September 7

We cast off at 10. As soon as we cleared the bay the winds climbed to 10-12 knots from the SE so we raised the sails and killed the engine. Woo-hoo!

It was a long, long beat down Malaspina Strait with winds varying from 12 to 20 knots. We tacked back and forth all day until a bit after 4. We were an hour out of Pender Harbour but two more by sail from our original destination of Secret Cove so we decided to switch destinations. The winds were climbing a bit and I was pretty damn tired so I decided to call it and fire up the engine. It had been a grand day and I didn’t want to ruin it with a last minute bout of stressful sailing. R Shack tried to stick it out for a bit longer but eventually hauled in her jib and motorsailed straight to Pender.

The thing about sailing close hauled is that while you can do up to 6 or 7 knots steady vs the 5 to 5.5 you would do under motor, your course is anything but straight. So there is always a net loss. The real advantage is that when motoring you are generally bashing and bouncing into the waves and under sail, the boats slice through the water smoothly and with way less bounce. And it’s fun. Until you get scared. Then it’s not so fun. But is it still more fun than bashing into waves at a slower speed? That, dear Horatio, is always the question. Or is that a question for Yorrick? Hmmmm.

We wended our way through Pender Harbour and admired the big boats and fancy houses. We even spotted Oceanus III of the free salmon at her home berth. It crossed my mind to raft up to her and knock on their door, but decided I am not yet that sociable. We dropped anchor in Garden Bay and settled in for the night. I was pretty exhausted so I set L & Z to making meatballs and wandered over to the Shack for beer and bullshit with a fellow tired captain, Dave. I spent a moment regretting I had given up sailing. It would have been nice to say I had sailed all the way from departure to arrival… not something I have yet accomplished.

Dinner was delicious spaghetti and meatballs, which I cooked up upon my return and we crashed early after some cards and chatter. The winds tomorrow are looking scary so we have no idea what the plan is going to be. Unfortunately we have what is known as the biggest danger in boating: a schedule. We will see what the conditions are like in the a.m.

September 8

We were ready to go for a 10 am departure. As we exited Pender Harbour the swells were pretty big and that didn’t give me much confidence about the conditions once we got out of the lee of Texada Island. The original plan was to motor as far south as we could and try for a beam reach across the Strait of Georgia to Nanaimo. That planned lasted about 5 minutes as we bashed into the waves. So we unfurled the jib and tried to point as high as possible. Dave was sailing under two reefs and his small jib and we were keeping pace at around 4.5 knots so it wasn’t a bad setup. The sail kept us steady and who really needed to faster?

The problem appeared as we tried to clear the lee shore of the southern tip of Texada. I just couldn’t point high enough under just the jib. Eventually I made the call to turn into the wind and bring out the main. We needed a big reef in it and still haven’t worked out a could procedure on how to do so. The issue is to reef we need to engage the ratchet which is located on the mast. And if the ratchet is engaged you can’t bring out the main. So we would have t bring out the full main and then send someone out on deck to engage the ratchet and then bring the main back in. It’s not that hard but with the 6-8 foot waves and the 15-20 knot winds, it is a bit intimidating. I frankly cant remember how we did it. There were way too many things going on. But L safely made it out on deck and we reefed the main so only a metre or so of sail was out and headed back into the wind.

It was a great setup. One of the best we’ve done. And what followed was the very definition of an exhilarating experience. R Shack Island‘s tweet really captured it:

• @RShackIsland: Pender Harbour to Nanaimo in 20 knot winds and big seas up to +15 feet 9.5 hour best and only 1.7 hrs on the engine. *

Priceless!

Winds gusted to 26 knots and were steady at 19-22. The helm was never over-powered and we maintained at least 6 knots with some peaks as high as 7.5 knots. And no one was stressed or too uncomfortable and everything went just like it was supposed to. The only casualty was poor Z. He started up in the cockpit (reading) but felt cold and uncomfortable so went below to crash on the salon cushions. A couple of hours later it started to get to him and even though we dosed him with Gravol and hauled him back up on deck it was too little, too late. We still have some things to learn…

After we hit the cost of Vancouver Island off Winchelsea Islands we decided to stay on sail. The waves were still damn big and we wouldn’t make much headway motoring in on them. So we tacked back out into the Strait and started beating our way into Nanaimo. At one point we came right along side the famous Shack Island. It was another 2+ hours sailing before we made the entrance to Departure Bay but it was probably not going to be nay faster if we had motored direct. And I got my (mostly) point to point sail.

We decided to go in the Departure Bay side to get in a 15 minute motor around Newcastle Island while R Shack sailed on and came around the end of Protection Island. We wanted some hot water for a shower and to put a few amps on the batteries since we had been doing so much sailing. Soon enough we pulled into the bay and tried to drop anchor. After two failed anchor attempts — we got good sets but kept ending up too close to other boats — we followed R Shack Island to a mooring buoy and tied up instead. It was the smarter choice given how tired we were.

I was also too tired to cook so we through the motor on the dinghy and invited D & M to join us at the Dinghy Dock Pub. They forwent the engine so we gave them a tow over to save Margaret’s arms (she is the row-master). Turns out it was acoustic night at Dinghy Dock. Great stuff. Two “kids” did a kick-ass rendition of Can’t Help Falling in Love with unique phrasing and a raspy voice: awesome. Then we towed the other tender home in the dark (this time we had left lights on the boat) and called it a night.

September 9

The next morning Dave swung by and we rowed in to pay up for the use of the mooring balls. Then we booked Zak’s ticket on the Greyhound and headed over to say adieu to the Shack and crew. They were still two days from home and were off to try and make slack at Dodd’s Narrows. It had been a grand 5 weeks or so and we were sad to call the trip over. But it was, at least for us. Time to start thinking of the next leg after we rested up an bit and attended top some chores.

We cast off the mooring buoy and did the short motor to the Port of Nanaimo docks. Then it was clean up and pack up and get the boy ready to travel. The Greyhound terminal in Nanaimo is now at the Departure Bay ferry terminal so we loaded up in the Dinghy and headed for the visitor dock at Stones Marina which is where Nanaimo Yacht Charters is based out of. Then it was a short walk to the ferry terminal. We picked up the tickets and sat around waiting for the ferry to show up Then we said our goodbyes and thanks and watched the boy walk away for his 19-hour journey home.

I had been a great visit and a great way to end our Broughton adventure.

Back at the boat we did laundry and tried to relax. And we started thinking about what was next. The only thing we did know was it would involve hanging out here for a bit to do some evaluation and planning.

September 4

We woke up and started to get ready. As per his habit, the boy stayed in bed. This meant I had to retrieve the stern tie myself. Luckily it all went pretty smoothly without any embarrassing slip-ups. We raised anchor and headed out. Dave’s GPS was being finicky getting a signal so we took the lead out the narrow entrance.

An hour or so later we were at Surge Narrows. We had timed it pretty good so I went straight through and hit about 9 knots with the current. Easy-peasy. The wind was coming up so we tried the jib and a few minutes later decided that sailing was possible on a bit of a run. We sailed in variable winds, trying some wing-on-wing and then gybing back and forth trying to make some good time. It was a short run and Dave phoned ahead to Heriot Bay so we had lots of time.

Then we saw the orcas. They were feeding just off the starboard bow. At this point we were thankful for the light winds and sort of just drifted while we watched them circle and thrash in the water. Eventually they moved past us and we watched them for a half an hour or so as they moved off back towards Surge Narrows. Just as we were giving up trying to spot them, a whale watching boat came zooming by headed directly towards them.

Then we dropped the sails and headed the rest of the way down the Sutil Channel. At the end of the channel no less than 4 more high speed boats loaded with paying customers came screaming up the channel in search of those poor orcas. For the first time I felt sorry for them and a bit disdainful of the whale watching industry. A bit hypocritical I know, but 5 boats for barely six whales? Like I said, poor things.

We tied up in Heriot Bay because Dave had given up and ordered a brand new foot pump; our repairs hadn’t worked. Heriot Bay is a lovely hotel and pub with rickety ramshackle docks and one of the highest moorage rates yet. They say all the money goes to dock improvement, which I really hope is the case, but it does seem a bit off to pay such high rates for tippy docks, bad power and only one fresh water outlet. We did however get our propane tank refilled, as it had run out the evening prior. It had lasted just over a month. The old spare with the outdated valve still had propane left so we had just switched over.

 

We headed up the hill to do some shopping. There is a Thrifty’s just up the hill that has great selection and a liquor store. It really is a great stop and of course you can anchor in nearby Rebecca Spit and just dinghy over. We also dumped our garbage and recycling which had been collecting since McNeill.Then we spent a relaxing day and dried out in the sunshine.

We had always intended to make tonight a pub night even if we had followed through on our original plan to anchor out. Turns out there was a band playing and everything. Now we might actually be able to stay late enough to hear them. And it turns out R Shack had met up with old O-dock buddies Paul and Kirsty from Canty, a 34′ Catalina and invited them to join us for pub night as well. It was a party.

They came and gathered us up around 5:30 and we headed up to the pub. The food was great and I chatted to Paul about batteries and power systems. Canty was at anchor so they decided to bail while there was still light, but Leslie, Zak and I hung on with Dave and Margaret to hear the band. They were all old coots and played a great selection of soft rock and oldies. The crowd were mostly locals and regulars and were having a lot of fun. Zak fled after the fourth or fifth tune but we hung on until 10:30 or so. In retrospect I wish we had showed up later and stayed the course. It was a fun evening and it’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed the small town bar atmosphere. Next time.

September 5

The next morning we headed back up the hill for a few last minute purchases. Then I topped up the water tanks and we were good to go. I threw the motor on the dinghy and Zak took off solo to scope out the anchorage while Leslie and I cast off and followed at sailboat speeds.

Canty was anchored at the south end of the spit which was a bit off the beaten track, so we thought we would give it a try. The band of shallow, but not too shallow, water is narrower there so we blew our first anchor attempt. We were set, but I felt our swing would take us too close to shore and the tide was still dropping at least 9 feet by morning. So we tried again and I was pretty happy with it. The winds were SW so we were a bit exposed and it was blowing us onto the shore but they weren’t too strong.

L decided to use up the browning bananas and make banana bread now that we had propane again. Meanwhile R Shack Island showed up and anchored on the far side of Canty even further south down the spit. I dinghy’ed over for a beer and we arranged to meet for a walk later.

Once gathered on shore we walked almost all the way around spit. Zak hung out by the tenders on the beach and carved, while the four of us stretched our legs and enjoyed the terrain. Dave and I bailed as we came back parallel with the dinghies while Les and Margaret headed off for parts unknown. Eventually the intrepid explorers came back and we all took a moment to visit the little bears’ room before heading back to our respective boats. Nice day. I really enjoy the exposed side of Rebecca Spit. The beaches, rocks and monstrous piles of driftwood are so beautiful.

Dinner was Nachos! Then we broke out the Skip Bo and played by candlelight until I begged to be allowed to go to sleep.

September 6

I awoke to a 6 am text from R Shack stating they were aground. I hopped on deck with the binoculars and sure enough they were tilted on their side at a 45° angle. Yikes. Everyone (and everything) was ok and they just had to wait out the tide to refloat the boat. We perked up some real coffee and I grabbed half the loaf of banana bread and took it over to them since their galley was out of commission. I offered to take M back to Never for Ever to clean up but she declined.

In the end, all was well. The Shack regained her proper attitude and no damage was done except maybe for a stiff workout out of the old heart rate. We up anchor’d just a bit after our scheduled time of departure (it was going to be a long day to Texada Island) and were soon motoring out of the bay.

L got two calls on the cell from an Ontario number and the second one left a message stating we should call the credit card company. I called in and turns out L and I’s shared card had been compromised. Either that or I had been buying very expensive shoes online. Anyway they told us to cut up both cards and they would send us out new ones. I told them to send them to the house and we would get them later. Its always so amazing and creepy how they catch these things.

A little while later I spied some whale watching boats on our course. Seems the good luck of Zak was on a streak. He unfortunately was still asleep and we didn’t want to wake him. Sucks to be tired 🙂 We were treated to an extraordinary show with some leaps in the air and two smaller orcas playing. As we floated there with our engines off we could here the killer whales breathes and the sound of the whale watchers lecturing his passengers. It was serene and surreal. On of out best experiences ever. It is hard to imagine that before this trip we had never spotted killer whales in the wild. Now we were up to 40 or 50 whales over 6 different experiences. Absolutely amazing.

After the whales passed us by we fired up the engines again and motored southeast in the calm waters. A little while later Leslie popped her head up and informed the tap had “fallen off.” Huh. We switched off positions and I headed down below. Sure enough the galley sink’s tap had “fallen off.” Turns out the restraining nut on the threaded rod below the tap had worked its way loose and needed to be retightened. I took as much of it apart as I could and tried to WD-40 the rust out as much as I could. Then I reassembled the whole thing and we will wait to the next time it falls off. Boats. What ya gonna do.

I had set up a track with waypoints for fun and we followed the charted course all the way to Sturt Bay on Texada Island. We tied up at the Texada Boat Club which is one of my favourite places. Clean, well maintained, water, 15 amp power and cheap as borscht. The only downside is they don’t take garbage for free and that’s no great trial. There is even a store in nearby Vanada, but we’ve never visited. That’s for a future trip. And I got my favorite stern-in spot by the canopy and flower pots: score!

We opted to walk into town and up the hill to eat at the Texada Hotel. Good friendly service and decent food. And a vital part of the whole ‘small town’ experience. Afterwards we did Skip-Bo 2: the Revenge, and then hit the sack after a long day.

Once again I have been derelict in my record keeping. We are back from the Broughtons and I will likely cease the daily play-by-play with this set (3) of entries. I will try to (restart) regular entries but it will be more motivated by major happenings than by a calendar.

August 31

To remind you, this is the morning after Zak joined in Port McNeill us aboard Never for Ever. We woke up and cast off while Zak was still asleep. He eventually woke up as we approached Alert Bay and got a glimpse of the totem poles through the binoculars but that was it for his cultural introduction to west coast natives. We did try to sail off Cormorant Island but gave up as the winds were going to make an already long day into an impossibly long day.

So we motored along enjoying the scenery. We listened to the whale watching frequency and they were reporting orcas over in Blackfish Sound but we couldn’t spot anything through the gaps in the islands. Then, at the foot of the sound, we spotted a big male exiting Blackney passage. Then we saw 4 more smaller ones following about 100 metres behind. We let R Shack and then shut down the engines and enjoyed as they passed us by. We were between R Shack and the orcas so they didn’t get a very good view.

Just as we were ready to start up again I spotted two more off R Shack‘s bow. I radioed over to look forward and they were treated to two orcas playing and nudging each other literally tens of feet away. Paint me jealous. We think we spotted two more off our port a few minutes later but that might have been two we already had spotted. It didn’t matter; we enjoyed them anyway.

We moved on and were treated to a long motor of fog and rain. We did get the sails out for a bit but the winds died again. The crew insisted they spotted something,maybe a whale but it was never confirmed. We did add a sea lion to the tally in Johnstone Straight just after Growler Cove. He swam along with us for a hundred yards or so before disappearing.

Eventually the sun came out and we turned up into Port Harvey and tied up on the dock. Pau Hana II an old Defever out of LA, greeted us. It seems that had been hearing R Shack Island and Never for Ever chattering on the radio for the last couple of weeks. It’s an interesting way to meet people. You form opinions and paint pictures based on the radio chatter and then try and match them up when you finally spot the boat or meet the people.

I made chicken while Dave and Margaret opted for the Red Shoe restaurant’s pizza night. Then Zak and I battled for cribbage supremacy while Leslie just tried not to get double-skunked. Zak won.

September 1

While we had opted out of pizza night, I did put in an order for cinnamon buns. I wandered up to collect them and chatted with Dave and a couple of other early risers in the restaurant.It seems we had missed an early morning Grizzly (6 a.m.) and then 2 black bears about an hour later. That’ll teach us. I delivered the cinnamon buns and wandered back for free coffee and a bit more chat while L started her day.

Back on the docks I watched Pau Hana II pull their crab trap from the end of the dock. He had caught 5 or so but only two were male and of the proper size. Then i watched him clean and prepare them. His method was a lot like how C does a chicken. He had a cleaver and a hammer and cut them in half length-wise. Then he ripped off the back, scooped out the centre, and ripped the “thigh” and legs from the main torso to cook up later. Still not sure I am ready for the experience yet though.

Eventually we cast off on another cloudy and cool day and motored down Johnstone Strait. This is the most tedious part of the journey and we always seem to be heading into the wind no matter which direction we go.

Fortunately, some god or goddess of the seas took pity on us and sent us a pair of dolphins. These dolphins took a keen interest in us and scooted along side and started playing in our bow wake. They stayed with us for almost 2 hours! They would wander off for 5 or 10 minutes and then we would spot them again zooming along side and heading for the bow. They were so close you could just about touch them. I tried. One particularly curious fellow was as interested in us as we were in him. He would match speeds on the port side of the pulpit and then roll over on his side so he could gaze up at us. He did this again and again much to everyone’s delight. Trust me, there was a lot of giddy giggling going on.

We hit Helkemen Island at pretty much the wrong time and then I made the choice to try the western Current Passage rather than Race Passage. First we had to bang our way through the turbulence where the currents converged, then I had to fight the back eddies and finally, on the other side of the island, we banged into 5–8 foot waves for 5 minutes or so until we were clear of the area. Next time I will read all the advice first rather than trying to interpret the charts myself. At least I didn’t have my main up like R Shack. They had a much bigger fight with both wind and currents making life difficult.

It was a long day. Eventually we turned up Mayne Passage and motored to Blind Channel where we had a reservation. Two powerboats we had left on the dock in Port Harvey were already tied up. Stupid powerboats. We turned down dinner at the restaurant and I made pork chops and orzo. Tomorrow’s agenda is subject to weather and currents; we’d like to go back to Johnstone and come through Upper Rapids to Octopus Islands but the safer bet is back the way we had come up through Dent and Gillard.

September 2

Our 7 am plan turned into a 8 am plan becasue we both needed fuel and they didn’t open until 8. We also had to settle our tab. But at 8 am sharp we paid up and hit the fuel dock and were both on our way not much before 8:30. The weather wasn’t too bad and we felt we had enough time in our pockets to try and make Upper Rapids so we headed back out into Johnstone.

It was slow going. We were bucking the current and not making much more than 3 or 4 knots over ground. It was long, boring and frustrating. And a bit nerve wracking as we had to make slack at Upper Rapids or we would be hooped. The day got a bit better with 2 humpbacks making an appearance off Chatham Point. They were going the other way but we watched the for 4 or 5 minutes before the disappeared up Johnstone Strait.

About this time the currents had finally relented and we started to make good time. We turned into Okisollo Channel with almost an hour in the bag and sighed a sigh of relief.

And then about 3 miles up the channel I spotted a whale watching boat that had come to a stop up ahead of us. Sure enough a pod of orcas was coming straight towards us. I shut down the engine, radioed R Shack and we watched. Unfortunately the 7 or 8 orcas dove about a hundred feet off our bow and didn’t resurface until 100 feet off our stern so we missed the close view. Lucky for D & M, they were behind us and were treated to a way better viewing experience. Having Zak aboard was proving to be mighty lucky. He claims it was the charm he made us, but no kid=no charm so…

After the orcas passed us by we hung around Lower Rapids for a bit. These were easily transited but to hit Upper Rapids at slack we still had to wait around a half an hour so we dawdled. The rapids, in the end, we once again a bit of a non-event, other than the boat ahead of me going too slow for my comfort zone and I felt more comfortable passing him in the narrow channel than I did putzing along at slow speed in the current.

Rapids safely transited, we slowly motored our way down the extremely narrow channel that was the entrance to Octopus Islands and turned into the small cove where we had stern tied last year. It was mostly empty so we picked a tree and dropped anchor, stern pointed towards the shore. Since wrassling the stern tie is a bit of a rite of passage, I sent Zak off in the dinghy with the line and instructions. My last advice was to not forget to hold on to the dinghy’s painter lest it float away as he disembarked. He forgot to hold on to the dinghy’s painter as he disembarked and it floated away as he disembarked. Luckily the rock shelf he had landed on was relatively shallow and he splashed out to retrieve the wayward tender. As I said, a rite of passage. We’ve all done it. At least he didn’t hole the dinghy like I did.

Eventually we got the stern wrestled into place and the line tied off. We were too far away to loop the line back to the boat, so that meant someone would have to retrieve the line via dinghy tomorrow. C’est la vie. It was damn cold and not exactly beautiful out, but Dave joined us for a beer nonetheless and Zak spotted a pair of raccoons scavenging for food along the shore line. Hamburgers were on the menu so I fired up the BBQ and we tried to stay out of the intermittent rain. It was a cold, damp night.

September 3

The next morning was clear but the weather still sucked and everything was damp so Zak and I pulled out the tarp and tried to redirect some of the water when the rain inevitably started up again.

I head over to the Shack to help Dave with his foot pump rebuild. This took most of the day and on the fourth or fifth reassemble we finally got it right. But after the second “successful” rebuild I left Dave to do the actual installation and took Zak out in the dinghy to check him out on the outboard. We zoomed around a bit and practiced landing on the beach. On the way out the entrance to the islands he spotted 4 animals along the water line. Turns out it was a family of river otters (4) who eventually dived in to the water and then — since that didn’t make us leave — scurried up the shore into the trees.

Apparently the weather gods were playing games, because now that the tarp was up the sun was now staying out. So I spent some time reading in sunshine before heading back to the Shack to help with rebuilds 4 and 5. Eventually we got it installed and “working.” Or at least not leaking. Or so we thought.

Then the family loaded up and we went off for a dinghy ride to explore Wyatt Bay. It’s huge and all of it is shallow enough for good anchoring. Definitely a place to try if you don’t want close neighbours. Back at the boat we had BBQ chicken and then played cards. Good day. Good trip so far.

August 29

The morning started lazily with us still in bed close to 8. Then I heard a voice calling us. I popped my head up and there was Dave in his dinghy floating off our stern. Apparently the latest forecast had the winds changing sooner than previously thought and the prediction for tomorrow (when we were thinking of crossing the strait) was for 40 knots. So if we are gonna go, we go now.

So we went.

An hour from bed to up-anchor is nowhere close to Leslie’s and my record but it’s pretty respectable. The weather was gloomy and wet so we put the side panels up to cut the wind. Then we headed out Wells Passage for the strait. R Shack Island started out with two reefs in but we were going to wait. We pulled out the main loosely and engaged the racket so we could reef later. It was a bit foggy and the batteries were down on account of our having left the inverter on, so I wanted to charge them up in case we needed to use the radar.

Soon enough the winds climbed to 10-15 knots on the beam and we had been motoring for over an hour so we let out the jib and killed the engine. The winds continued to climb as I tried to figure out the right trim for a close reach. I wanted to point up a bit more to avoid Numas Island’s lee shore. Unfortunately for me the winds kept climbing and right off Numas we had to put in the reef. It went moderately badly and we pulled in too much, but we figured we weren’t going out on deck in 17-20 to let the ratchet loose and try again. So we sailed with a much reduced main. But in the end it was probably right. The winds began to climb to 20-22 knots and we were screaming along at 6-6.5 knots, occasionally climbing into the 7’s. A real sailorly type would have laughed at our trim but it was working for us.

    

A beam reach is more comfortable than the close-hauled sailing we had been doing with way less heel, but in a way it’s worse because when a gust hits you the boat wants to swing to windward despite your best efforts and gusts will tilt you over suddenly. You don’t heel nearly as far as you would if you were close hauled but the suddenness of bit adds a bit of adrenaline to the mix.

We kept this up for and hour and a bit and then the winds began to die back to 10+ knots. I whinged and whined, and eventually sent Les out to loosen the ratchet and free the reef. Then we tried to reef it again with so-so success. My sail trim wasn’t getting any better but our speed picked up. The rain at this point was driving sideways and I was soaked. But I’d started with rain pants on so was fairly well insulated. Was getting a bit on the chilly side though. And L wasn’t feeling the wind today so didn’t really want to take the helm.

As we ht the north end of Malcom Island the winds picked up again and we turned away to keep from getting overpowered again. But one big gust came up and banged the rail over into the water and then threw us into the wind. It hit about 26 or 28 knots. Since we were upwind anyway, we decided to pull in the jib. If we were going to get to Port MvNeill it meant beating against these increasing winds and I wasn’t up for close hauled in 28 knots.

Luckily right about then R Shack called and said they were going to motor. That suited me just fine. We started up the diesel and furled all the sails and started banging up wind against steep waves and 20-25 knots of wind. Luckily this didn’t last much beyond Pulteney Point, and then the wind and waves dropped down to where sailing made sense again. But we were too beat to beat and happily motored the one hour to port.

We cut across Neill shoal and beat R Shack in. There was a tense few moments when the dock girls couldn’t find our reservation (Dave had called as soon as he had bars) but they figured it out. With the predicted weather, everyone was either coming in to dock or staying put, and space was at a premium.

This time the wind was almost nil and I had three girls to help me dock, so of course it was a breeze. Nothing like last time. Dave had the more difficult job as he had to dock 90° at the end of a finger, but he pulled it off beautifully. And then we had a beer or two.

I think I now know what the exact definition of exhilarating is. It wasn’t “fun” while we’re doing it, but as soon as we stopped it suddenly seemed like maybe it was. Exhilarating.

After beer we decided pub food was on menu so we cleaned up and headed to Gus of the Appropriate Apostrophe for more beer and burgers. M ordered a fajita and made great inroads into it, but I think she was a bit surprised at the amount of everything that showed up. It even came with a salad.

Great food, great company, great sail: can a day get any greater?

August 30

This morning was another supposed ’sleep-in’ day that was not to be. Zak had boarded a bus yesterday and was due to arrive in Vancouver at 6:15-ish. He did. His baggage didn’t. I got a text at 6:10 telling me so. And if he got his transfer at 7:15 the luggage wouldn’t come until Tuesday, which was way too late for us. And there really was no place to pick it up short of Courtenay. Sigh.

After many questions and texts we decided he would wait for the next bus, which should have his luggage and we would try and fly him up instead. But of course Pacific Coast’s site wouldn’t take same-day reservations and the call centre hadn’t opened yet. But eventually, a little after 7 I booked him a 4:45 flight that would arrive in Port Hardy at 5:30. The marina has a courtesy van we can use to drive out to the airport, so that was all good.

Then the luggage didn’t show upon the next bus. The next chance was 12:30, which was starting to make Zak nervous as he doesn’t know Vancouver at all and would have to catch a train to YVR and then a shuttle to south terminal. But he stuck it out and even waited a bit while the bus was delayed. But just as he was pulling away in a cab, he got the call and turned around to get it.

W00t!

So luggage in hand he arrived at south terminal with another couple of hours to sit around before we could pick him up and end his very, very long day.

Meanwhile we had gone into town and scoped out the Fields and the bargain store looking for potential resupply. We found 3 t-shirts for $10 and some $9 loafers for the boat. We would go back after for underwear and pants if he didn’t get his luggage. We also checked out the Super Value, which is another grocery store. It had a different product line and a lot of it was better suited to us boater types. We headed back to the boat to take stock.

When we started to clean out the garage (aka the v-berth) I noticed some moisture at the front. There is a leak somewhere, maybe in the anchor locker. It’s not wet but it’s really damp. We hauled everything out and I also noticed our luggage was a bit musty since that forward locker was now wet. (It’s ok, it is supposed to be; it’s part of the bilge system. But it had been so dry I thought maybe it would stay that way.) So we bleached the bags and hung them to dry.

Then I cleaned up the berth and put the heater in there to dry everything out. Something else to monitor.

Around 12:30 we headed back up the dock hoping to hear that Zak had his luggage. Since he had it, we bought some fresh food and a few treats before taking some time to relax. Leslie napped/read and I fueled the boat and wrote.

At 4:30 I picked up the keys to the van and L and I drove through the rain about 50 km to the Port Hardy airport. We were a bit early so hung out in the van (to avoid paying for parking) and waited.

At a few minutes after 5:30 Z’s 26- hour journey was almost over. We drove back through the rain and hauled his gear to the boat and introduced him. Then everyone settled in, rearranging everything to accommodate another body. I BBQed some dogs in the rain and Zak weaved an aquamarine charm/pendant for the boat to please the sea gods and bring us good luck. Tomorrow is a 10 am start to get to Port Harvey as we begin our trek home.

Bittersweet.

August 27

Last night we had confirmed with Zak that he was coming for a visit arriving on Sunday. We had though we would be further south by now but some rearranging of appointments means we have a week’s grace. So Zak will do a 26-hour bus ride from Edmonton to McNeill and we will pick him up at the Greyhound so he can make the trip back to Vancouver with us. It should be a great trip for him.

Thursday morning is fuel day at the Sointula marina. So at 7 am sharp our next door neighbor fired up his big diesels and moved his boat down the dock. Apparently the Co-op fuel truck drives down to the pier and then fuels anyone who needs it. Also it is apparently cheaper and of a slightly better quality than going to McNeill. Huh.

So I got up. Mornings are chilly and when we opt to do without power like we did last night, there’s little I can do about that. Anyway, coffee and toast and we (I) was up and running. Someone else was a bit slower to rise and/or shine, but I’m not naming names.

I walked the dock, received an unnecessary but appreciated apology from our big loud neighbor and checked out the facilities. Then I headed up to the office to pay my $39 bucks. Back on board I started prepping as we were meeting R Shack out in the channel at 10:30 so I wanted to be off the dock by 10.

We’d had a new neighbor arrive off our bow so getting out was mildly tight. But a friendly fellow boat gave us a good shove so we cleared the Island Packet behind us with tons of room. The fellow who owned the 40-foot Packet was a retired Ontario teacher and very distraught to hear we don’t fish. After chatting a bit he was determined we would stay a few days while he taught me everything I need to know about downrigging and then he was prepared to let us have the old manual downriggers he just replaced that were built especially for sailboats. I think my demural was a bit of a disappointment.

We rounded the breakwater and basically idled while we waited for Dave to clear the McNeill shoal. Imagine my surprise when he came out in company with another boat. And soon it was clear that not only had he found a new friend but it was another Tartan! My last hope was crushed as they rounded the buoy, barely 50′ feet apart, two elegant swans heading for their pity date with the ugly duckling.

But when I finally fell into place in the little formation Dave gently let me know that the other Tartan (Raven) was off on a circumnavigation of Vancouver iisland and would be leaving us shortly. So there’s still
a chance…maybe…if I try real hard…I’ll be a swan too…

We motored for a couple of hours in the calm water and sunshine until the wind started to creep up. We gave sailing a try for 15 or 20 minutes, but the fickle breeze died and we had to fire up the engine.

A few minutes after we starte the engine Leslie spotted what she thought might be a whale. And then another. But it was awfully small. We spotted a few more as they surfaced to breathe. They had an odd hump behind their dorsal fins but were too small to be whales. A little research with my app and we figured they were Dall’s porpoises.

After we entered Wells Passage I spotted something while dodging a log, and lo and behold a whale surfaced alongside us, heading back out. We watched him come up for breaths four or five times as he slowly moved away. He looked different somehow from the humpbacks we’d seen, but I have no idea if he was or not.

A few minutes later we pulled into Tracey Harbour, our destination for the night. We had heard it was nice here and that bears in the meadows were a common sight in the mornings. We anchored at the end of this medium-sized inlet in Napier Bay along with R Shack and two other boats. I set our stern towards the creek and its grassy banks and we crossed our fingers.

Dave invited me over for a beer but Lealie opted for a nap. We caught up on the trials and tribulations of fuel filters and engine issues, and I sang the praises of Sointula’s marina. We are here for at least two nights and then we will head back to McNeill to pick up Zak. Dave might go into Sointula instead of McNeill.

I made some rice and a stir fry and the predicted rain started to fall intermittently. A few hours of West Wing and we wrapped up the day.

August 28

Although it was a warmer morning than we’d had lately, I fired up the heater since it had been raining most of the night and the air was damp. Then I boiled the water and made oatmeal muffins for breakfast. L emerged just as the muffins were coming out of the oven and had some warm breakfast.

I noticed we had left the inverter on all night and the batteries were flashing 12.2-12.3 volts, which is pretty much dead for the purposes of good battery life. After I killed the heater and turned off the inverter, it recovered to 12.5. That should do us until tomorrow. If not we have to borrow Dave’s generator and top up.

Then we cleaned up and did a few chores. I moved one of the LED bulbs to the forward cabin for Zak to use and we raised the salon table since we had invited D & M over for dinner tonight. Not sure exactly what’s on the menu: pork loin if it’s raining and BBQ chicken thighs if it’s not. Everything else will follow from that. Then we kicked back and listened to the rain. If it clears we will go explore this afternoon. If not, it will be a down day.

The sky cleared and we broke out the engines and explored. Beautiful country here although a lot of forestry remnants scar the countryside. Things like rusting steel cables and donkeys are left to their fates when the loggers move on. You’d think there would be some profit in scrapping it but I guess not. We explored for a few hours at idle, checked out a curious seal and then Leslie took over and zoomed up and down the shoreline. Kids.

Back on board we started dinner. I decided it was cool enough that I would cook inside, so it was pork loin on the menu. I added roast potatoes and a tomato salad to the list and called it enough. The loin was still raw when I took it out the first time and a tad overdone when I took it out the second. C’est la vie. The potatoes were great but also a bit crispy. But the salad, made with lemon as its acid — which usually doesn’t work for me — was terrif! Best I’ve made in a long time. So I didn’t totally fail C.

While I was working I popped my head up and saw Dave pointing his big lens at the shore. I grabbed the binoculars and sure enough two black bears were turning over rocks looking for a tasty crab dinner. Leslie and I watched them for over a half an hour before they wandered out of our sight. This might account for the slight dryness of the pork.

Actually during dinner, a fellow I had talked to in one of the other boats came by in his kayak to tell me about the bears — they were back. I had mentioned we’d hoped to see them and he wanted to make sure we did. Boaters are seriously friendly.

D & M arrived and we ate, chatted until dark and then it was time to call it a night. Good day. And we’ve decided to stay yet another so hopefully tomorrow will be just as good.

August 24

Laundry Day
We got up and started sorting. Then we hauled 3 bags up to the laundromat and Leslie dug in for the duration. I went in search of parts and odds and ends. I ended up buying my missing Chart 3515, another LED puck light (which I later returned as it didn’t have a built in switch–oops) and some 15w-40 and an oil filter. Much to my astonishment the oil and filter came to just over $50. That’s the cheapest thing I have ever bought for the boat. The LED with a switch would have set me back $90.

I hooked up with Dave and we arranged to change the oil in the Shack first then ours second. Then I went back with a dock cart and picked up Leslie and the laundry — I helped fold. I was informed later that a fellow sailor told Leslie that a really “manly” sailor would have done the laundry, which I am ok with, as long as I can do it my way. It’s just that my way doesn’t generally meet the Leslie Standard of Excellence. (The commenting sailor used the neologism “manlihood”, which perhaps says all that needs saying, says L.)

Apparently an oil change is pretty straightforward. The reason it costs so much for a mechanic to do it (upwards of $400+) is they charge from the moment they leave the shop. And the shops are never near the docks. It’s like getting a house call.

Anyway, the process is fairly simple and you just have to be extra careful not to make a mess. You run the engine to thin the oil and then suck it out using a special hand pump through the dipstick tube. A ziploc baggie over the oil filter helps prevent drips and spills and then you fill it back up. Pretty simple.

The only issue I had was supposedly my engine takes 5 liters of engine oil and after 4.5 it was already overfilled. We figure that we just didn’t get all of it out, but I am not sure what else we could have done. A question for the mechanics, I guess.

Dave opted not to change his Racor (fuel filter) since he had bled the air out of the system and wanted to eliminate that as a cause for his intermittent engine issue. Logic dictated that it had to be something other than the fuel or the filter, but no one seemed to be able to pinpoint the problem.

After all that, I collect the good doctor and we headed up for much-needed groceries. Selection was poor and prices were high, but we needed a bunch of stuff so it was grin-and-bear-it time.

And of course we stocked up on booze. My resolution to give up wine in favour of cheap bar rye has not had much traction, but at least we are drinking some of our wine from a box. And the beer habit needs some modification as well. It’s hard being frugal … sigh.

Back at the boat I made the worst hamburgers ever. Ever. We had been eating some store-bought frozen patties for the sake of convenience and they’d been ok, but after my BBQ cleaning session I was reluctant to mess up my grease-free grill. So I used this aluminum tray with ribs and some air vents to ’grill’ the burgers. Unfortunately what I basically did was fry them. Blech. At least the grilling added some crispy taste; frying them just brought out the cardboard. Next time, it’s to hell with the mess. And to add insult to injury I hadn’t stopped for lunch so I was starving.

Thus ended my day.

August 25

Cormorant Island
The next started with a hot shower and a trip back to the store. It was raining a bit but nothing too threatening. Leslie needed envelopes, I needed some vaseline for my head rebuild kit, and we wanted to try and find a new shower squeegee since we’d broken the handle on the old one. I also swung back through the ShopRite to grab a small bulb for our chart table light. Mission accomplished on all fronts.

Back at the boat we grabbed some gear and met up with Dave and Margaret. It was time to hit the ferry for our trip to Cormorant Island. This island is home to the Namgis Nation and the community of Alert Bay. It is also home to the U’mista Cultural Centre, which houses a ton of repatriated regalia. The ferry ride is pretty short and we disembarked and walked along the waterfront to the visitor’s center. The lady there was super-helpful and super-nice.

We chatted for a bit and then wandered off while Margaret stayed behind to talk. It seems she had a relative who had taught on the island and she wanted to talk about the residential school. Nonine, the lady at the info booth, was fairly active in band politics and very open to discussing the school and the emotions surrounding it. Afterwards M told us it seemed likely that her relative taught at one of the days schools rather than the residential schools and that they had agreed to do some research and email her the results. Like I said, super-helpful and super-nice.

While Margaret was continuing her enquiries, Dave, Leslie and I walked down to the old graveyard and admired the totems. There were old ones and new ones and some fallen to the ground. Local custom is that it was the family’s choice on how best to maintain them. Old tradition was to leave them on the ground and allow them to return to nature, but some families opt to repair and repaint them instead. There were some interesting juxtapositions of crosses, gravestones, and totem poles new and old. The graveyard was off limits to visitors so all our viewing was done from the road, which is too bad because I would have loved the privilege of getting up close to some of the carvings.

On the way back we met up with M and headed to U’mista. The story goes that in 1921 a huge potlatch (at the time prohibited by law) occurred on Village Island. This was the last straw for the authorities, and they threatened, bullied and outright confiscated all the regalia they could find and dispersed it to private collectors. In the later part of the century it all started to be returned and the local band built U’mista to house it. Unfortunately, the Centre is one of those “no pictures” galleries so I have only a postcard of all the wonderful masks and costumes. I really must ask Emma the logic behind prohibitions like that as some museums (the MOMA or the Met) allow photographs and some (the Frick or the Klimt Gallery) are simply death on the act. It usually doesn’t stop me from grabbing one or two illicit images, but for some reason I didn’t want to here. Maybe it was white-man guilt?

A photo of the postcard I bought depicting the grizzly mask.

Did you know there were over 150 language groups on the West Coast? Their ‘divisions’ are so different and so varied compared to the Cree or the Blackfoot of the prairies. We grew up referring to them as Haida but not only is that a misnomer but actually fighting words. Literally in some cases. The first gallery in the Centre was about the residential school St Michael’s (or locally St Mike’s). It consisted of images and quotes from students. It seems the Haida were not well liked when they landed in the southern schools and fighting was sometimes an issue.

It was an interesting exhibit. Balanced, yet still capable of horrific moments. Many students looked upon their time at school as a gift. They learned to read and write, were fed and clothed, and emerged better off than they might have otherwise. Others chafed in varying degrees under the strict and often abusive tutelage of a system designed to eradicate the native culture. It was very eyeopening but still leaves many questions unanswered. And I guess there can’t really be any answers, just a sad history that is all that remains of collective memories and experiences. The most enlightening thing for me was that the whole residential school system was a solution to what was termed the Indian Problem. I’d never heard it phrased that way. It certainly does set the tone for what happened over the following three-quarters of a century.

The main exhibit is the collection of regalia. I unfortunately went round the wrong way so was more disappointed with the interpretive signage that I might have been otherwise, but I will say that it still was a bit less than it could have been. There was so much left unexplained and a bit too much repetition, and it left my knowledge fragmented and incomplete. Still, it has spurred me to more reading on my own time so I guess in a way that’s a good thing. It does remind me though of how much of an art designing human interfaces– whether computer or interpretive signage–needs to be.

We left U’mista in a happy but melancholy mood and wandered back towards town, taking pictures and enjoying the views. Eventually we hit Pass’n Thyme cafe and decided on a bite to eat. D & M had chicken wings and fries, while L had the oatmeal cookie and I opted for a Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake. I also asked for the hot chocolate with whipped cream, but was disappointed to find out there was no cream left.

Now here’s the thing about a trip to the Broughtons. People are nice. Really nice. Leslie enquired about the size of the cookie and the server (the owner) indicated a 3-4″ circle. When the cookie plate arrived there were two cookies since she had determined they were only 3″ and felt bad about over-estimating the size. And my hot chocolate showed up sans whipped cream because they were out, but she had sent her daughter down to the store to get more. So the second one (which I believe was free) was all whipped up. This sort of thing keeps happening. Nice, nice people.

I also received my second job offer on the trip. The first was to work at Sullivan Bay next season. This one was as cook starting immediately–as in in about ten minutes. Dave talked up my skills and I received an offer on the spot. As we were leaving she was still jokingly (I think) expecting me back in an hour with my apron on.

We wandered back to the ferry and were soon home on board. Our snack choices had been ill timed and left us full and hungry at the same time. We opted for toast for dinner. And a glass of wine for Les; I was more circumspect and stuck to ginger ale. Then we crashed on the settee and watched some West Wing. Tomorrow we are off again…

August 26

Surprise, Surprise
We are back in civilization again. I know that because the moorage rates went up ($1.25/ft) and the power went down ($7 for 30 amps). North Island Marina is a great place and we will likely be back in a week or so if our plan to collect Zak comes to fruition.

Today the plan is to cast off 11-ish and cross the Queen Charlotte Strait back to Wells Passage heading for Tracey Harbour. The last few boaters we had met who anchored at Tracey had been treated to a parade of bears, so we wanted our chance. We dumped recycling and bottles, refilled the water tanks, and were off the docks at 11:02.

Well about 10 minutes later, Dave radioed back that he was having fuel issues. Again. Right now Dave is one frustrated sailor. He said he was heading back to McNeill to change filters since they had a disposal facility. I said we’d putz about a bit and join him soon. Then Leslie suggested we cross over to Sointula which was only 6 km away. Great idea! The crossing was less than an hour and when I phoned ahead the wharfinger said that was tons of room on the shore side of K dock. It’s a municipal marina so it’s all first come, first served. I was expecting a more commercial dock with lots of rafting and poor facilities, but as we rounded the breakwater we were pleasantly surprised. The docks are nice, with power and fresh water, and the facilities (shower, laundry) were clean and cheap. It’s a great place, more reminicest of Stuart Island than the public docks we are used to. I asked at the office, and the lovely lady said that local pleasure boats rarely have to raft and visiting pleasure boats almost never have to. Costs are low ($.95/ft and $8 for 30 amp service) and the place is great.

Anyway, since the lady had said that K dock was mostly empty, I asked Leslie if she wanted to dock. I think her response was something like “If I have to. I guess.” Anyway, she piloted the boat into the marina and around the fingers and brought her up pretty as you please at dead slow so I could step off. Then she gave it a bit of reverse and completed a textbook-perfect docking. First time on the new boat! I guess I can start kicking back more often now.

We checked in at the harbour office and immediately decided to stay the night. No point in going back to McNeill when it is just as comfortable here and a better atmosphere (long-time readers will recognize that Malcolm Island and Sointula is a socialist paradise and Leslie is madly in love with the lifestyle here). So I let Dave know we were staying and would hook up again the next day.

Then we headed into town. The main part of town and the ferry docks where we had visited last year were about 3 km down the road. There are free bikes you can borrow, but we opted to walk. It really is beautiful and friendly here, and everyone waves as they drive by. We picked up some fresh-cut rosemary at the garden exchange, which, by the way, had moved from across from the museum to beside the info centre. We mulled about the fresh snap peas but decided to pass. Then we walked over to the Co-op and picked up some orzo, chocolate chips, and a couple of pork loins. Next we skipped across the street to the bakery and had a coffee (me), a C-Plus (Leslie) and some peanut butter cookies while staring across the strait.

Back at the boat we settled in for some writing and reading time in the warm sunshine. Then it’s nachos for supper. Life is good.

August 23

We got up and checked the weather. It looked like there was wind out in the Strait today but it would calm after the next few. The plan had been to visit Billy Proctor and his museum today and then go a short distance to some anchorage, then head across the strait tomorrow. But with the prospect of wind we decided to go to McNeill today and give up on Billy.

Today is Zak Day… I walked up to the cell-phone booster by the store and sent him a birthday text. Supposedly he is coming out to visit in a week so I’ll give him a hug then. We just have to figure out where we will be and how to get him from Vancouver to wherever that is.

After we cast off we headed down Fife Channel. i decided to veer off and take the narrow but scenic Indian Passage so we could swing by Eden Island.

  
And the sun was shining on Eden Island
As we slowly drifted past
Flowing hills, cool waters, forests tall
Such a peaceful place to pause or stay
Or landscape to finally rest

It was a beautiful passage and the monks and crannies certainly warrant another visit. As we emerged from around Eden Island we caught sight of R Shack Island with her main up and slightly behind us.

At the entrance to the Strait you could see the fog flowing in and gently creeping up the sides of the islands. But since R Shack was having intermittent rev issues again we decided, what the hell, let’s sail in the fog. So we did. Since the forecast was for 15-20 we decided to start with a reed in.

We sailed for 40 minutes or so tacking back and forth between the rocks and islets at the mouth of the channel. The visibility was the worst we had ever experienced at less than a 1/4 mile. The radar was working fine and the only other boat “in sight” was R Shack although we couldn’t actually see them after the first tack.

Unfortunately, despite the forecasts, the winds slowly died. we shook out the reef but eventually we had to fire up the motor. We left the main up though, just in case. And then it got really foggy. It was eerie and tough to maintain a course without a lot of concentration but we managed. At one point as we were coming up on Penfold Islets I actually steered towards them to try and get a sense of the visibility. The sky overhead was starting to show some blue but ahead was only gloom. When I finally spotted the big gray-green mass of the rocks and trees they were well within the 1/4 mile range ring.
 
 

As we approached the sw corner of Malcolm Island the fog continued to dissipate and eventually R Shack slowly appeared out of the most 1/3 of a mile off our port bow. and the sun peeked out creating a great rainbow around it.

  

 

Passing the point of Malcom island we entered the Cormorant Passage and the winds came back. So we killed the motor and rolled out the jib. And then the winds started to climb. When they hit gusts of 20 knots there were rumblings of mutiny so I veered off the wind and coasted for a bit. After some negotiations we tried again. Too tacks and the rumblings started again so we finally hove to and put in a big reef.

Then we sailed in 12-15 knots with gusts up to 22 knots. Gusts are killer since you get used to the angle of the boat and suddenly it tilts over like a drunken teenager and you have to reorient (read that as get over being terrified) and then it settles again. Then the whole thing happens again and again at random intervals. Kinda nerve-wracking. But we sailed all if Cormorant Channel and finally dropped the sails outside Port McNeill.

  
R Shack shot this one of us sailing. Check out the heel!

It was late-ish (after 5:30) when we rounded the breakwater headed for North Island Marina. My slip assignment was the end of B-dock, stern in, starboard tie. And for the first time this trip, there was no one to meet me in the dock. It was a bad bad bad docking; my first in this boat. And it was bad. Bad bad. Let’s put it this way, it took 6 people to get the boat in backwards. Bad.

One of the best things about civilization was clean water for the tanks and honest to god garbage bins. No more garbage! First jobs after we finally got tied up.

Then we signed in and decided we needed a beer and greasy burger so we headed ashore to Gus’ Pub (note the proper use of the possessive…Leslie certainly did). I had Gus’s Famous Double Burger (my apostrophe not his) and was stuffed to the gills afterwards. The it was back to the boat and time to sack out. Long, long day.