ten weeks: port mc neill
Date: June 28, 2016
Time Start: 11 a.m.
Time Finish: 1:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Spout Islet and Bay, Hanson Island
Cruise To: North Island Marina, Port McNeill, Vancouver Island
Engine Hours Start: 460
Engine Hours Finish: 462
Weather/sea conditions: Gray, calm morning, then blue skies and upper 60's
The morning is super calm in Spout Bay, cloudy with the sun trying to break through, the water a mirror. We are waiting on the tides to head to Port McNeill today. We gather up our laundry, change bedding and towels, and check on what supplies are still stored under the V berth. A visit to a town means a laundromat and shopping! Of course, a new anchor to replace the one we lost is prime on the list, as is a can opener. Dan's Swiss army knife has been put to a lot of use opening cans!
Time Start: 11 a.m.
Time Finish: 1:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Spout Islet and Bay, Hanson Island
Cruise To: North Island Marina, Port McNeill, Vancouver Island
Engine Hours Start: 460
Engine Hours Finish: 462
Weather/sea conditions: Gray, calm morning, then blue skies and upper 60's
The morning is super calm in Spout Bay, cloudy with the sun trying to break through, the water a mirror. We are waiting on the tides to head to Port McNeill today. We gather up our laundry, change bedding and towels, and check on what supplies are still stored under the V berth. A visit to a town means a laundromat and shopping! Of course, a new anchor to replace the one we lost is prime on the list, as is a can opener. Dan's Swiss army knife has been put to a lot of use opening cans!
Once again we are underway, heading toward Vancouver Island and leaving the "Mainland" behind us for now. We will be back! Our route today is past the Plumper Islands as we leave Blackfish Sound, across Weynton Passage and past the Pearse Island group, then into Cormorant Channel between Malcolm and Cormorant Islands, and across Broughton Strait into Port McNeill. We are on the fringes of Queen Charlotte Strait in all of these places.
As we near Stubbs Island, we spot a humpback whale in the distance. No, make that two! We hear the unmistakable sounds of spouting. Blackfish! Hard to photograph, easy to enjoy.
As we near Stubbs Island, we spot a humpback whale in the distance. No, make that two! We hear the unmistakable sounds of spouting. Blackfish! Hard to photograph, easy to enjoy.
The sun breaks through, lighting up our world. And then, we spot an eagle in the water, looking like it is struggling to stay afloat, making swimming motions with its wings. We aren't sure if it is in trouble, so slow down and wonder how one goes about rescuing an eagle with its sharp beak and talons. Just as we come alongside the eagle, it rises up out of the water and soars into the sky, circling over our heads. It has left a large dogfish behind in the water. The eagle waits for us to leave, and then returns to its meal.
We get signs that we are nearing the town. A ferry, boat traffic, lots of homes along the shore, things are getting quite civilized!
And here we are! Port McNeill! Two of the marina gals greet us on the dock and assist with our lines. Before we know it, we are back in a social world. And it is a place where we can stretch our legs, which we do! It is amazing to think that we have been cruising close to those mountains behind Malcolm Island in the distance!
The marina is a busy place. Steve, the owner, is erecting a pavilion with windbreak for outdoor gatherings on the dock. Coast Guard is here, and we start connecting with people. We note that the sailboat "Anomaly" is on the docks, the owners are in California to fly gliders at an event before resuming their cruise in the Broughtons. We run into our friends Dave and Sally on Yonder as well as their daughter. Arrangements are made to meet at the local restaurant for dinner tonight. And then, we meet Craig and Marie on the Cutwater 28 "Cruise On" (made by Fluid Motion, same company that makes Ranger Tugs). They are acting as sweeps on the Race to Alaska. The racers are all on non motorized vessels that started in Port Townsend, and Ketchikan is their goal. And where is NORTH STAR? Nose to nose with the big boats! Port McNeill is a hub for everyone.
We have time to visit the local marine supply store for our big purchase. The new anchor, chain, and rode are ordered. The economy of Port McNeill is on the rise today! And, we find a home supply store that has one can opener in stock, just the one we need.
We end this day with a wonderful meal at the Sportsman Steakhouse with our friends, sharing stories of our adventures. Tomorrow, they set off on a big one, the circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. It has been a busy day!
Date: June 29, 2016
Port McNeill, Alert Bay, and Sointula
Weather: Sunny and warm
We are cruising again today, this time by ferry. We hop aboard in Port McNeill for a visit to Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. Alert Bay is the home and cultural center of many First Nations people. Visits to the U'Mista Cultural Center, 'Namgis burial grounds with memorial totem poles, and the historic waterfront fill our morning. An eagle is perched above us as we exit the ferry, a good omen for our visit. Nice walkways along the water take us toward town and the main visitors center, where docents are enthusiastic and welcoming. The visitors center is the place to get information for a self-guided tour of the historic buildings, waterfront, and other attractions, as well as detailed information on the numerous totem poles.
We end this day with a wonderful meal at the Sportsman Steakhouse with our friends, sharing stories of our adventures. Tomorrow, they set off on a big one, the circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. It has been a busy day!
Date: June 29, 2016
Port McNeill, Alert Bay, and Sointula
Weather: Sunny and warm
We are cruising again today, this time by ferry. We hop aboard in Port McNeill for a visit to Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. Alert Bay is the home and cultural center of many First Nations people. Visits to the U'Mista Cultural Center, 'Namgis burial grounds with memorial totem poles, and the historic waterfront fill our morning. An eagle is perched above us as we exit the ferry, a good omen for our visit. Nice walkways along the water take us toward town and the main visitors center, where docents are enthusiastic and welcoming. The visitors center is the place to get information for a self-guided tour of the historic buildings, waterfront, and other attractions, as well as detailed information on the numerous totem poles.
Informative signs along the way tell of the history here. The yellow house we are admiring has plenty of stories associated with it. Once a courthouse, it also was a jail. There are still windows with bars from those days. The house is still occupied, and the current residents invite us into their yard, sharing lots of information with us and letting us view the back side of the house with the barred windows.
We continue on to the burial grounds. We aren't allowed to enter, but roads along the edges give us views of the poles. Several lie on the ground, and this is considered normal, a signal that a pole has served its purpose and that it is time to make a new one. Returning to nature is considered a natural process, so efforts aren't made to save the poles. Figures on the poles depict family crests.
Just beyond the burial grounds is a small marina. We make it our turn-around point to head back along the waterfront walkway, taking in the sights along the way. And they are wonderful! We especially love all of the covered viewing points with benches along the way, each with its own piece of native art above the entrance. Alert Bay was once a major fishing center with over a thousand boats, as well as fish processing plants and canneries. That has all changed now, many buildings are in disrepair or converted to other uses. Tourism is becoming more and more of a focus for the community, and we are impressed at the friendliness of everyone that we meet (every person we meet along the way as we walk greets us!), as well as the effort to keep the culture of the First Nations peoples alive.
A picturesque church is on one side of the road, and on the other side we spot a traditional vessel being rowed.
The U'Mista Cultural Center is at the opposite end of Alert Bay from the Visitors Center and burial grounds. It is something you don't want to miss, as it houses an amazing collection of ceremonial artifacts that were returned to the center in 1978. The artifacts, including masks, coppers, and other items, are beautifully displayed. They had been confiscated in 1921 from a traditional potlatch. This was a time when the government had declared potlatches illegal. Photography is not allowed in the display areas, but it is in the gift shop and in one small display area where there are some hands-on objects. The current building for the cultural center was built in 1980.
We are wishing we had more time to spend in Alert Bay, as there is much more to see. But, we have a ferry to catch. We retrace our walk along the waterfront to the ferry dock. We love that even the stop sign uses native language. A lot of effort is being made to preserve language and culture so that they are not lost to the generations to come.
We have a second destination for today, a visit to the community of Sointula on Malcolm Island. To get there, we board the ferry at Alert Bay, cross to Port McNeill, and stay aboard the ferry for the crossing to Sointula.
The ferry ride is pleasant, we spend most of the ride on the open deck, taking advantage of the views. It is great to look back at Alert Bay and recognize the places we have just visited.
The ferry ride is pleasant, we spend most of the ride on the open deck, taking advantage of the views. It is great to look back at Alert Bay and recognize the places we have just visited.
Sointula was settled by a group of Finns in the late 1800's, with the idea of creating a communal society where everyone shared, everyone participated, and everyone was equal. The name of the community means "place of harmony". The community didn't prosper, but the people who stayed turned to logging and fishing. The community still retains its historical roots, with the Cooperative Store Association dating back to 1909, the oldest operating cooperative in British Columbia.
Right away we sense that this is a laid back community. Just a few cars, bikes, and pedestrians are in the streets. We decide to walk the main road, thinking it is just a short distance to the local marina and a supposedly good place for fish and chips. We are hungry after our morning at Alert Bay! Well, we should have asked, it is a good two miles from the ferry to the marina, and the fish and chip stand is closed today! There isn't much in the way of activity, even the hardware store near the marina is closed. On the plus side, we get a glimpse of Sointula, enjoying the homes, the gardens, and marine related businesses along the way.
The Finnish Community Hall is a standing and still used reminder of the founding of Sointula.
We retrace our steps back to "town". Thankfully, the sandwich shop across from the coop is still open, and we enjoy a late lunch on the outside deck overlooking the water. From there, we cross the streeet to the Sointula information center. We should have started our visit here! It is laid back, as is the town, and has bicycles for visitors. And, they would have told us that the fish and chip stand is closed today. We like the community market stand! Just pick out what you want and drop your donation in the slot.
Waiting for the return ferry to Port McNeill, we enjoy the view of the beach and a colorful mural painted on a bulkhead.
Back at North Harbor Marina, two of the boats participating in the R2AK (non-motorized Race to Alaska from Port Townsend to Ketchikan) arrive. One is a rowboat, the other a catamaran. The catamaran crew is working to repair a boom yoke that broke in high wind and rough sea conditions in Johnstone Strait. We note that the catamaran has rowing stations; and they have been well used in this race. One of the crew members shows us the blisters on his hands!
We are eating out tonight, in the shoreside pub. On the way, we watch a group paddling out in a dragon boat. Have to love all of the varied activity that goes on in marinas! I have some terrific crab cakes. Before we finish our meal, the crew from the catamaran arrive, and they share their adventures with us. They are a team sponsored by a group out of France called "The Golden Oldies", meaning that they are on an older vessel that has been renovated. We have to admire their spirit, what they have undertaken is not for sissies! Although they know that at this point they are not in contention to win due to their need to stop for repairs, they plan to continue and finish the race. (We learn later that they placed tenth. We also learn that a stand up paddler attempted the race but had to drop out after having severe cramps in his leg muscles. We cannot even begin to imagine attempting the race that way!)
Date: June 30, 2016
Port McNeill and Telegraph Cove
Weather: Gray morning clearing to upper 60's, then windy with clouds and cool
It is hard to believe that a whole month has gone by on this cruise! North Harbor Marina is letting us use their van today for a drive to Telegraph Cove, a boardwalk village to the south and on the coast of Vancouver Island that is difficult to reach by boat. Now a resort, the cove is made up of old historical homes and buildings from the early 1900's when it was a thriving community. The buildings are connected with wooden walkways and sport signs to tell their history.
Port McNeill and Telegraph Cove
Weather: Gray morning clearing to upper 60's, then windy with clouds and cool
It is hard to believe that a whole month has gone by on this cruise! North Harbor Marina is letting us use their van today for a drive to Telegraph Cove, a boardwalk village to the south and on the coast of Vancouver Island that is difficult to reach by boat. Now a resort, the cove is made up of old historical homes and buildings from the early 1900's when it was a thriving community. The buildings are connected with wooden walkways and sport signs to tell their history.
Telegraph Cove got its name in 1911 when a telegraph station was built here. The Union Steamship Company served the community back then. Now, there is a marina for small boats in the cove. Tourists gather here, arriving by the busload, to take advantage of ecological tours from the marina. Whale watching and bear spotting tours are the big draw.
The Whale Interpretive Center is fascinating to visit. Here, bones from marine mammals are cleaned and displayed. We are lucky to have an enthusiastic docent to teach us about the skeletons. All were procured as the result of natural or accidental deaths of the animals. Through the skeletons, much can be learned about the life of each animal. One, of a fin whale, is 60 feet long. The whale was caught on the bow of a ship and not discovered until the ship was docked.
Lunch is on the dock, overlooking the marina. Only small boats can manage the narrow entrance and fairways. A motel is a newer building on the opposite side of the marina.
On our drive, we are mostly passing through forested areas. The only industry we see is a log sorting operation. Logging is the main source of livelihood in this part of Vancouver Island.
Back at North Harbor Marina, there is a visitor on our adjoining dock. We get our chores done - fridge is defrosted and cleaned, Dan picks up the new anchor and associated parts from the marine supply store, and dinner items are procured from the local IGA.
Tonight, we are gathered with other boaters for a BBQ on the new marina float. Steve has been working hard to have everything ready, and this is the initiation for his new facility. We each bring our own meals, and the BBQ's are hot. A great feature, the tables have small sinks where you can ice your beverages! Steve has set up a big screen T.V. for making this a movie night. He plans to show "Master and Commander", but the wind is blowing and turning the evening chilly. The wind screen isn't enough tonight, everyone is cold. The evening ends early, without a movie.
The outer finger pier is for float planes. We feel close to home when we seen Kenmore Air from Seattle is among the planes that come and go. Tonight we watch a reluctant dog get loaded aboard a plane. Such entertainment!
Date: July 1, 2016
Port McNeill
Weather: Cloudy, windy, light sprinkles, mid 60's
OH, CANADA!
It's the first of July, Canada Day, and it also happens to be the 50th anniversary of the founding of Port McNeill. It is a day of celebrations here. We start our day with Dan's blueberry pancakes, then head to the shoreside park for the festivities, including a parade, farmers market, singing (see video) and speeches by local dignitaries.
Port McNeill
Weather: Cloudy, windy, light sprinkles, mid 60's
OH, CANADA!
It's the first of July, Canada Day, and it also happens to be the 50th anniversary of the founding of Port McNeill. It is a day of celebrations here. We start our day with Dan's blueberry pancakes, then head to the shoreside park for the festivities, including a parade, farmers market, singing (see video) and speeches by local dignitaries.
The parade is short, a few mounties and loggers following behind the flag bearers and a small group of local citizens. The main event follows the singing of the national anthem and speeches, a ribbon cutting ceremony and unveiling of a waterfront clock to mark the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the town. The guest of honor is the town's first mayor, who served for 46 of those 50 years! He gets to cut the ribbon.
Activities continue through the day. There are airplane rides and boat rides for kids, and a logging competition is ongoing throughout the afternoon. Events include axe tossing (see video) and chainsaw events.
We make preparations to depart tomorrow. A major shopping is done at the IGA, laundry is washed, and Dan attaches the new anchor chain to the rode with a splice. The new anchor is at last completely installed!
As the weather is cool and breezy, the planned dinner on the dock has been cancelled. We opt for dinner aboard, steak on the grill. And, we have some fresh B.C. cherries for a treat.
Another catamaran, part of the R2AK, is heading back out into the race after a respite here. A Ranger Tug "Reel Scape" pulls in behind us. It's like seeing double on our dock! They have cruised all the way from Kitmet today, way to the north of here. In contrast, a large yacht, Virgina Del Mar, on the adjoining dock, is a charter that goes for a paltry $85,000 per week, and comes with a crew to pamper you. What a variety of boats here in Port McNeill.
As the weather is cool and breezy, the planned dinner on the dock has been cancelled. We opt for dinner aboard, steak on the grill. And, we have some fresh B.C. cherries for a treat.
Another catamaran, part of the R2AK, is heading back out into the race after a respite here. A Ranger Tug "Reel Scape" pulls in behind us. It's like seeing double on our dock! They have cruised all the way from Kitmet today, way to the north of here. In contrast, a large yacht, Virgina Del Mar, on the adjoining dock, is a charter that goes for a paltry $85,000 per week, and comes with a crew to pamper you. What a variety of boats here in Port McNeill.
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