Author: zoebird2005

We have been here in Nutchatlitz Provincial Park for 3 days.

We really liked Hankin Bay.

The weather was much better the following morning so we headed out early – 5:30 am or so. We seem to be waking up at 5 am every morning so we just pull the anchor and leave and have coffee along the way.

It was a short trip to Nuchatlitz

The three sailboat that are travelling along came in the afternoon and anchored close to us. “Brother Wind” “Arganauta” and “Argent”

The sailboat – Argent left early in the morning. And later in morning we went for a walk on shore and the people from Brother Wind and Arganauta.

There is a new dock and a new structure since we were here in 2023. Jim and I went for a bit of a longer walk around the back of main entrance island. There are a number of summer homes on the island.

This morning we were going to go back for another walk on shore in the same area. But it looked like the ramp for the dock might have shifted a bit.

We decided to go for a bit of an explore to the other end of the island on the skiff.

It’s is very shallow and there are a few homes down there.

We spoke to a couple from Vancouver that were staying at their place there. They come up by plane and we’re expecting visitors today.

By the time we got back to the boat it was starting to rain. And now we’ve been inside the rest of the day while it’s been raining.

The hummingbird feeder is up and we have one hummingbird making frequent stops today.

We put the skiff up in a little break in the weather – drizzle instead of rain !

I think it’s time for a glass of wine.

We motored south to Dixie Cove and spent two nights anchored up.

First thing we did was put up the hummingbird feeder. Very soon after a little female showed up. Then a male. They must send the females out first – to check on the situation.

We like Dixie Cove. The water is such an amazing colour of Green.

The first day later in the afternoon another Kadey Krogen showed up and anchored up quite close. We had a little wave hello. They said they had been out fishing.

They left early the next morning but after a short time they came back and anchored up a little further away.

They cam over by skiff for a little chat later in the afternoon. They said it was quite windy and they were not able to do what they were planning. So they just came back to Dixie Cove.

This morning it was raining hard. Still is raining ! We decided we would pull the anchor and head south to Nutchatlitz Provincial Park.

It was raining so hard we needed to wear our wet gear to pull the anchor.

We motored out of Dixie Bay and as we were getting closer to Rugged Point the wind and the surf and the rain started to really pick up. So we have decided not to go out in the miserable weather. We turned around and came back to a little anchorage up Kashutl Inlet called Hankin Bay. We think it’s a pretty little spot but it hard to tell it’s raining so hard !

Even the Starlink was not liking the rain for a while there. We hard to go wipe the pooling water away !

We will see what the weather is like tomorrow!

We have been in Little Hollywood for 3 nights now. We are going to leave here tomorrow morning.

It’s been a good three days. Yesterday I defrosted the fridge. Which was badly needed.

We went out for a couple of good long skiff rides. Yesterday there was a boat called Aquila Bay anchored up in one bay over – Scow Bay.

The three sailboats had anchored somewhere else and had already left by the time we were out yesterday

It was a lovely sunny day yesterday. We took the skiff for a good long run.

The hummingbird feeder has been a big success. Yesterday it was just two birds – one female on one male Rufus. Today there is a third males and one small female – or a juvenile.

The weather was a little overcast today. We went out for another skiff ride. Knock on wood – the skiff is running well ! Thankfully.

There is a lot of hummingbird activity today.

We put up the skiff and put down the poles. Ready for a bit of a roll tomorrow as we go south to Dixie Cove

I read that apparently when the feeder is gone they will go back to foraging for food as they did before the feeder. They eat insects and nectar and sap in the wild. I imagine there are a lot of insects here. Definitely mosquitoes! I was feeling a bit guilty that we would be taking the feeder away tomorrow.

I have to keep moving the basil around. If Lilly is out in the cockpit with the basil – she eats it. And then we have cat chewed basil for our pasta !

Right after I wrote my last blog post and commented about being all alone in Julian Cove 5 sailboats came in and anchored up! FIVE! Two together, then one, then two more together. They all left the next morning though.

We decided to stay another night and take the skiff down and go for a little explore about.

We hadn’t used the skiff since a test drive in Steveston. Jim gave the little prime pump ball a little squeeze before we were going to drop the skiff. And gasoline sprayed everywhere! The primer ball seems to have a bunch of fine cracks. Remember- whack a mole !

So. Fortunately Jim found a new gas line that he had bought with a tank in Sandspit in 2017. It never had the right connection for the outboard engine. But for some reason he kept the line on the boat.

So with much struggle he was able to get the primer ball off the new gas line and put it on the old gas line – which is actually only a year old as it was all replaced last summer. It should not have failed like that.

So a simple skiff ride has become a not so simple skiff ride.

After the second night in Julian Cove we got up at the crack of dawn and pulled the anchor to head to Klaskish Inlet, an anchorage just before the Brooks Peninsula. To set up to go around Brooks.

It was early. The weather and seas were unremarkable so instead we just carried on around Brooks. Lilly was medicated.

Three of the five sailboats that were in Julian Cove were traveling on the same track as us. We were following them for quite some time but we caught up and passed them before getting to the Bunsby’s.

There are a number of anchorages in the small group of islands that make up the Bunsby Islands. Last time we were here we anchored in a spot called Little Hollywood. A bit of a tricky entrance because the rocks on the chart are not in the correct position! All the sailboats when to another anchorage.

We will stay here for a few days. I’ve put out the hummingbird feeder. We saw two hummingbirds yesterday after we set the anchor.

Happy Canada Day !

We enjoyed our time in Winter Harbour. We walked the boardwalk a couple of times. We did not walk out to the beach and the big tree as the trail was pretty muddy.

Mailed off some postcards at the local Post Office. Bought a freshly baked loaf of Sourdough bread!

We enjoyed a fish fry on Sunday and a visit with Micheal and Bill from Lions Bay Area. Our old neighbourhood.

We will probably be heading back there for a few days to stage before we south around Brooks Peninsula.

The couple in the sailboat – Dark Star left yesterday mid morning. They had a mechanical issue and were sailing back to the Seattle area to get it resolved.

We left Winter Harbour this morning for a relaxing motor up Quatsino Sound. We went by and looked in at Port Alice. Since we were close by.

Now we are at anchor in Julian Cove. A lovely little spot. Ain’t no one here but us !

We went from Port McNeill to Bull Harbour on Friday June 27th. The trip is about 40 miles. So it was a long day of travelling.

Anchored up just off Bull Harbour was the big sea lice cleaning ship. There are a couple of fish farms in the area.

So maybe farm fish is not the best if a very expensive ship is needed just to clean the sea lice off the fish ? Food for thought.

The timing for the tides to travel around Nahwitti Bar and Cape Scott were not great. So we were anchored up in Bull Harbour without a plan as to when we would travel around Cape Scott.

Saturday morning we decided the winds and weather were favourable and we would catch the 9:30 am slack water and the ebb turning to flood. Although that would be a long travel day and the risk of afternoon winds.

It was a long day. We were at times beating a big tide and traveling less than 4 knots. We didn’t get into Winter Harbour until 5:30 pm.

I had medicated Lilly but once we got into the 1 to 1.5 metre swells she vomited. Poor thing. But mostly she slept.

With her back to me most of the day. Probably pretty annoyed we are making her do this again !

We got into Winter Harbour and tied up at the dock.

It was nice to be back here. We went for a lovely evening walk along the boardwalk

There is only one other boat at the dock that is not a fishing boat.

Jim took a photo with the flag flapping to send to Global National. For Canada Day. We will see if it makes the news!

There is a Fish Fry tonight at the Winter Harbour RV park. So we are looking forward to that !

The trip from Shoal Bay to Minstrel Island goes up Johnstone Strait.

Johnstone Strait can be really nasty and often very windy – blowing 25-30 knots NW. Then with a wind against tide it can be a real miserable slog.

But we had flat calm seas. Slightly overcast and a little bit of a drizzle. So we were all happy. Including the cat.

When we got to the docks at Minstrel Island we discovered there are a couple of derelict boat squatting at the far end of the dock. And it was a mess.

Very disappointing to see such a mess there. One of the boats has a dog that is making a mess on the dock as well. Jim is going to report it to DFO

We left early the next morning for Port MCNeill.

Along the way we saw a raft of sea otters.

Three separate humpback whale sightings

And a Minke whale. Which is a rare sighting. We saw it surface a number of times. I didn’t manage to get the best photo.

You can see the difference between the Humpback – with the hump and the flat back of the Minke and the different shape of the dorsal fin.

We also had a very active pod of White sided Dolphins zip past. I tried to get some decent video but I was unsuccessful.

It has been raining and cold here in Port McNeill. We’ve done some grocery shopping and laundry and not much else. We did have dinner last night at Gus’s Pub.

Our plan is to head to Bull Harbour tomorrow morning.

On our way travelling up through the Yuculta Rapids through to The Dents we saw an AI target that turned out to be a kayak. And it was travelling at quite the clip !

Then Shoal Bay.

Once again ! One of our favourite places. What more can I say.

Looking up Phillips Arm from the end of the dock.

When we arrived there were a couple of boats at the dock. They were travelling together and waiting for a passenger ( a daughter ) to arrive by water taxi and then their plan was to leave in the afternoon.

The passenger arrived by float plane. Not water taxi. Much to the surprise of her father. The pilot opened the plane door and announced – “you need a boat to come get her” That created a flurry of activity!

We went for a little walk in the evening.

One day if we don’t have the boat we can come back and rent one of the cabins for a weekend.

https://shoalbay.ca

I’ve added a link to the cottages at Shoal Bat.

The weather has been a little cool and grey the past few days.

We had calm seas for our motor up to Prideaux Haven. The anchorage was not busy and we were able to get the spot that Jim always likes to go. We love the big vistas there. A little too overcast to get any good photos.

Jim changed the zincs on the prop and the rudder off the stern as well as the bow thrusters off the bow.

The water was a little cooler than it was last time he did this in Prideaux Haven in June with Sharon. I think that was 2021. It was 19c.

He was in the water for about 90 minutes because he dropped the allen key when he was working on the bow thruster and had to find another one that was the same size. First one was too big – second one was too small ! So he was pretty cold by the time the job was done.

We rigged up the salmon net to hold the zincs and supplies needs. The allen key and bolts and such in a little baggie. I could lower and lift the net as he needed items. That worked quite well. Although Sharon’s help was better !

After the zincs were changed and Jim was warm we pulled anchor and headed up to Von Donop Inlet. We had some friends we haven’t seen for years anchored up there so it was a good chance for a visit. And it was a lovely visit.

This morning we are heading to Shoal Bay. Up through “The Dents”. We are trying to move along quickly as we are a week behind now.

Very little wind this morning.

We left home dock about 1:45 pm. We were considering where we should leave or not. There were over 1/2 metre seas at the Halibut Bank weather bouy. Which meant it would be not a comfortable trip with a sea sick cat. We realize we should have gone yesterday afternoon. But the seas and the wind started coming down around noon.

Lilly goes in the crate – two pee pads and a towel under the crate ! I’m ready ! After leaving the dock – before we travel very far I go out to the deck and bring in the fenders and the dock lines. First I go check in to see how Lilly is doing. She has already vomited ! We’ve just left the dock ! Big clean up is needed before I can bring in the fenders. I won’t go into details.

Before we got out of the river she vomited a second time and then completed the trifecta of the 3 Ps. A total of 5 pads were needed. I was hoping she would be better this trip down the river because she’s usually pretty good after a few days at sea.

Anyway—- here’s hoping it’s better tomorrow! She really likes the boat when we are not moving ! Suk suggested Lilly write a book about her travels on the boat. I wonder what Lilly would say about today !

Motoring up the river someone commented on my blog to say they us going along ! That was cool !

The seas at Halibut Bank dropped from 0.63 meters to a very comfortable 0.19 meters by the time we were motoring by.

We stopped at the dock at North Thormanby Island to say hello to an old friend of Jim’s and his wife. Guy had never been on the boat so Jim gave them a quick tour and I enjoyed hanging out on the dock with their lovely Standard poodle – Georgia

Another couple came along and also got a little tour. I always say our boat is like an old heritage house in New West. Full of wood and character

We arrived at Bargain Bay about 8:40 pm. The anchorage was mostly empty and it was a calm evening.

The wind is expected to come up this morning. We are planning to go to Prideaux Haven today. Maybe I will give Lilly drugs. Hmmm.