Author: zoebird2005

We left Bull Harbour at 4:10 AM. The four sailboats left at 3 AM as planned. Jim was up at 3 and watched them leave. He turned on our side deck lights so they could avoid the poles. They stick out pretty far. Jim saw one one the sailboats almost run into the back of another sailboat. He had to put it into a hard reverse to avoid a collision. Three of the sailboats were traveling together – the two Pacific Stars and Sorcery and the forth – Greybeard was going along just for the crossing.

When we left it was still fairly dark. We didn’t put the paravanes in the water right away and in hindsight we should have. Jim was worried about kelp around Tatnall Reef. It was pretty rolly for the first hour and Lilly barfed. Although we gave her the meds as soon as we got up.

The first part around the top of Vancouver Island – Nahwitti Bar area is very shallow and can have really strong waves and currents and best crossed on a flood tide or slack water with as little wind as possible. The area around Cape Scott is best crossed on slack water. Wind against tide can make for pretty nasty seas !

We had a pretty good crossing. The wind was light. We managed to get to Cape Scott right at slack water – along with the four sailboats that left an hour earlier.

It was foggy for most of the 9 hours we were travelling. The fog lifted a bit around Cape Scott and then we were right back in to it. Passing 4 sailboats in the fog ! Especially since one of them decided to attempt to sail and was tacking back and forth in front of us. And then once we got past that sailboat it starting tacking back and forth in front of Greybeard.

The autopilot was not happy with the 1.2 meter rollers and kept stopping. So it was a bit of a long and stressful day. Hand steering the boat in the fog and rollers! There was a bit more wind once we started down the west side. I was very happy to have this day over when we arrived at Winter Harbour around 2 pm.

We both fell asleep early and exhausted except Lilly who slept all day !

We have anchored up in Clam Cove a couple of times in past years to wait for the weather to go around Cape Caution.

The first time we were there the little group of float homes were fairly intact and a group of people had come to stay overnight there. I think they might have been Boy Scouts. This year the homes are decrepit and sinking and abandoned. Such a shame to see such a mess there.

We had a lovely sky. It’s light out until 10:30 pm or so now.

Bull Harbour is a pretty big secure anchorage on Hope Island where boater regularly come to wait for favourable weather and tide conditions to go around Cape Scott. Tomorrow is supposed to be a good day.

There was a little bit of a swell in the morning and Lilly barfed. Just a little swell ! Tomorrow she will be medicated!

There was one sailboat at anchor when we arrived. There are a couple of socks here. We believe all of Hope Island is an IR – Indian Reserve as per the Canadian charts. There are signs at the dock.

We set anchor and then decided to work on getting the poles and paravanes ready for tomorrow.

Then three sailboats arrived all together. They were the same three boats we saw yesterday. Two of the are named Pacific Star. And then another sailboat arrived. So now there is us and 5 sailboats in here. Apparently the Pacific Star group are leaving at 3 am tomorrow.

We were busy in here ! Three loads of laundry, grocery shopping and general cleaning and preparing.

Shopping has been made much easier with Dorothy Porter’s Rolser ! When we moved to our condo Dorothy gifted me her Rolser for bringing things up from the car to the condo. It’s perfect for the boat, it folds up and stores away easily. I’m sure she would be thrilled to see it being used on the boat.

Yesterday afternoon the largest single mast sailboat in the world came in to Port McNeill. We all watched it come to the Government dock. There was no way it would fit in at North Island Marina.

The boat is 255 feet long with a 50 foot beam.

Apparently a Texas Billionaire owns the boat.

https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/editorial-features/sailing-yacht-m5

We are on our way to Clam Cove this morning in our little 42 foot Kadey Krogen ! We all have the same view ! Although I’m sure the guests on the M5 don’t have to do dishes !

We spent two nights at Monday Anchorage and successfully- knock on wood – resolved the water in the fuel issue and Jim put in the new fuel pump.

We are hopeful this has resolved the problem. It would not be possible to go along the west coast without a working skiff. So before we could have much fun we needed to resolve this problem! And – notice I didn’t say any bad words there !

Next stop was Mound Island for a night. When we got there it was completely empty. Which was unusual. We figured we’d be the only boat in there so we decided to deploy the Paravane stabilizers. We wanted to set up the fore and aft lines and ring and pulley system that we’d not used before.

We figure they will be needed on this trip ! Of course as soon as we set up – spreading ourselves out wide – a whole pack of boats came in. Ah well. Nobody came too close !

We’ve used the stabilizers before but never with the lines. They are tricky to get up so we were hoping this system works better.

Heading back to Port McNeill the next morning we gave them a try. All seemed to work out. And Jim pulled them up in a little bay close to Malcolm Island.

We saw one humpback whale as some Dall’s porpoises followed us for a while.

Not a great video but a quick look at the poles in the water and one porpoise swimming by the boat. There were about 5-6 swimming along with us for 15-20 minutes. I was worried they would get hit by the stabilizer fish we were pulling through the water. But it was fine.

We are in Port McNeill now. We are going to do some laundry and get groceries and head to the top end of Vancouver Island on Monday. The plan is to go around Cape Scott on Wednesday morning at 4 am!

Lilly has been doing really well. Although the seas have been pretty calm since we left Georgia Strait. She has taken to going into her little crate and just staying there. If I open the door of the crate she might come out and sit on the top of the pilothouse seat behind my head for a bit. She will pat my head and then eventually she goes back to the little crate. We haven’t given her any medication except the two times. We probably will on Wednesday.

We spent two nights at the dock in Port Hardy. The very bouncy rocky government dock that is closer to the downtown area. I definitely prefer Port McNeill.

We got the parts we needed for the outboard engine from Stryker Marine. And we got some proper paddles.

Jim and Eric worked through some issues with the skiff while we waited for the fuel pump to arrived. We discovered there was some water in the fuel tank. So working through resolving that first.

We spent two nights at the dock at North Island Marina.

Jim has ordered a fuel pump from Striker Marine in Port Hardy. We are hoping that will resolve this darn skiff issue !

I didn’t take many photos in Port McNeill. I like going there. Everything is close to the dock. We went to the IGA for groceries.

We did a couple loads of laundry.

We visited with a couple on a Nordhavn. They were heading to Haida Gwaii for their first time. We were able to share some of our experiences in the area.

We got free tickets to a music concert at the local theatre. It was amazing!

https://www.schryerdobres.com

Pierre Schryer and Adam Dobres and they had a step dancer performing along with them. Danielle Enblom. She was wonderful as well.

Adam is from Sooke BC and is now living on Pender Island. Pierre is from Ontario. They gave been performing all over the Gulf Islands and Lower Mainland. If you see an ad for a performance go see them. Celtic and folk – fiddle and guitar. They both have been nominated for Juno awards and Adam was in a band that opened for Mark Knopfler at the Royal Alberta Hall in London.

https://scotfestbc.com/performer/pierre-schryer-and-adam-dobres/

Check out the links !

And the second night we went for dinner at the Devil’s Bath Brew house. A local band was playing there as well.

Let’s hope we have success in Port Hardy !

We had a very eventful day ! First off we were thinking of heading off somewhere- then after a morning of chit chatting with other boaters on the dock it got too late to leave so we decided to spend the day and take the skiff down and go for a bit of a run about.

A couple with a sailboat that we met in Shoal Bay came to the dock. They had spent last night at Port Neville and said it was a good place to tie up. We’ve not been there.

We took the skiff down and Jim took it out first for a bit of a test run as it was sounding a little rough. Although many hours have been spent on the skiff this year getting the carburetor redone – a test drive – overheated – water pump impeller- test drive again !

But – nope ! Engine died again ! After all we went through with that engine last summer !

Fortunately Jim was close to the dock and someone at the dock with a WORKING skiff went and towed him back.

Now we are working through the – what to do now – part of this story ! Needless to say we are not super happy and most likely heading to Port McNeill in the morning.

Later in the afternoon- after getting the skiff back on the boat deck we heard a bit of commotion on the shore – some yelling and horn blowing.

The couple in the sailboat had rowed to shore in their little skiff to go for a walk. When they returned a mother black bear and three cubs – tiny little things – were busy inspecting their skiff. One of the cubs was dragging a life vest up the shore !

Jim was able to whistle and call out with his big voice and the mum finally gathered up the cubs and wandered up into the bushes. She wasn’t to anxious to leave. The couple was able retrieve the life vest and to go back to their skiff and row back to the dock without the worry of getting chased by an angry mama bear. They were yelling as well – but Jim is very loud ! I didn’t get much in the way of photos as that wasn’t really the first thought I had. Maybe that what we need – a rowboat !

This evening the Aurora Explorer came to the dock. It is a working barge that also takes passengers along to tour different locations along its work route.

There were a couple of tourists on the top deck taking photos of the area.

https://marinelinktours.com

The link to the website. Looks quite interesting. I have a friend who is planning a trip like this.

We spent 3 nights in Shoal Bay waiting out the gale warning in Johnstone Strait.

We met a group of 5 people there that were I n a sailboat called Sloop du Jour. They were competing in the Race to Alaska – R2AK. It is a race from Port Townsend Washington to Ketchikan Alaska by sail or oar – No motors allowed.

Team Madame Oaracle & the Prairie Porch Pirates

Unfortunately the weather in Johnstone Strait had them held up and falling behind as well. Stuck in Shoal Bay. In the end they decided to withdraw from the race and headed south through the Dent Rapids on Wednesday afternoon

All of the other boaters at the dock decided to leave Shoal Bay Wednesday afternoon and position closer to Johnstone Strait for an early start on Thursday. We decided to just stay another night at the dock and leave from there early Thursday. The forecast for Johnstone was light winds Thursday and then picking again on Friday.

We had a nice little visit with Mark and Cynthia on the dock. Remembering their dog Fanny and how much Jenny loved to run and play with Fanny. I am sure I have photos of Fanny and Jenny from years ago.

They have a little spot in their yard where Fanny is always there with them.

I bought a little pottery bowl from Cynthia’s pottery shop there. It’s has a lovely green glaze and kelp. Perfect for a little bowl of smoked salmon dip – I decided !

And Cynthia was baking cookies ! There is an advantage to being the only boat left in the dock !

Thursday morning Johnstone was calm and flat. Lilly was good. We saw a number of the R2AK boats out in the strait. The winning boat had reached Ketchikan already — We Brake for Whales won handily !

We are at the dock in Shoal Bay. There has been a gale warning in Johnstone Strait for the past 3 days.

It’s still blowing a gale out there this morning. We were thinking of moving on to Forward Harbour but decide to just stay put. The wind is supposed to die down tomorrow morning so we will leave early in the morning.

A few photos of Shoal Bay. One of our favourite places. I seem to say that a lot!

Such a lovely spot to hang out for 3 days. It’s definitely been windy !

One of our favourite spots in Desolation Sound – I’m sure I’ve said that before !

After our successful stop in Powell Rover we left Saturday morning for a short 25 mile trip to Prideaux Haven.

We are going to just hang on the hook for two nights here. It was drizzly and grey and cool all day yesterday but although the morning was grey the sun is out and the sky is blue !

Lilly has found a spot in the sun. She spent the morning under the sofa! Not sure why but she finally came out around the time the sun was coming out.

We are going up through the Yuculta and Dent Rapids to Shoal Bay tomorrow. We need to hit The Dents at slack water around 1 pm tomorrow.

We will probably be spending a couple of days at Shoal Bay. There is a gale warning for Johnstone Strait! We do really like Shoal Bay fortunately!

Johnstone Strait can be pretty nasty when the wind is up. And then sometimes it’s like a calm glassy lake. Looks like it will be at least Thursday before we go there ! Wind and tide makes our plans ! I’m thinking it could be – poor Lilly !