Circumnavigating Vancouver Island in S/V Holy Grail 2022

S/V Holy Grail

Saturday, July 9, 2022 - Coronet Bay at Deception Pass

San Juan Islands, WA

We departed Elliot Bay Marina in Holy Grail a 51' aluminum boat, and motored to Coronet Bay at Deception Pass State Park. Due to her size and unique design, Holy Grail, a sturdy, comfortable, readily identifiable sail boat attracts attention where ever she goes. We hoped to get onto the floating dock for the evening. It was no surprise, on a beautiful summer day, to find the dock almost full when we arrived. The Mill Creek Yacht Club out of Everett were on their way for a two week adventure in the San Juan Islands, and their first meet-up was Coronet Bay. This was to work in our favor as Dale of SV Mei Lei from Mill Creek assisted us by directing us to a spot on the very end, fending off another power boat eyeing the same position, and shooing kids away who were fishing, and then taking our lines. After we were safely secured, we realized we had friends in common, Dave and Melanie Pollen. Over the years, I have crewed with them and raced unsuccessfully against Mel Lei. Its a small world. 

Sunday July 10, 2022 - Friday Harbor

Dan skillfully navigating
under Deception Pass
Bridge

We rose early Sunday Morning in order to pass under the Deception Pass Bridge during slack tide scheduled at 7:30am. Deception Pass Bridge spans a deep and turbulent channel that connects the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Saratoga Passage. At anytime other than slack tide the water is a raging maelstrom of swirls and current eddies making passage a bit nerve wracking at best!

One of the objectives of this trip is to take advantage of the natural abundance afforded by the ocean and pickling some bull kelp was our first endeavor. After spotting kelp floating at the edges of current lines in the water, the challenge was to actually collect it. Dan used his superior skills to circle in on the kelp while I, tethered to the swim step, gaff in hand, hoped to snag any kelp that came within reach. After a few circles we achieved success! 

Chris gaffing bull kelp

Canned Bull Kelp

To our surprise, we managed to secure a slip in the Seattle Yacht Club (SYC) Outstation at Friday Harbor. The outstation kitchen was perfect to pickle the kelp and way more preferable than doing it on the boat. We gathered up all the supplies and headed to shore. Dan and I worked together in this little one butt kitchen and got the job done. We hot canned 4 jars and refrigerated the remaining 5. Whether it is good or bad, it is sure to be a topic for discussion if we put it out for future green box happy hours! Green box is the SYC common name for happy hour. It originates from Port Madison where there is an actual green box where people traditionally gather for happy hour. 

Tackle box happy hour

Horace, the Harbor Seal

While the bull kelp was cooling in the outstation refrigerator, we walked to Friday Harbor scoped out the fuel dock, and enjoyed a perfect Pacific Northwest summer day. Upon returning, we collected our spoils from the kitchen and learned of the green box from Phil, the SYC commodore. This provided the opportunity to prepare our contribution in a tackle box presentation. Though only a few comments were made, it seems a very boat practical presentation. As evening fell, we were treated to a performance by Horace the local Harbor Seal as he frolicked between the boats.

Monday, July 11, 2022 - Henry Island

Dan is making a good pretense of working so we hung around the outstation where we could pick up good internet and WiFi connection. While Dan worked, I busied myself with various boat chores, took a shower, and walked to town. Once Dan finished, we took off for Reid Harbor at Steward Island. It was a short and scenic motor but unfortunately the WiFi did not work. The decision was made to go to Henry Island near Roach Harbor where there was another SYC Outstation that would likely have good WiFi reception. As our arrival was fairly late, we were surprised to see a full double slip open at the Henry Island Outstation. As we headed into it, and were being warned off because of -3.3 low tide at 10:08am the following day. It was a shallow slip and everyone else had clustered at the positions in deeper water. It was too good to be true! It was determined that if we stayed there, the result would be that we would be sitting high and dry in the mud until the tide floated us up again. 

After much discussion it was suggested we hook to the empty mooring ball not far off the dock. A mooring ball is a place to safely secure a boat. A mooring ball floats on the water's surface and is connected to a large, heavy anchor permanently attached to the seabed. We were assured that this mooring ball had a retractable cable and the ring would lift to the height of the boat freeboard allowing us to attach it to the boat with the mooring bridle. After a couple of expert approaches by Dan, I was finally able to catch the ball but the ring did not lift as advertised. Due to the strong current pulling on the boat, I was struggling to hang onto the pole. Dan came quickly to the aid of my distress calls and was expertly able to unhook the pole that was firmly caught in the ring due to the pressure of the current moving the boat. The clear and obvious solution was to abandon the mooring ball idea and drop an anchor which was easily done. Once secure, Dan confirmed that WiFi was working so we settled into the evening starting with a whisky old fashioned and settled in to enjoy a stunning pacific northwest sunset. 

Tuesday July 12, 2022 - Entering Canada at Sydney

Water depth at 2.2' just off 
Henry Island

As Geoffrey Chaucer said, "Time and tide wait for no man." At the appointed time, we watched seaweed on the bottom become visible and the depth, even at our safer location, dipped down as low as 1.5 feet though I didn't manage to get the picture until the instruments were reading 2.2 feet. We, however, are safe and secure and the water depth is rising. 

Bill and Betsy Schuman 
stopping by to chat.

While waiting for the tide to rise, we were visited by Bill and Betsy Schuman, friends of Howard and Stephanie, the original builders and previous owner of Holy Grail. Bill and Betsy recognized the boat and came over to chat. Due to the distinctive nature of this boat, this is not an uncommon occurrence. 

Upon departing and after making a sharp right turn, the auto-pilot stopped working. This wasn't a serious problem, only an inconvenience. It was easily fixed by Dan dropping into the rear hatch and reattaching the rudder sensor that had popped off the rudder quadrant. The short sail over to Sydney was uneventful and clearing customs was quick and painless. 

Woody and Brenda, old friends from Boulder, now living in Ridgeway, CO are doing a camping, climbing, sightseeing vacation in BC this year and we have plans to meet in various locations along the coast of Vancouver Island. They sailed from Port Angeles, cleared customs in Victoria, then drove up to meet us in Sydney for the first rendezvous. They were standing on the dock almost as soon as we tied up and it was great to see them again! While Dan checked into the Marina, I gave them a tour of the boat. We had drinks on the boat and caught up with all the latest news, then set off to find a fish and chips restaurant. The marina staff recommended Fish on Fifth, only a short walk away but it turned out to be closed on Tuesdays. The Surly Mermaid had also been mentioned as a possibility so we headed there but we discovered it had a two hour wait which was completely unacceptable! We set off in search of another option and found Riva, which was right on the water that only had a 10-minute wait. None of us ordered fish and chips but the food was wonderful! Thanks Woody and Brenda for a great meal! We said our good-byes in the parking lot with plans to meet in Ucluelet, BC if not sooner. I hope we remember to take pictures then!

Wednesday, July 13, 2022 - Sydney

Port of Sydney 

Provisions on board were a hodgepodge of contributions from various crew members from past trips. I took the opportunity to inventory provisions and organize the shelves so we could make some intelligent choices about adding to the ship's larder for the next several weeks. We discovered two grocery stores within walking distance and with our backpacks and a couple of bags, were easily able to transport everything back to the boat without renting a cab or even requiring a cart.

After stowing provisions, the charts were broken out and we reviewed our route options. We spent quite a bit of time discussing Skidegate Channel, a strait located in the Haida Gwaii archipelago of BC. It divides the archipelago's two main islands, Graham Island to the north and Moresby Island to the south. Skidegate Channel is a major undertaking and we need to clearly understand the tides, which the reference book cautions, "No authority seems to have a good handle on he behaviors of the actual tide and current as it seems to be slightly different each time you transit." It will require us to pay close attention to the chart guidance, ask locals for advise, and if available, follow another boat through the channel. There will be more to follow on this topic! 

Thursday, July 14, 2022 - Sydney

Southern tip of Vancouver Island

After picking up crew in Victoria on Friday, the plan is to sail to Sook and anchor for the night. We must then sail the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the outlet of the Salish Sea to the Pacific Ocean. The 96 mile long Strait of Juan de Fuca is the is the international boundary between Canada and the US and is known for strong winds. We will be sailing that channel on Saturday and true to form, reports are showing a strong wind warning in effect. This may cause us to depart very early morning when winds are lighter as they gain strength during the day. The bailout plan is Port Renfrew if we are being beaten up too much and need to take shelter. That plan will solidify as the time gets closer. 

Friday, July 15, 2022 - Victoria Harbor / Strait of Juan de Fuca

After studying Victoria Harbor map layout, it seemed the best place to pick up Tom and Robin would be the pump out dock. The pump out dock is where boats go to empty sewage holding tanks so it’s not customary to dock there very long. We could do a quick touch and go and empty our sewage at the same time. With this idea in mind, we set off for Victoria.

Sea Plan following us 
out of Victoria Harbor

As we neared the harbor, we heard Victoria Harbor Patrol hailing all foreign ships to see if they required customs and since we didn’t, we were given permission to enter the harbor. As we entered, Victoria Harbor Patrol hailed us again, informing us we had caused a sea plane to divert their landing because we were in the sea plane runway. After the appropriate course adjustment, we made our way to the pump out dock where we executed a perfect docking. Tom and Robin found us without too much problem. We loaded them quickly, and their gear then took off into the harbor. Dan looked over his shoulder and noticed a sea plan following us. After problems navigating around sea plane on the way in, Dan was quite nervous until it maneuvered onto its runway and took off. We continued out of the harbor and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and continued our journey.

The trip down the Strait was uneventful as the predicted strong winds did not materialize. The voyage was not, however, without some interesting events. For instance, as we rounded Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, the southwestern most point of Vancouver Island, there were men approaching us in a small skiff. They cautioned us to stay at least 1 kilometer away from the headland as demolition was going on. Sure enough, a large explosion occurred just as promised. We don’t really know what the project was, but it was good to be warned of it.

Atmospheric cloud formations

Because the winds were calm, we decided to abandon the idea of anchoring at Sooke for the night and continue to Port Renfrew. That would make the following day much shorter and it’s always nice to sail the Strait in calm winds. As we approached Port Renfrew, the clouds were coming down to the water in wispy tendrils, which eventually turned into straight up fog. We turned on radar to help identify anything lurking in the fog we couldn’t see and eventually found the mouth of Port Renfrew. After motoring somewhere between 12 and 14 hours, we were safely anchor down in Thrashers Cove at 9:30pm. Thrashers Cove is a small bight with good anchoring depths and fair protection from northwesterly winds. There were kayakers camping on shore and the upland areas are part of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the West Coast Trail. The anchorage was comfortably rollie and we all slept soundly.

Saturday July 16, 2022 - Bamfield, BC

Bamfield, BC

We continued west back into the Strait and eventually passed into the Pacific Ocean. We could see Cape Flattery disappear into the distance on the American side of the channel as we turned north and left the Strait and entered the Pacific Ocean. Fog covered the land, but we had good visibility on the water. We heard Canadian Aircraft Surveillance Pollution Control hailing ocean vessels to inquire about their cargo and remind them of Canadian Pollution Discharge laws. As the fog lifted, the scenery along the Canadian shore was stunning with waterfalls, atmospheric low hanging clouds, and lighthouses along the coast. Another 7-hour sail took is into Trevor Channel, the entrance to Bamfield, where we were treated to a couple of Orcas gracefully surfacing as they headed out to sea. We were anchor down and secured in Bamfield Inlet by 2:30pm.

Village of Bamfield

Bamfield Inlet is called the “Main Street” of Bamfield and the village of Bamfield covers both sides of the inlet. The west side is not connected by road with the east side so the only way to cross the inlet is by dinghy or water taxi. A boardwalk runs along the west side providing a nice place to walk the town and access businesses and residences. The east side has roads that connect homes and businesses together then connects to a 60-mile-long dirt logging road that eventually connects to Port Alberni. Bamfield has more service than one might expect. There is an Outpost Hospital on the east side on Main Street, which is set up to treat illness or injury, deliver babies, and dispense medication. The hospital is operated by registered nurses, and a visiting physician rotates through on a regular schedule. They work closely with the Coast Guard for emergency helicopter transport when required. At the entrance of the inlet is the Bamfield Marine Research Station which is owned by five universities in British Columbian and Alberta and began operation in 1971. This facility was once the eastern terminus of the transpacific cable that connected North America with Australia. Why this connection was made is unclear, but they advertise its first message was sent in 1902, and the last in 1959. They have a very popular Music by the Sea Festival with classical and jazz musicians from all over to perform. Sadly, we managed to just miss the festival by a couple of weeks. All in all, Bamfield is a quaint little fishing resort and village.

Our next task at hand was to assemble the dingy carried on the bow of the boat. This required using a halyard to lift it off the deck and slide the two halves into the water. After that, the two halves had to be attached together using the weight of two people to fit the pegs of one half into the holes of the other then bolt them together. The assistant in this process was coined “ballast babe” by the previous owner. It took a few tries be we soon had the dingy assembled. We lowered the engine onto the dingy using a halyard and we were ready to go.

Since we wanted to fish, we needed to acquire a Canadian Fishing License. The fishing license took us to a couple of places, and we were finally able to procure the necessary document. In addition, I was able to stock up on a few items such as eggs and bread. After that adventure, we retired to the boat, had dinner, and relaxed for the evening.

Sunday July 17, 2022 - Port Alberni

9-year old helping
Tom with fishing 
advise

We were scheduled to meet the group at Port Alberni Yacht Club which was only about 3-miles, so we decided to explore the boardwalk. We took the dingy to the public dock where the boardwalk started. The Historical Society of Bamfiled marked the boardwalk with historical markers that provided lots of information about the area. When the boardwalk ended, hiked a bit inland and discovered the West Coast Magic Park where we took group photos then continued onto Brady Beach. We found disbursed campers on the beach and kids poking around in tide pools. A bench had been perched high on a rock and I took a moment to climb up and enjoy the view. Walking back, we passed Mills Charter and Landing who had taken clients out for a successful day of halibut fishing. Tom stopped in to see what type of hooks they were using. He was helped by a 9-year-old boy who was very credible and knowledgeable about fishing.

We decided to pull anchor and head for Port Alberni to join the rest of the SYC fleet. They directed us into a “parallel” parking spot on a linear dock with just enough space for Holy Grail to fit. Dan did a masterful job navigating into position and we were soon tied up and headed for showers.

Port of Alberni, Fleming Island

The green box was scheduled for 6:00pm and we fixed up the tackle box charcuterie board and put out a jar of pickled bull kelp. The pickled kelp, tasted like baby Gherkin pickles. They are sweet and refreshing. They were quite a hit with people asking how they were made and requesting the recipe. We did intros, the skippers meeting, and then rubber chicken awards. The rubber chicken is given to the boat who makes the biggest mistake. It was awarded to a young teen who managed to overturn his kayak in a cave. He had done this very thing the last time they were here, and this was a repeat performance for him. He accepted it graciously. It was getting cold, and we were all anxious to retire to the warmth of our boats.                          

Monday July 18, 2022 - Sail from Port Alberni to Effingham Island

First catch of the trip!

I woke early and hiked around the island. Upon returning, the rest of the boat was beginning to stir. Since the rest of the crew wanted to do the hike, I did it again. We met a couple who told us where to harvest oysters and sea asparagus. This perked our foraging interest, so we were off. After Dan’s pockets and all our arms were full of oysters, we realized we needed a bucket to carry them. We retrieved a bucket from the boat and headed back out. The plan was to grill them until they opened then dip them in a garlic, butter, white wine sauce.

The first scheduled sailboat race was Robber’s Passage to Effingham Island then anchor in Effingham Bay. We headed out at the appropriate time to start the race but the wind was light. Everyone bobbed around on the water not moving so the race committee gave everyone the option of withdrawing or continuing on. A fair number of boats took them up on it. With a terrible start where we did a couple of 360 turns because there wasn’t enough wind to keep the boat on course. While we were sailing, Tom managed to catch a small salmon that was just large enough to feed the four of us! The wind finally picked up and we had a wonderful sail. We did not finish the race, but it felt great to finally get the sails up! 

Oysters on the grill

Cannon at sunset

We were anchor down at 6:00pm and started cooking oysters, sea asparagus, and fish. Dan not being a big fan of oysters was uncertain if he would like these oysters. He was a good sport and cooked them and he defiantly enjoyed them! We all had our fill of oysters. At sunset the cannon attached to a wench came out to usher in the evening.

Tuesday July 19, 2022 - Effingham Island

Holy Grail in the morning mist

Tuesday’s race was to be from Effingham to Peacock Channel, but we woke to dead calm. It was an iconic northwest foggy morning with the crows cawing and the boats absolutely still on the glassy water. We decided that since we were in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, we would rather do some boat chores and exploring than racing in mild winds. One chore required sewing the sail bag. Dan dug out his sewing kit and sail palm and we set off to complete that project. We were told of a hike on Effingham Island that people were raving about, so we set off in the dingy to find it. As we approached, it was clear this was a fairly rugged trail marked with flotsam and buoys hanging in trees as trail markers. The trail though challenging led to

Robin lost a shoe in
the mud during the
hike

We took the dinghy ashore and hiked to an ancient Native village site on the east side of Effingham (Village) Island. The trail led through an old growth forest and was marked by buoys and flotsam hanging from trees. It was slow going as we were assisting Robin through the complicated and difficult trail. We were all pleased that she made it. 

View of the race from Effingham
Island

Upon returning, we did a short sail to anchor inside Dodd, Turtle & Willis Islands. We prepared our BBQ chicken and smores for the potluck then loaded in the dingy for the potluck on the beach. By the time we arrived, there was a bonfire going, Kids were treated to an electric boat race, and the teenagers found the bones of seal.

We had anchored fairly close to a Ranger 33 boat named Nooka and as it turned out just a bit too close. During the night, Nooka came along side and rafted to us to prevent an anchor collision. Apparently Nooka never even started her motor, just glided over where Dan and Tom helped her tie on. I totally slept through the process and was quite surprised to see her in the morning.

Wednesday July 20, 2022 - Lucky Creek

Lucky Creek

Wednesday was a scheduled lay day with no formal group plans. Most people, however, were going to Lucky Creek where there was reportedly great swimming. The morning was relaxing, and I did a bit of boat cleaning and Dan worked on some chores. As we were sitting there Grace came by with a  17 pound salmon They told us where they went and that they had caught a salmon in this very spot before. This inspired Tom and Robin to take the dingy and go fishing. While they were gone, I wrote in the blog while Dan read news headlines from his phone.

Once free from Nooka we motored up to Lucky Creek. Lucky Creek is fed by a channel that’s only passible around high tide. We timed this so we were able to motor up to the lovely water falls that was the start of the pools. To get to the pools is a series of uphill climbs with rope assists. We made our way up to the pool and discovered the water was quite brisk but it was fresh so we swam and enjoyed a brisk fresh water bath.

Thursday July 21, 2022

Cabezon & Rock Fish

We decided to again abandon racing in favor of fishing. We passed behind the boats at the starting line. The race had been postponed for 30 minutes due to lack of wind. We motored slowly along the shore and to our delight spotted a black bear foraging on a beach. We trolled around and through the islands completely enjoying the scenery, but never caught any fish. We found our evening anchorage and again Tom and Robin took the dingy and went fishing while Dan and I paddled in the inflatable kayak. I managed to pick up a bull kelp in the kayak which was much easier than gaffing it off the swim step of the big boat! This time, Tom got lucky and caught two good size fish. One Cabezon, a large sculping and only known member of its genus, which was unique because it has blue flesh. The other we identified as a Kelp-greenling rock fish. We cooked both, along with some oysters, and sea asparaguses. They made a lovely dinner of 100% foraged food.

We were also treated to breaching Humpback whales just outside of anchorage. 

Friday July 22, 2022 - Ucluelet / 52-Step Marina

Bear foraging on the 
beach

Friday was to be our last day with the NORPAC group. We sailed to Ucluelet to meet up with the group for an awards dinner at the Howler Family Restaurant and bowling alley. We would continue to head north while most of the rest of the fleet would be going back south toward the San Juan’s or Seattle.

To prepare for the 2^nd part of the journey, we disassembled the dingy and loaded it back onto the deck of Holy Grail. In addition, we pickled another batch of bull kelp on the boat with Robin.

Tom with a lingcod

We again made the decision to not race but we did raise the sail and joined the beginning of the SYC Race and sailed toward Ucluelet. Tom dropped a line into the water. He was soon complaining he had snagged some kelp and tried to reel it in. He was unable to so Dan assisted. They were both quite surprised when they realized they had actually caught a 5-6 pound ling cod. Once they wrestled it onto the boat, Tom dropped his line back into the water and shortly found himself with a Silver Salmon of similar size. This fish was quite a fighter and blood was splattered all over the boat, and on Tom, Dan, and me.

Deb Halstead, a friend from Colorado connected us with her friends, Richard and Belinda who live in Tofino and sail the area. We exchanged emails and had a couple of conversations with them. The plan was to meet them at the dock in Ucluelet. Unfortunately, the weather predicted gale force winds and they decided to depart early to find a hurricane hole in which to ride out the storm. We saw them leaving Ucluelet. We waved a greeting as we went our separate directions. We did have some further communication via text with them and they gave us some great tips for visiting Tofino/ Clayoquot Sound.

Brenda, the nice lady
who offered me her
shower

We docked at 52-step Marina which, oh by the way, actually has 53 steps. We had just enough time for showers before meeting the NORPAC group for the awards dinner at the Howler Family Restaurant. Robin and I went ahead, and we met a lady walking and asked her for directions to the harbor master. She was going our way and said she’d walk with us. Her name was Brenda, and she works at fuel dock and paints houses. She told us this was the weekend for the Ukee Day’s festival, and she was going home then meeting friends for the opening Salmon BBQ. As we neared her house, she told me that the showers at the harbor were a bit sketchy and she graciously invited me in to shower at her house. After only a moment’s consideration, I decided to take her up on the generous offer. As it turned out, this was an excellent decision! There were only two dirty showers at the harbor master facility, and they had run out of hot water. In spite of this, there was still a line as most of us had not had a shower for days. Unfortunately, Tom and Dan were among those who experienced cold showers at harbor.

Woody, Chris, & Brenda

We were scheduled to meet Woody and Brenda in Ucluelet. They were waiting for us at the restaurant when we arrived. They told us they were staying in a hotel because the walk-in campground charged $150. We could only imagine this was because this was the weekend for Ukee Days, a festival that attracted everyone for miles around.

Saturday July 22, 2022 - A day in Ukee

52-Step Marina

We saw Robin off at 6am when her ride picked her up at the top of the 53-steps. We came back to boat, had breakfast, collected laundry and went back up 53-steps a second time. The only laundromat in town, Jungle Suds, was closed with a sign on the door that said, “Closed for the Weekend because I’m sick of the stupid.” Next, we tried Woody & Brenda’s hotel, but it didn’t have a laundry facility. We knew there were washers at the marina but discovered there were only 2 washers and a line. A guy in the parking lot suggested the local campground had “1000” new machines and we should go there which we did. There were only four machines, but they were clean, in working order, and there was no line. We put our laundry in and went for coffee.

We took the laundry back to boat, added water to tanks, cleaned the boat and took care of a few boat chores. We headed back up the 53-steps for the 3^rd time to the grocery store to reprovision for the next leg of the trip. We did not expect to find another fully stocked grocery store for the rest of our trip north. We had six meals left and with the fish we were catching we decided we only needed breakfast and lunch supplies. Even so, we had quite a load and as luck would have it, the grocery store would deliver us and our groceries to the top of the 53-steps. After stowing the groceries, we went up the 53-steps a 4^th time for a liquor run. We carried this back to the boat and stowed it.

I realized I left my hat at Brenda’s house, and I left a thank you card with my phone number. She called me back, so we went back up the 53-steps a 5^th time to retrieve the hat. Brenda was making pies to exchange for halibut. She recommended the Cedar Grill for dinner where we had a lovely dinner then came back to the boat. Did a total of 265 stairs and about 24,000 steps.

Sunday July 23, 2022 - Clayoquot Sound

Fog resulting in low visibility, caused us to postpone our departer to time to correspond to a flooding low tide arrival at Clayoquot Sound. We were told that bears would be out foraging on the beaches at low tide. We busied ourselves using Crissy’s recipe to make ceviche and Pico de Gallo and prepare the fish for storage. We made yet another trip up the 52-steps for ice and a few miscellaneous things we had forgotten. We found a great bakery and shared some pastries and enjoyed a cup coffee.

Tofino in Clayoquot Sound

The sun finally made an appearance at Ucluelet, and we decided to make our departure. As we passed the fuel dock, we waved goodbye to Brenda, and she waved back. We followed a fishing boat out of the channel and into the Pacific Ocean. This journey would turn out to be the most challenging day of the trip so far from a sailing/boating perspective. There was less than ¼ mile visibility entering the Pacific Ocean. Radar showed a fishing boat approaching at high speed and was zig zagging as it headed toward the Ucluelet Inlet. Due to its excessive speed, we watched it carefully on radar hoping it could see us. By the time we had visual contact, it was clear we were on a high-speed collision course, and they did not see us. Dan’s quick reaction, an evasive right turn, allowed to avoid them. We were all a bit rattled by the experience, so Dan decided to head to 2-miles from land with the hopes to avoid fishing boats. Somewhere during the journey, we crossed the 49^th parallel. At about a 320’ depth we were saw tons of buoys we had to watch for and navigate through. We thought it was probably shrimp as it was too deep for crabs. Dan turned Holy Grail north toward Clayoquot Sound. The journey was full of ocean swells which made me seasick. I was grateful to reach the calm waters of Clayoquot Sound. As Dan pointed out, once we left the comfort of the NORPAC group, the journey became just a bit more work and a bit more challenging. We were now without the security of the group and had to plan our trip accordingly.

Sunset in Kennedy
Cove

Clayoquot Sound is the western terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway and supports a large fishing industry and is home to the Pacific Rim National Park. It is a stunning mosaic of waterways, islands and coves, old growth trees, and wildlife. As we learned about the waterways, it became clear that it is absolutely necessary to understand the buoyage system to navigate this area. It turns out to be an interesting maze of aids that must be followed religiously in order to not go aground. As we entered Clayoquot Sound, the fog lifted, and everything was once again in color! We could see the village of Tofino and people were on the beach swimming and surfing. Tofino is known as the surfing capitol of Vancouver Island. 

We navigated the shoal and current-ridden Browning Passage where we hoped to see bears. We didn’t see any but headed up to Kennedy Cove where we had been told it was almost a sure thing. The journey was littered with Atlantic Salmon fish farms and crab traps throughout the channel. Kenney Cove, leading to Kennedy Lake, one of the largest on Vancouver Island, is about 5 miles from Browning passage and offers a secure anchorage. The locals built a dock and water slide in the cover and M/V Island Girl, was there with a dog and family swimming and playing. 

We were anchor down around 6:30pm and enjoyed the ceviche made from the fresh lingcod & Margaritas and watched the sun set. The drain in the galley was plugged but that chore was been postponed until morning as it required bilge access and no one felt like doing it!

Monday July 25, 2022 - Kennedy Cove, Quait Bay, and the Floating Garden

Floating Garden

We had hopes of seeing bears foraging on the beach at low tide and were pleased to be treated to a brief glimpse of a momma and her cub before they disappeared behind a hill. The stunning views of the west coast wilderness with its still water, singing Pacific Wrens, low hanging wispy clouds, a few jumping fish and seals gliding soundlessly did not disappoint. Tom brewed coffee while Dan read aloud from the “Evergreen Pacific Cruising Guide to the West Coast of Vancouver Island” by Don Watmough, and we settled into the morning.

At about 8:00am Dan and Tom decided to attempt to fix the galley drain which turned out to be a challenging chore as the whole system is below the water line and the pump is what keeps the ocean water out of the boat. Though this sounds dire, the boat won’t actually flood but the sinks may fill with salt water if the pump fails. It turns out the pump is dripping and likely needs to be replaced. Dan made the decision to flush the pump with vinegar and nurse it along until he can replace it. 

Catherine King

Our target for the evening was Quait Bay. Richard and Belinda had texted us of a not to miss floating garden created and maintained by their friends Wayne Adams and Catherine King. As we approached the entrance to Cypress Bay, we discovered a fish farm at the entrance that caused some momentary confusion but were soon making our way into the bay. We passed the unnamed cove south of Quait Bay where the Magenta and Turquoise floating home was reported to be. We we could not see it as we passed toward the larger Quait bay but were determined to go back and explore further. The entrance to Quait Bay is blocked by an island but the guidebook assured us that the port entrance was favored and though there are rocks in the entrance they were all accurately marked.

Whale Bones framing the 
dance floor

Tucked just inside the entrance to Quait Bay is a large floating lodge, but the book states there are no services for boaters. It is large and we could see no signs of life though we could hear their generator running. We were anchor down at 3:00pm in this beautiful little cove. To avoid reassembling the dingy, we decided to inflate the 2^nd kayaks and paddle to the unnamed cove. The paddle turned out to be longer than we expected but we were treated to two floating homes. We paddled around exploring and sure enough, came upon Catherine who invited us aboard and gave us a tour of her home. Apparently, this is common occurrence for her and she doesn’t mind doing it. She explained that everything was made from recycled materials, much of it acquired from the fish farms where their son had worked. 

Art from collected feathers

We entered from the “beach,” a small concrete float that they had caried sand onto and populated with Adirondack chairs and potted trees. Whale rib bones framed the entrance to the “dance floor.”  Catherine explained she was a professional dancer, performer, and actress and this was her stage. They built this structure over 30 years. The home was neat and cozy. Their main house was a two-story structure with a leucite panel providing a view to the sea below. She said they often saw seals and other sea life peeking in. They collect fresh water from a waterfall on land and pipe it in, have a generator for electricity that even powers a big screen TV.  We were invited into another cozy structure where Catherine explained they were both carvers. We were treated to Wayne's intricate carved designs into animal skulls, some of which were displayed behind glass. 

Carvings

Catherine's carvings of a large onyx owl and a wooden owl wall hanging were on display in another room. Much of their art was created from found items. On display they had art created from sea life and even wooly mammoth that they purchased from a friend in the Yukon. They had made feather masks and outfits out of feathers they found from eagles, herons, and other birds that frequent their cove.

They had a man cave filled with intricate carvings done on animal sculls Wayne had collected and a woman cave that also doubled as a guest house. The garden was extensive enough to grow all their own fresh produce all year round. The first structure we encountered in the cove belonged to their son. He had built his own floating home. They had plans to rebuild the structure using stainless steel floats as the foam ones they were using were at end of life. 

Tuesday July 26, 2022 - Hot Springs Cove

Hot Springs

We woke to a bright sunny, windless day with a target for Hot Springs Cove, also known as Maquinna Park, named after an 18^th century First Nations Chief. We were told by many that this west coast cruisers paradise was the highlight of their trip! Unfortunately, we were also told the Hot Springs are still closed at the request of the Ahousaht First Nation and the Hesquiaht First Nation due to the concern of spreading COVID-19.  We decided to head that direction anyway as as its on the west side of the Openit Peninsula in the western Clayoquot Sound. It has a year-round population in the area and we decided it was an easy jumping off point for passage around Hesquiat Peninsula and the Estevan Point Lighthouse which is noted for its challenging weather patterns.

Boardwalk to Hot Springs

We were anchor down in Hot Springs Cove at 3:30pm when couple in a small skiff approached Holy Grail. They were curious about the boat and came over to investigate. They kept repeating it was a “righteous boat” and asked a few questions. In turn, they told us if we were willing to bend the rules a bit, we could go to the hot springs in the early evening or morning without issue. By 5:00pm we launched the kayaks and were headed for the dock. We hiked an amazing boardwalk though old growth forests to finally arrive at the hot springs. The water is reported to be 122 degrees and cascaded over slippery rocks into three very hot pools. Because of the size and nature of the area, we were glad to be the only ones there. We made our way through the tumbling water  and stayed as long as we could stand it then made our way back up to the boardwalk. The temperature was too hot to stay in for very long but we enjoyed the soak.

Wednesday July 27, 2022 - Sailing Hesquait Peninsula / Estivan Point / Zaballos

Dan getting the
weather report 
under the transmitter

Hesquait Peninsula home to the Estivan Point lighthouse and is frequently referenced on Canada weather broadcasts as having unsettled weather. In fact, we took the time to find Estivan Point on the charts as we had heard it in the weather broadcast so often. The station gained national attention during WWII as the only place in Canada to come under enemy attack. In 1942, it was shelled by a Japanese submarine but sustained no casualties and minimal damage. The guidebook advises mariners to give good berth to the point to avoid the unmarked Perez rocks. We were fortunate, however, to have a good weather window with southwesterly winds and to our delight were able to sail safely around Hesquait Peninsula and well into Nootka Sound before we had to drop the sails. 

Nootka Sound is where Captain James Cook first landed looking for the illusive Northwest Passage. It is known for the many explorers, Hanna, Bligh, Quadra, Valdes, etc. that shaped the course of history on this coast. We decided to take the left most dog leg waterway through the Tahsis Inlet, Tahsis Narrows and Hecarte Channel to finally reach the settlement of Zaballos. 

Tom watching videos
with the Dyson
vacuum ready 
for action!

Though Zaballos is only incorporated in 1952, it was reported in the guidebook to be an old wild west town with a restaurant, store, and a small hotel with an old wild west type saloon. Upon arrival we discovered that we were about six years too late to enjoy any of these activities. There were a few outfitters there taking customers from Alberta out fishing and the small store carried a few provisions but mostly alcohol. Surprisingly, they had a modern fire house with two very nice trucks and as we passed, we saw them in formal firefighting uniforms and maintaining the trucks and firehouse. In order to get a weather report, though, we had to walk to the edge of town and sit under the transmitter. The town had conveniently placed a couple of chairs there for just that purpose.   

Since coming north, we have experienced an issue with biting black flies. They are fierce and aggressive and caused us to dig out screens for the hatches of Holy Grail. As defense, we used the handheld Dyson vacuum to suck them up. This has added comedic levity to our days as we have all chased these insects with the vacuum! It is a perfect solution as we don't have to clean up the mess of squished fly on the boat! I must say, the guys are having a fabulous time sucking up black flies with the vacuum!

Thursday July 28, 2022 - The Brooks

Zabollos was shrouded in fog in the morning, but decided to head out anyway as the weather had predicted mild winds and sea around the next northern obstacle, the Brooks. Brooks Peninsula and the waters off Cape Cook are known to be the most hostile on the west coast of Vancouver Island and rounding the Brooks is a milestone. Our original plan was to anchor in the Mission Group, some of the barrier islands at the mouth of Kyuquot Sound. We decided, however, to pass on exploring the inside of Kyuquot Sound in favor of taking advantage of a good weather window and calm seas to make the passage around the Brooks. The peninsula is a rectangular promontory that extends 6 miles out from the mainland. They say it is mountainous and beautiful, but we were to see none of it due to the thick fog that had been with us all the way from Zaballos.

Dan's 5lb Salmon

We passed the time by firing up Sea Shanties and Queen on Holy Grail’s newly installed speakers. Somewhere during the day, we noticed we passed the 50^th Parallel. We saw interesting sea life including sea otters, a mola or basking sun fish that we originally thought might be a shark lurking around a school of salmon breaking the surface or “finning”. Dan was surprised to see it this far north as he had apparently seen them in Mexico. Dan put out a hand line suitable to catch tuna and in no time, caught a five-pound king salmon. The guys are getting better at landing these fish. Since we still didn’t have a net on deck, the fish was gaffed and brought on-board where it fought a good fight. It was finally contained it in a 5 in a five-gallon bucket and when it continued to try to get out, we found the lid. After the obligatory photos, Tom cleaned the fish and we grilled it underway with some potatoes and had a fabulous dinner.

Fog at Klaskino Anchorage

After a long 13-hour day of negotiating fog and rocks, we were anchor down in 38’ of water at Klaskino Anchorage in Klaskino Inlet. We discussed our plans to make it to Haida Gwaii and the weather forecast made the decision for us. From our location on the outside of Victoria Island, under the best of circumstances, we would have a 2-day, 7x24 north bound crossing of Queen Charlotte Sound. It would be ideal to have southwest winds to push us up there but instead the winds were predicted to be gale force and from the northwest. We would be beating into the wind, it would increase our time, and generally make it less favorable. Most journeys to Haida Gwaii typically come north on the inside of the BC side or from the North where the wind is coming from a favorable direction. We decided bucking the wind, waves, and current would just not be as fun and would take longer than we really had allotted time for. We decided that this trip would be a clockwise circumnavigation of Vancouver Island which in itself is unusual as winds are typically more favorable for a counterclockwise journey.

Once we retired and the boat was quiet, I was hearing some night birds chirping and decided to go investigate. I dressed and ventured onto deck. The trees were shrouded fog, and the sky was simply stunning with the Milky Way standing out like it never does in the cities with all the ambient light.  

Friday July 29, 2022 - Flying the staysail and Winter Harbor

Sea Otter photo, not 
taken at Sea Otter 
Cove

Instead of the rain and overcast predicted, we were treated to beautiful sunny anchorage. Holy Grail is cutter rigged meaning it has two foresails, a jib and a staysail in front of the mast. The jib is rigged to the bowsprit and the staysail is just behind it, still forward of the mast. Dan had not flown the staysail on Holy Grail and it seemed a good time to give that a go. The wind was blowing 15 to 20 knots, so we decided to reef the main sail to reduce the amount of sail area and and make the boat more manageable in strong winds. After all, the best time to reef a sail is when you first consider it! The sea was a bit lumpy, so it seemed a good idea to tether into the jacklines we had set up for this trip. Jacklines are a rope or webbing strung from bow to stern to which a safety harness can be tethered. It was decided that Dan and I would go forward and Tom would manage the helm. We tethered into the jack lines and raised the  main sail with two reefs, then raised the staysail. The boat wasn’t handling as well as we hoped. It seemed to be overpowered by the staysail so the decision was made to shake out one reef and that’s when all hell broke loose. We had several malfunctions occur in the process, one notable and highly preventable issue was the topping lift, primarily used to hold the boom up when lowering the mast, wrapping around the backstay. With teamwork and patience, however, we were able to resolve all the issues. We finally dropped all the sails and motored into Winter Harbor in Quatsino Sound, one of the five major sounds that cut deep into Vancouver Island's west coast, to seek a place of refuge to recover from the past few days.

There are reported to be 12 full time residents and about 70 summer residents in Winter Harbor, a former fishing outpost. We docked, were able to take showers, but did little else other than walk the town and watch fishermen fillet their magnificent catches on the docks. Once back on the boat and contemplating the day over drinks, we came up with a new mantra, “We will never sail this boat without cleating off the topping lift!” 

Saturday July 30, 2022 - Sea Otter Cove

Looking back at "The Brooks"
from the mouth of Sea Otter
Cove that we were unable to
see during the passage

The next big challenge was to round Cape Scott, the northern tip of Vancouver Island. The winds gain strength in the afternoon, so we departed Winter Harbor early in order to anchor at Sea Otter Cove, a protected but shallow cove with a rock and reef-strewn entrance nine miles from Cape Scott. As we motored north, we were surprised by a low flying plane which we speculated might be some sort of patrol plane. In any event, it flew over then headed west out to sea. As predicted, wind gusts were picking up to 30 knots and we were happy to finally spot the cove entrance. The cove is known for it's  "hurricane chains," which are buoys substantial enough to hold the largest fishing boats that ply this coast. They are located behind rocks and shoals and require careful navigation to tie onto them. As we entered the cove though, the depth information on the chart plotter was vague so we were using actual soundings once we entered the cove. Due to the reputation for shoals and rocks, and lacking accurate depth information, we dropped anchor right in the middle of the entrance and hoped for the best. As it turned out, a fishing vessel did try to enter the cove during the night. I heard the engine, felt the swells, and saw the search lights through the deck prisms as they pierced the darkness and illuminated Holy Grail. During our morning departure, we discovered it just outside the cove in a less protected area. Fortunately, the weather was calm so though we had blocked their night entrance, they still found solid anchorage. 

Sunday July 31, 2022 - Rounding Cape Scott

Rounding Cape Scott

With the rounding of Cape Scott, the westernmost point of Vancouver Island we were officially starting down the inside passage. There are dangerous rocks extend ½ mile offshore Northward and Westward around the point of Cape Scott. With its heavy seas, and opposing currents, and few places to take refuge, Cape Scott is a place to be taken seriously. It is advised to pass during low tide and to time reaching the Nahwitti Bar at high slack water. Low tide at Cape Scott on July 31, 2022, is at 9:21am.

The view rounding 
Cape Scott (FOGGGggg)

We were again fortunate with the weather. We were able to depart Sea Otter Cave at 6:40am and though it was foggy, we were able to round Cape Scott at 8:18 am in 10 knot winds and calm seas. We imagined that it was beautiful, but we never saw land until 11:43 at the Nahwitti Bar when a wind turbine farm came into view. As we rounded the cape, however, we could see the currents converging and there was more debris in the water including human trash such as plastic water bottles. We were also greeted by sea otters and a new type of bird that Tom called sea pigeons. Thankfully the Nahwitti Bar was uneventful, and we passed into the deep Goletas Channel where we were greeted by Dalls Porpoises frolicking around the boat. Dalls are unique in that they look like miniature Orcas with a black and white coloring.

Since we were not southbound some decisions needed to be made regarding the journey down the inside passage. We decided on the Broughton, Islands an archipelago of delightful islands similar to Desolation Sound but less frequently visited due to the

Since we were not southbound some decisions needed to be made regarding the journey down the inside passage. We decided on the Broughton, Islands an archipelago of delightful islands similar to Desolation Sound but less frequently visited due how north they were. Since the rounding of the Cape had gone so well, we decided to go a bit further to Port Hardy which would give us a good shot at making it into the Broughtons the following day.

Not finding good anchorage, we tied up to the government dock and ventured into town. Port Hardy turned out to be a pretty dismal town. Aside from a hostile, park and visitor’s center, the waterfront was pretty derelict. It was Sunday night, but it did appear that there were only the basic businesses that had survived COVID. We found a large homeless population as well sitting in doorways and stoops.

It seems aside from a center of commerce for the north part of Vancouver Island with car dealerships, hardware stores, and grocery stores, the main business supporting Port Hardy appeared to be MOWI, a Norwegian company that supports the farming of Atlantic Salmon. A large MOWI vessel pulled in beside us for the night apparently to do a crew change. The drown of her engines running though the night was a distinct reminder we had left the tranquility of the West side wilderness.

Monday August 1, 2022 - BC Day, Dan's Birthday, and the Broughtons

Cake baked in galley
oven

We were now entering The Broughtons is a destination consisting of inlets, islands, and waterways on the mainland side of Queen Charlotte Strait and north of Johnstone Strait. Locals call it the mainland to differentiate it from the Vancouver Island side. The mountains are steep, and glacier scraped, and the channels are so deep they often don’t even register on the depth sounder. The guidebook reports that many of the marinas used to offer social activities such as dock happy hours and potlucks. That seems to be a thing of the past now. We found the Broughtons to be very remote with very few pleasure cruisers around. We’ve seen mostly local fishing vessels.

It was BC day, and Dan’s 61^st Birthday! We made a quick departure of Part Hardy to our next destination, Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. The wind was blowing briskly from the northwest, so we raised the jib and were able to sail most of the way down to Alert Bay at speeds of 6-7 knots! It was a thrill to have the sails up for so long! We enjoyed learning to use the autopilot under sail and easily sailed at 150 degrees off the wind, an angle that would have been difficult to hold hand steering. We even jibed easily using the autopilot.

We dropped the sail and motored to Alert Bay with a BC ferry in hot pursuit. Once anchored, I set about baking a cake in the ship’s oven. I had been led to believe this would be challenging as there was some concern about how well the oven would hold a specific temperature. I found none of this to be true and though the cake was a bit DYI, it tasted great! It was a perfect desert to go with the Ling Cod fillet we had caught a few days before.

Tuesday August 2, 2022 - Alert Bay

Totems at Alert Bay

We had a relaxing morning with everyone sleeping in. Now that we are out of the Pacific Ocean and back into the shelter of the inside passage, it was time to put the dingy back together again. Every time, the balancing act seems to get a bit easier though I do think this dinghy is not long for this boat. Dan is anxious to replace it with something lighter and easier to launch and use. Unfortunately, the dingy motor has been cranky and decided to not start so we rowed over to the government dock with the intention to do laundry and take showers. We learned the harbor master was at lunch, so we walked the town and got a great talk from the lady at the visitor’s center about Cormorant Island. Alert Bay may be the best place short of Haida Gwaii, to discover and learn about and see artifacts of the First Nations Heritage. 

First Nation Masks on
display

In the 1960’s the Canadian Government began the slow process of repatriating items taken from the Indigenous People and they have been placed on display at the U’mista Cultural Center. The name u'mista refers to a person returning from a “restricted life.” They are said to have u’mista and the same can be said for the potlach items returned to the First Nations people. We were awed by the totems, trail system, library museum and generally how neat and tidy the town was. I tried my hand at beading but decided I needed to use a larger bead if I was to be any good at it as I couldn’t really see the fine beads they offered for the exercise. We returned to Holy Grail in the rain feeling we had experienced a good cultural day.

Wednesday August 3, 2022 - Echo Bay

Deerleap in Echo Bay

We departed Alert Bay bound for Echo Bay on Gilford Island. The guidebook describes Echo Bay as having much to offer but we found the marina to be sparsely populated a bit lacking in maintenance. This did not stop us from enjoying the gorgeous bay with it’s high granite wall. As we entered, we passed a huge power boat, Popeye, with an SYC burgee flying. We later learned was owned by Joel (Jo) Diamond who manages many of the parking lots in Seattle.  

Billy Proctor in
front of his museum

Aside from the stunning beauty, Echo Bay is know for Billy Proctor, a retired salmon fisherman, and his museum. We rowed to the dock and hiked the winding trail from Echo Bay to Billy Proctor’s Museum to see his collection of local artifacts and meet Billy. Just as promised, Billy was sitting outside the museum door greeting any visitors that arrived. When we were there, a boat load of kayakers from Mother Ship Adventures arrived in an old, restored 50-year-old Missionary boat. Billy explained that missionary boats traveled to remote parts of British Columbia to provide general services such as medical, supplies, books, and even a preacher to marry people. While we were there, Tom noticed a gillnet light float on the exterior wall, and was very pleased when Billy informed him, he was the first person in 40,000 visitors to know what it was.

We hiked back, rowed across the bay to get a closer look at a beautifully restored 85 foot, 1929 fantailed wooden boat called Deerleap docked on the floating home float. In addition, we had the pleasure of speaking with the new owner of Ocean Dawn, Billy’s former fishing boat which was, no doubt, being restored to its former glory.

Thursday August 4, 2022 - Kwatsi Bay

Still in Echo Bay, we pulled the anchor, but the boat did not respond to the helm. We immediately dropped the anchor again to investigate the problem. It turns out that the shaft coupling had come apart. Dan dug into the bilge and came up with the bolts and washers that had come off and reattached them. Crisis averted!! Examining these bolts would become a regular part of daily maintenance from now on.

Lacy Falls

Our next anchorage was Kwatsi Bay in Tribune Channel. The clouds were ominous in the direction we were headed but it was clear skies behind us. We were able to raise the jib for a bit until we turned up Tribune Channel and the wind was right on our stern and died to 5 knots. 

Tribune Channel is a steep walled glacier cut rock canyon interspersed with stunning waterfalls when there has been lots of rain. Because we haven’t had much rain the waterfalls weren’t dramatic, but the scenery was just stunning with evidence of glacial activity on the mountains and the very deep channels. 

Kwatsi Bay

We had a short day targeted so we decided to go slow and troll some fishing lines. We had no luck with fishing but were awed by the scenery. We passed the picturesque Lacy Falls which wasn’t flowing heavily but still gorgeous. Kwatsi Bay is very deep, and it is advised to stern tie so we gave it a go. We selected a spot near the now derelict marina which had been had the bad luck to acquire new owner in March of 2022, just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. We let out 150’ of anchor chain and then made an effort at a stern tie. Tom and I rowed to shore pulling the line against the current and attached the line to a metal stake in a fallen log. We were unable to bring it back to the boat as originally planned. We returned to Holy Grail and after much discussion decided that we had enough road out for the depth of water we were in and the stern tie was unnecessary. We rowed back out and untied it. As we watched the tide rise, we decided that where it had been tied would not have worked well. We needed to be sure, next time to tie the line above the high-water line. Another lesson learned!

Friday August 5, 2022 - Chatham Channel

Range Markers at
Chatham Channel

We departed the lovely Tribune Channel and the Broughtons through Chatham Channel, a narrow channel with range markers for navigation assistance. Range Makers are usually shore-mounted and come in pairs to help the vessel operator maintain a straight and safe course within a navigable channel. Each member of the pair is separated from the next in distance and elevation, with the one in front shorter than the one behind it. When the two appear to be vertically stacked, the vessel is on the range line. Because of the current  It was advised to only travel at slack water so we calculated an arrival target of 11:32am which would put us there at slack before ebb. We encountered some time discrepancies between the times listed in the Furno chart plotter software and what was listed on the phone application which was some cause for caution. At any rate, we arrived just at slack according to the phone app and had no navigation problems even though it did show on the Furno software we should have been at 1knot and rising. 

As we were exiting the channel, Tristin, a beautiful sailboat was entering. We passed port to port safely and continued on our way to Deer Cove, an unnamed cove on Helmcken Island in Johnstone Strait. Though it had been described as a scenic place to get off the boat and stretch your legs on the old logging road, we found the cove marked with multiple signs warning no trespassing on shore, enforced with video surveillance. Even with all the warnings, we anchored with another boat in the cove and the evening turned out to be clear and warm. Again, I got up in the middle of the night to view the stunning night sky and take in some of the Persiods Meteors.

Saturday August 6, 2022 - Seymour Narrows

boat caught in rapids in 
Seymour Narrows

A swift rap to the starter motor, as every sailor worth his salt knows, fixed the starting issue experienced as we were ready to depart Helmcken Island. Crisis averted! We headed out of Deer Cove and toward the infamous Seymore Narrows. Seymore Narrows is the principal route for northbound and southbound commercial traffic. It’s famous feature was Ripple Rock which used to be in the middle of the narrows, slightly west of mid-channel. The hazardous nature of the rock prompted the Canadian government to remove the rock in a controlled explosion in 1958. The explosion was noted as one of the largest non-nuclear planned explosions on record! Even without Ripple Rock, a Seymore Narrows passage is not to be taken lightly. Currents in the Narrows run 16 knots on the flood and 14 knots on the ebb, flooding south and ebbing north. Our target is to arrive at the Narrows at 1:33 in order to take it at slack water.

Gorge Harbor Entrance

Even with the minor issue of the engine not started, we managed to arrive an hour before slack water and had to slow down to arrive at the optimum passing time. We listed to commercial shipping traffic on channel 71 to learn who else was planning to cross and we will be crossing with about a dozen other boats. At the appointed time, we all started toward the Narrows and crossed over the remains of Ripple Rock, 40 feet under the water’s surface. We watched the turbulent water catch boats and spin them. A bird even went after the fishing rig we had trailing behind the boat. As we came into view of Campbell River, we were hailed by Patsy R off our port quarter. They recognized Holy Grail and let us know they were friends with Howard and Stephanie.

We finally emerged in Campbell River, passed back into the 49 North Parallel and the temperature went up to 70 degrees. We all peeled off layers and enjoyed the motor to Gorge Harbor on Cortes Island where there are reported to be orange-colored native pictographs, including a stick figure man, a man on what might be a turtle or fish and some vertical lines on wall to port as you enter the harbor. We were able to see some orange streaks that are probably the pictographs but due to the sun angle, a photo was not possible. We had anchor down at 4:51pm.

Sunday August 7, 2022 - SYC outstation on Cortes Island

Sea plane in entrance of
SYC outstation

After a leisurely breakfast we departed Gorge Harbor and motored the short distance to the Seattle Yacht Club (SYC) outstation. A we were turning into the very constricted entrance a sea plane greeted us, causing us to do a 180 turn to get out of the way. The SYC dock was quite full. There were some challenging moments as we negotiated the docking but Dan did a very credible job of meeting each one and soon we were successfully docked on a finger pier between 3 other boats. The SYC dock provided us with time to shower, do laundry, catch up with life outside of the boat life, etc. Our next challenge would be to exit this spot as eloquently as he entered.