July 18th – 19th Shearwater to Oliver Cove to Culpepper Lagoon

July 18^th – 19^th Shearwater to Oliver Cove to Culpepper Lagoon                    Given our 2:00 departure from Shearwater we head a short five hour motor down Seaforth Channel up Reid Passage and into Oliver Cove, the names continuing to make me wonder who was here before us of note enough to have namesakes left behind. 

While at Shearwater Walt had confirmed local knowledge we had heard about and we set up off of Idol Point to troll for salmon.  Walt lands a nice Chinook salmon just the right size for the boat.  Odile later cleans the fish and give us half for the freezer.  We then exit Seaforth Channel with the very large (495’) BC Ferry “Northern Expedition” coming in and the 643’ “The World” cruise ship heading out.  AIS is very handy to give us these particulars on the vessels.  

On the 19^th the weather is fine to make a long 43 mile trek up Mathieson Channel thence through Kynoch Inlet and await the time to enter Culpepper Lagoon on the slack of the ebb tide.  Along the way Pam and Carl take turns picking crab so we can all enjoy a crab Louis salad for dinner.  What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon, motoring through exquisite scenery while sitting in the sunny cockpit cracking and picking crab!  Carl of course has some for his lunch as well.

When we enter Kynoch Inlet we marvel at “The Graduate”, the large falls coming out of Lessom Creek.  We have many photo ops as our boats pass close to the falls with its many different cascades.  

ExTerra in front of "The Graduate" Kynoch Falls

We encounter dolphin again alongside the boat.  They are not as friendly as our earlier ones and quickly move on after frolicking with each of our boats briefly.  

As we near the end of Kynoch we see the remains of the year round snow field and snow cave at sea level on the northern edge of the inlet.  We also see for the second time the 26’ sailing vessel “Endurance” anchored near the end.

Culpepper Lagoon

Now it is time to head through the short, shallow narrows to spit out into Culpepper Lagoon.  Making it safely through Pam is on the bow to take photos and is, quite honestly, speechless at the magnitude and grandeur of the lagoon and the steep snow capped mountains that surround us.  Regaining her composure she continues to video the area, knowing that photos and videos will not do justice to this awesome place.  

We are to anchor this evening and are unable to find suitable anchorage for two boats.  The charted depths show a lot of 19’ shoreline yet we find only 60’ to 100’ in most places. We do drop the anchor in one 25’ spot but once we start to back and set the hook Carl calls out that we only have 1 and ½ feet under the keel so we quickly pull up the 40 meters of chain and the anchor and go in search again.  We had come upon a sand bar.  One of the nearby power boats tells Walt and Odile that they are anchored in 149’ with 400’ of chain out in an area that is supposed to be 36’.  

Giving up on the idea of finding suitable depth and enough swing room for two rafted boats we decide to anchor separately near Riot Creek in 25-50 feet and have a quiet evening to ourselves, each enjoying crab Louis and sitting in the cockpit watching seals thrashing fish at the surface and pondering the faces we can see in the water’s edge reflecting the rocks.  

July 16th to 17th Crab Islands to Shearwater and Bella Bella

July 16^th to 17^th Crab Islands to Shearwater and Bella Bella

Cabin fever has set in so we travel all day in the rain for a change of scenery.  We end up at Crab Islands and do harvest crab.  It is a lovely little spot.  Since we are still in foggy rainy weather we dine inside B Mondo and enjoy another warm dessert.  We teach Walt and Odile how to play Pinochle, a game played by Pam’s family for decades.  Pam and Walt wamp on Carl and Odile twice with “double pinochle Walt” carrying the heavy load. 

Given our short jump to Shearwater we sleep in and depart around nine.  Pam cooks three pots of crab enroute. 

We pull into Shearwater and decide to stay the night to catch up on a variety of ‘town’ tasks.  We each fill with diesel and then tie up at the log/barge breakwater and continue to wait a slip that the harbour master assures us is coming.  Having not heard from the harbour master yet getting very hungry we dinghy ashore to partake of the mouth watering cheese burgers at the local pub that Walt and Odile have been telling us about.  Sure enough, just as we bite into our burgers we get the call from Christophe (harbour master) to let us know our slip is available.  He is fine with us finishing up our burgers.

We dinghy back to the breakwater, tie up and B Mondo rafts to our side, leaving an extra slip for another boat.  What a busy place!  As we approach the dock Pam hands off one line to a youngster (maybe 12 years old?).  She lets them know the boat is heavy.  Since ExTerra is blown off of the dock Pam has to toss the other line to a brother perhaps, maybe 10 or 11!  Each of the lads brace against the 4x6 bulwark and commence hauling ExTerra safely to the dock.  They did an excellent job and tie us up more professionally than most adults we have handed lines to.  We see the lads later whizzing by in their small sailboat, expertly healing and tacking through the narrow waterway.  Pam enquires of Christophe about the young lads, noting that they handled our 9 ton boat quite well.  He said “That is no surprise.  They have been round the world in the family’s 20 ton boat!”   

We cycle ourselves and our clothes through associated washing machines, stock up on a few groceries and paper charts and dive into a crab dinner. 

The next morning Pam, Carl and Odile take the local water taxi over to New Bella Bella, the community home of the Heiltsuk people.  While walking through town we see numerous totem poles with watchful raven overseeing the streets.  We venture into the elder center (Waglisla Senior Centre) to enjoy some of the local artwork.  The building is simple yet beautiful with a lot of cedar woodwork.   

Continuing our walk about we come to the K-12 school, another fine example of woodwork and art.  The striking, unique edifice is cedar shakes formed as an eagle with an ornate sign on the side wall.  While we are admiring the totem pole on the side of the school a local man approaches us.  He has a story he wants to tell us.  

The totem pole he says was made by one of their local people.  The carver said that the pole would fall down.  All poles do yet this one seemed to fall too soon.  Our story teller tells us that he was there that day with a backhoe hoping to hold the pole in place yet it fell anyway and they stood it back up and braced it on each side.  “Poles are not supposed to be stood back up.  It is bad luck.  They are supposed to return to the earth.”  

We talk with him awhile longer.  He tells us where to fish.  We ask about the “Stewart spill” that we had read about.  He says “it has changed us, maybe forever with the loss of our clam beds.”  What little we read indicates that the fuel spill in 2016 took out some of the native gathering grounds for mussel and clams.  The beautiful “Laias Garden” near the dock is a healing garden to help people heal after the spill by sharing fresh produce from the garden.  

We leave him to continue his walk and we continue ours.  We notice two beautiful native canoes in a small cedar sided building.  It is the “Qatuwas Gathering House,” a small information center recently started that focuses on the culture, science and history of the Heiltsuk First Nations.  The head curator is a very lively, well spoken young lady who is excited about what they are doing and plan to do to promote their area.  They will have walking tours of Bella Bella and tours to the original sites where people moved from after the smallpox epidemic of the 1860’s wiped out 85% of their population.  They feature the “Glwa”, a traditional dugout canoe in their display.  It was carved for and paddled to the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication. 

They host numerous “Tribal Journeys” where families paddle their canoes all over the British Columbia seaways and as far south as Quinault, WA.  Student interns serve as staff.  Natalia is a junior in the K-12 school.  Cila just graduated and will go to college in Nanaimo combining art and pre-law, her goal to return to her community and continue to promote their people and their way of life.  She said she left one other time.  Upon her return she realized how special their way of life and the land where they live truly is.  We feel that this group is off to a great start for their cultural center and wish them luck. 

Now it is time to head for the grocery store.  We confirm that this store has a lot more to offer than the store at Shearwater.  This one feeds a community and the other one caters to boaters, both are needed yet represent such a vastly different group of people.

We head back to our water taxi after stocking up on groceries and fresh, homemade fry bread and sandwiches on wonderful fresh buns.  We note and mention to a few people the great sense of pride that we have seen during our walk through their community. 

July 14th – 16th Roscoe Inlet

July 14^th – 16^th Roscoe Inlet

Roscoe Inlet is another spectacular scenic “drive” (as wind seldom makes its way up this inland inlets). We stop to drift fish, no joy.  We stop to rock fish with adequate success.  We have to keep one of our two yelloweye rockfish which are dwindling in numbers and therefore only one allowed per day.  He had ascended from too deep and  did not recover when Carl tried to take him back to the bottom (with a weighted barbless hook, not with scuba gear)!  We safely released our other one.  Odile adds two more rockfish and we have plenty of fresh protein for dinner.  We continue our journey to the end of the inlet, two boats tied at the hip and two Loons swimming nearby; nothing else around except shear granite walls, and hazy rain shrouded, tree covered mountain peaks.

Yelloweye and Rock Sole

Rat Fish!

Rainy Day Read

We awake to another very rainy morning and decide to hold over and have a “rain” day which basically means everyone to their own form of relaxation and dining inside B Mondo with warmth and fresh bread from the oven.  Pam and Carl provide a wonderful ginger chicken soup that has held underneath their freezer all the way from Portland.  We were fortunate to take this homemade leftover soup from one of the RCYC work parties.  Chris and Allyson are second generation RCYC members and they had just brought the beginning of their third generation into the world when they volunteered to cook for the work party.  Allyson chopped fresh veges, cooked and shredded tons of chicken and combined this into a mouth watering very gingery thick soup.  Someone please tell Allyson and Chris that the soup got a resounding 8 thumbs up from very rainy Roscoe Inlet, B.C. 

Another rainy morning has Pam pondering the dynamics of raindrops and capillary action which leads her to directing the incessant drops right down to the cockpit drains with the use of strategically tied cords.  She also notes that the fish lure holder, some 12 plastics slots with a variety of lures and leaders acts like a miniature game of Plinko with rain choosing a different slot and racing to the bottom, the most rain wins!  It appears that the lure with the light leader is in a tie with the largest lure with bare hook.  I have too much time on my hands!  

Time also allows me to ponder what might be going on in the lives of loved ones not travelling with us.  I picture camping trips, swim lessons, marathons, poultry shows and forest fires.  Be Safe and Have Fun throughout these summer months, knowing that Nana and Papa (Mom and Dad, Pam and Carl) miss you and look forward to seeing you again.  We hope that each of you can join us at some point of our journey on ExTerra in the coming years.  

July 13th to Ocean Falls

July 13^th to Ocean Falls                       Once a booming metropolis Ocean Falls is now considered a ghost town.  It does still however welcome cruising boats and we enjoy poking around.  Pam buys, from Rene’s “C” Shore Gift Shop, and promptly looses a nicely knitted neck muff; lost on our hike to the top of the dam that provides electricity for a few of the small communities up and down the waterways.  The Post Mistress shows us the newest postage stamps, wild birds in flight.  Beautiful.  She also says to go ahead and explore the building, once the judge’s chambers, courtroom and library.  “Please take any books you would like.”  It seems the building was damaged, insurance money collected yet spent elsewhere for higher priority needs, and the library books just sit.  We find a mix of four, thank her and continue on our way. 

Nearly Normal Norman's museum

What Was and What Is now (in yellow)

Hoary Marmots

Decades old tradition

High Rise Martin Hotel abandoned

Lodge turned hospital turned lodge

The town is in decay and has been for nearly 20 years.  A few folks bravely hang on and love living here.  The owner of the lodge hopes to one day again serve meals instead of just providing rooms.  “Nearly Normal Norm” still has the ‘museum’ of artifacts found in all the abandoned homes and businesses, a window into the soul of the 5,000 people who once lived in the Crown Zellerbach paper mill company town.  Well attended flowers show up in many places as do artistic touches.  Vacant ghost town buildings include entire apartment complexes, houses and stores.  A book, “Rain People, The Story of Ocean Falls” by Bruce Ramsey adeptly captures the heart and soul of the community, from their turn of the century beginnings to their turn, nearly of another century sobering decline.  Pam reads it appropriately, in the cockpit during a “rain” day layover at the head of Roscoe Inlet.

July 12th Happy Birthday dear Aiden!

July 12^th Happy Birthday dear Aiden!  Our grandson turns 15 today, he may be driving by the time we get home.  Life marches on.  Thinking of you and hoping you have a wonderful day young man! 

It is raining and overcast so a “rain day” is declared.  This means we hunker down under cover in the cockpit or down inside the boats for a day of (Carl) changing alternator belt, (Pam) catching up on photos and blog, (Walt) reading and polishing windows and (Odile) baking dessert and doing a lot of good trip planning.  If the rain lifts we may make the short hop up to Ocean Falls.  Fishing is done for hours netting two rock sole for dinner but no return of hali or cod.  We settle into B Mondo’s warm cabin for dinner enjoying rock sole and Odile’s streusel coffee cake baked in their cast iron diesel oven/stove, its radiant heat the source of the cozy cabin warmth.

July 9th – 10th Foughner Bay to Bryneldson Bay, Labouchere Channel to Eucott Bay Hot Springs

July 9^{th –} 10^th Foughner Bay to Bryneldson Bay, Labouchere Channel to Eucott Bay Hot Springs

  

 We make a run up Burke Channel with spectacular scenery on each side.  Steep to granite slopes with pockets of snow are surrounded by oceans of green trees.  Waterfalls abound, made more forceful with all of the overnight rain.  We have amazing displays of frolicking Pacific White-sided dolphin for miles.  They swim with us, staying right under our bow just in front of our wake.  A small pod of Orca whales pass between the boats.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

River commerce picks up as we approach the junction to Bella Coola, perhaps the largest metropolis in this area.  A tug and tow, “North Arm Prowler” hails us on the radio politely saying “Two sailboats off of Labouchere Point which side would you like me to pass on?”  “North Arm Prowler, sailing vessel ExTerra, if you can take us on our port that would be great.”  “Taking you on your port then.”  “Thank you sir!  ExTerra out.”  We have never actually had another craft ask us which side we preferred them to pass on.  He passed to port hauling a huge ferry barge with a loaded log truck, container truck, large D8(?) cat and other various large objects. 

We anchor in Bryneldson Bay, letting B Mondo know to tell us the depths as our depth sounder has not been working.  It did not like making the leap to nearly 2000’ of water.  Thankfully it comes back on after we tie up and cycle it off and back on. 

As we exit Bryneldson Bay we watch what e think is a gill netter set their nets, then make frantic runs back and forth along the nets we THINK in an effort to herd fish into the nets but we are not sure.  

We then make a short hop to Eucott Bay for a welcome dip in a natural hot springs.  Taking turns at the springs we leave the other people to stay inside on the boats or do armed battle in the cockpit with the very aggressive, large deer flies.  The hot springs has had some skilled handwork done using native rock  to keep a very natural feel yet deepen the pool and allow for a small yet needed boardwalk.  I surmise that the work was lovingly done by friends of Albert Kalak, including the commemorative plaque in his name. 

The view from the springs is awesome.  The anchorage is wonderfully large, flat with good holding mud and 360 degree views of snow capped mountains and fresh water creeks.  

A small helicopter tours the anchorage and lands at the hot springs.  Passengers and pilot disembark, wade through the mud yet do not partake of a wonderful dip in the springs!  



The wind and the flies die down enough for us to enjoy Odile’s homemade pizza in the cockpit.  Yum!