Summer 2007 Cruise – Leg 6
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Date |
Taku Resort, Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island to Otter Island, Desolation Sound |
Weather |
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August 21st, 2007 |
Cloudy morning, sunny afternoon with a few low clouds |
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Calm Sea in Sutil Channel Heading for Desolation Sound
Marina Reef “Alligators” South end of
Great Day for Traveling Desolation Sound
Anchorage at
View Northwest From Otter Island
Otter Island Kayakers Leaving Camp through the Narrow Opening |
After breakfast We sadly said our goodbyes and all look forward to next year when we can explore a new section of our beautiful coastline. Rick walked up to the car with the travelers and I stayed behind to fill the water tanks and prepare for our departure. Today we are heading to Desolation Sound for a week before we meet up with friends on the Sunshine Coast the week of the 27th. As we headed south in Sutil Channel and turned east into Baker Passage at the southern tip of Cortes Island we marveled at what a beautiful day it was for traveling. The sea had barely a ripple and the sky was blue with only a few wispy clouds about. As we passed Sarah Point, the unofficial landmark for Desolation Sound Marine Park the sea was even flatter. We had thought we would go into Grace Harbour but it was such a nice day we decided to go to one of our favorite spots, a little cove behind Otter Island. The Captain and I had spent one week here on our Honeymoon Cruise four years ago. The prawning in the area is great and so is the kayaking. Captain Vancouver and his men traveled through this area and named it Desolation Sound because of the high mountains and calm winds they experienced when traveling through. It is a popular destination for local boaters as it is about as far as people can go in the usual two to three week time frame they typically have for holidaying. It offers a wilderness setting, usually calm waters, many bays and tiny coves to anchor in and explore and marinas where fuel, ice and supplies are obtainable. We were fortunate to find only one other boater in the anchorage when we arrived. The water is deep almost right up to the shore line so it is easy to anchor and pull back close to shore to stern tie. Because the Catch-Up is not running up to snuff we were glad to find a spot that also had a small beach and green area directly behind the boat for Kona to go to shore. We could “walk” the Catch-Up back to shore along the stern line in case it quit working all together. Once we were settled and Kona had a chance to stretch her legs on shore we slowly putted out of the anchorage to lay our prawn traps. We didn’t go far off Otter Island and didn’t need to as the side are steep and then flatten out at about two hundred and fifty feet. After laying the traps we returned to the Sea Foam to read and relax. A couple paddled in with their two person kayak and camped in the trees just to port of our anchorage. Two more boats came in to anchor since we arrived. We barbequed and retired early for the night. All the excitement of the past few days with our guests had pooped us out. Another glorious day on the water was winding down. |
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Date |
Otter Island, Desolation Sound |
Weather |
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August 22th, 2007 |
Sunny and Hot |
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Seals Hauled Out
Near
Oyster Catcher
Visit with Maria and Fritz Of Sea Snaps At
Returning from
Unwin To Waiting Tenders
Fresh Water Fix At Unwin
Returning Across the Stream From Unwin
Brad Stuart and Family Camping At
Mother and Daughters With their Kayaks
MV Maris Pearl |
After breakfast we checked our prawn traps and were happy to find thirty prawns in one and disappointed to find three rock crabs in the other. We re-baited both the traps and relocated them in a different spot. I was nervous of putting the traps out to far in case the Catch-Up stalled for good and left us rowing back to Sea Foam. We putted around and had lunch and then decided to go kayaking to Tenedos Bay and have a fresh water swim in Unwin Lake. The trip was two nautical miles one way and the day was calm and very sunny and hot. It would nice to be close to the water to keep cool. As we paddled out of our anchor we enjoyed looking at the bird and mammal life along Bold Head and Ray Rocks. Rick was able to get close with his kayak to photograph oyster catchers on the rocks. The seals he approached were more concerned about his slow moving advance. I was on one side of the rocks and he was on the other and they didn’t seem to know which way to look to keep us in their sights. We were pleased so see we hadn’t disturbed their sunbathing as they did not go into the water to escape our stares. As we paddled into We carried on to the east side of the bay to the entrance
of the trail leading to Last time we came here we missed the trail that crosses over the stream and walked all the way to the end of the trail to the lake. At this point there is no easy access to the lake because of a big pile of trees cluttering up the shoreline. This time we watched carefully for the second small trail leading off to the left that would take us to the rocks that came down into the lake. Once we saw the trail we waded across the stream and
climbed the well used trail to On our return we noticed a family at the campsite we
passed on our way into the lake. We
stopped to speak to them and learned they were from We told them of the kayakers that had camped near our anchorage and they were interested and thought they might look at the spot once they were finished explore the Curmes Islands near Otter Island. As we paddled homeward we stopped to look at a huge boat
called the Maris Pearl. It was fully
equipped for family fun with kayaks, a swim platform and various dinghies and
a runabout. By the time we finished
snooping around the anchorage at When we paddled into our anchorage our neighbors onboard the MV Chinook said we were in big trouble. They were ribbing us because we had been gone so long and they were beginning to wonder if they should call the Coast Guard. My Captain thanked them for their concern and when we got back home we thought we could have radioed them to let them know we were on our way home. We carry two walkie-talkies to communicate with each other while paddling and a portable VHF in case of emergencies. We didn’t think they would be concerned but they were! We had a late supper and retired to read and relax. It was a great day on the water, both fresh and salt! |
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Date |
Otter Island, Desolation Sound |
Weather |
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Sunny and Hot |
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Kayak trip to Prideaux Haven
Prideaux Haven Scenery
Melanie Cove Prideaux Haven Lunch Stop
Lots of Room for the Big Girls At Prideaux Haven |
We checked our prawn traps again after breakfast and there was only one prawn in all!!! What a disappointment after Rick hauled up three hundred feet of line by hand. We put them back down for one last try and headed back to the Sea Foam. Kona went for an adventure and a photo shoot on shore with Rick and then we headed off again in another direction by kayak to visit Prideaux Haven. Prideaux Haven is made up of a small cluster of coves and small islands surrounded by beautiful mountains and scenery. Needless to say, it is one of the most popular anchorages in the area. The whole area of Desolation Sound also has uncharacteristically warm water so swimming is enjoyable. We paddled into Melanie Cove and I went to the end to see where a beached dinghy was tied up. There was a trail there and I spoke briefly with a man who was taking his dog for a walk. He said he hadn’t gone far along the trail and he was pestered by mosquitoes but I made a note to investigate if this trail led to a lake or some other point of interest. We paddled home and put away the kayaks on the pilot house roof. We then went out and checked our prawn traps. This time we caught one! One measly prawn. That was it! We were not leaving them down overnight. We pulled up the traps and reeled in the line and putted slowly back to the Sea Foam. We had a late dinner and retired. We had enjoyed our paddle and another gorgeous sunny day on the water. |
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Date |
Otter Island, Desolation Sound to Copeland Island Marine Park, to Hardy Island Marine Park
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Weather |
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Sunny and calm seas |
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Sunny Skies for Heading South
Friendly Kayaker
Big Log Bundle At Dinner Rock Heading south for
South of
Captain and his Dog Heading South in
Beach Garden Hotel
and Just South of Grief Point
No Wind in |
After breakfast this morning I checked my guide books and
found a reference in the Waggoner to the trail in Melanie Cove. It may be the one that leads to The winds were predicted to be light today and the outlook
was for southerlies and then moderate to strong northwestlies for the next
few days. We decided that we should
travel while the going was good because the stretch from Desolation to the We headed out shortly after breakfast and it was a
beautiful clear and calm day, as predicted.
We motored nine miles from our anchorage and reached the After our hike we decided not to stay the night here because the weather was so good we might enjoy the cruise southward today. We untied the stern line and carried on down the road. We had a great trip with beautiful seas and a sunny sky. We were able to get good internet reception and catch up on our e-mailing. We even saw a small humpback whale ahead of us just south
of Kona started acting agitated shortly after seeing the whale. We thought she might need to go to shore so we put the Sea Foam into neutral and Rick and Kona jumped into the Catch-Up and took off for the beach. I stayed in the Sea Foam and idled around in twenty-five feet of water just off the shore line while Rick took Kona to shore. I was worried that if the Catch-Up konked out he would have one heck of a time getting back to the boat and I couldn’t get very close before the rocks came up to greet me. As it was, the Catch-Up behaved well but Rick had a difficult time getting to shore as the shore line was riddled with large boulders all along the bottom. He ended up finding an area that had been cleared by someone who likely lived in one of the homes along the beach so they would have easy access to shore with their own boat. When Captain and his dog returned to the Sea Foam I was relieved and so was Kona. We carried on down the road and as we passed Jervis Inlet the wind had picked up from the south and the sea was beginning to build up. It was now about a three foot chop and coming on our starboard beam. We didn’t have much further to go before we could turn into our anchorage at Blind Bay, between Fox Island and Hardy Island – Hardy Island Marine Park, formerly called Musket Island Marine Park and shown on the charts as such. We tucked into the western bay and had a stern tie to shore. The sun was still shining warm on us and we had a great supper and a relaxing evening. When we listened to the weather forecast for tomorrow we were glad we had traveled today while the winds were mild. Tomorrow they are going to blow up from the south and predicted to switch to northwesterlies in the late evening. We retired to read and relax after a long day on the water. |
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Date |
Harding Island Marine Park, Blind Bay
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Weather |
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Cloudy, windy and BIG Thunder Storm and Rain in the
Evening |
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Hen and Chick Surveying Shore Line Shrapnel
View from Out Across |
We woke up to the sound of the anchor chain rattling along the bottom and the Captain made the comment that the wind was picking up. Throughout the day it did blow from the south and the weather was cloudy with only a small glimpse of the sun from time to time. We heard on the radio that the seas were stormy in the Strait and one boater that came into the anchorage from Jervis Inlet told us another boater coming off the Strait told him to turn back and wait a while before going out as the waves were eight feet high. We congratulated ourselves on traveling while the getting’ was good. A much better way to travel when you are not pushed for time with deadlines and having to be back at work. It just isn’t worth the discomfort. We always try to leave several days leeway around dates we are expected to be somewhere so we can sit out the nasty weather that might come our way. We spent the day relaxing on board reading and catching up on boat chores. We heard on the radio that a new revised weather report
was issued for the By 2000 the thunder storm hit us and so did a monsoon like rain. It poured and the thunder at one point shook the boat with its intensity. I love a good thunder storm when you are safe inside and away from the kind of lightening they have on the prairies where it comes down in forks rather than in sheets like around here. We closed down all the hatches and lay in bed listening to the rain and read. After about two hours the storm had passed and all was quiet again. |
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Date |
Harding Island Marine Park, Blind Bay |
Weather |
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Sunny with winds from the NW |
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At Low Tide |
The wind was blowing from the northwest today and predicted to be light tomorrow so we decided to take another date and work around the boat today catching up on chores. Kona and the Captain went to shore to take pictures and I worked on the log and charts most of the day. The Captain sanded his cap rails in preparation for more teak oil. We had phone calls from home from my son Peter and my sister Denise. Running Bear or Captain Corona also called to tell us he will be in this area next weekend. We will likely pass him as he leaves the river and we enter into it. Boaters from yesterday left the anchorage around 1200 and new incoming boats arrived around 1600. |
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Date |
Harding Island Marine Park, Blind Bay to Garden Bay, Pender Harbour |
Weather |
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Sunny and Calm |
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We slept in later than usual and got organized and untied
shortly after breakfast. We weren’t in
too much of a hurry as the winds were predicted to calm down more in the late
morning. By the time we headed out of
the anchorage the sea in It was only a short distance to On route I made some phone calls to get our dog, Kona,
some medical attention in When we arrived I headed off to the nearby grocery store and the Captain stayed on board with Kona to fill our water tanks. When I returned we unloaded all the groceries and prepared to take Kona to the vet and then greet our guests. Kona would be operated on in the morning and likely spend one night in the vet’s care. When our guests arrived we untied from the docks at |
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Date |
Garden Bay, Pender Harbour, Hike to Skookumchuck Narrows in Egmont (by car)
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Weather |
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Cloudy with some spitting rain |
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To Rapids at Light on Sechelt Islets
Fast Boat Braving the Current Water at Maximum Ebb 14 knots today Our Lunch Stop At Egmont Marina and Pub |
We had to be up early today to get Kona to the vet for her surgery. The weather wasn’t great for a day on the beach or the water so we decided to take advantage of having a car nearby. We planned to drive up to the Skookumchuk Narrows Trail for a hike to the rapids at Sechelt Rapids. Sechelt Rapids, also known as the Skookumchuck Rapids (skookum means “big” and chuck means “body of water”) are very dramatic to view at full ebb or flood tide. They can be extremely dangerous for boaters if attempted during anything but slack or near slack. Wagonner Cruising Guide says, “At full flow the rapids are a boiling cauldron, with 8-foot overfalls and 12-16-knot currents. Even an hour before slack, when many other rapids may have calmed down, the Sechelt Rapids can be menacing” After we dropped Kona off we headed up the road towards
Egmont and pulled into the park area to begin the three mile hike. The park is about a quarter of a mile
uphill from Egmont on the main road.
North Point is the best spot for viewing ebb tides at their maximum
and The trail to the narrows is wide and relatively flat most of the way. It isn’t hard to hike but it is a long way. We reached the narrows just at the maximum ebb but were told that it is even more dramatic to watch during a flood tide. After taking several pictures and watching one boat risk running the rapids we headed back down the trail. By now we had worked up an appetite and were looking forward to lunch at the Back-eddie Pub. When we reached the car we drove the short distance down the road to Egmont and sat on the patio looking out over the marina. Many scuba divers visit this area to dive although to dive right in the narrows is tricky because slack water only last for about ten minutes. The waters near Egmont are still good diving sites even though they are a distance from the narrows themselves. We hopped in the car for the return ride to We picked Kona up on our way back to We had a light supper and spent the rest of the night learning a new card game from Dianne. I retired earlier than the rest of the crew and woke up around 1200 to hear roars of applause as it seemed the Captain had won the card game by one point!! Beginners luck!? |
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Date |
Garden Bay, Pender Harbour to Buccaneer Bay Thormanby Island North, to Secret Cove
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Weather |
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Sunny and Calm |
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Leaving
In Thormanby Island North
Dianne Lovin’ Her Beach Day |
Today the weather was gorgeous and we were bound for the
beach at The trip to Thormanby would take us a little over an hour
with the distance being roughly eight nautical miles. We motored along in the We anchored near the head of the bay near the marker at We found her last spot unoccupied and after unpacking our things and safely storing them in the shade we headed for the water. The day was gorgeous and the wind was calm. Being it was a Thursday, many of the locals were not on the beach so it was very quiet with only a few boats. We spent the day reading and swimming and playing fetch with Kona. She enjoyed the chance to swim and relax in the sun as well. By 1900 we called it a day and headed back to the Sea Foam. We weighed anchor and headed for Secret Cove where we would be better protected from northwest winds for the night. Once we anchored we had supper and we all retired early. The sun had pooped us all out. |
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Date |
Secret Cove, Sunshine Coast to Gibsons to North Arm Fraser River, Richmond, B.C.
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Weather |
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Sunny with winds developing into the afternoon from the
SE |
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Gibsons Looking North Up Howe Sound with In the Background
Anchored off Gibson’s Landing Public Dock Breakwater To Off-Load our Guests
Back in the At the North Arm Jetty to Starboard
The Watch Out “Weekend Warriors” |
I got up before the Captain and crew and decided to pull
out of the anchorage while they were still in bed. The wind was predicted to pick up from the
south as the day progressed and we had a five hour trip to the mouth of the It was 0730 and I weighed anchor and started out of Secret Cove. The Captain got up and checked my knot on the tow line for the Catch-Up. He said the knot would have held but it would be unlikely that we could get it undone when we wanted to! The sea was flat and the sun was shining with a beautiful
blue sky. We motored down through
Welcome Passage and into the We pulled into Gibsons at 1030 and the wind was starting to blow stronger. We anchored the Sea Foam just off the beach at Gibson’s Landing Public Dock rather than go into the docks and fiddle around with docking the boat for only a short time. I stayed on the boat and Rick took our guests and Kona
back to their waiting car at Gibson’s Last year at this time we experience a rough sea at this
location. We had traveled all the way
to Bella Bella and not had as much of a ride as we did in the Today there was a building sea from the south and the trip
to the river mouth was going to be bumpy.
When they forecast the We stopped where the North Arm meets the Middle Arm under
the Captain Corona was happy to see us when we pulled into his
neighborhood at the Delta River Hotel and |
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Date |
North Arm Fraser River, Richmond to Home Port, Mission, B.C. |
Weather |
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Cloudy with spitting rain |
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Vehicle Ferries at
Eagle Finds a Good Look-out On Log Debris Caught on a Sandbar Gravel Barge and Small Tug with Logs
Traditional Ceremonial “Ground Kissing” By the Captain of the Sea Foam |
We wanted to get away early today to make the most of the
rising tide to push us up the river.
The tidal effects are almost insignificant once we reach the I always enjoy the ride up the river for the constantly
changing activity on the water and the scenery once you pass the We kept a close watch out for dead heads and debris as we
had heard of two of our friends hitting things on their way back up river
once the flood waters had relaxed. We
noticed a bobbing log just before the footing for the new The day was cloudy with spitting rain and I was glad. It would be much harder to return home in the day was bright and sunny beckoning us to return to the sea because summer was not over yet. We reached home port at 1530 and our slip was waiting for us. We tied up and began hooking up all our systems again. Satellite TV, land-line, water and power were ours to enjoy once again. The Captain of the Sea Foam had returned his vessel and his First Mate safely home once again after another wonderful Anniversary Cruise. Thank-you, my Captain, for an unforgettable anniversary gift! |
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