Monday, August 21, 2017

Total Eclipse of the Sun Day August 21, 2017

Total Eclipse of the Sun Day August 21, 2017            Victoria to Port Angeles                       Easy day today.  Up and on the road at 0600.  Easy crossing of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, no high wind and no fog!  Consumed apples, oranges and an avocado for breakfast so we would not have contraband on board to declare.  Tied up to the Custom’s dock to clear into the states.  “Do you have anything to declare?”  The Customs and Boarder Patrol Agent had to focus so he would not roll his eyes as Carl rattled off what I had written.  “Frozen fish, cooked crab, lettuce, onion, celery, carrots, one yellow pepper, one unopened bottle of wine and about a half a bottle of bourbon.”


Our location is definitely not in the “path of totality” but we did not have to drive through hours of traffic hordes either.  I have for you today only one photo.  The totally un-awesome safe selfie plus eclipse taken aboard ExTerra at the Custom’s dock, Port Angeles at the local time of totality.


August 19th-20th Royal Victoria Yacht Club

Tide Rip Yee Haw!
August 19th-20th Royal Victoria Yacht Club    Up here if you can’t have the wind in your favor you can at least play with the currents.  This morning’s currents are great for time and we clock 10.1 knots along the way.  This comes to almost a screeching halt at the rip tide transition from Georgia Strait currents to currents from Juan de Fuca Straits, and we slow, very briefly to about 3.3 knots.  Average knots for the day were 7.7 so generally high for us.   

One of the perks of being members of Rose City Yacht Club is that we have reciprocal moorage agreements with numerous other yacht clubs and marinas.  One of these we discover is the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.  It is nicely located in Cadboro Bay, away from the hustle and bustle of Victoria.  The RVYC hosts the Swiftsure Race that some of our club members participate in yearly.  They also have a very busy small boat yard where members work on their boats.  There is a small fleet of sailing dinghies and Olympic Qualifier Laser boats.  They will also host the Melges 24 World Championship next year and have a few of these sleek, turbo charged light weight planing hull.

We receive help putting ExTerra in our slip and chat with the two members.  Then we hop on the local bus and head into Victoria.   
Dragon Boat Races
We have seen many of the sites of Victoria on previous land visits but we are in search of “Solar Eclipse” glasses.  Alas we do not find any (all sold out for weeks!).  We walk the waterfront and enjoy watching some of the Dragon Races since this is Dragon Boat Festival.  We of course have ice cream cones and even take in a movie!  Are we starting to slowly immerse ourselves back into land life?  






The next day we hike to the tiny Cadboro Bay community, through very nice neighborhoods with tree lined streets and remnant giant oaks from when this area was nearly entirely covered with oak savannah type vegetation.  We get to see the front runners in the Tour de Victoria as the zoom past us on their bikes.  We continue to see participants for hours as we hike, go to the beach, enjoy another pub burger and hike back.  This “Tour” has three levels, the Experienced Cyclists 140 kilometer (roughly 79 mile) ride, Cycling Enthusiast (90 KM) and the Entry-level Cyclist for 45 km, which explains why we continue to see riders for the few hours that we are out and about.

Leaders of the Pack Tour de Victoria


Returning to the boat we continue our transitioning chores.  We have stowed the crab pots and shrimp pots.  We have rinsed and stowed the fishing gear.  Now we are washing the dinghy so it can dry well and then be stowed for our offshore trek in a few days.  Now we are drying the sheets in the sun as we forgot to close the pullman hatches while we rinsed the dinghy.  Sigh.  This evening we will have crab in the cockpit for dinner then we will don our finest duds and have a drink at the bar “just because.”  No hats allowed Gents!




Gyro Park Sand Sculptures

Sunday, August 20, 2017

August 17th through 18th Secretary Islands and Ganges

Hand Harvesting Crabs
August 17th through 18th Secretary Islands and Ganges           


Time to slow down again.  We anchor after a short two hour hop, all by ourselves in a nook on the Secretary Islands.  We meet our goal of being here early enough for low tide and harvest oysters and clams.  Carl goes hand fishing for crab, wading up to his thighs in the shallows and brings home two red rock crabs. 

Crabbing.  All Toes Accounted For!

Watch out for that wake!

Clam digging trio


I hike the island a bit.  It is private but not posted so I sit for awhile on the log bench overlooking Carl’s crabbing cove.  I then hike further in to find an unusual tennis court.  It is entirely made of wood, with elevated 2” x 12” floor joists over post and beam on concrete footings.  The sides are probably 15’ high netting surrounding the entire full size tennis court.  Interesting to find out here.  I figure that is enough exploring and head back for a wonderful evening of reading in the cockpit by the light of our Luci (solar powered lantern).


Tennis anyone?



The 18th we make a three hour hop to a completely different setting, the village of Ganges on Salt Spring Island.  We anchor out and dinghy in.  We see a boat similar to ours except that it is the 36’ version.  We visit with the owners and they invite us in to see “Dave’s Gamble.”  We discuss our boats at length and get contact information.  We invite them to stop by but they are awaiting family and we all say perhaps another time.  Ganges is a haven for artists and we visit small galleries and gift shops.  We enjoy a good burger and brew at a tiny brew pub.  Back at the boat we turn in early for another early departure.


Artist's Sail Boat, and Yes, it Works!



August 16th Baynes Sound to Georgia Strait through Dodd Narrows or “over the river and through the woods….”

August 16th Baynes Sound to Georgia Strait through Dodd Narrows or “over the river and through the woods….”      

Comox Sunrise
Conditions are not the best on the Georgia Strait but we need to put some miles under the keel so we spend a 12 hour day going down the quiet Baynes Sound and out into and down the Strait of Georgia.  Baynes Sound has an interesting twist.  It is the first “stop light” we have encountered on the open water.  The small cable ferry connecting Vancouver Island and Denman Island.  As you approach you watch the shore.  If the light is red, you stop.  If it is green you can proceed.  This lets the small ferry pull itself along its cable and keeps you from snagging your keel or rudder on the cable as it pulls along the top of the water.

Red Light

Green Light
The weather (again) is not as predicted.  The winds were to be light and variable.  They continued to build and were pretty much 15-20 on the nose with sloppy seas all day long.  The places to pull in an anchor are few to none along this stretch.  As we pass the Winchelsea Islands with the naval radar station and prepare to anchor in Nanaimo Harbour we realize that the timing is right to keep going and go through Dodd Narrows.  Hmmmm….keep going now or get up at 0500 to make the Narrows at slack.  Forward we go. 


Dodd Narrows has a dogleg bend, meaning you cannot see around the corner in the middle of this narrows.  People announce themselves thusly “Securite securite securite, 38’ sailboat southbound Dodd Narrows, any concerned traffic come back on channel 16.”  As we approach we do see a tug with barge on the far side of the narrows but we cannot tell if he is actually approaching the Narrows or not.  We wait a bit; call him on VHF 16 and VHF 13.  No answer.  Not hearing any announcement of northbound traffic we make our southbound announcement and then proceed.  Sure enough as soon as we are committed and come around the dogleg we are face to face with the tiny tug and his ginormous barge.  
Tug and Barge in Dodd Narrows

He gives us a sheepish wave and I give him a, well let’s just say I did not wave at him with one finger but I did give him a two handed “what’s up with this” shrug.  He ducked his head and kept on going.  Carl watched the port side to stay off the rocks and I watched the starboard to dodge loose logs.  Needless to say we were very glad to throw the anchor out at De Courcey Island shortly thereafter.  Our 12 hour day took us through a quiet sound, over the slop of the Strait, and past sawmills, log booms, tugs and tows.  The cedar smell coming from the log booms reminded me of the years we spent working in the woods.





Small Tug and Log Boom



August 15th – 16th Comox and Filberg Heritage park

August 15th – 16th Comox        You would never know it based on our simple, humble home but architecture feeds my soul.  I got a full serving of soul food today as we explored the Filberg Heritage lodge and park in the small town of Comox.  Robert Filberg came from a working class family.  A history of rags to riches that would make an interesting novel in itself led him to become the President of the Comox Logging and Railway Company.  He commissioned the construction of his 4000 square foot “arts and crafts” family summer lodge in 1929.  It blends into the lowlands overlooking the waters of Georgia Strait and Baynes Sound. 


Upon his death he gave back to his community (as he had over time) by donating his summer lodge in Comox to a community foundation which eventually worked with the City of Comox to establish it as a public park and event venue.  In addition to the 9 acres and home he left $11 million for general upkeep over time.  While we did not get to go inside the house we enjoyed a thorough exploration of the 9 acres with its original chicken sheds and out buildings still intact.  Numerous photos show the unobtrusive structure and attention to detail.  A beautiful dahlia garden brings fond memories of Sheila’s beautiful bouquets.

And now an unabashed photo bomb.















August 14th to 15th Seymour Narrows and into Campbell River

August 14th to 15th Seymour Narrows and into Campbell River           We time our departure from our Kanish Bay Cove anchorage so that we are at Brown point at 10:15.  This will put us through Seymour Narrows at slack.  Years ago we came off the ferry in Campbell River and drove up to where you can watch the narrows.  The currents were roaring through the narrows looking like a class 5 rapids on a white water river.  To safely go through on slack seemed quite anti climatic after seeing the rapids at their most powerful.

We pass into Campbell River and tie up at the Discovery Harbour dock.  We have plenty of time to walk through town and visit the two museums.  Our tour guide at the Maritime Heritage Centre is one of the six person team who lovingly restored the museum’s main attraction, the BCP45, “the only known example of a wooden seiner (in its original configuration) still in existence, a class of vessel intimately associated with the commercial west coast fishery during the 20th century that has all but disappeared from use.”  The BCP45 was launched in 1927 and lovingly restored by volunteers from 2003 to 2007.   


He takes us through each of the exhibits extolling the virtues of all of the generous donors.  Exhibits include an entire huge collection of coast guard and maritime memorabilia donated by the local optometrist, amazing scale model boats made by a local man and donated by his widow, and the research room exhibit donated by the University and on it goes.  This museum is very well done and worth the time to visit.   








The Museum of Campbell River takes you through time showing the way of life for each group of people who have called this area their home over many generations.  This includes First Nations people, loggers, pioneers, salmon industry families and current residents, who over time have tried to mix and meld their lifestyles while sustaining the natural resources that they depend upon.  







Tuesday, August 15, 2017

August 12th -14th Johnstone Strait and Seymour Narrows

August 12th -14th Johnstone Strait and Seymour Narrows                    Today we have our farewell brunch with Walt and Odile.  Walt makes awesome pancakes and we contribute some of our homemade link elk sausage made with CJ and Roxanna last fall.  Odile gives us a nice loaf of her homemade bread, we give them dairy products from our larder and we part ways around noon.  
Last B Mondo siting



Our last sighting of B Mondo is as she goes around the tip of Swanson Island with Odile on the tiller and Walt on the stern setting up for salmon trolling.  We eat our “bon voyage” chocolate chip cookies from B Mondo’s oven as we see them motor out of sight.

kayaks enjoying the day


Colorful beach cabins Johnstone Strait
Our bow is headed through West Passage and Blackney Passage on the slack and into Johnstone Strait.  Winds are to be 20 to 30 knots behind us today so we are “going for it.”  While the higher winds never materialized we do push on to Port Neville as conditions are just fine with 3 plus foot waves and winds nearing 20 on the nose, reminiscent of coming up the Washington Coast.  The chilly ride calls for two rounds of hot chocolate which makes me wish the grandkids were here to share it with.  


Port Neville has one tiny government dock which is full.  “Do you want to raft up” yells a nice lady in a power boat at the dock.  “No, but thank you for the offer” we say and head across the inlet to anchor.  Another small fishing boat pulls into the anchorage alongside us.  Some of the higher winds find their way into the anchorage in the middle of the night and we do a quick anchor watch to make sure we are all still in the right place and head back to bed.

Cabin overlooking the Killer Whale sanctuary

The next day we venture back out into Johnstone Strait.  We have checked all possible places to bale off into protected back waters if the Strait conditions deteriorate.  Winds are still predicted NW 20-30 yet never materialize.  We do sail for some of the day and keep a good eye on the guidebook and sailing instructions to know where the tide rips, whirls and eddies will be.  We push on confident that we can make Kanish Bay for our evening anchorage instead of having to bail off into the calmer back waters.


Chatham Point Light House




At 2:15 we round Chatham Point and have officially made our first transit of Johnstone Strait.  Given that this stretch of east west water with high currents and often high to gale force winds is now under our belt we are thankful and enjoy a peaceful anchorage for the evening.  







Container sized floating hazard Johnstone Strait




Sailing Johnstone Strait

August 10th – 11th Burdwoods to tour Tribune to Dusky Cove, Bonwick Island

August 10th – 11th        Burdwoods to tour Tribune to Dusky Cove, Bonwick Island   Leaving our Burdwood Island anchorage we tour up Tribune Channel and into Bonn Sound and the Ahta River.  We set our shrimp pots with our ever hopeful visions of grilled shrimp on the barby.  Alas our pot nets 2 large shrimp, one baby and a tiny octopus!  Walt and Odile are skunked with their pot.  
Pulling the Shrimp Pot

I contemplate our weeks of travel, reflecting on what makes this most enjoyable for me.  Yes, the scenery is spectacular, the workings of a sailboat challenging, living off the sea memorable; and yet for me I need to add the human element.  This comes in with our buddy boat friends Walt and Odile, and family when they are able to join us as well.  What rounds this all out are visits with people like Billy Proctor, the help of people like our dainty gal who helped tie us up and the giving spirit of our generous tow boat captain Paul.  Visiting over the side of the boat with others who are venturing about in their dinghies; Hop scotching down the coast with some of the same boats anchoring nearby often.  Exploring tiny villages and chatting with young folk who are thrilled to be employed for the season in faraway places.  Reading about history is part of this.  Actually visiting with the people who are living the history and creating the stories of our tomorrows, for me, is a large part of this nerve wracking fun of taking our boat some 700 miles from home and back. 

Perhaps I am pondering all of this because I miss our family and we are soon to part ways with Walt and Odile for the year.  The tug of southward bound has me firmly in its grasp.  I think Carl as well is beginning to feel it.  As in years past I know that will shape how we travel over the next couple of weeks.  On to a new day for tomorrow we start the south travel in earnest.

Sea Cucumber 1 bite each and not bad!

Bear at Wahanta Bay

Three shrimp and an octopus!

Crab