Desolation Sound Sailing Trip – Log 13

26 June 2013

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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!