Monthly Archives: June 2013

Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 14

27 June 2013

Early morning start through the mist
Early morning start through the mist

We are wakened by a downpour of rain at 5:30am. No point getting up now we might as well wait until the rain stops, so we turn over and sleep another 2 hours. It turns out this was a bad decision as will become apparent as I write.

Releasing the lines which tie us to ‘Miss Brenda’, our big sturdy fishing boat hostess, we move off on a glassy smooth sea through the foggy channel. The weatherman was lying about the NW expected in the mid-morning. He gave us false hope.

Chrome Island Lighthouse
Chrome Island Lighthouse

As we see the calm condition we believe that it is a sign that the SE has ended and await eagerly the NW that will allow us to sail in comfort, southwards. The first hour is calm and we reach 5.5kts but that soon changes as we pass Chrome Island with its lighthouse and charming light-keepers houses.

Instead when we listen to the updated weather forecast the weatherman has changed the prediction and now gives the disappointing news of a continuing SE – light in the morning and increasing to strong later in the day – swells 3ft  – seas rippled… Rippled! My description would be unsettled … choppy… confused! Anything but rippled! That is why I wrote that it was a bad decision to sleep an extra 2 hours. Had we left at 5:30am we could possibly have had another 2 hours of calm sea.

Fresh Blueberry Loaf
Fresh Blueberry Loaf

I try to cheer us by serving fresh Blueberry Loaf and a pot of tea.
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It is another day of being shaken, knocked about, and pummelled by this moody ocean. A securité over the VHS radio warns of strong gale force winds in the Qualicum area… yes, you guessed it! We are in the Qualicum area. A bit late I think – thanks for nothing! Try as he may, Wolf is not able to find a comfortable course and we agree to give up fighting and move in towards French Creek Harbour. I call the Harbour Authority and am told that they don’t allocate moorings so just come in and find a space, if you don’t find one, you can raft up to another boat.

Karibu Rafted 3 deep
Karibu Rafted 3 deep

The harbour is home to several different marinas. One is a separate float used by the Canadian Navy boats; one is the ferry float which carries passengers to and from Lasqueti Island. There is a private jetty and the government jetty for transient and fishing vessels. The wind is gusting in the harbour and at low speeds Karibu is susceptible to drifting but Wolf is a star and manages to get us alongside and we tie up to a huge fishing boat that is already rafted to an even bigger fishing trawler. Once Wolf is happy that we are securely tied, we head ashore clambering over the huge vessels.

I have hurt my shoulder, I am not sure how or where it happened but my right arm aches. I think it is from continually pulling myself up and over all these obstacles, or from bracing myself as we slam into the swells. We make our appearance at the Harbour Office and pay for our stay, then head out to see what French Creek has on offer. We find a closed café/coffee shop, a general store, a Post Office, and a restaurant. A mile up the road and along the main road we see a bakery and stop to buy fresh baked rye bread and a beef pie.

My head is still reeling from the sound of the wind and my body still feels the motion of the swells.

Back at the marina we are approached by a few guys who suggest we move Karibu back and raft up alongside a sadly neglected sailboat, saying that we will have better access to the jetty and be more sheltered. I am relieved as I won’t have to climb across the high sides of the fishing boats.
I tell Wolf that I am going to lie down and fall asleep before he has stopped the clanging of the halliards against our mast.

The sun is desperately trying to peak through the bank of cloud covering the harbour but the wind has not abated and continues to drone incessantly overhead.  One blessing to be thankful for is that we covered another 20nm today and are well over half way home. In these conditions I can think of nothing better than soaking in a hot soapy tub, and being in my comfortable home.

As I said before… sailing has its up and its downs –  fighting against wind, rain and current are some of the downs!

Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 13

26 June 2013

Savary Float Plane
Savary Float Plane

A bumpy noisy night ensued with the winds gusting to 25kts. We are protected and can hear the wind as it howls through the trees behind the row of beachfront properties. Its bark is worse than its bite; although the current flowed through at a horrific force Karibu’s anchor held firm. The night was long and sleep was erratic with both Wolf and I getting up throughout the night to check our bearings.

We cannot wait to weigh anchor and leave, so as the tide becomes slack at 8:00am, we are just rounding the eastern point of Savary planning to move to Westview Marina in Powell River on the mainland.

We look at each other and agree unanimously not to bother – but to set a course for Comox on Vancouver Island; thus crossing the straits of Georgia for a second time. I send a silent prayer heavenward for a better trip. We know we are in for another challenging day; one of beating into a head wind and pounding our way through the washing machine like conditions.

Crossing the Straits of Georgia
Crossing the Straits of Georgia

Wolfs convinces me that after the crossing the effects of the two currents colliding will disappear and the swell should run in the direction of the prevailing current. But, he adds, we will be beating directed into them if this wind persists. True enough after 5 long and grueling hours his words are apparent.

I scramble around the galley stowing anything on the countertops. On our previous crossing I forgot to stow the kettle and it slid off the stove which is not gimballed. It is a standard 4 plate gas stove with a spacious oven and warmer-drawer. Catamarans do not list under sail like monohulls.  So the kettle slid off the stove crushing to the floor and spilling the remaining hot water from our recent tea-time. The handle came off and it had a huge dent on one side. Wolf did a little panel beating and fixed the handle and now my little kettle has character but has lost its ability to whistle when it boils.

5 hours after leaving we make our way passed the entrance beacons leading into the Comox channel. We consult once again and decide to continue rather than spend an extra hour making our way into the Comox Harbour. We will try to reach Deep Bay Marina 12nm down the coast.

Denman Island Beauty
Denman Island Beauty

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Once in Baynes Sound between Denman Island and the mainland the conditions change. As if by some Divine miracle the sun pops out from behind the clouds, and though the SE wind is consistent it has no effect on the flat surface of the sea. We are in the lee of Denman Island. We have a 1kt current with us and in these conditions are able to maintain a steady 5.9kt over ground; we stay close to the shoreline to keep using the extra push the current offers.

We watch the lovely oceanfront properties, and people along the shore working their oyster patches. I sit in the glorious warmth of the late afternoon sun, allowing it to flood me with euphoria. The world is perfect! And perfect times such as this remind me of the reason I love sailing. There are no ‘in-betweens’ ones affair with sailing is either love or hate depending on the conditions.

Karibu Rafted Up
Karibu Rafted Up

We round the breakwater of the protected Deep Bay marina at 3:45pm – it’s been 8 long hours and we are both feeling battered; our muscles are tired and ache from the act of balancing through the continual rocking and jerking on the sea. We motor around the marina, scanning for a vacant space to tie up. This is a government jetty so rafting is acceptable and we have no other choice.  Wolf choses a big hulking fishing boat called “Miss Brenda” fastening our lines securely before we head ashore.

Fish & Chips at Ship to Shore
Fish & Chips at Ship to Shore

The harbour office is closed and they have no envelopes so we leave a message on their phone and ask them to call us for credit card details. A cute little café “Ship & Shore” is perched strategically overlooking the marina. It is managed and run by the owners, the atmosphere is pleasant and we decide to order fish and chips; which is their speciality the fish coming in fresh from the fishing-boats daily. While we eat our meal and Wolf is taking photos a friendly man offers to take one of the two of us and we get chatting.

We meet new friends
We meet new friends

They are Ian and Carole and are towing a converted and modernized Bowler trailer (I am not sure if this is the correct spelling) it is a 45yr old bubble caravan which they restored. They invite us to come and look at it. We instantly connect and begin speaking about diving. She is a professional photographer specializing in undersea photography in BC waters. They follow us back to Karibu for drinks where we spend a fascinating evening sharing amazing diving stories. These amazing images can be found by following this link to her Emerald Sea Images site.

By nine we are in bed reading and finally eyes droopy and bodies exhausted give in to peaceful sleep – safe, secure, and warm. Snug as a bug in a rug!

Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 12

25 June 2013

Coming into the Bay of Cortes
Coming into the Bay of Cortes

Another blog is posted before we cast off the mooring lines at 7:35am. Wolf and I contemplate our next move. We agree in view of the recently received weather report we should put in at Cortes Bay and when the tide turns at 1:00pm we will assess the condition before making a decision. We know that our southbound trip is going to be determined by the currents or outgoing tides. The prediction is for southerly’s to continue through till Thursday (today being Tuesday) with rain every day till Saturday. There is nothing we can do about the weather – it is what it is! We will wait and watch and take whatever gaps we can to get us closer to Victoria. Being on a time constraint our choices are limited.

The Jetty at Cortes Bay
The Jetty at Cortes Bay

8:30am – we are almost at Mary Point and will make our turn into Cortes Bay. All is well but the sea is getting choppy as the Southerly has strengthened. We enter the bay and head for the government jetty but to our disappointment it is full, seems to be the story of our trip. The bay is large we find what we think is a good spot, just off the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC) out-station on the north shore. We watch to make sure the anchor has set… no luck.

Wolf weighs anchor and we try again. Still no luck, so we move to the south side just off the Seattle yacht Club (SYC) out-station convinced that finally the anchor is set. We sit down to a light breakfast of toasted bagel and cream cheese and we notice that we are really close to a private jetty. Out goes Wolf to try again – still not! I suggest that we go over to the RVYC and ask whether we can just tie up for a few hours. ”Sorry, ” says the nice man in a red shirt, “we do not allow reciprocal boats, but you have the right to raft up to any of the boats on the govt. jetty or grab one of the orange buoys belonging to a yacht charter company that is not there.”

Private Mooring Bouys
Private Mooring Bouys

This is something that I still have to get my head around. It seems that anyone can drop a mooring buoy anywhere and place a “PRIVATE” sticker on it claiming the space even when they are not there. I suspect that many of these vacant buoys are probably only used during the summer months. But they clutter and take up all the space in these little coves and bays making it really difficult for other boats to anchor. I wonder just how long it will take before regulation prevents this.

Anyway off we chug to pick up the orange buoy which happens to be conveniently situated at the exit to the bay.
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Leaving Cortes
Leaving Cortes

We read and fiddle and mope until 1:00pm and, even though conditions haven’t changed, are eager to leave. Are heading is Malispina Peninsula and on to as far as we can comfortably go before nightfall. We are everything but comfortable as we pound into a choppy confused sea over wind and current. But we know that as we clear Cortes Island condition should improve, which they do. Phew!

Suddenly we notice the current in our favour and we manage to maintain 5.2kt over ground which in that confused sea is excellent. We change plans hoping to reach Powell River and to overnight in Westview Marina, but sadly as we reach Savary Island, the current turns and we are confronted by 2kts against us bringing our speed over ground to an abrupt halt.

Savary Island - BC's Paradise
Savary Island – BC’s Paradise

Another change in plans – we turn sharp to starboard and drop our anchor in 4.5mt depth just off the beautiful white stretch of sand on the northern shores, in Keefer bay. Here too, we struggled to find an anchorage amongst the mooring buoys, but finally the captain is satisfied and we settle in for the night.

Savary is almost completely surrounded by beaches. When the sun bakes them, they are white and the waters surrounding this island are said to be warm and wonderful for swimming.

The wind outlook from our friend the weatherman is for 25kt south easterlies during the night. What can I say? Sailing has its ups, which are very high, and its downs, which suck!

Wolf wants me to add this interesting tidbit. To the west of us lies the island of Mitelnatch a First Nations name which directly translated means the meeting of two flows. The north flowing flood current from the straits of Juan de Fuca meets the south flowing flood from the Johnstone strait. This means that north of Savary Island the incoming tide flows south but on the southern side the incoming current flows north. This is why our following current which aided us out of Cortes Island suddenly became an opposing current when we reached Savary Island… Amazing!

Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 11

24 June 2013

Refuge Cove jetty
Refuge Cove jetty

It pours throughout the night. Every time I turned I hear the ‘pitter patter’ on the deck and I think of those poor kayakers camping in their tiny tents with all their gear getting sopping wet. Since coming to this area we have seen so many kayakers. This is kayaking heaven with so many islands in such close proximity to each other. We wake to the rain’s continuous sound. The weatherman has given a bleak outlook for the coming week and we realize that we were blessed to have enjoyed such good weather till now.

Power is restored to Refuge Cove docks, at 8:00am (generator back on), and so I begin to catch up with my blogging in readiness for the next internet access point. Today we plan to motor/sail across to Cortes Island officially leaving Desolation Sound and slowly making our way down south.

Approaching Squirrel Cove
Approaching Squirrel Cove

Cortes Island is 16km (10miles) wide and 32km (20miles) in length from north to south and offers numerous bays and coves for the mariner. Ferries carry passengers to and from Cortes to Quadra island and Vancouver island, and seaplanes operate daily flights into Cortes Bay. When I was researching for desirous ports of call, for our trip, I saw an article on the Community of Squirrel Cove and I decided it would be a neat place to visit.

Kayaks at Squirrel Cove
Kayaks at Squirrel Cove

We arrived in the bay at 9:00am and motored towards their dock.

Unfortunately when we reach the wharf it is full and so we decide to head into Squirrel Cove at the northern end of the bay. I am so disappointed but, when Wolf explains that this is the bay where up to 100 boats can anchor in the summer, it piques my interest.

 

Along the way we see the kayakers on the beach. I feel reassured that they are fine.
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Reversible Falls
Reversible Falls

To get to this bay we go through a narrow channel with rocky cliffs on either side. I am apprehensive but as we approach the channel is much wider and deeper than I imagined. The bay is stunning! We motor across to the “reversible falls”. At low tide the water from the lake comes rushing down an incline and falls into the sea, but at high tide the sea rushes back into the lake.

We find a good place to anchor in 5mts depth over a sandy bottom, climb into the dingy, and zoot over to explore the falls. Wolf lands in on the shore and we scramble over the rocks to the lake. This is a really beautiful anchorage offering walks into the forest and many places to explore. I can understand why it is so popular with boaters.

Moored to the Jetty
Moored to the Jetty

After a light lunch we decide to motor through the narrows back to the Community of Squirrel Cove.

This time we are in luck. There is space for us against the public wharf and after tying up we walk over to the general store. Next to the general supply shop, which carries a variety of essentials, is a craft shop selling locally made knitted, glass, wooden, and native crafts.

WIFI connection is available, but not on the jetty, so we fetch our laptops and spend a few hours sitting in the laundry, checking email, and posting our blog.

Squirrel Cove General Store
Squirrel Cove General Store

We stroll along the beach covered wall-to-wall in oysters, and collect a few bleached shells to make a wind-chime.

Back on Karibu we connect to shore power at $4 a day and we are able to charge all our equipment, download our photos and spend a leisurely evening reading. This is really a quaint place – the people are friendly and we enjoy the laid-back atmosphere.

Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 10

23 June 2013

A truly awesome sight
A truly awesome sight

Bright blue skies cover the bay and we weigh anchor hoping to take advantage of the tide running through the narrows. When I got up at 3:15am this morning to check that all was well, the full moon flooded the bay in bright light. Stars shone in a clear sky overhead and I could just see the crack of dawn beginning to lighten the eastern sky. The days are long and full of excitement and sleep is difficult when sunset is at 10:30pm and it is still dusk at 11:00pm. It is 6:00am and the smooth watery surface is broken only by our wake and the odd seal popping up to see what all the noise is about, and disturbing the peace.  I take load of photographs of the wonderful reflection in the water, of trees and mountains, with the water so calm it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the dividing line.

Exiting Malispina Inlet on the outgoing tide adds another 3kts to our speed and at 7.9 – 8.4kts we glide effortlessly passed Zephine Head, into the sound.  We round the head and move into Galley Bay making our way into Buff Cove where we anchor for breakfast. Galley Bay still partly privately owned has an interesting history. It was known for many years as one of the largest hippie communes on BC coast. Mostly from Quebec and California about 100 people settled and tried to survive on the natural abundance of sea-life and foods in the area stretching for several hundred meters behind Galley Bay towards Zephine Head. Unfortunately the commune didn’t survive as its members found the life too demanding and challenging.

Snow-capped Mount Hayes
Snow-capped Mount Hayes

We exit Galley Bay at 9:00am tummies full. Slightly to port lies Kinghorn Island, dead ahead Redonda, in the forefront of snow-peaked Mount Hayes, which points its tall finger towards to the clear blue sky, and to starboard Desolation Sound Marine Park on the mainland. We pass Portage Cove so named because it is a narrow stretch of land (isthmus) connecting Gifford Peninsula to the mainland – Portage Cove to Wootton Bay in Theodosia Inlet. This strip of land is privately owned and is not part of Desolation Sound Marine Park. The wind is almost non-existent, the sun warm and comforting. I peel off the layers of clothing in stages until I am down to a tank-top and a sarong. Is this really Canada, I ask myself.

The best way to get around the Sound
The best way to get around the Sound

We make our way to Mink Island which is privately owned. Signs on many of the huge trees say – NO FIRES and we can only image how frightening it would be to live on an island and have a fire run wildly through it, destroying everything in its path. There are 2 jetties and the cruising guide by Bill Wolferstan, which I have referenced for interesting facts, throughout my blogs, says floatplanes sometimes taxi into the bay dropping off owners and visitors to the residence. In the middle of the bay is Goat Island, a rocky little island which apparently is where a few goats were kept in days gone by.
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From Mink we head for Tenedos Bay on Tenedos Island (also known as Deep Bay), passing Churme Islands to port. This bay is not known as Deep Bay for nothing. Depths in excess of 100mts (300-600ft) just off the shore in places limits the amount of boats for anchoring. We found a patch which shows a depth of 7mts. It is on the northernmost end behind Woodchuck Island.

Lake Unwin
Lake Unwin

We anchor and charge ashore in the dingy to the bay where the freshwater from Lake Unwin runs into the northeastern cove. We hiked the trail which thankfully was a lot easier than I expected; well cleared with stepping-stones placed strategically in the muddy patches. The lake is reported to reach almost tepid temperatures and attracts many bathers. I felt it and it was no warmer than the sea, so even though I had brought my bathing-suit I am definitely not going in.

Wolf and I were eager to move across to Refuge Cove on West Redonda Island, so at 3:45pm we weigh anchor and with a headwind blowing against us we motor the short 6-7nm. We pass about 10 kayakers making their way to Tenados Island, some of them lagging far behind the leaders. The weather is changing, clouds darken the sky, and slight drizzle forces us into our windbreakers.

Co-Op Community
Co-Op Community

We tie up against the co-op wharf at Refuge Cove at 4:15pm and walk up to the little store to complete the formalities. Mooring is very reasonable we are charged $0.70 per foot. There is access to 15amp power at $7.00 per day in summer. Summer rates start on 1 July and so, because it is not yet summer, the generator switches off at 5:30pm. Internet is on a pay per service system we connect to post my previous day’s blog at a rate of $5 per hour (pretty expensive but we are happy to have access).

At the store we get chatting to the locals who share some history on the formation of the co-op.  The co-op is owned and run by 18 families all owners of cottages in Refuge Cove. They started the co-op so that each owner would have a vested interest in the various businesses. No more leases are available so the only way to get into the co-op is when someone decides to sell. The facilities include the general store, clean showers, laundry, fuel dock, a gallery, a book exchange, and in the summer “The boat Stop Café” which serves light lunches and home-baked goods.

Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 9

22 June 2013

Home-baked Bread
Home-baked Bread

After breakfast Wolf changes the fuel filters on the starboard engine. We have decided to wait a few hours so that we can take advantage of the tide. Grace Harbour has been a wonderful retreat,  far from anyone in the most beautiful protected and secure setting. I decide that I should try to bake my first loaf of sour-dough bread from the culture that Janette gave me at Comox. She said that it was very different from baking with conventional yeast and the dough takes at least 12-24 hours to rise. I mixed the dough yesterday and the loaf has rising slightly so I bake it.

The smell of baking bread wafts through the entire boat and smells heavenly, as only homemade baked bread can smell. I cook breakfast and serve the bread… uhmm  – not the best bread I have tasted and certainly the worst I have baked, but Wolf says it’s ok and manages to devour 2 slices.

Time to Explore
Time to Explore

10:00am we leave grace harbour heading down the Malispina and Okeover Inlets. 10:05am the starboard engines cuts out. Wolf is scurrying to bleed the fuel system, a process he is very familiar with. ”Probably got an air-lock when I changed the filter!” he says casually as he vanishes below deck. Soon she is purring like a kitten and we motor towards Okeover Landing arriving at 11:30am. We tie up to the public jetty and walk up the steep road to the Laughing Oyster, a pub and grill situated on the slopes of a hill with magnificent views of the inlet. In my backpack I am carrying 2 laptops, and a cruising guide as well as my journal. We hope to get internet connection and post yesterday’s blog. I am behind as time rushes by so filled with activity that I don’t have a chance to type. I scribble noted into my journal and catch-up whenever I can.

Ordering tea
Ordering tea

The restaurant owners Dave and Patty are there but explain that the place officially opens at noon. He nevertheless ushers us to the verandah and Wolf orders tea. We immediately connect to their internet like two crazed techno—geeks reading emails, checking our Facebook timelines and I begin to type my blog.

Wolf eventually orders Atlantic Cod and fries and I ask for a dessert menu – my craving for chocolate finally getting the better of me. I order some amazing triple chocolate yummy sticky dark delicious gooey melt-in-my-mouth goodie covered in even more sticky caramel sauce. I know, I know… but I figure I have been deprived for too long.

On the jetty enroute to Karibu we meet and speak to 2 German guys who live aboard a little 28’ yacht and have been sailing for many years. The one chap says he left Germany at the age of 16 years. We do not stop and chat too long but they look like an interesting pair with lots of amazing stories of Central America and other places they have visited. They have made Okeover Landing their home-base and say they are living off the grid.

Exquisite Little Bay
Exquisite Little Bay

1:35pm  We turn into the inlet, and explore a few more miles before heading back to Lancelot Inlet, which we enter heading right into Theodasia Inlet where we plan to anchor at the northern end, for the night.

We pass many oyster incubators/hatcheries along the shore. We circle Polly Island and Madge Island into Isobel Bay. This little bay is one I believe is the most beautiful we have seen along the way. There is only space for 1 boat in a bay surrounded by high rocky cliffs and huge boulders.
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Pendragon sits at Anchor
Pendragon sits at Anchor

The heads leading into Theodosia are named Grail and Galahad continuing the Camelot theme.

The current screams through the narrows but Wolf has timed it to give us an extra push.

Shortly after arriving at 3:35pm another boat joins us in the isolated mooring. Strangely it is named Pendragon and when we speak to her owner Gene he says his middle name is Arthur – bizarre!

 

Karibu at Anchor
Karibu at Anchor

We lower the dingy and chug to the shore where we have noticed signs of logging activities. Apparently this bay is the last active operation where the sheltered bay, providing ideal conditions for storing and booming of logs, is still allowed. Estuaries such as these are critically vital for the rearing and life of many birds, marine organisms, fish and shellfish and I can’t help wondering how the logging affects them.  Walking along the logging road we are disappointed to see old derelict discarded equipment defacing this naturally beautiful site.

Wolf's BBQ - Cheers
Wolf’s BBQ – Cheers

Back on Karibu Wolf grills meat on the BBQ and we eat in silence listening to the sounds of the rippling stream we spotted on our walk and the cries of the bald eagles in the massive trees. Suddenly Wolf jumps up and grabs the binoculars and then shows me what has drawn his attention. Slowly drifting towards us on the incoming tide is a log boom which has broken loose. Instead of moving in a group the logs have separated but are still joined at their ends and have now become a long log-snake floating dangerously close to our boats. When they turn, at the change in tide, they spread out, creating a line behind us, forming a distinct net.

Wolf starts the motors and moves towards the western shores of the estuary and we watch as the logs float closer to Pendragon, who also weighs anchor and moves behind the log-boom. It is scary not knowing where they will float when the tide comes back in, so we sleep fitfully taking turns to come out several times to check; although, this was unnecessary as they had been swept to the shoreline close to the narrows which leads into Lancelot Inlet.

 

 

Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 8

21 June 2013

Wolf starts the motors and there is not salt water cooling in the starboard engine so he tightened the fan-belt and all is well again. We exit the Powell River harbour at 8:20am and immediately head north.  Westview marina lies to the south of the ferry terminal and offers extensive mooring facilities including easy access to the cute little town of Powell River. This is where the first pulp & Paper mill in Western Canada was built. Recently the breakwater has been extended to facilitate more transient boats heading to and from Desolation Sound. Once again gray clouds cover the sky but we are grateful that it is not raining.

Soon after exiting the sky clears – the current is in our favour and that sea is as clam as a lake. It is difficult to believe that this is the same angry sea we crossed yesterday. I stand at the bow and look across the expanse of water towards Comox and the sea smiles innocently back at me, so all is forgiven and we are once again friends.

At 10:00am we are motoring along the northern shores of Savary Island; a 4 mile long sandy island that lies approximately east and west.  A ferry-taxi carries passengers to and from the mainland. The beaches are long and wide allowing the sun to bake on them when the tide is out making the water in the shallows a pleasant temperature for swimming.  We would love to stay and explore this island but Desolation Sound beckons and we make a mental note to return some day.

Yay! We enter Desolation Sound at 11:20am and head down Malispina Inlet. Protected from most prevailing winds the inlet offers numerous bays and coves to anchor in. We head into the passage with a 4kt current pushing us so that the speed over ground climbs to 8.5kts. We scream past the Copeland Islands which dot the Western Coastline. The strait can be dangerous if careful attention to the chart is neglected and also confusing if one does not refer back to the charts often.

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Back in the dingy we head for the falls. We try to find a landing spot for the inflatable – the shoreline is rocky and barnacle covered with masses of oysters, so trying to find a smooth rock or a patch of sand is proving difficult. Finally we are able to pull up alongside a flat ledge and we scamper ashore through a small track into the dense forest. The sight that greets us is spellbinding. I only hope that the photographs are able to do it justice.

I can’t resist the temptation to stand under the falls but Wolf wants to video it so I keep my clothes on and allow the force of the cool water splash over me. On the way back to the dingy we cross over a really slick muddy section and I take two really hard falls, one onto my new replaced hip. We come back to the boat and I change into dry clothes and wash my muddy ones.

We read about Grace Harbour in the cruising guide and notice that there is a fresh water lake about 1km through the marine park and decide that since we are here we might as well take a look. Oh my Gosh, the trail takes us through real dense forest with a track overgrown from a year of not being used. It is just the start of the summer and perhaps the park rangers will clear it again before this place gets over-run with boaters. In the meantime we trudge through mad that squishes through our crocs giving me the creeps. As we near the lake we hear grunts and immediately think “Bear” so we start talking loudly and wolf whacks two rocks together to chase it. We feel rather vulnerable.

We reach the lake which has been created by a beaver. It is referred to as black lake because of the peat concentrate which discolours the water. I take another fall on the way back and feel an absolute ass. But this time we find the sides of the mud a little less daunting and soon we are back on Karibu. Two more boats come in for the evening which is spent reading and lazing.

Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 7

20 June 2013

Leaving Comox
Leaving Comox

The weatherman is spot-on with his predictions – by the time we leave the marine the skies are gray and heavy, threatening to dump their contents any time soon. Mount Washington and surrounding mountains in the distance, a popular winter ski-resort inland of Comox, is only vaguely visible through a blanket of mist. As we exit the Comox harbour the rain pelts down.

Viewing Comox in the distance
Viewing Comox in the distance

 

 

We keep the two sides of the Bimini down for shelter from the fresh 15kt Northerly winds, and to keep dry in the cockpit. The temperature is considerably cooler than yesterday. I had commented to Wolf on how warm I was on Wednesday, considering the mountain peaks are still capped with snow. I had heard that in this region, these warm breezes are called the ‘Qualicum Wind’ and are similar to the ‘Berg Winds’ we are familiar with in Durban, South Africa. I suppose that should have been a hint of a pending change in weather. A low pressure over the Mainland of BC has caused the winds to change from Southerlies (which were great for us) to Northerlies (meaning we now have to  sail into the wind).

Choppy sea's
Choppy sea’s

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As we enter the Straits of Georgia we are immediately confronted with the wind blowing against a strong turbulent current causing the sea to be choppy and the swells to come head on. The Straits of Georgia is a big deep body of water between Vancouver Island and the BC Mainland (we registered 360 meters [depth] on the chart-plotter – but is considerably deeper in places).  It is 110 miles long and between 15 to 20 miles wide. The ‘typical’ summer-time fair-weather wind pattern is usually calm in the mornings followed by northwesterly in the early afternoons and becoming 20 – 25kts in the late afternoons. Because of this, we decided to cross as early as possible but Mr. Murphy is one up on us and has interrupted the ‘typical’ pattern just to irritate us. The current running from south to north push against the 20kt wind causing the sea to become confused and as we say down south “stand on its head,” like the effect of an agitator in a washing machine. “It’s not fair!” I say out loud, but no-one listens.

Karibu is bullied and bashed about, rising on the crest of one swell only to be knocked down and slapped by the next. These conditions are not new to us having sailed along the South Africa Coast; however, we aren’t expecting a repeat performance here in British Columbia, Canada. I am convinced that ‘the master’ which is the sea just likes to remind us, any time we become too complacent, just who is BOSS.

The original plan is to move up to Cortes Island and find a protected anchorage but we bow in obedience to ‘the master’, who has an entirely different plan, and we take the easiest most comfortable route possible setting a course for Westview Harbour, Powell River.  I am grateful and say a quick thank you when the wind strengthens to 25kts and suddenly Karibu moves effortlessly at 6.4kts over ground – almost as if she too is eager to escape the washing machine.

Low tide at Powell River
Low tide at Powell River

At 11:35pm we glide past the breakwater and tie up on a jetty. It is low tide and we are flanked to port by a marina of boats and to starboard by a wharf towering above us. We look directly under it to the pylons which support it and hear the gently cooing of the pigeons that have taken up residence in the cross-beams.

2:45pm – after a rest and a light lunch I catch up on this blog and then we go out to see the sights of Powell River-

I have a very low signal, so I am going to publish this blog  ‘as is’ and add to it later.