Base Camp Anne's 2015 Boating Adventure

[Bruce Moore]

Anne has left Anacortes, WA, to begin her next cruising adventure. She's asked me to share her updates with Tugnuts near and far. This is update #1.

Base Camp Anne's 2015 Boating Adventures #1

Several weeks ago a couple on my dock at Cap Sante in Anacortes invited me to join them on a 7 week boat trip in BC. It will include a fishing trip which requires crossing Queen Charlotte Strait 2x in one week, weather permitting. I plan on enjoying the sandy beaches and free wifi available near the Hakai Institute while they fish, plus I am eager to get more experience boating in exposed ocean waters.

The large section of their trip, the one that interests me the most, is the last section, boating the wild Pacific coast on the west side of Vancouver Island!

An Unexpected Challenge

I traveled last summer with 2 navigation programs and found that was very useful as well as good insurance. I plan to always have two running.

Returning from a 6 day trip spending time with my daughter and son and their families high in the Colorado mountains, and now one day left before departure, I discovered I was unable to boot up Navionics on my iPad. (Nor did I know my Garmin chartplotter would stop on our second day underway!) I had purchased Navionics previously and used it every day on the Alaska trip last year.

I was getting a bit frantic because departure was imminent, and I did not know why I could not get it going when the desktop still showed it.

I had seen Sue, who captains Spinner, previously and hoped she was still in Anacortes. Sue is an engineer, and excellent at figuring things out.

I called her quite late, as we were leaving the next day! She was in town and offered to come to the boat. Calmly and quickly she reported that we needed to go to the iTunes store, which I never would have thought of. I figured since I had purchased the program there would be no problem. Perhaps this was simply a renewal, or ?

I chose not to spend any additional money, but apparently renewed for free. I am so grateful Sue took the time to come to the boat when she had other things to do and got me up and running with Navionics.

Two Previous Critical Issues

Before I even was invited, late one day while hosing down the boat after taking it out to the dock where we pump out holding tanks, I decided to fill up the water tank. Unfortunately I stuck the hose in the diesel tank before realizing I had taken the wrong cap off. Even though quickly noticing that, water was in the fuel, and Cascadia was in now in full lockdown, unable to travel.

I was very busy with Coast Guard Auxiliary responsibilities the upcoming weekend and waited a few days to deal with it. Finally I called to ask the boatyard that I use if someone there would help me.

"Yes, when would you like to bring your boat over?"

"I cannot use my engine. Can one of your workers clean the fuel here?"

"No. We only deal with such issues in our boatyard."

"I cannot drive my boat there."

"We do have the name and number of someone who will come to your dock."

I called that company and a few days later the fellow came and tried unsuccessfully to polish the fuel. He probably got some of the water out, but the ongoing issue with the fuel line and air hose burping fuel abruptly stopped the project when a bit of fuel splashed. Now what?

I estimated I had about 130 gallons of fuel in the fuel tank and perhaps a few gallons of water at the most before the "polishing" effort. The yard could not help me, and the shoreside attempt had failed. I did not want to dispose of all the fuel.

Tugnut Glen keeps his boat at Cap Sante in Anacortes. He knows lots about car engines and various other interconnected items under the hood, so I called him.

He came over and looked at the engine, around the engine, the fuel tank, filters, and various hoses. While Glen was checking things out I called Ronnie and told him the first effort to get the water out failed, and asked him if he had a moment to talk with Glen about how best to access the fuel tank. They chatted and Glen reported he had taken off a section of the port side partition in the "basement" saw the fuel tank and asked the full size and location of it. They exchanged information.

On a related topic...earlier, during his reconnaissance, Glen suggested to me why fueling had been such a problem. He noticed a large dip in the fuel hose while looking for the best way to get a rather small amount of water out of my fuel.

The fueling issue has been a problem for a very long time, and I was very frustrated when it spilled out of the air vent while I was slowly adding fuel, even when I had under 50 gallons in the 150 gallon tank.

Meanwhile, regarding water in the fuel, Glen said that the boat needed to go to a boatyard, but I saw no solution to driving it there without jeopardizing the engine.

Glen thought he could bypass the normal fuel flow to the engine by attaching a hose from a portable container of fuel directly to the fuel tank, thus avoiding the water in the main fuel tank. He checked with the manager at the yard who agreed, and it worked perfectly, with no risk to the engine.

The technician at the boatyard wanted the boat to be there several days early and blocked, so the water would be completely separated and on the bottom of the fuel tank. He also had the boat tilted a bit to one side. Plus I asked him to shorten the fuel hose as Glen suggested while he was working in that area.

When the employee began to work, he had trouble accessing the bottom of the fuel tank, even though it is unbaffled. Glen had a suggestion which helped and it appeared successful.

Later the technician pulled the stove/oven to shorten the fuel line by more than 12 " and clearly saw the air line was even longer, so I asked him to also shorten it by at least 14 inches. I am unclear why those 2 lines were so very long, but when filling the fuel tank after leaving the yard I was able to fill at a normal speed without spilling or having a backflow from the air line. Hopefully that will be the case from now on 🙂

When the boat finally got back in the water, the engine started right up and idled quite a long time then it was time to untie. Glen came along and I had the phone number of the boat yard in case a tow was needed. After some twists and turns on the flat then on waves all seemed well.

After that I filled up the tank at a normal rate, not the slow pace I had needed previously. No spilling, no back-flow, and finally I think I will have an accurate record when I fill the tank.

After these repairs I was wanting to believe the boat and I had a chance for another amazing boat adventure!

Late in the afternoon on July 7th, Sue and Glen guided Cascadia out of her slip and a new adventure begins!

Anne

 

[baz]

Wonderful news about Anne. I had been wondering what she was up to as I know she gets 'cabin fever' and has to be doing things. 😉

What an unfortunate event with topping up the fuel tank with water... :cry: Given that water sinks in diesel I would have thought there was kind of drain at the bottom of the tank to allow this sort of thing to be dealt with more easily... Maybe Ranger Tug can think of a future modification to our boats for this kind of event. :idea:

I had a similar experience several years ago... but it was not boat related. My daughter was driving a diesel powered Peugeot 504 auto and forgot it took diesel at the gas station and had pumped several gallons of gasoline into the car's tank. I got this frantic call for help.... "What to do?" asked my daughter. Well stay there and I'll come to your rescue... when arriving I decided I could syphon out the fuel tank thinking there wan't too much diesel/gasoline in the tank... big mistake as when trying to initiate the syphoning I came close to dying... with a somewhat blue face my daughter cried out for me to stop... and I did thank goodness. The Peugeot was kind of old and I decided what the heck... just fill the darn tank up with diesel and drive it away. The Peugeot lasted another few years before being retired.... and strangely enough the gasoline issue did not seem to affect the engine's operation, as best I could see. Not the same as mixing water with diesel I know, but nonetheless a problem of sorts.

This issue with diesel engines is a long standing one in USA and easily done without too much thought.

The gasoline autos have the advantage of having a smaller diameter filler neck such that the larger diameter diesel pump spout simply cannot be placed into the gasoline auto. Of course the opposite is not true... :evil:

I wish Anne safe passage and an enjoyable 7 week cruise, and look forward to more of her blogging via Bruce/Vicki.

Thanks Bruce. 🙂

 

[Bruce Moore]

UPDATE #2: July 19, 2015

The second day into our 7 week adventure I turned on the chart plotter to discover the GARMIN homepage with the word “Holding.”

Uh-Oh. Yesterday everything was working fine, as always. I love the chart plotter with all the information available. I turned the chart plotter off, waited a bit, then turned it on again. Same message. Once again, turned it off, waited, then on. No change.

I called Garmin and learned that the way to solve the “holding” issue is to download and reinstall because something is now corrupted. Now begins Garmin Reinstall 101 for me:

Question: What do I need to do? How do I download and reinstall?

Answer: Download what we email you onto a chip.

Question: Will it override what is on my chip now?

Answer: You need a blank chip. Many stores sell them.

Question: Where do I put the chip? Where my BC chip is now?

Answer: No, you need a PC.

Comment? I need to have a PC, a blank chip and be hooked up to wifi to load the new Garmin file? I have an Apple, and had no idea…


Thank goodness I am traveling with a buddy boater, and have Navionics loaded on my iPad. I will not be leading anytime soon. I can still follow the rpm and engine temp control and the charted depths, but miss seeing radar, speed, fuel burn and the large, easy to read screen.

Aside: If traveling alone, I would choose to go to a nearby town, large enough to have the resources I needed. I would radio a marina about moorage availability and head there. Local libraries have wifi and PC’s so it would probably work to get a chip and go to the library to download the information from Garmin.

If I were more remote, I would be looking for someplace that probably has wifi, and a dock. My experience with boaters is they are often quite self sufficient, and helpful. If I found one with a pc and wifi, I could use my extra camera chip and probably reinstall. My large paper charts are only along the west side of Vancouver Island (from previous kayak trips.) I carry guide books and chart books of the other areas of BC.

In the current situation, this is inconvenient but not an imminent catastrophe. My travel partners know an excellent shop in Port Hardy where I will be checking out used PC’s, purchase another spare chip and researching Canadian raster charts.

Looking around 360 degrees, the seas are calm in the Strait of Georgia, with ideal conditions except for the low visibility due to smoke from the forest fires. Tomorrow the forecast is for winds 15-25 knots in the morning and we shall see in the afternoon. I see the outline of the mountains on Vancouver Island and barely see the mainland. I do notice a large tug pulling 2 long barges loaded very high, similar looking to the tug and barges that bring food and supplies to towns in SE Alaska each week.

FYI: As I prepare to post this, we are still in Port Hardy. I did purchase a used PC that will be dedicated to navigation only, has the charts I wanted plus I added GPS, so this probably will not be an issue anymore. Boaters commonly have new challenges with equipment, so over the years learn how to resolve many different problems. Hopefully I will be learning more ways to resolve issues month by month, year by year.

Anne Cox

 

[Bruce Moore]

Update #3



Traveling Northwest, primarily...

I am able to see Kelly and Kim’s boat ahead of me. That is all that is visible currently in this very large area, with the exception of an occasional log and a few developing whitecaps in the water on Thursday, July 9th.

Our two boats continue northward, and I am following behind, learning the consequences of having so much information dependent upon one chart plotter rather than older instruments that each have only one function. We traveled in calm waters and the forecast was for strong winds in the morning. The day was hot, with little to no wind, and we anchored in close, out of the way of SE winds near the NE end of Denman Island with smokey skies. The sunset was spectacular, diffusing the round ball of fire and splashing color all around.

Day 4, Friday, we get an early start for Campbell River, wondering why we did not push on yesterday afternoon. The Comox Bar is quite rough, and my cabinets with drawers opened up, and one drawer fell out. This is before we get to the windy Strait of Georgia.

Fortunately the SE winds were friendly, and it was a relief to be in them, surfing forward, just being careful not to broach. We did not travel the most direct route because we were working with the wind, so riding the waves as they pushed us along. This was no time for autopilot!

Eventually we saw what looked like a horizontal line of white ahead of us in the water, and as we approached it seemed to be larger than it appeared at first. This was south of where I first thought Cape Mudge was, and we were in moderate SE winds. It was quite the experience of VERY confused seas. Many have suffered in these notorious rips that, when conditions are a certain way, cause so many problems.

In my case, all four drawers came out and crashed onto the floor, with the tableware flying about, among many other things. The other 4 cabinet doors in the galley opened and in each area of the boat a few items found newfound freedom, with no real harm. The books came crashing onto the bed and rearranged themselves as they sometimes do.

I am not surprised about the drawers since I also experienced that in Alaska in a wild rip south of Rocky Pass, while heading to a protected moorage. I know I need to figure out how to keep the 6 wooden doors from opening up. I had mentioned this to Kelly previously that I need to resolve this before leaving Port Hardy. We will begin with strong velcro that he has aboard, since I do not want to put latches on the outside of the galley doors.

The water gradually calmed somewhat and we moved towards the western shore, then continued northward in a more calm manner rather than rocking and rolling so very much. We found the strong southerly wind contributed to challenging docking, and my first attempt was into a slip that was way too short and I asked to move. The power box extended into the sIip a few feet and I did not want to hang outside into the fairway so far. I got permission to move a few slips west, and was in a very narrow fairway, going to another double slip that fortunately had no boat in the other side. Later we watched a boat arrive that appeared to be a bumper boat, trying to turn in the wind and fit in a double slip with a boat beside it. Luckily no one tried to come in next to me that evening. I walked to the shore and grocery, stocking up on fresh fruit and veggies in the large grocery nearby.

Due to the high winds predicted for the next day, we chose to go through Seymour Rapids early, near slack, ride the current north while we could, then hang out and wait for a couple of hours before trying to anchor a bit further north. We lost a great deal of time trying to anchor in a tiny bend in the shore, then tied together, ate lunch, and looked at our plans before going again. The winds did not get nearly as high as predicted, which was great, but we still were burning quite a bit of fuel heading into the wind which had switched.

The first place we tried to anchor already had 2 boats and little to no protection so we continued on to what turned out to be a wonderful spot on the east side of Johnstone Strait named Growler Cove, near the NW end of W. Cracroft Island. There were several boats in there, but room for us. Once again we tied together and had a good sleep in peaceful waters.

We awakened to pretty calm water again, which is very unusual in Johnstone Strait. Heading north was simple, with no traffic to speak of, and we passed Alert Bay and Sointula, both places I look forward to visiting in the future. Fog was developing and as we continued north it thickened, causing me to wonder if this is quite typical near the north end of Vancouver Island. Based on what I am experiencing, I believe it can be, since it seems wide open to Queen Charlotte Strait. Last summer it was so thick in late August I could barely see the boat I was following all the way across the Strait from Fury Cove almost to Port McNeill.

We kept heading NW curving around and finally approached Port Hardy, traveling in and out of fog. We came to Quarterdeck Marina, where the others have friends, and have a few days to prepare for a week long fishing trip, traveling east via Queen Charlotte Sound, past Cape Caution and heading for Calvert Island.

I have a number of projects to complete, and will begin by fueling up. I am hoping to get things better organized, review the course and plot it, provision a bit, meet locals, learn some history, and visit folks on the docks. From the looks of the docks, there are many locals who take quite small boats out fishing, and some guides with a bit larger boats, plus quite a few commercial boats. This area looks somewhat economically depressed, and apparently logging and mining have declined a great deal. Much to experience and learn here!

Anne

 

[sportner]

Toni and I saw Cascadia moored at Port Hardy as we fueled about a week ago on our way south from Alaska. We thought " No, it couldn't be Ann", as we hadn't read anything about her travels. If we had seen her we would have stopped to visit.

We are now safely back in Bellingham and will be home in a few days. Our best wishes to her on her travels.

 

[Bruce Moore]

Update #4 - Port Hardy, BC

I visited Port McNeill on my way north and south last summer, and was eager to wander around Port Hardy a bit although primarily have time to resolve some boat issues.

A few days earlier the Garmin chart plotter had frozen. Thanks to Kenny of Ranger Tugs we confirmed how to get it reloaded and working. (It locked up again later in the trip with a different error message but I had the chip ready and was able to reload and get it going again.) I definitely wanted all available information visible going forward, beginning with the radar screens.

A nuisance issue was the galley doors that had opened and dumped out items in significant tide rips at Cape Mudge, south of Campbell River. To control that we placed velcro on the sides of the 6 doors to prevent them from opening when in rough water. In addition we added latches on the 4 drawers which kept the weight of the drawers from opening the two doors adjacent to the refrigerator. Heavier magnets may be easier, but we had none, and the velcro and latches seem like they will solve the problem currently.

I had forgotten a step in connecting my DeLorme with the iPhone, and got that resolved so my family can travel along vicariously.

I visited a marine shop in Port Hardy that my travel mates use and after several visits decided to purchase a used pc computer set up with Nobeltec charts of BC plus US charts. Then I purchased GPS and had it installed, providing another backup and useful source of information. This pc laptop can now travel with me if/when I travel on other boats, as well as supplement information while on Cascadia. (I am no longer enamored with having all my information on only one or two screens!)

While in Port Hardy I found the public library a fine source for free internet connection and the walk into town provided time to stretch my legs, plus there was no need to bring a laptop along.

Our original plan to stay in Port Hardy 4-5 days changed as the winds continued blowing; unfortunately our trip across Queen Charlotte Sound and around Cape Caution to fish for a week near Calvert Island was cancelled due to winds.

I found myself talking with local fishermen who seemed to be doing quite well, returning with spring salmon, halibut, rockfish and ling cod. I enjoyed watching them unload their catches each afternoon.

I also learned more about following the various points of weather information, especially focusing on wind speed and direction, previously as well as going forward. Wave heights combined with swells sounded high much of the time.

Listening so often can get old, but each summer I am understanding more, which is reassuring. The Straits of Georgia, Johnstone Strait, and Strait of Juan de Fuca seem like the Bad News Bears, but I like the challenge of finding a "work around" sometimes, including time of day.

Now I listen much more carefully for areas further north and west, especially those we cross in our boats, and that list is increasing year by year, happily.

The winds have been blowing much of the time in the northern waters along Vancouver Island and we found ourselves staying on the dock even longer as we looked westward into the Pacific for a rather comfortable travel window.

The weather along the outer coast of Vancouver Island often includes strong winds and there are several areas that must be treated with special respect due to the possibility of dangerous situations. I am finding there are quite a few things to consider when planning to cross the Nahwitti Bar, go around Cape Scott, and go around Cape Cook on the Brooks Peninsula.

Wind and swells can be out of synch. Swells can continue days after big winds stop, as one example. Forecasts are not always accurate, and we have just experienced that these past two days.

Boating is enjoyable in so many ways, and planning brings trips closer, ever closer.

Anne Cox - Basecamp Anne

 

[Bruce Moore]

Today we depart for the West Side! #5

Finally the weather has calmed and we are leaving the dock! Even though it is less than 3 hours to Bull Harbour, we are going today. The Garmin system is now working, I have a PC with Nobeltec, and the route is planned for the next 2 days of travel. The plan includes getting by Nahwitti Bar, rounding Cape Scott at slack and carefully steering into a very protected Sea Otter Cove, with shallows and weeds to be avoided.

My boat is now set up so that if my engine quits and I cannot get it going, there is a line from the tow hitch up to the bow. I am prepared to catch a monkeys paw and quickly tie my line to a tow line and be towed to safety.

I have had 2 occasions on my tug with the engine overheating from grass in the water intake and I do not have the hand strength to loosen the bolt on the sea water strainer, so now have a tool very handy in case it happens again. A number of potential anchorages appear to have weeds at the entrances so if the strainer gets clogged I am ready to stop the engine, turn off the water intake valve and clean out the strainer. I do not want impeller issues!

(Can you tell I am traveling with two certified captains with thousands of hours of experience?)

The weather gradually changes from mist to showers as I lead us west in Goleta Channel. After 2 hours I see the lighthouse for Bull Harbour on Hope Island. Winding in to the back of the bay, the decision is made to tie up to the First Nations dock, and soon 2 young men appear and greet us. We learn it is 20 dollars per boat to tie up, and since my friends want to walk their dog, we stay there.

Then we learn there are wolves on this rather small island and that they may approach to within 10 feet of us. Finally we hear an alpha male is with the pack; I lost my enthusiasm for a walk by then.

My friends decided to leave Dash, their small dog, aboard and we walked up the ramp and off the dock to the dirt road of this former Canadian Coast Guard station. Kelly carried his 12 gauge shotgun and Kim and I kept looking around as we walked towards the ocean beach. The surf distracted us for awhile then we walked back to the boat, never seeing any of the wolves that currently live there. I was hoping for a distant view of them, nothing more, but we did not see even one wolf.

Early the next morning after listening to the weather we postponed our departure for one more day because the seas were calming and were predicted to be even better the following day.

We untied from the dock and anchored out. This was the first of many times we anchored together, and it is working very well as it is easy to move between boats. We discuss everything from weather to how to set up safety systems to things that have failed on their boat, and what to share for dinner, among many topics boaters chat about.

I had purchased a medication for sea sickness and tried it out while in Port Harvey with no side effects. Now I would wait one more day to take it since I am boating solo and have no idea if I get seasick.

I was disappointed to have to wait, but kept busy trying to figure out what was going on with the PC computer I purchased that now would not work. It was fully charged overnight but turned itself off within 5 minutes of booting up. We learned the battery was toast so I needed to remove the battery, then with the PC off turn on the inverter and then start the PC. Now it starts up easily and stays on. There are so many things to learn and keep track of during this trip!

July 22nd eventually dawned. The weather report was ideal! I ate, took the pills and we were off on time, leaving Bull Harbour and heading for the Tatnall Reefs, on the southern side of Nahwitti Bar. I was prepared for 7 ft. seas and swells that sometimes will be crashing into seas from opposing directions.

All the planning and calculations led to a very doable trip, with swells, small waves and smallish confused seas. I followed the Nordic Tug 42 and kept her in sight most of the time. The experience was actually way less than I was prepared for, and all went off as planned and on the timeline as scheduled.

I expected much more "rocking and rolling" in higher waters. The seas were no higher than what I've kayaked in, the boat worked perfectly, was warm and dry, nothing crashed and rounding Cape Scott was ideal, given how the seas can often be.

We proceeded to Sea Otter Cove, and carefully negotiated shallows and vegetation growing in various spots. One 32 ft. sailboat was there and another arrived a couple of hours later.

Summertime, very little wind, waves diminished from even the day before, and timing were all factors. All the preparation gave me confidence and I now look forward to rounding Cape Scott and comparing the differences. Geographically they seem quite different as Cape Scott is a large peninsula, and there is not an additional physical challenge such as the shallowing Nahwitti Bar.

This was a good lesson on how to prepare the boat and participants thoroughly and wait until all the conditions are favorable for an easy experience.

I love the wildness here and look forward to another month of fun experiences on the West Coast of Vancouver Island!

Anne

 

[Bruce Moore]

Note: Anne has not had much Internet access and her updates have been delayed. But, all is well and here is her next report.

Vancouver Island. #6

We have been moving every day but one since getting past Nahwitti Bar and Cape Scott on July 22nd.

After overnighting that night at Sea Otter Cove I was wide awake at 6 am, and we departed at 6:40 am. Unfortunately I had to use the parallel battery again to start the engine, and the engine and thruster batteries did not seem to be holding a charge overnight. We proceeded onward, and after 20 minutes we were back outside on the ocean again, in the sunshine and this time with a SE swell. I find it more fun to ride the top of the waves coming from the NW, surfing a bit, but the SE ones are easier to see and anticipate. We kept moving south, and entered Quatsino Sound, the first of 5 large inlets on the west coast, in a little over 3 hours. We are usually traveling at approximately 8 knots, which is the most efficient speed for the 42’ Nordic Tug my friends are on.

After getting into the more protected waters we slowed and took photos of our boats near Quatsino lighthouse before proceeding to Winter Harbor, where we were going to tie up for the evening. Quatsino Sound encompasses a large area and we were curious to see Winter Harbor. We were not sure where to tie up, but noticed a fellow at a small fuel dock and hollered to ask him. After we were secure we walked along the docks and up the ramp then further up to some steps, entering a small store. There was a notice about a wolf in the area so that was topic number one since my friends have a small dog. The fellow staffing the store said he had not seen the wolf now in 5 days, which sounded reassuring to me, but not so much to the others. After paying our dock fees we walked around the area a bit then returned to the boats. I do not know how the few people there are surviving, and wonder how long Winter Harbor will. It is possible to get fuel, but there is no cafe, some basics in the store, and with a wandering wolf, not much motivation for some to wander far from the buildings currently. We probably would have hiked around if there were no wolves or bears, but this seems to be their territory more than humans.

The next day we proceeded further into the Sound to Coal Harbor, taking Quatsino Narrows at slack. Coal Harbor is surprisingly only a 15 mile drive on paved road to Port Hardy, where we had spent 8 days. There is a launch ramp there, docks and quite a few cars as well and some boats. Moorage is 50 cents a foot, and the clean shower in a new building cost one looney for 4 minutes.

Late in the afternoon I was delighted to see a 1987 C-Dory 19 arrive and anchor across the dock from Cascadia. I chatted with the captain who had two boys with him. He has been coming there for most of the past 15 years, and it appears like he is training the next generation to love fishing there also. I think his boat listed Bainbridge as home port, and I know they caught fish. Earlier I had watched another fellow cleaning fish there and the cleaning stations seem well used at every marina we visit.

I fueled up there and we walked around the area looking for the whale museum, which may be in transition. We ended up in a large building which is a former seaplane hanger, and saw an amazingly large whale's jaw bone leaning against a wall that dwarfed a person. There had been a whaling station there according to the Douglas Guide to Cruising Vancouver Island.

There is a very small store there also, with a few things, including ice cream bars, but no place to eat, and we were told in the office that everyone drives to Port Hardy for whatever they need since it is so close. There is First Nations land adjacent to the harbor, which we are noticing is quite common in various bays.

Around July 24th (?) we connected with Kenny of Ranger Tugs, (who answered his phone while also working at the Tugnut gathering in Desolation Sound) about the puzzling battery issue, since I had to use the parallel battery 3x in 7 days to start the engine. It seemed rather critical, because we are going to be more remote going forward. Kenny said to check all the battery connections and once again, he was right on the money. Kelly tightened everything and found two connections that were not tight, one of which was between the engine and thruster battery, which has been the reason the batteries were not holding the charge overnight.

The next morning we left and checked out a few small bays, including Smith Cove, Julian Cove and Pamphlet Cove as potential anchorages, (perhaps on a later visit?) After that we headed back towards the ocean, and came upon what appeared to be a summer family reunion of many sea otters. They were in the middle of the waterway, and not bothered by our boats except when I tried to get a bit closer for photos. In that situation, they seemed to scatter a bit, as if to say, “you can’t catch us,” then continued hanging out with each other.

From Quatsino, we traveled towards Brooks Peninsula, spending one night in Klaskino Inlet and one night at Klashkish Anchorage. We were traveling slowly waiting for good weather to get around Cape Cook/Brooks Peninsula, and we did so on July 27th. The seas were a bit lumpy, as boaters say, but nothing that tossed our boats around too much. Waiting for good weather is making this trip most enjoyable. Some days we travel 4 hours, and some days less, depending on what we choose to see and where we decide to anchor or dock.

After we rounded Brooks we stayed at Columbia Cove, on the south shore of Brooks Peninsula. There was a trawler there, and about 5 pm three beautiful sailboats came in and rafted together in the small cove. We took our kayaks down and were going to shore then bushwhack to a sandy beach outside of the cove. I suggested we simply paddle to the sandy beach outside the cove. We were a bit surprised by the waves, but continued on. By the time we landed, the wind had picked up, and two of us got wet. Leaving was even more interesting as the waves continued to increase in the wind. We made it off, paddling hard into the waves and returned to our boats, then Kim and I took the dog to the beach in the bay and walked around there a bit also. After a while Dash, the little pooch, stopped, looked into the forest, and growled. We decided to get back into the kayaks and paddle. Not too long afterwards, we noticed a bear walking along the beach, coming from where we had been and heading towards a group of kayakers camped further down the beach and eating dinner. They noticed the bear and in a group yelled at it; eventually the bear retreated and we saw no more of it that evening or the next morning.

The next morning we went to one of my favorite places, the Bunsby Islands, which are very close by. We anchored near a couple from Pender Island whom we had shared dinner with at an earlier anchorage and they invited us to their sailboat for a delicious Moroccan dinner. We noticed a young bear turning over rocks looking for food as we were leaving.

Then we moved on to Battle Bay, a protected anchorage during NW blows, since high winds from there were predicted for the next 3 days. I had hoped to paddle around the Bunsby Islands, visiting spots where I had paddled over 20 years ago with my son and friends, but the timing was off. We retreated to Battle Bay, only 20 minutes away in our tugs, but with no long fetch like where we had been. We had extra fenders between our boats and were totally prepared. Apparently the winds were near 20 knots on the outside of Brooks Peninsula, but that was not a big storm, more like typical winds.

However, the storm warnings continued, and between that and the bear, we moved on again, this time going to Walter’s Cove Thursday morning. That was an enjoyable place to be, especially on Thursday, because the supply boat, UChuck III, comes after 5 pm, and unloads all sorts of items. We made reservations at the cafe to have dinner with the travelers on the supply boat, and enjoyed a delicious dinner together. There was a sign on the dock about a wolf there, and asking visitors to be careful and respectful.

(I am noticing that locals/summer residents seem to have large dogs, and more and more boaters are traveling with very small dogs. Hmmm.)

The UChuck III was fascinating to observe. In addition to docking a scant few feet from Cascadia, we saw the working boat continue a long tradition of servicing small communities. Kayakers are unloaded and loaded while in their boats via a pallet. Travelers walk off on a ramp, supplies are lifted up by a strong cable out of the boat, or the hold, including fuel, building materials, groceries, and various other items in crates and boxes. The First Nations community comes across the small bay by boat to load up many things and it looks as though everyone who lives there comes for something or other. There are fishing lodges there also and they get food and supplies delivered weekly also as do the summer residents.

The next morning by 7 am the dumpsters for the community are hoisted into the large boat, and various other items are removed from the dock and put onto the boat, including quite a few empty fuel barrels. I also saw 4 empty dumpsters being transferred to the dock. One paddler hustled by Cascadia at a fast clip and paddled onto a pallet; I was in my boat and unable to see how she balanced when being lifted because of the angle, but saw her walking around on the UChuck III when I got up the ramp.

We stayed a second night there, enjoying meeting people on the dock and those working/visiting at the cafe, which also has internet.

The next morning we left Walter’s Cove, traveling NE to Fair Harbor where I added fuel. That small harbor was very busy, with a long wait at the fuel dock, where a boat that carries kayakers and their boats to various locations was fueling, along with a couple of fishing boats. The docks and the fuel plus a campground and tiny store seemed to be managed by tribal members living there on adjacent First Nations land. A campground has been added there and many people drive in with their fishing boats. Families were camped there, checking in and checking out on a very busy Saturday. Many years ago we drove in there on gravel roads to begin our kayaking trip and slept on the ground overnight, with only a couple of empty cars nearby.

After fueling and paying, we moved on to check out the lovely Dixie Cove, then went on to Petroglyph Cove and dropped anchor for the night.

From there we headed out to sea again, passing gorgeous Rugged Point Marine Park and many small fishing boats in that area. The sandy, windswept beaches looked inviting, but not for our tugs. On calm days anchoring inside, right behind the park, looked appealing.

We continued southward in the ocean swells and waves, riding swells again. I found that fun, watching the boat speed go from a slow speed of 5.6 knots in the trough sometimes all the way to 12 and 13 plus feet while traveling down and across the face of the waves. I had no desire to use autopilot, and enjoyed the fun as long as possible.

We spent several hours traveling onward to Esperanza Inlet and Nootka Island, avoiding the Inlet due to rocks and carefully weaving our way into Nuchatlitz Inlet, anchoring there in another provincial park. I had visited those areas in the early 90’s also and now saw many fishing boats along with cruising boats such as we were on. Previously our small kayak groups seemed to be the only ones around these areas, having the places to ourselves. Now we see fishing boats along with other sailing and power vessels carrying people like ourselves, traveling in amazing comfort while circumnavigating Vancouver island.

I just learned our plans have changed and we are going back to a spot we were several nights ago and where the fishing is hot. I may get this posted early tomorrow before leaving, but the fishing bug has arrived, and that usually means very early departures.

We enjoyed a peaceful afternoon and evening anchored in Nuchatlitz Park, in Kyuquot Sound, then weighed anchor the next day at noon and boated to Zeballos, overnighting there. It is another small town, bordering on First Nation land, with a quite small village that services the fishing community and travelers such as ourselves. Zeballos had room for our two boats at the public dock, and after 2 hours of whitecaps as we motored in the afternoon, we were happy to stay. My paddling trips there had us on the water early, before the winds built up, and what a difference that can make.

From Zeballos we traveled south and east, and overnighted last night at Tasis, another small community such as Zeballos, located at the head of an inlet, where afternoon winds often build up. Thasis had been a much larger community with a mill here, as well as a very successful fishing area. From what I saw yesterday, the fishing is still productive, although apparently many of the fish being cleaned were from the area near where we had camped in Nuchatlitz. The docks here are much larger and more expensive, but there is a good restaurant, laundry room and internet. This had been a thriving community with the mill and full services, and has more amenities than some of the tiny communities we have been visiting.

It was a bit hairy watching boats coming in during the late afternoon in the roaring wind. The marina made room for everyone by moving boats, but it was challenging for some to make the 180 degree turn to get into the breakwater followed soon by another 180 degree turn to get to the visitor docks. All seemed to make it, some with the help of others on the dock and staff that came running. We were happy to have arrived before lunch and the winds!

Last evening my friends loaded up on shaved, salted ice that fishermen use, and today we awoke at 6 am to the sound of rain and the fishing boats leaving. I believe we are heading out soon, and am happy to have caught up with reporting our travels to today, August 5th.


Anne, writing from Tasis in Kyuquot Sound

 

[Bruce Moore]

Around Vancouver Island. #7

Hello from tiny Santa Gertrudis Cove, less than a mile from Friendly Cove and Nootka Light Station at the edge of Nootka Island in Nootka Sound. We are moving daily, enjoying the fjords, tiny coves and everything in between.

HISTORY

Captain Vancouver of England and Capt. Quadra of Spain met in Friendly Cove to try to avert war over the ownership of the land that the First Nations of Canada lived on. The transfer of the land from Spain to England happened that year, in 1792, and I am hoping to learn more about that. Ironically, visitors now must pay the Mowachaht Band $12.00 cash per person to go ashore onto their land which is the way to get to the famous lighthouse.

Nearby is Resolution Cove on Bligh Island, where Captain Cook anchored his ships and repairs were made on Resolution. In February I read "The Bounty," by Caroline Alexander, which I found to be a thoroughly researched story about Captain Bligh. The author previously wrote "The Endurance," my favorite book about Shackleton, whose leadership is a story for the ages. I enjoy reading about European sea explorers, as well as any others that I find. I have not found much written about the Polynesians yet; the narratives I have read feel sparse but no less interesting. (.An example of the “power of the pen,” in my opinion…)

Last evening I finished "Gipsy Moth Circles the World,” written by Francis Chichester, of England. At age 65, traveling solo, this was his first circumnavigation, and included Cape Horn, taking 226 days in 1967, breaking many records, including speed. His book was published the following year, and he had 6 detailed log books full of information which he referenced often to tell a quite complete story. Starting in Plymouth, England he sailed south, around S. Africa, and gradually dropped into the Roaring 40’s, the latitude so far south that storms seemingly travel forever with no land to slow them. Boating stories, especially those written by someone who rounded Cape Horn, me, and to a lesser extent, stories about others who have made the trip.

FISHING

Now, back to the present. My friends are ocean fishing today, so I came here to this small cove and hope to write about a few things I am learning on this trip, in addition to learning more about Cascadia. They have been out over 6 hours and hope to catch some in quite deep water today. LATE ADDITION …they radioed that they are still fishing. I told them this is a high high tide, and I see some logs that are no longer on shore, but floating around this tiny cove It has been raining all day, and the cove is very full of water. When they finally came into the cove, I radioed, suggesting I move my boat and they anchor, then I will side tie with them, since the cove is so small, and the floating logs complicate the space challenge. Their boat is 42’ and has an oversized anchor, so we side tie regularly, but will not in big winds or usually if arriving to an anchor spot at separate times.

Two nights ago we anchored in Bodega Cove after they caught their limit of king salmon. I have never put any effort in learning about fishing, and was surprised to learn over dinner that there are so many rules, so many sizes and types of lures as well as live bait that people use. Meanwhile some fish that are released are possibly struggling after a long fight, or a problem while getting unhooked before being unceremoniously tossed back.

In BC this year, in addition to a fishing license there are more specific rules than last year that must be followed. There is a minimum and maximum size allowed for kings, and no more than two may be landed per person per day. The total allowed per person is 4, so in two days, they each caught and kept 4 that were within the size limits. Now they will fish for ling cod, halibut and rock fish, plus chinook, I believe.

I learned also that these small fishing boats choose to fish along the shorelines, especially at junctions. Apparently some fish like the rocks and weeds and are not just trying to avoid the big winds and waves. I learned that fish travel along a ledge, for example. I presumed the small fishing boats were along the shore because the boats were quite small, and it was safer, especially in places with large tides and currents. I noticed in Johnstone Strait last August during a stinky blow that there was a row of small boats following along in a line, so I figured the fish and boaters preferred back eddies, just like paddlers do at times. Nope, they have their own reasons.

Lately I have been around many small trailerable fishing boats, and sometimes have seen how much work it is to land these big fiesty fish, who take off and disappear if there is any way to dodge the net, or slip the hook. They are amazing and sound like fun to reel one in, even though it may take several tries. Did you know kings cannot have their heads cut off, but some other salmon can? Measurements are very significant for the rules, and weight for contests. Every marina I have seen seems to have a challenge board with weights of various species, the date and name of the person catching the fish. So many people catch kings over 20 pounds that I was shocked. I don’t even know if anyone is allowed to keep one under 10 pounds.

Yesterday some folks walking by on the dock asked me if I fish. The thought of blood and fish guts all over the cockpit is unappealing to me, plus it appears to be a great deal to manage poles, lines, bait, lures, etc. These folks all love to fish, so I smile an “just say no.” Yesterday 2 fellows were walking by admiring Cascadia while I was fueling up and I dcided to chat a tiny bit. I told them I sold my home to buy the boat, and they were in awe, congratulating me for "such a wise decision! One immediately said he would sell his home in a heartbeat for a boat if he could! People fishing here REALLY love fishing! I enjoy seeing them happy and sharing stories as the fish cleaning stations.

I saw a halibut that had been cleaned at the marina and it surely is shaped differently. They also can be very large, as most everyone probably knows, and quite hard to land. I looked into the open mouth of the halibut that was hanging by a large hook and was surprised to see what looked like 3 rows of teeth quite a way inside its mouth. If I had access to the internet I would be looking up information, but am left to surmise…and have no idea why the teeth are that way! There are so many times I would like to read more about what I am seeing and experiencing on this trip, but there are very few locations we can access the internet!

FORESTRY

Friday morning in the typical rain forest fog and drizzle, which we have barely seen, we pulled anchor at Bodega Cove and squeezed through the inlet into the large bay. There was a very large log transport barge with lights such as a large truck would have at the front. Two cranes were operating independently, alternately loading at least 6, sometimes more like 10 thick logs, using huge jaw-like grippers that picked up husky loads from the edge of the shore. Both cranes had a cab for the operator, and a weighted counterbalance like I see in the Seattle and Bellevue skylines so much of the time, and they were making fast progress. The large barge had a good-sized industrial boat in front of it, which looked very sturdy, and probably hauls the barge around to various logging sites when the logs are placed on shore ready to be loaded. I am going to try to send along a photo to post.

I had never imagined nor seen anything like this, so asked Kim about it yesterday afternoon. She and Kelly became good friends with some loggers over the years, visiting a specific logging camp each summer on their way north on their boat. They observed the older methods of logging and moving timber and know how things have changed in the industry. I also heard stories from a retired logger in Port Hardy who had an employee attacked by a grizzly when attaching a large line from a helicopter to a log. The crew got someone in there on the ground very quickly and got the fellow out of there and to a local hospital, and he survived. The manager himself was severely injured in another logging accident and could not return to such difficult work after a very long rehabilitation period.

There is something about seeing how hard it can be to fish and manage fish, learning the conditions and how long the foreign workers toil every week in the processing plants, and listening to a 70 year old retired logger who spent most of his life living and working in the forests of BC describing what he did for so many years as a logger. Meanwhile, I am living in this warm and comfortable boat while it is raining and foggy all day. . I am inside, snug and warm, pondering how hard so many people work each day

I just got up and checked the lat and long coordinates since I anchored 4 hours ago and am swinging on the hook. I was pretty sure I am not dragging but like the confirmation. I still need to practice setting up rings on the chart plotter that will show me whether I am staying in the safe range for all 365 degrees plus I should practice setting the alarm for anchor drag, but continue to be fortunate in not dragging. A boating friend wrote recently saying that some night in a windstorm I will probably have that experience of dragging. Meanwhile, I practice. Now I am learning how to use

My friends have wonderful habits of using water wisely, and report that in Haida Gwaii, where I hope to travel to in the future, there is only purified municipal water at Sandspit and Queen Charlotte City. They spent the summer in the area, so were prepared and managed well. I believe they use a UV water purification system to purify water also, in addition to collecting rain water. It sounds appealing to me to be more careful with water, and I hope to learn more on this trip.

I am also going to try to include a photo of Chica, a very small C-Dory I saw out fishing. I noticed a fellow walking towards the boat at the marina and asked if it was his boat. It was not, but he knows the owner. The boat is from Montana, 16’ and I learned the owner of the boat saved another guy’s life, but forgot the details.

 

[Bruce Moore]

On to Clayoquot Sound. #8

We had wonderful stops and travels in Nootka Sound, and left August 9th with a bit of drizzle and fog, but a good weather forecast to move on towards our next sound, Clayoquot. Almost immediately we were out in the ocean, near Nootka Lighthouse, which made for a faster hop to Clayoquot Sound. We headed out about 3 miles, avoiding the rocky areas along shore for quite a distance. At first we were driving almost directly into the swells and waves, which were small, but when turning south, we needed to deal with waves to starboard, which makes for rolling back and forth. As we approached Estevan Point, the water became confused, as expected, with wind from both sides as well as the west, so it was rock and roll time. The waves went from S, to SW, back to NW somehow, and it really didn’t matter; the boat handles everything, and my experiences sitting in a kayak taught me to just go with whatever the water presents, from the hips down. Paddling relaxed makes it easier, as does relaxing muscles while riding the waves in Cascadia.

For awhile it was salty traveling, with water rolling off the windows constantly, and as I sat there, I watched a constant flow of water down from the front deck to the step outside the pilot door. I was thinking that I will bring a bucket next time like my friends do, and use rain water to wash the windows and rinse the boat off after anchoring.

I had forgotten to make a sandwich before leaving so quickly pulled out some almonds and dried fruit to munch on. I do not like to move around much in lumpy conditions, but the cabinets were still staying closed and drawers in place in the galley, so it is definitely much safer now to move around! The metal bracket on the bottom of the refrigerator, which has a habit of coming off, did it again, when I foolishly quickly opened the door to get a drink and the boat was rocking. Time for me to fix that problem...

After 5 hours outside we turned into Sydney Inlet, and everything settled down, hooray!

The 10 foot beam on Cascadia helps smooth the ride, as wider beams do, and now the safe passageway in the cabin makes it much more comfortable. I am especially happy to have one level in the cabin and the cockpit, with the head so close to the pilot seat.

Once inside I noticed two cinnamon colored seals or otters, and would have liked to take photos, but something else was going on in front of me, and I needed to pay attention. That turned out to be a number of boats slowing down to watch 3 orcas, according to my friends. We hung around for a bit, then moved on to nearby Bottleneck Inlet, another small and amazingly beautiful spot. It was a great spot to relax and unwind after the ocean travel today, and showers seemed to come and go the rest of the day and the next morning. We noticed floating logs again due to the high high tide, a "spring tide."

While visiting with my travel mates after tying together in the bay, I learned a bit about a water system they have on their boat that is very economical and effective. It is a UV water purification system that can be attached or portable, and made by Water Fixer. They gather rainwater in buckets, then run it through this system. When I get back and have faster internet I intend to read more about this type of water treatment. It sounds ideal when able to capture rain water, and quite simple.

The next morning, August 10th, we left for Bacchante Bay, which is part of Strathcona Provincial Park. As we approached, I could see this was perfect for paddling, and the weather was sunny and dry again. Late in the afternoon we got my kayak down and we took 2 kayaks and the pooch out for a nice 90 minute paddle, including up a river at the estuary near low tide. It looked like good bear country, but we did not see any of them. We returned to the boats and had fresh salmon for dinner, then had a nice long sleep after the first paddle of that length I have had in quite awhile!

We left at 11:00 am the next morning and went through Shelter Inlet, a gorgeous area, although a bit of a challenging steering exercise, due to rocks and shallows. We traversed at high slack with no other boats anywhere in sight.

From there we traveled to visit an old general store in Ahousat, whose owner, Hugh Clarke, who purchased a tiny building 56 years ago and developed and expanded into a variety of operations when fishing was booming. His father donated 35 acres for Hot Springs Cove to BC so it could become a park for all. What a legacy! Mr. Clarke's family continues to be a presence in this area through his development there all these years plus family members who live and work in Tofino. His daughter is the postmistress, and recognized me when I walked into the Postal Office to purchase stamps for some postcards. She had seen me the day before when she picked up her children from her dad at Ahousat.

From there we traveled through lumpy afternoon water and arrived at Little West Whitepine Cove, another interesting anchorage, where we noticed a black bear on shore. It was very hot again, and buggy. We took the opportunity to nap during the afternoon heat then, after a nice dinner, had pleasant weather for reading. It is so wonderful to be retired and have time for a leisurely trip!

We spent the night there, then came into Tofino, where we purchased groceries, and added water, which costs a looney per @ 100 gallons. The restriction had just been lifted after a long period because of the recent precipitation.

I also purchased a few books for my grandchildren and one I am currently reading entitled “Chasing Clayoquot”, with a subtitle of A Wilderness Almanac. David Pitt-Brooke has written a month by month description of the weather and its influence on what is occurring. For example...

JANUARY Chasing the Tempest: Who Has Seen the Wind?
FEBRUARY Clear and Cold: A Break in the Storm
MARCH Nature’s Plenty: Herring Time
APRIL Thar She Blows!: The Springtime Migration of Gray Whales
MAY Windbirds: Mudflats and Shorebird Migration
JUNE Hanging On for Dear Life: The Intertidal Zone

I am finding his writing eloquent and a most pleasurable way to learn about this area we are traveling about.

Tofino is somewhat challenging to get to in that there are many shallow areas coming from the north and then a maize of islands interspersed by scattered shallows. In addition there are many kayak pods going to and fro in a variety of areas plus float planes taking off and landing. There are interesting looking sand beaches scattered about on various islands and shorelines also. I was thinking of taking the free bus to Cox Beach, which looked like a favorable spot for a possible ocean sunset shot, plus a way to get a brief view of the Tofino area, but did not because I knew the slow internet was going to take hours to work with, and it took four hours till I received my email from the last week!

We spent one night there, tied together on the outside of a dock in a most busy location, bouncing around each time a boat passed by. We left the next day, and planned to spend some time in anchorages in this eastern area then swing through on our way back to fuel up before turning south to Ucluelet.

We left and traveled SE to Tofino Inlet and then went to the end of Tranquil Inlet, then into a cove the Douglass book, "The West Side of Vancouver Island," calls Tranquilito Inlet. It is another tiny anchorage, and looks out at beautiful rock formations as well as the ever present green water and beautiful cedar forest. We decided to stay 2 nights, then return, get fuel and anchor out in a bay along Tofino Saturday.

The next day I paddled for an hour in the late afternoon, starting in the small inlet then going out into the larger area, where the wind was blowing towards the shore at the end of a rather long fetch, so paddling there provided a good workout. After awhile, getting back out of the wind and spray was a nice change of pace, and I found Kim swimming in what she reported was 70 degree water in the small shallow inlet.

Saturday morning after listening to the latest forecast, Kelly suggested we retrace our route, top off our fuel and move on to Ucluelet. The forecast was for increasing winds along the west coast, both south and north, with potential winds getting to 30-40 knots by Tuesday. The ocean was quite flat Saturday, and we docked in Ucluelet, at the public marina inside the peninsula, along with many other boats. It is high season now, and boats are side-tied up and down the visitor docks, with the other docks full of fishing boats and guide boats that take visitors out fishing, whale watching, etc.

Saturday we left our anchorage at 9:30 am, fueled up, traveled 51 nm, with 28 of those from Tofino to the Ucluelet Small Craft Harbor.This was the calmest time in the ocean on the west side so far. I did not have water on the windshields at all, which made for an easier time.

We had planned to have a week to move around Barkley Sound, particularly in the Broken Group, part of the Pacific Rim National Park. My friends are hoping to fish some of the time while I paddle. Now we will be listening and analyzing the weather updates, looking for wind forecasts, and hoping for a more specific forecast that provides details beyond simply a high pressure system. We will be hoping to plan when we might be able to move from here out to those small jewel-like islands.

I paddled there @ 23 years ago, and the outer islands on the west side were particularly amazing to me, a quite new paddler. Wouwer Island had large stellar sea lions which were thrilling to see, yet a bit intimidating also, knowing how powerful they are. Add to that wind, sea caves, and fog rolling in and out, and I felt like I was dreaming all this up! I also had my first experience with bioluminescence there.

For someone who grew up in Indiana and lived in E. WA, that summer was unbelievable. I had solo paddled 150 miles on the Columbia River, near where I lived, getting a bad case of tendonitis, then took a 5 day kayaking course in Seattle realizing I needed to learn a great deal and practice with others who knew what to do. Next I hooked up with new paddling friends who were going to Pacific Beach, a WA State Park on the coast, and tried to learn how to surf and do surf landings, but kept flipping and and became quite cold as the winds picked up. I decided to put surf kayaking on the back burner when I was invited to join a group going to The Broken Islands for a week, my first of 4 kayaking trips along this coast.

Now I am very eager to paddle there again, but perhaps not on the “outside” (unless the weather is calm and I hook up with other paddlers.) I plan to wear my dry suit, have my kayak compass on the kayak deck, along with the nautical chart in the waterproof case, and once again paddle among these amazing small islands that are so beautiful and inviting. Here’s hoping high winds are not coming this way, and my dream scenario can become a reality! Dreaming!

Upon arriving here at the Small Craft Harbour, I met another couple at the marina in Ucluelet from Anacortes, named Anne and Red, with a Ranger Tug 29'. They trailered their boat to Port Alberni. It was great to see them and chat a bit. I noticed a 2nd Ranger Tug here, this one from Nanaimo, but no one was aboard. I had seen a Ranger 25', with an outboard motor and modified swim platform in Port Hardy, all set up for lots of fishing.

It is always fun to see others with similar boats able to enjoy so many places!


Anne Cox, loving the beautiful West Side of Vancouver Island!

 

[Bruce Moore]

August, 2015, from Barkley Sound. #9

We left Ucluelet August 17th after lunch, heading out into the fog in Barkley Sound, which gradually began to disappear, from north to south, where we were headed. Sunshine began to peek through and welcomed us to over one hundred island jewels in this area called The Broken Group, part of Canada's Pacific Rim National Park.

As we entered the Sound, we needed to stay clear of numerous rock piles, including some that seemed to hide on the chart. We traveled east of the Chrow Islands, and then headed south towards Turtle Bay, described in several guides as an excellent anchorage, surrounded by Dodd, Willis, Turtle and Chalk Islands. It was a great anchorage, protected, not too deep and with a mud bottom.

The forecast was still for high winds, and we were happy to have an excellent “set” of the anchor in Turtle Bay. We stayed there in the protected anchorage for several days, rafted together, exploring, reading, and sharing dinner each evening.

The Broken Islands were challenging for Dash, Kim and Kelly's small dog, because dogs are not allowed on shore, due to wildlife. Dash did enjoy some kayak rides, dinghy rides, and watching boats and paddlers coming and going.

ANCHORING PRACTICE

During this entire trip I have been watching how my friends very carefully anchor. I anchored out a great deal in Alaska last summer and was fairly confident, but observed that my friends are more thorough in how they set theirs. After dropping and laying out the anchor rode they test it by backing down, as I imagine we all do.

Their goal is to “soak the anchor in deeper," so they repeat the backing down, increasing pressure on the anchor. One stands at the bow, making sure the chain is straight down, then with a shoe on the rode, signals the pilot who reverses the engine again, with more force, tightening the rode while the person standing by the windlass feels and listens for any skipping. Then they do this a 3rd time, and this time, when the rode is taut, the pilot pushes the throttle in reverse completely for a brief time. If there is a person on the bow, it is easy to see if the anchor is set deep. When I do it solo, I feel the boat struggle against the rode and notice the boat swings left or right, when the line is tight.

After finishing setting the anchor the next step requires me to stretch out over the chain locker to reach down and attach the snub line with the chain grab hook to the chain. Keeping the snub line tight, I then tie it off on the cleat behind the windlass. Finally I slack the anchor chain so it makes a "lazy J” shape, be protected from a slip that might put force on the windlass.

The first day Kelly came aboard to coach me on Cascadia was in these quiet waters, and we were not needing to be on the move for awhile. First I figured out where I wanted to anchor then I saw how to set an anchor ring using the radar screen on my Garmin. I also set a GPS mark on the screen of the computer with the Nobeltec program right before letting out any chain. (At the Rendezvous in September I may ask if there is a way of setting a GPS mark with our Garmin, because I may have missed that.)

Then we practiced anchoring at several locations in the bay. My anchor came up each time loaded with mud. The second time I set the anchor it was in very tight. To protect the windless motor after I heard it slow down, I used the power of the main engine. Once again I attached the chain grab hook to the anchor chain and holding the snub line tight, tied it off on the cleat behind the windlass. The powerful Volvo D4 had no trouble pulling up the anchor!

THE BROKEN ISLANDS IN BARKLEY SOUND

We had planned to spend at least a week of our seven week trip in the Broken Islands, and we did! The weather was ideal, sunny with mild breezes and afternoon wind. Two nights I awakened and opened the pilot door, climbing out to enjoy the carpet of stars overhead. Every time I am outdoors in a wonderfully quiet and dark location at night, with no clouds, gazing at our huge universe, I feel so alive and so small, such a blissful reality.

I paddled around Turtle Bay, enjoying the freedom of cruising along the shorelines looking for marine life and poking the nose of my kayak out to the bigger water on either side of Willis Island. I also greatly enjoyed chatting with various paddlers camped ashore on Dodd Island at a designated site, while paddled alongside, discussing random things.

One day Kim and I took the dinghy and the dog and explored the area between Jarvis and Jacques Islands checking out a suggested anchorage, but were not interested in one that needed a stern tie since we both enjoy being connected with only one line, "swinging on the hook.” We motored around more and saw interesting passages plus one side of Gibraltar Island, which has another kayak campsite, and several groups of paddlers heading out in different directions.

Each day in the Broken Islands we saw paddlers enjoying themselves in these protected waters. I had never imagined returning to these islands in a 29 ft. motorized boat when I was here over two decades ago, and have always wanted to return, just as I had hoped to do in the Bunsby Islands and Neuchatlitz, places we stopped at on our way here.

Perhaps some people who came here aboard sail and power boats found themselves also wanting to visit, but not able to paddle here, moving campsites every few days then paddling back out. Some of those boaters were moving around in dinghies and kayaks also. One morning a group of paddlers called for a water taxi, since it had been quite windy the day before and they wanted the security of knowing they could get to the location they needed to reach on time.

EFFINGHAM BAY

August 21st we moved our boats to Effingham Bay, which is larger and can hold many boats. That night there were 7 boats anchored there, counting our two, and including a French speaking couple in a small metal sailboat we had seen at Tahsis and again at Bodega Cove, near where the logs were being loaded. In the evening they rowed by in their tiny dinghy and greeted us again. They appeared to be retirement age also, and he had sailed the small sailboat from a French speaking island in South Pacific to Hawaii, and then north to Prince William Sound in Alaska, if I understand, and his wife joined him in BC. I learned that information from Kelly later after we left the bay, and in hindsight wish I had managed to connect with the sailor and learn more about his trip, which sounds amazing to me.

Late in the morning of the 22nd we traveled in the dinghy to the back of the bay where a stream flows in, and found the trail we wanted to hike to see an ancient village site plus check out a cave that I paddled in many years ago, experiencing swells in a narrow, rocky cave. I still recall that adrenaline rush!

Before we began the hike, Kelly showed me how he anchors the dinghy far enough offshore so that on a falling tide, it does not end up high and dry on shore, since it has an outboard motor and is too heavy to carry down the rocky shore. He has a small, portable anchor, sometimes called a river anchor, on an adjustable line and pushed the dinghy out to a deeper area, then jerked on the long line he was going to tie around a rock on shore.The anchor fell off, and the weight was such that it should hold the dinghy. It took a couple of tries to get the dinghy in a spot that would allow it to float for a few hours as the tide went out. Three hours later we discovered that it had worked perfectly.

However, It seemed to me that someone usually will need to be willing to be the sacrificial team member to get wet above boots, moving the dinghy around so the others can hike in dry footwear, and Kim kindly volunteered, and had prepared ahead and dressed accordingly.

The trail was marked/signed with flotsam primarily, hanging from branches overhead, including an old shoe, trashed plastic bottles, the sole of a shoe, parts of frayed red rope, as well as old floats for crab cages.

We hiked through the forest that included old trees, fallen timber we climbed over and under, old boards in low spots that were muddy, and roots of all sizes from huge trees along the trail. That could be a tough trail if it had been quite wet as it can be in the area.

When we descended to the beach it was low tide. Kelly and Kim continued on quite a distance to find the cave. The rocky shore was challenging with many logs plus jagged rocks sometimes up to the trees, which required lots of climbing around. I opted to check out the sea creatures and forego the climbing exercises...

Back on July 27th, we rounded Brooks Peninsula, overnighting there in Columbia Cove. At my urging, rather than bushwacking through the brush, we paddled out of the cove on the south side of Brooks Peninsula into the ocean to access a sandy beach we had passed before entering the cove. It had seemed so close when we passed it, but we were motoring along. In the kayaks, the situation was different and we were now in building waves late in the afternoon. I injured my ankle landing, when the surge grabbed my kayak and tossed it against my ankle where I was stuck and sinking in sand. Where were those quad muscles when I needed them to hop straight up quickly? To add insult, the surf then took my kayak and threw it high against a rock formation I had carefully avoided while coming in to land.

The ankle continues to complain, so that is why I chose to skip the hike down the coastline to find the cave. Fortunately I got that far was using my trusty hiking poles that were a present from my daughter and son for my 50th birthday, with the admonition to “Keep on going, Mom!” Now, 20 years later, these collapsible poles are still helping me keep on going.

I took some iPhone photos and enjoyed the vistas across Imperial Eagle Channel while my friends continued their exploration. When they returned much later, it was clear that resting the ankle was the right choice, plus we still had the return hike to get to the dinghy. Several others on the trail commented that they could also use hiking poles to help with the various rocks, slippery surfaces and the up and down nature of the trail.

We returned to our boats, looking forward to another gorgeous sunset photo opportunity but felt our boats rocking quite a bit, and during dinner wondered what night might be like. I was ready to untie and anchor separately, but finally the decision was to find a more protected anchorage, and we had already checked the guidebooks and saw none. As evening was approaching, we decided to return to our previous anchorage.

By the time we untied, and my friends had their anchor up and we were out of the bay, the sun was going down. We moved smartly along through the waves and came in a different way to Turtle Bay, with a quite low tide. Kelly was on the bow, watching, and we came through very slowly, finally getting into more water. The sun had set earlier and it was a big rush to get the anchor set and me tied up alongside while there was any light left.

In hindsight, which is so easy after the fact, I should have anchored separately wherever we were, and if leaving, we needed to leave earlier. Yet so often the wind peaks in late afternoon then drops, but this time it just kept climbing. Add to that the days are getting shorter, and we had to go slowly much of the way due to the dropping light along with rock piles we needed to go around. We took a shorter way back, but a route we had not traveled, so that added more time in dimming light.

It all worked out, and when we arrived in Turtle Bay, it was as smooth as glass, which reinforced the decision to move our boats.

CASCADIA AS MOTHERSHIP

There seems to be a term currently in vogue for what I am experiencing, which is using Cascadia as a “mothership.” Perhaps this term has been around for centuries, I don’t know. But that is how I am using my boat on this trip: it allows me to travel in comfort and anchor in beautiful and safe locations. While there, I sometimes take my kayak and go exploring, when and where I choose, which for me is often along shorelines in wilderness type locations.

In the last century I carpooled with other paddlers, and when we reached the waterway we planned to use, we loaded and hauled our gear, food and water on small boats that we paddled to places such as this, using rivers, generally.

NW tribal members traveled in various sizes of canoes fashioned from large trees, sometimes for hundreds of miles carrying goods to trade. Many coastal groups also moved camps to/from the ocean then perhaps up/down rivers, depending upon the season.

Now some entrepreneurs provide boats much larger than Cascadia, carrying maybe 4-8 guests, kayaks, paddles, safety gear and the staff provides meals and sleeping quarters then guide the guests on day trips of various lengths and various locations in kayaks. I noticed them in SE Alaska, northern BC, and believe they are in this area also.

European explorers sailed thousands of miles on larger ships then used smaller boats to row around exploring areas in more detail, scouting for food and fresh water, materials to repair their boats, perhaps minerals such as gold, making maps, collecting specimens such as plants and edibles, trading and learning information from the locals and looking for the NW Passage.

Whether we are learning from the ancient ones, re-imaging how to travel to somewhat wild places as we age, providing services to travelers who want "wilderness light" or whatever this is for various people, it certainly provides a great sense of joy to me to be able to get to so many areas along the water by boat, or “mothership.”

It is grand gathering and trading tales, a type of information, and returning from trips with photos and stories of “explorations,” traveling along these northwest passages.

 

[Bruce Moore]

Wonderful days in Pacific Rim National Park. #10

I LOVE this Canadian park, and hope to return again. Today, I paddled with a fellow from Bellingham who reports they have come here many times, and always enjoy it. I asked if he had seen any sea lions and he had seen a couple of them swimming near Clark Island.

Later Kelly and I paddled around the bay, and I chatted with sailors from Anacortes. They had just arrived after sailing from Tofino in the fog the entire way. I have no sense of how one sails in fog, and wish it would have been more convenient to ask.

As you may recall, before we came to the Broken Islands the forecast was for winds 30-40 knots. We had gone to Ucluelet and tied up there for 2 nights due to earlier warnings, but the locals suggested the weather would not be as severe as listed, and they were correct. We had done the same thing while in the area near the Bunsby Islands, but the storm did not materialize to the degree expected. Better safe than sorry, no matter what.

Lumping together a forecast for the southern half of the west side of Vancouver Island is challenging, with the headlands and bays, together with changing wind patterns at such places seem to be more complicated to cover in detail. I found myself often wishing for a report such as Cliff Mass, professor at U. of WA, presents, explaining in detail what is happening, how it will affect us, and how it compares to previous events as well as those in other nearby areas. Environment Canada does not have time nor space for such details, and as we get more access to satellite weather, I expect forecasts will continue to improve in accuracy.

Two days after the forecast had predicted, we had a rather normal afternoon blow, (summer winds are often high in the afternoon) however the peak gust my friends recorded was 21.7. We ended up putting the dinghy and two kayaks back on the roofs of our boats, and within 30 minutes, the winds died down, naturally. We are not sure whether it was typical summer afternoon winds or a part of the system. The wind was from the NW, which is the prevailing direction all summer, and came into our anchorage on either side of Willis Island.

I was listening to a radio weather report and the highest gust in the area was at Cape Beale, a weather station south of Bamfield, which is about 15 miles from here, on the open ocean. It recorded 27 knots, and I am happy we were not in that!

The wave height forecast today was for seas 3-4 meters, which I doubt happened near here, but am not sure. The following statement is always given with forecasts: Wave heights can be twice as high as forecast…” which always freaks me out a bit. What I do know is that we do not want to travel on the ocean if seas are 2 meters or more. Sometimes the seas build, of course, and seem to always be confused (chaotic) near peninsulas and headlands.

One thing I realize every summer is that these forecasts are often not what happens on the ocean or in wind tunnels such as Johnstone Strait, the Strait of Georgia, and other similar landforms. I have not yet been in 15-20 feet, (but more than 10 feet) combined seas and swells, and study and plan to help prevent such an experience!

 

[ALICE J]

Please pass on my appreciation for the wonderful journey Anne's Base Camp provides. While still on the east coast of Florida, I will traverse many of the waters that are written about next year with my Ranger 27. Thanks again for all the inspiration.

 

[Bruce Moore]

Some final thoughts:

I do not know of any other Ranger Tug that has circumnavigated Vancouver Island; Cascadia served as a wonderful basecamp for my trip during the summer of 2015.

This is a much shorter trip than to Alaska, and quite different. I hope to share photos and stories, perhaps at the Seattle Boat Show as part of Women’s Day again next January. Plus I still am wanting to make time to learn how to include photos as Willie Stark does in her wonderful blog on the Tugnuts website.

On this 7 week trip we averaged 8 knots which my travel partners considered an ideal speed for their 42' Nordic Tug. Fuel consumption was a bit over 3 mpg on Cascadia, this fully loaded home on the water.

My fuel level was never less than 95 gallons in the 150 gallon tank, until our final run to Anacortes where I finished with 82 gallons from the final fill up at Bamfield, in Barkley Sound.

The water supply was never lower 60 gallons.

I do not use shore power generally unless docking for 3 straight days, which is very seldom. Once in awhile I use the inverter if the battery panel indicates a need. I finally learned to follow that more carefully. The solar panel was a great asset again this summer just as during the 2014 Alaska expedition.

During one week period I needed to use the parallel battery 3 days to start the engine; that turned out to be caused by loosened battery connections that needed tightening.

My travel partners reminded me to turn off radar when tying together and that also makes sense when entering a marina and when working on the front deck anchoring. I will add that to my checklist since we do not want more radiation.

The west side of Vancouver Island is beautiful, and sparsely populated, even in mid-August. We had many coves to ourselves. The price for this remote travel might be inconvenience, plus some bumpy times when making hops between these large bays and sounds. It does require waiting for calm ocean periods to move to other areas. However, Cascadia is a very comfortable facility, so the trip was very doable with a willingness to wait for calm seas and good weather.

I find it useful to recall that there are ways to enjoy places such as Barkley Sound without needing so much time and money to circumnavigate. Earlier I mentioned Ann and Red from Anacortes who trailered their boat to Vancouver Island this summer then drove to Port Alberni and launched. A fellow from Nanaimo BC was at the public dock at Ucluelet at the same time and had driven there and launched also.

If taking a direct trip by boat there from WA, and avoiding the larger crossings up north, such as Nahwitti Bar, Cape Scott and the Brooks Peninsula, boats can travel from Neah Bay, WA across Juan de Fuca Strait on a good weather day and get to Ucluelet to check in with BC Customs (before landing anywhere.)

Fog is always a strong possibility, and does come and go. It is part of the boating experience. The more I experience it, as with waves, swells and wind, the more I accept those realities as part of the package. Along with being open to them, I am prepared to wait if the forecast seems less than comfortable.

For those of you who recall my disappearing coolant, I learned at the Volvo Clinic at the Ranger Tug and Cutwater Boat Rendezvous that others have had the same problem and to check the clamp for the heater hose. Sure enough, that was it.

The problem with my chartplotter may be resolved; time will tell. I was reminded that I need to be checking regularly on the Garmin website for updates on all Garmin products on the boat and to install them.

I will contact customer service if I have another problem with the chartplotter stalling in a holding position. The chartplotter runs programs and provides information I use continually, such as radar and the depth finder, for starters. Recent advances in electronics can and do fail at inconvenient times and locations. Backup systems help and I added another one this trip, in addition to running Navionics on the iPad.

One long comment as I close: I apologize for not reporting the ending of this great adventure at the end of August. I heard concerns from quite a few and wish I had reported the end of the trip promptly and not left readers hanging. I became instantly caught up in distractions as I entered the marina.

Re-entry to a busy and more complicated reality feels jarring, pace and wildly scattered issues are self-imposed in most cases, and create chaos in my mind and body.

This time was distracting because I have been trying to decide whether to move off my boat which has been my home for 3 and 1/2 years. When I sold my home I expected to live aboard full time for a much longer period and still wanted to do so, yet want to stay in this area, which includes wet and chilly weather, sometimes below freezing.

Last November I learned first hand how slipping on ice, landing on one's head and having a concussion can cause lingering issues for months, and did for me. I actually hesitated to totally commit to the amazing trip invitation this year.

It has taken a long time and exploring many different scenarios to make a decision.

I will be wintering on land in Anacortes. "Life is change."

Anne Cox, looking forward on a beautiful Sucia morning

 

[baz]

Hey Anne, if you're wintering in Anacortes this year maybe we'll come visit you as we always like going to Anacortes for a day trip. Take care on the icy surfaces. 🙂