shore. But of course maintaining social distancing!

We are going to Von Donop Inlet tomorrow.