MV Dirona travel digest for Barkley Sound Winter 2011


Show Barkley Sound Winter 2011 travel log map Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map, with the complete log of our cruise.

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12/16/2011: Skunk Bay
We're finally underway on our Christmas trip. We debated whether to take it easy and stop the first night, or run straight through all night to get there. Easy won. We initially were thinking of stopping in either Port Ludlow or Mats Mats Bay, but en route there Skunk Bay looked appealing with houses lit up high above us on the cliffs and a sweeping view of Admiralty Inlet. We'll probably get hit with a wake or two, but don't expect much traffic.
12/17/2011, 6:50am: Approaching Oak Bay
We woke up at 1:30am last night and decided to get underway. While anchored at Skunk Bay, one ship went past in the early evening and rocked the boat a bit, but not uncomfortably so. And if any others went past, we didn't notice. Conditions are wonderfully calm. That's a nice change--it seems every time we've headed out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca recently it's been blowing a gale.
12/17/2011, 10:20am: Off Sooke Inlet
Two tired travellers. James had the helm for six hours between Skunk Bay and Oak Bay, and Spitfire, well, he just sleeps a lot.
12/17/2011, 2:30pm: Off Port San Juan
We're into some ocean swell now, perhaps ten feet. We're bobbing a bit, but not uncomfortably so. While we may get through the Strait of Juan de Fuca without a gale, that probably won't hold all the way to Barkley Sound. The earlier forecast of 10-15-knot winds in the west entrance has now changed to 20-25, and a gale warning is in effect for the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. Hopefully we'll get in before the worst of it hits.
12/17/2011, 7:10pm: Effingham Bay
The barometer has fallen 20mb in 24 hours--from 1026 last night to 1011 now. We've definitely got some weather coming. Environment Canada issued a special 6:30pm forecast with a gale warning still in effect for the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. The winds are now gusting into the 20s and the seas outside Barkley Sound were starting to kick up as we came through. We picked our way into Effingham Bay in pitch blackness, with fog and heavy rain. The floodlight mounted high on the mast was invaluable for lighting up the shore--our handheld spotlight couldn't pick out a thing, mostly due to backscatter. Now we're safely tucked away at anchor, enjoying the rain lit up by the deck and underwater lights.
12/18/2011: Effingham Bay anchorage
The storm is past, the barometer is back on the rise and the sun is shining. This is the view looking north from the anchorage. We slept so soundly last night that we didn't wake when the generator auto-started early this morning.
12/18/2011: Lunch at Effingham Bay
With sunshine, 49F and a little help from the diesel furnace (we have an outlet plumbed outside under the teak table), we just had to eat outside. The Seahawks game will have to wait.
12/18/2011: Sea arch, Effingham Island
We circumnavigated the island by dinghy, partly retracing our route in last night. Although the seas have calmed considerably since yesterday, breaking waves still surge and gush through the channel under this sea arch on the southwest side of Effingham Island. We actually went through the arch by dinghy few years ago, but conditions were too rough today.
12/19/2011: Leaving Effingham Bay
Enjoying the sunrise as we leave the anchorage.
12/19/2011: Sunrise over Effingham Bay
The winter sun isn't at the right position for one of Effingham Bay's fabulous sunsets, but the sunrise made up for it.
12/19/2011: Jarvis Lagoon entry
The entry to Jarvis Lagoon is shallow and narrow. We entered on a 9' tide. Depths on the way through were mostly in the 15'-20' range, but we needed a careful bow watch to find them. Fortunately we could see a good 20' down. One of winter boating's many perks is clearer water for this kind of navigation.
12/19/2011: Jarvis Lagoon anchorage
And this is the reward for that challenging entry--a near landlocked cove where barely a ruffle of wind disturbs the surface. Another advantage of winter boating is that summer's crowds are gone. The last time we tried to stop here, one August, we got all the way through and found two boats already at anchor. You can't tell until you're inside.
12/19/2011: Jarvis Lagoon by dinghy
Out for a dinghy tour. The flotation suits are among our favourite winter boating gear. The suits are similar to ski jumpsuits, but with built-in flotation and extra insulation. We use Mustang 2175s, which are standard issue with the Coast Guard on both sides of the border. We can toss these on over light clothing, add a pair of gloves and perhaps some ear warmers and be instantly warm in the coldest weather.
12/19/2011: Nettles Island
The Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Warden Station, all closed up for the winter.
12/20/2011: Moonrise, Jarvis Lagoon
Yesterday's heavy rain clouds are gone, and the sky now is a deep, clear blue. Environment Canada is predicting 35-45-knot winds in two days, but right now the wind is near zero.
12/20/2011: Pipestem Inlet anchorage
Tucked away behind Refuge Island. Winds are predicted to blow NW 25-30 tonight, so we'll see what we get here.
12/20/2011: Lucky Creek falls
The falls at Lucky Creek gush out in the winter, compared to summer's gentler flow.
12/20/2011: Navigating Lucky Creek
We arrived at the creek on a 7' falling tide and barely had depth to get in and out. The channel was less than 2' deep in places, and we needed a dinghy bow watch to find a workable route.
12/20/2011: Picnic lunch, Pipestem Inlet
A picnic lunch overlooking the anchorage with a view up Pipestem Inlet. With sunshine, no wind, and the temperature around 50F, we were warm enough just wearing light jackets.
12/21/2011: Frost, Pipestem Inlet
Brrr. It's 33F and frosty this morning. The winds blew NW 25-30 last night at La Perouse Bank, but we barely saw 15.
12/21/2011: Julia Passage entrance
The south entrance to Julia Passage looks tricky on the chart, but we found it relatively straightforward going slowly with a careful bow watch. On an 11' tide, we had a minimum of 15' going through.
12/21/2011: Surface ice, Julia Passage
A thin sheet of ice covered the surface in the basin inside Julia Passage. We left a path through it, reminiscent of our breaking ice into Princess Louisa Inlet years back.
12/21/2011: Float homes, Julia Passage
We've never stopped at Julia Passage before. With perhaps twenty floathomes ringing the channel, summers here would be much too busy. But this time of year, wintering seabirds are our only neighbours.
12/21/2011: Sunset, Julia Passage
Sechart Channel aglow in the sunset, looking south from our anchorage in Julia Passage.
12/22/2011: Frost, Julia Passage
Another cold and frosty, but clear and beautiful morning. So far we've had just amazing weather.
12/22/2011: Sunrise
Sunrise over the Somerset Range.
12/22/2011: MV Frances Barkley
The MV Frances Barkely, a working packet freighter, en route from Uchucklesit Inlet.
12/22/2011: Snug Basin
We're anchored in 70', with hills all around and a deep, blue sky above. We had to break through surface ice again, perhaps 1/8" thick. As we drifted about once set, we could hear the ice breaking and crackling against the hull.
12/22/2011: Creek from Henderson Lake
The creek draining Henderson Lake reaches Uchucklesit Inlet through a narrow channel with overhanging cliffs. This picture is looking back through the entry after we've come through. It felt like a mini version of the Marble River further north. Beyond, the channel opens into a small lake-like basin, where shallows on a 9' tide blocked further progress.
12/22/2011: Frost-covered logs
Looking down-inlet over frost-covered logs.
12/22/2011: Dozer tugs
Logging is active on both sides of the inlet. When we arrived these dozers were working a big boom from the north shore to the south.
12/22/2011: Sunken barge
About 30' of this barge was showing in 75' of water, so it must be a good 100' long. The sinking appeared recent, judging by the sea life still on the hull. We gave it a wide berth--we wouldn't want to be nearby if it fell.
12/22/2011: Launching logs
It’s an exciting show when logs are transferred from shore to water. Logs are stacked in bundle cradles, two U-shaped holders that stand perpendicular to the shoreline. When the bundle is complete, the logs are wrapped with wire. Then the water-side arms of the cradle are released, and the bundled logs slide into the water with a tremendous splash.
12/22/2011: Log dump
Preparing the next load. The outer arms, lying flat against the log on the ground, will pop up to create the U-shaped holder when the logs fall into place.
12/22/2011: Shipwreck
This wood fishing vessel was hard aground along the northwest shore. The boat is big and heavy, so that must have taken some wind.
12/22/2011: Surface ice
Surface ice stranded by the falling tide.
12/22/2011: At anchor, Snug Basin
Looking across the surface ice to Dirona at anchor. A gale warning is in effect for the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. The winds currently are 20-30 knots at La Perouse Bank, but calm here.
12/23/2011: Misty skies
A heavy rain shortly after dawn has given way to a calm, misty morning. The temperature is much warmer today than yesterday--in the high 40s up from the low 30s.
12/23/2011: Entering Poett Nook
The channel into Poett Nook looks tight, but is reasonably wide and deep.
12/23/2011: Poett Nook
We were considering anchoring at Poett Nook, but it wasn't very appealing. Aquaculture fills the east shore and a large marina and trailerpark is along the west shore. And the marina appeared open, with a boat at the fuel dock. Had we need gas for the dinghy, though, we likely could have filled there.
12/23/2011: Robbers Passage
We're anchored off the Port Alberni Yacht club outstation, all closed up for the winter.
12/23/2011: Surf
The anchorage is well protected, with barely-noticeable swell, but we can see waves crashing against the outer shore to our northwest. Another southerly gale is predicted, so that view could become even more interesting.
12/23/2011: Tzartus Island
Abandoned house at the north end of Tzartus Island. It looks like it once was quite nice.
12/23/2011: Shahowis Lodge
The Lodge at Shahowis appears to have been in disuse for several years. The dock was a mess, and it was pretty overgrown. Sad to see.
12/23/2011: Sea arch, Tzartus Island
Small craft apparently go through this arch in calm conditions, but we didn't have those today.
12/23/2011: Sea cave, Tzartus Island
The exposed outer coasts in Barkley Sound are full of storm-created sea arches and caves like this one.
12/23/2011: Port Alberni Yacht Club outstation
The Port Alberni Yacht Club has carved wonderful trails into Fleming Island. The trails are as nice, or nicer, than most government-maintained parks. This one leads up to what they call the Crow's Nest.
12/23/2011: Crow's Nest
The view looking north from the Crow's Nest.
12/24/2011: Imperial Channel
Earlier this morning, we were seeing gusts into the low 40s, but the anchorage was still reasonably calm from a wave perspective. Outside in Imperial Channel, the winds were blowing steady 25-30 from the southeast. Surprising, as it's only blowing 15-20 at La Perouse Bank. Conditions weren't too bad though--the waves were perhaps 3-5' high.
12/24/2011: Bamfield Coast Guard Station
The Bamfield Coast Guard station also is home to the Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Training (RHIOT) school. RHIOT operates only in the winter, when the weather is fiercest.  Students from all over North America attend, learning how to operate the craft in extremely rough seas, including handling capsizes. The title of a Pacific Yachting article written by one attendee pretty much sums it up: "Getting Bashed at Bamfield."
12/24/2011: Air draft
We last were at the head of Bamfield Inlet in the previous boat. With an air draft of 15.5', the 17m clearance under the wires between Burlo and Rance islands wouldn't have been much of a concern. At 30.5', the 52's air draft leaves plenty of room to pass under, but it still caught our attention.
12/24/2011: Bamfield Inlet
Rain is pouring, the winds are gusting into the 20s, and Dirona is shifting about in the anchorage. But we're securely set with plenty of swing room, and the boat is cozy and warm. We're loving it.
12/25/2011: Christmas morning
Merry Christmas.
12/25/2011: Entering Grappler Inlet
At the mouth of Grappler Inlet. This may look tight, but its nothing compared to where we're heading.
12/25/2011: Narrows at Grappler Inlet
Looking back through the marked channel we just passed through. The channel is narrow and shallow--charted depths are less than a meter in parts.
12/25/2011: Grappler Inlet neck
With 8.5' of tide, the depth was about 8' going through the drying entrance into the inner basin at the head of Grappler Inlet. The charts are accurate and the path well-marked, but it's pretty tight. We crept through the channel with a careful bow watch. The current was carrying us in, so we used as much reverse as forward to keep our speed down to a half knot.
12/25/2011: Storm coming
The barometer has fallen nearly 20mb in 24 hours and the Environment Canada is predicting big weather: Storm warning in effect. Wind west 25 to 35 knots diminishing to northwest 15 to 25 early this evening then backing to southwest 15 to 25 late this evening. Wind increasing to south 25 to 35 before Monday morning and to 35 to 45 near noon Monday except 50 northwest of Estevan Point. Wind becoming southwest 30 to 40 Monday evening. We're actually kind of looking forward to it--no storm-force winds have hit Barkley Sound since we've arrived, and we're curious what conditions will be like.
12/25/2011: Grappler Inlet head
The anchorage in the basin at the head of Grappler Inlet is quite scenic. We were expecting that it might be built up like the outer basin. But only a few houses are ashore here, concentrated together at one end, and nobody seems to be about. Likely the combination of a restricted entry and no apparent road makes building here less appealing.
12/26/2011: Barometer "v"
The barometer bottomed out at 1001 yesterday, then shot back up to 1020 again. Near the bottom of the V, the wind was blowing 35 knots at La Perouse Bank, with gusts near 40. We had gusts up to 37 in Grappler Inlet, but the average was around 15. Conditions were reasonable when we crossed Imperial Eagle Channel early this afternoon. The wind was blowing 15, gusting 20, with a swell height of 6-8' while at La Perouse Bank, the winds were S 21 gusting 26, with a wave height of 3.2m.
12/26/2011: Turtle Bay
The more common entry is from the north, but the east entry appeared straightforward and it was. We saw min 38' on a 12' tide.
12/27/2011: After the storm
The winds blew last night, but not as fiercely as predicted. We recorded speeds in the high twenties with gusts into the thirties. La Perouse Bank had the same, and Estavan Point was a little worse, with gusts to 39 knots.
12/27/2011: No rain, no wind
The heavy rains we've had for the past two days finally have stopped, as has the wind. This is the view looking north from the anchorage.
12/27/2011: Snow level
The snow level has dropped since we arrived in the area. We didn't see any in snow on the foothills last week.
12/27/2011: Pinkerton Islands
The view west from our anchorage.
12/27/2011: Dinghy tour
The wonderfully complex islets of the Pinkerton Group are great dinghy and kayak territory. We've not been out in the dinghy for the past two day as it's been raining too much. Our general rule with winter boating is: "If it's not raining, get out there." We'll have plenty of time pinned inside the cabin to relax or do boat chores when the weather is bad.
12/27/2011: Float home
The Pinkerton Islands are outside the Pacific Rim National Park, and have a number of floathomes and cabins tucked away on and alongside the islands. Of the many floathomes we've seen on this trip, only a few have been occupied.
12/27/2011: Walking on water
This would be a bad time for a large wake to hit.
12/27/2011: Private island
This cabin was on an island all to itself.
12/27/2011: Unusual current
On an 11' high tide, we were able to work a ways up two creeks that empty into the Pinkerton Group from Vancouver Island. The surface current in this one was most unusual. The current was running perhaps a knot or so where we're stopped, and the direction kept changing back and forth, between inflow and outflow, in the space of minutes. We couldn't figure out what would cause that.
12/27/2011: End of the road
We probably had enough depth to go further up this second creek, but too many branches were in the way, and the rain had started up again. Time for lunch.
12/28/2011: Newcombe Channel
A gale warning is in effect for West Coast Vancouver Island south. Winds are expected to be 25-35 from the southwest with 4-meter seas. The wind already was blowing a steady 25-30 from the SW as we approached Ucluelet Inlet, and 6-8' waves were rolling through and crashing into the shore on either side of us. The buoy in Carolina Channel, to our west, was disappearing completely behind the waves. Newcombe Channel looks reasonably wide on the chart, but felt pretty narrow with breakers all around. We've recently added an attitude gauge to our Maretron N2KView display. The video shows the boat's motion, with pitching up to 10 degrees, and also the wind speed.
12/28/2011: Attitude
The attitude gauge showed little rolling motion, even though the waves were on our beam. Our stabilizers were working hard to produce that result.
12/28/2011: Spring Cove, Ucluelet
We tied off at what was left of the public dock in Spring Cove to walk out and see the weather at Amphritite Point.
12/28/2011: Peninsula Road
“There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing” (Ranulph Fiennes). Rain was pouring and the wind was gusting, but that was kind of the point: we were out to see storm.
12/28/2011: Wild Pacific Trail
A spur trail for the Wild Pacific Trail is at the intersection of Peninsula and Coast Guard roads. The main trail is incredibly well-built and maintained. A wide gravel path, with room for 3 or 4 people walking abreast, winds through vibrant rainforest along the rugged shore. Numerous lookouts, interpretive signs and benches are along the way.
12/28/2011: Carolina Channel
Looking east across Carolina Channel. We entered Ucluelet Inlet less than an hour ago this side of the barely-visible islands in the background. The buoy on the right of the picture is the one we saw bouncing around as we approached. We could here it's bell from our anchorage in Spring Cove.
12/28/2011: Breakers
The "wild Pacific" definitely was on display today as waves battered the rocks. The steel bark Pass of Melfort wrecked nearby on Christmas Eve, 1905. The ship was en-route from Panama to the Puget Sound and was blown off course in a southerly storm. None of the 36 on board survived. These shores are as unforgiving as they look.
12/28/2011: Amphritite Point Lighthouse
The Amphritite Point lighthouse on its rocky perch. Behind are the old light keeper quarters--the light was automated in 1988.
12/28/2011: Original lighthouse
The original wooden lighthouse was built in 1906 in response to the Pass of Melfort tragedy. The structure lasted less than a decade before a storm swept it away.
12/28/2011: Storm watching
We weren't the only ones out enjoying the storm. On our short walk we encountered perhaps twenty others, some clearly local, some obviously tourists. Ucluelet bills itself as Canada's storm-watching capitol. The Wild Pacific Trail was built to give visitors a safe and accessible view.
12/28/2011: Head of Ucluelet Inlet
The storm was sending fair-sized waves into the anchorage at Spring Cove, and the houses on shore reduced the privacy somewhat. Either one we could have put up with, but with no compelling reason to stay, we moved to the head of Ucluelet Inlet for the night.
12/28/2011: Eagle's Nest Marine Pub
On the way to our anchorage, we passed a building with a big sign: "MARINE PUB". This turned it to be the Eagle's Nest Marine Pub. We have a hard time passing up on a marine pub, but the weather was pretty miserable for a dinghy ride. Luckily, the rain and wind stopped just around dinner time and started up again only after we'd returned to Dirona.
12/29/2011: Red sky at morning ...
Last night we recorded winds over 30-knots, but the seas are calm this morning. We've got another storm warning in effect though: Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning.
12/29/2011: Seal show
A seal put on an energetic show just off the back deck. It leaped, jumped and splashed for ages.
12/29/2011: Whiskey Dock
We tied off at a public dock, Whiskey Dock, to walk through town. A dramatic cedar commercial complex, overlooking the waterfront, is nearing completion in the background.
12/29/2011: Ucluelet Aquarium
Part of that new complex is the Ucluelet Aquarium.
12/29/2011: Driftwood flower
Near the north end of town, someone has built amazing varnished driftwood sculptures. This flower stands perhaps 10' of the ground and is at least 5' in diameter.
12/29/2011: Driftwood octopus
Another spectacular sculpture, this one of an octopus.
12/29/2011: Drill bit art
At the foot of a nearby driveway, three drill bits were mounted on each entry post. Ucluelet is full of unusual creations like this.
12/29/2011: Small Craft Harbor
The Ucluelet Small Craft Harbor. We're anchored on the other side of the buildings in the background.
12/29/2011: Cynamoka House
We'd not had breakfast yet, and were hoping to find a nice coffee house. Cynamoka House and Guest Suites fit the bill.
12/29/2011: Breakfast
Great coffee in a bottomless cup and delicious fresh-baked muffins hit the spot.
12/29/2011: Barometer falling
The barometer fell 21 mb, from 1011 to 990, in the past 12 hours. Another big system is coming through.
12/29/2011: Big winds
The winds were strong when we arrived, but really are building now. You can see the calm weather that we had this morning, sandwiched between big blows.
12/29/2011: Boat movement at anchor
The chart plotter track shows where the winds have been coming while we've been anchored here. We've spent little time drifting around the anchor and most of the time blown hard to the northwest and southeast.
12/30/2011: Sea lions
Sea lions seem to have taken over one of the Ucluelet docks. Perhaps thirty lounged there each time we passed, and we could hear them barking as we walked through town yesterday.
12/30/2011: Exploding wave
Wave exploding against the shore at the Crow Islets. The barometer bottomed out at 990 last night, but still is at 992 this morning. A gale warning is in effect, with winds expected to be northwest 35 to 45. The winds are in the high 20s now with gusts into the 30s.
12/30/2011: Surf
Surf crashing against Page Island, with wind blowing the wavetops off.
12/30/2011: Wind-streaked waves
Wind-streaked waves as we head into Peacock Channel. We'll have a brief weather window early tomorrow morning, with winds dropping to 15 knots sometime after midnight, but rising to 20-25 tomorrow morning and 30-40 tomorrow afternoon with more systems on the way later in the week. We thought hard about leaving then. But the window just seemed too small, and we weren't pressed for time yet, so we had no reason to risk rough seas.
12/30/2011: Ruins of Ecoole
In the 1920s and 1930s, Ecoole was a BC Packers Pilchard Reduction plant with a small supporting settlement. The site was abandoned in the 1940s and this is pretty much all that is left. Because the Vancouver Island's west coast was populated so early and so heavily, it also suffered through many abandoned enterprises and communities as their resources waned or business moved elsewhere. Ruins are common in Barkley Sound and farther up the island's west coast, much more than at other places along the BC shoreline.
12/30/2011: Floathomes, Rainy Bay
We're considering a run to Port Alberni tomorrow--while winds have been fierce throughout Barkley Sound, the highest wind speed in Port Alberni over the past 24 hours was 4 knots. Big outflow winds were blowing down-inlet when the weather was cold a week or so back, but the winter storms don't seem to reach there. The cove at the head of Rainy Bay was a potential anchorage for the night With a string of a dozen or more floathomes along the west shore, however, and boats coming and going, it didn't feel private enough.
12/30/2011: Canadian flag
A Canadian flag is painted high on the cliff near the cut to Useless Bay. The inscription with it reads "1965 Whitehurst". We're not sure what this refers to--perhaps a tug name?
12/30/2011: Rainy Bay
We considered anchoring in the northeast portion of Rainy Bay, but it felt pretty exposed and also not very private. Several small boats were about and a couple of fair-sized houses were ashore.
12/30/2011: Effingham Bay
We're back at Effingham Bay. The weather forecast worsened to storm warning 40-50 knots for this afternoon, but the weather window has increased. Winds are expected to drop to 15 before tomorrow morning, and instead of rising to 20-25 tomorrow morning, they'll rise to 20 knots late tomorrow morning. We'll keep an eye on the weather and if conditions look good, we'll head out sometime early tomorrow morning.
12/30/2011: Barometer back up
Conditions aren't good yet though--the barometer was 992 when we left Ucluelet this morning and by 5pm was 1009. Gusts nearly 50 knots in Imperial Eagle Channel heeled the boat over 4 degrees as we approached Effingham Island. 20-30-knot southwest winds are blowing through the anchorage, bringing 1-3' waves. The boat is pulled back on the anchor a long way from where we set, but isn't undulating much in the waves. With good holding, 8:1 on all-chain rode, and tons of swing room, we're safe and comfortable inside.
12/31/2011, 3:00am: Pachena Point
We got up at midnight and checked the weather. Conditions definitely were calming down out there. Winds were averaging 15 NW on the latest lighthouse weather reports. The seas were 10-12' on our beam coming out of Barkley Sound, but not really a problem. And once we turned towards Juan de Fuca Strait, they'd be behind us. Even better.
12/31/2011, 7:30am: Juan de Fuca Strait
We picked an excellent weather window. Seas now are near calm, with 10-20-knot winds on our stern giving us a nice speed push. We'll be into the Victoria area by noon.
12/31/2011, 10:15am: Olympic Mountains
Snow-covered Olympic Mountains. We're making excellent time--with a push from the current and the wind behind us, we're doing almost 10 knots.
12/31/2011: Race Rocks
Conditions here can be wicked when wind blows against a several-knot current. But the waters are calm now.
12/31/2011: Coho
The Coho heading to Port Angeles from Victoria.
12/31/2011: Pilot
Pilot boat returning to the Victoria Pilot Station.
12/31/2011: Golfing
Golf with a view at the Victoria Golf Club.
12/31/2011: Surf kayaker
A half dozen kayakers were surfing the waves off Cadbora Point.
12/31/2011, 2:00pm: Sidney Spit
Smooth seas the rest of the way. We're anchored at Sidney Spit and will take the dinghy across to Sidney for lunch at the Rumrunner Pub overlooking Haro Strait.
12/31/2011: New Year's Eve
We found Gray Matter moored at Sidney and spent New Year's Eve with Mark Mohler, Christine Guo and friends. We had a cold dinghy ride back to Sidney Spit after--the winds had come up from the east and the water was quite choppy.
1/1/2012: Sunrise over Olympics
Happy New Year. The winds were still blowing from the east as we left Sidney Spit, and predicted to hit gale force this afternoon. We'd left Effingham at exactly the right time. Yesterday the winds at La Perouse bank were blowing 13 at 7am and were up to 21 by noon. By mid-afternoon the winds were blowing in the high 20s gusting into the mid 30's and were still at that speed this morning.
1/1/2012: Tsehum Harbor Public Wharf
Fishing fleet on the Tsehum Harbor Public Wharf. We took a tour around Van Isle Marina along the south side of Tsehum Harbor. The place was full of Nordhavns--we saw two 62s, three 55s, a 47 and several 40s.
1/1/2012: S/V Kestral
S/V Kestral heading out for a rum race.
1/1/2012: Close quarters
Spitfire looking nervous as we turn around in the marina. He's not big on close quarters.
1/1/2012: Abandoned cabin
Abandoned cabin on Harlock Islet.
1/1/2012: Pocket tug
Pocket tug in Page Passage.
1/1/2012: Lewis Bay
We're anchored in Lewis Bay, on the northwest end of Coal Island, with a view to the ferries at Swartz Bay. The Coastal Celebration and the Mayne Queen already were at the dock when we dropped hook, and the Spirit of Vancouver Island and the Skeena Queen arrived shortly after. Winter allows us different choices in anchorages than the summer, partly due to less crowds but also due to prevailing winds. Lewis Bay would not be a great summer anchorage with a northwest wind blowing, but we've got gale force winter southerlies in the forecast and Lewis Bay is well-sheltered from that direction.
1/1/2012: Dockside Grill
We ran the dinghy to Tsehum Harbor for a quick of the area and to see if the Dockside Grill was open. It was closed for New Year's Day. Bummer--their view looked awesome.
1/1/2012: Marina beacon
This beacon is in the middle of one of the fairways at Van Isle Marina. And they're serious--a big rock is underneath that post.
1/2/2012: Sunrise
Sunrise over the head of Lewis Bay.
1/2/2012: Ferry terminal
We love having a view to a ferry run, and being able to see the terminal was even better. Winter is a great time for ferry watching--the late dawn and early dusk means the ferries are lit up more often than in summer. From the anchorage we also could see several large cargo ships way down Satellite Channel towards Cowichan, and lights on the hills on the southern tip of of Saltspring Island.
1/2/2012:
Spirit of Vancouver Island off Fir Cone Point, at the northern tip of Cole Island. Lewis Bay turned out to be an excellent anchorage. We were a little concerned that the ferry wakes might be a problem, but no wakes of any note came through the entire time we were there, even when the big Spirit-class ferries came booming through.
1/2/2012:
The Coastal Celebration is the newest BC Ferry. It sailed from Germany through the Panama Canal, arriving in June of 2008. The bridge is unusually low in the bow compared to the other ships of that size.
1/2/2012: Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard ships moored in Patricia Bay. The Institute of Ocean Sciences is in the background.
1/2/2012: Brentwood Bay
We're anchored off another ferry dock--this one a lot smaller than the last though. The previous time we were in the area, the temperature was below freezing for days. Todd Inlet to our south was completely iced in. Brentwood Bay is another good Christmas anchorage-- houses pack the shores, many with holiday lights.
1/2/2012: S/V
S/V Cetacea at anchor nearby in Brentwood Bay. Everything was painted black, even the kayaks.
1/2/2012: The
The century-old tug Sea Lion on the docks at Brentwood Bay. We've seen this boat as far north as the Nakwakto Rapids, working as a floating resort, and more recently moored at the Vancouver Maritime Museum on False Creek.
1/2/2012: Public dock
Looking west across the public dock into Brentwood Bay.
1/2/2012: Brentwood Bay Resort
We had an excellent lunch at the pub in the fabulous glass and cedar Brentwood Bay Resort.
1/3/2012: Ganges Harbour
Ganges is a busy water aerodrome. The planes run fairly close to the anchored boats--it's a pretty exciting show. The harbor is open to the south, and big southerly blows will generate waves. But the waves tend to be less than a foot or so and not uncomfortable. We love anchoring here in the winter--crowds are less and the shores all around twinkle with light after dark.
1/3/2012:
Cape-class 47' motor lifeboat Cape Kuper heads out from its base in Ganges.
1/4/2012: School bus
Water taxi The Graduate arrives into Ganges. While we watched from Shipstones pub last night, several dozen kids boarded this boat, Scolarship and Ganges Hawk. The vessels returned back to Ganges a few hours later. They headed out again this morning and all returned about the same time.
1/4/2012:
Seahorse moored behind us, with the Coast Guard station in the background.
1/4/2012: Ducks
Finally got our ducks all in a row. :)
1/5/2012: Sunrise
Sunrise looking south through Swanson Channel. We ended up spending an extra night in Ganges, just catching up on various projects, watching the floatplanes and hitting each of the two waterfront pubs for dinner.
1/5/2012: Rainbow
Rainbow over Mount Tuam, Saltspring Island.
1/5/2012: Wind in Haro Strait
A gale warning was in effect for the Strait of Juan de Fuca, east entrance. In Haro Strait the winds were gusting to nearly 40 knots from the southwest. We were expecting to take real pounding when we rounded Gonzales Pt along the southern tip of Vancouver Island. But the gale warning had ended and winds had calmed by the time we got there, and the seas were smooth.
1/5/2012: Esquimalt Harbor
HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Regina just inside the entrance to Esquimalt Harbour, with HMCS Protecteur behind. Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt covers 10,300 acres on both sides of Esquimalt Harbor and employs some 4,000 military and 2,000 civilian personnel. Their primary mission is to support Canada's Pacific Fleet. Esquimalt is the first Secret Coast destination we've visited in the 52. Other than the Desolation Sound trip last Christmas, we've not been up the Inside Passage beyond the Gulf Islands. Both Alaska trips were offshore.
1/5/2012: Navy ships
HMCS Saskatoon and HMCS Brandon moored deep inside the harbor. Alongside likely are HMCS Whitehorse and HMCS Yellowknife.
1/5/2012: Coastal Inspiration
BC Ferry Coastal Inspiration moored alongside the Esquimalt Graving Dock. The 1,200' dry dock is the largest on the Pacific coast and can handle some 90% of the world's ships.
1/5/2012: Six Mile House
Pints of Kilkenny at Six Mile House. In the past we landed below the pub and climbed up through their garden. They've put a fence up, however, so we couldn't go up that way. We instead landed under the bridge and climbed up to the Parsons Bridge Park path and then walked up to the road.
1/6/2012: Dawn
Dawn looking from the anchorage toward Dockyard, CFB Esquimalt's main facility. The Olympic Mountains are in the distance. Some of the base lights still are visible, but nothing compared to the display at night. One of Esquimalt Harbor's many attractions, especially in the winter, is the nighttime view of the brightly-lit base.
1/6/2012: Sir Wilfred Laurier
CCGS Sir Wilfred Laurier, a light icebreaker, arriving in Esquimalt Harbor to tend the buoy at the entrance.
1/6/2012: Breakwater
Sunrise over the Ogden Point breakwater.
1/6/2012: Float plane
Float plan readying for takeoff in the inner harbor.
1/6/2012: Victoria Inner Harbour
The Causeway floats usually are near empty in the winter, but were packed when we arrived on Friday morning. The Victoria Harbor Authority now allows winter moorage there, so most of the boats were somewhat permanent.
1/6/2012: Coho
The Coho rounding Laurel Point on arrival into Victoria. It sure looks like a tight squeeze for a ship that size.
1/6/2012: Bastion Square
Historic Bastion Square, packed with tourists in the summer, is pretty quiet today.
1/6/2012: Murchie's
We had an excellent breakfast at Murchie's, and spent the day in Victoria touring around and visiting with family. And, of course, we managed to fit a pub stop in there too.
1/7/2012: Port Madison
Paul Johansen at its mooring in Port Madison. We left Victoria about 5am this morning, and arrived here at 2pm. We only ever to go Port Madison in the winter--its too crowded other times. The harbor is an excellent winter anchorage: snug with good wind protection, and in the early evening the lights from the houses on the hills above cast a warm glow.
1/8/2012: Bell Harbor Marina