The summer cruise: Discovery Islands
Date: July 7, 2015
Time Start: 11:00 a.m.
Time Finish: 1:45 p.m.
Cruise From: Gorge Harbour
Cruise To: Octopus Islands
Engine Hours Start: 208
Engine Hours Finish: 210
Weather/Sea Conditions: Calm, hazy (smokey), clearer in afternoon, 80's, water is 71 degrees
It is quiet in Gorge Harbour today. Very few boats are at the marina dock. We still have a haze of smoke surrounding us and it is growing thicker as fires are continuing to burn. We top off our fuel and water tanks and pick up groceries from the well stocked marina store.
Quadra Isalnd with the area called the Octopus Islands Marine Park is our destination. We have no need for radar or running lights today, an improvement. The ferry from Campbell River passes by as we cross Sutil Channel. We turn north in Hoskyn Channel between Read and Quadra islands, and Dan takes us through the rapids of Surge Narrows when they are flowing 2 to 3 knots. We have lots of swirlies and whirlpools, and Dan handles the helm like a pro.
Time Start: 11:00 a.m.
Time Finish: 1:45 p.m.
Cruise From: Gorge Harbour
Cruise To: Octopus Islands
Engine Hours Start: 208
Engine Hours Finish: 210
Weather/Sea Conditions: Calm, hazy (smokey), clearer in afternoon, 80's, water is 71 degrees
It is quiet in Gorge Harbour today. Very few boats are at the marina dock. We still have a haze of smoke surrounding us and it is growing thicker as fires are continuing to burn. We top off our fuel and water tanks and pick up groceries from the well stocked marina store.
Quadra Isalnd with the area called the Octopus Islands Marine Park is our destination. We have no need for radar or running lights today, an improvement. The ferry from Campbell River passes by as we cross Sutil Channel. We turn north in Hoskyn Channel between Read and Quadra islands, and Dan takes us through the rapids of Surge Narrows when they are flowing 2 to 3 knots. We have lots of swirlies and whirlpools, and Dan handles the helm like a pro.
We enter the passage into the Octopus Islands and find anchorage in one of the inlets. We are across from another Ranger Tug, Echo, a 31 sedan from Vancouver with Mike and Maureen aboard., A Cutwater pulls in next to us. What an ad for Fluid Motion, three of their boats all grouped together! Dan meets the couple on the Cutwater while kayaking, they hail from Comox.
By evening, the skies are clear enough to see a few wispy clouds against a blue sky, and the smoke is all but gone. We enjoy chilly swims and dinner in the cockpit, relishing breathing fresh air once again.
Date: July 8, 2015
Octopus Islands layover day
Weather: Sunny, blue skies, mid 80's
Early in the morning we hear the wonderful wild call of a loon. We also hear a blue heron with a very raspy old man's sounding voice, and it is far more vocal than a heron normally is. And then there are the crows, so raucous. An eagle sounded once, not to be seen, and we have heard the rattling sound of kingfishers.
The water is glassy this morning, creating shoreline reflections. We note how dry the vegetation is, many trees are suffering from lack of water.
We picked up fresh blueberries at Gorge Harbour yesterday, and pancakes are on the menu this morning! Ambrosia!
Octopus Islands layover day
Weather: Sunny, blue skies, mid 80's
Early in the morning we hear the wonderful wild call of a loon. We also hear a blue heron with a very raspy old man's sounding voice, and it is far more vocal than a heron normally is. And then there are the crows, so raucous. An eagle sounded once, not to be seen, and we have heard the rattling sound of kingfishers.
The water is glassy this morning, creating shoreline reflections. We note how dry the vegetation is, many trees are suffering from lack of water.
We picked up fresh blueberries at Gorge Harbour yesterday, and pancakes are on the menu this morning! Ambrosia!
A beautiful wooden junk with a square bow, painted in blue and yellow, drops anchor near us. She is just a lovely sight! She is the "Rupert Penguin" from Silva Bay on Gabriola Island. Oriental in style, she has a centerboard instead of a keel. We take photos of her as well as of the Ranger Tug "Echo" and Cutwater "Jacana".
It's time to take the kayaks for a paddle through the inlets and islets of the Octopus Islands, hugging the barnacle and fucus encrusted rocky shorelines. It is a different world when you see it all from water level!
A large sailboat is coming our way. A dinghy is sent ahead to drop a knotted line, measuring the depth in fathoms in the old fashioned way before the boat enters to drop anchor. It is our friends on Carlyn, and they anchor nearby! We are so enjoying the way we see boats again and again! Capt. Ryan and his crew are doing a terrific job of training the young sailors aboard. We are delighted to see them. (Another one of those connections for Dan, Ryan has done workshops with two of the people that Dan works with at Pacific Shellfish Institute in Olympia!)
The student sailors are exploring the islets as we have our swims and dinner in the cockpit on this beautiful summer evening.
The student sailors are exploring the islets as we have our swims and dinner in the cockpit on this beautiful summer evening.
As dusk settles in, we once again hear the wild sound of the loon.
Date: July 9, 2015
Time Start: 11:00 a.m.
Time Finish: 1:55 p.m.
Cruise From: Octopus Island
Cruise to: Handfield Bay, Sonora Island
Engine Hours Start: 211
Engine Hours Finish: 214
Weather/Sea Conditions: Another summer day! Calm and hot, reaching 93 degrees
The water looks so inviting on this calm, warm summer morning. I jump in, and brrr! It is bracing and cold! There is a huge difference in waiting until afternoon when the surface has been heated by the sun for several hours.
Reflections are so beautiful in the morning light. Our friends on Carlyn are swabbing the decks, hauling buckets of seawater over the sides of the hull. A group of pigeon guillemots are swimming along the rock islets. And it is time for us to load our toys. The dinghy and kayaks are lifted into place in preparation for today's cruise.
Date: July 9, 2015
Time Start: 11:00 a.m.
Time Finish: 1:55 p.m.
Cruise From: Octopus Island
Cruise to: Handfield Bay, Sonora Island
Engine Hours Start: 211
Engine Hours Finish: 214
Weather/Sea Conditions: Another summer day! Calm and hot, reaching 93 degrees
The water looks so inviting on this calm, warm summer morning. I jump in, and brrr! It is bracing and cold! There is a huge difference in waiting until afternoon when the surface has been heated by the sun for several hours.
Reflections are so beautiful in the morning light. Our friends on Carlyn are swabbing the decks, hauling buckets of seawater over the sides of the hull. A group of pigeon guillemots are swimming along the rock islets. And it is time for us to load our toys. The dinghy and kayaks are lifted into place in preparation for today's cruise.
Moving on is always difficult when we are in such a great anchorage, but then we have the urge to explore and discover something new. We are heading to places we have never been. Our route takes us up Okisollo Channel around the north end of Quadra Island to Discovery Passage. We hope it is calm enough to make our way along Sonora Island and into Nodales Channel. We pass by Hole in the Wall, another passage out of the Octopus Islands, but not for today. The Octopus Islands look so lovely as we leave them behind.
Good visibility today makes for beautiful cruising. We pass logging operations, patches of kelp, small islands, bays and inlets, and lots of forested (and logged) hillsides. Tugs are pushing and pulling barges. Fish farms with distinctive green buildings and yellow floats are strung along the shores.
Discovery Passage has beautiful islets and rocky shores. A tug pulls a long raft of log. We go between a small islet and Sonora Island, and then we are in Nodales Channel with snowy mountains in the distance!
We turn into Cameleon Harbor and make our way into little Handfield Bay on Sonora Island where there is good protection. We pass a floating fish farm before we reach Handfield and drop our anchor. Three other boats are rafted near us.
Handfield Bay is lovely with a protected shallow inlet. Small rocky islets at the entrance disappear at high tide. The shore is forested and the entire area is a marine park, part of the larger Thurston Bay Marine Park.
We have lunch in the cockpit followed by a swim. Then we start battling with biting flies and retreat to the cabin even though it is toasty inside on this hot day. Thankfully we have our little fan to create a breeze.
We have lunch in the cockpit followed by a swim. Then we start battling with biting flies and retreat to the cabin even though it is toasty inside on this hot day. Thankfully we have our little fan to create a breeze.
While Dan is out in the kayak, I hear strange sounds from the anchor. He assures me that it is just the chain moving on the bottom and tells me not to worry. Then, as we are sitting in the cockpit later in the day, I see that we are super close to the boats rafted near us. Dan heads to the helm while I pull up the anchor, and we move NORTH STAR to a better anchorage. Sighs of relief, we avoided a sure collision with some pricey boats! Phew! Dan sets the anchor alarm just to be on the safe side.
We watch as an eagle soars over the bay, heading our direction, drops to the water and snags a large fish, and then flies over us with the fish in its talons.
A trillion stars shine down on us on a moonless night.
Date: July 10, 2015
Time Start: 12:30 p.m.
Time Finish: 2:10 p.m.
Cruise From: Handfield Bay, Sonora Island
Cruise To: Shoal Bay, East Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 214
Engine Hours Finish: 215
Weather/Sea Conditions: Wind in morning, sunny, 80's
It's a good morning to sort our accumulating collection of photos while Dan goes for a row in the dinghy and explores the shore. We have a strong wind from the southeast blowing, and the flies are still here ready to bite us. We each have our share of itchy welts.
While Dan is ashore, he meets a couple who are spending a month cruising and camping on a small open schooner. It is about twenty feet in length, and they are having a wonderful adventure.
We watch as an eagle soars over the bay, heading our direction, drops to the water and snags a large fish, and then flies over us with the fish in its talons.
A trillion stars shine down on us on a moonless night.
Date: July 10, 2015
Time Start: 12:30 p.m.
Time Finish: 2:10 p.m.
Cruise From: Handfield Bay, Sonora Island
Cruise To: Shoal Bay, East Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 214
Engine Hours Finish: 215
Weather/Sea Conditions: Wind in morning, sunny, 80's
It's a good morning to sort our accumulating collection of photos while Dan goes for a row in the dinghy and explores the shore. We have a strong wind from the southeast blowing, and the flies are still here ready to bite us. We each have our share of itchy welts.
While Dan is ashore, he meets a couple who are spending a month cruising and camping on a small open schooner. It is about twenty feet in length, and they are having a wonderful adventure.
As we turn into Nodales Channel, we get a view of snowy, rocky mountains of the B.C. Coastal Range. Fishing must be good along the shoreline of Sonora Island as there is a line of small fishing boats. A tug tows an enormous boom of logs, heading west.
A new set of mountains are in the distance as we look up Phillips Arm from Cordero Channel. We find a spot along the dock at Shoal Bay. What a setting! Our view is of these mountains!
We immediately fall in love with Shoal Bay! This is a treasure of a place to visit. The pier is long, the grounds are open and lovely in a natural way. Mark and Cynthia MacDonald, the owners, have put a ton of love into this place. The "pub" with gift shop, the "pizza" deck, the gardens and flowers and vegetables (pick what you want, leave a donation) are just plain artistry. Little vignettes can be found in every nook and corner. Dry stream beds meander through the grounds. Water is scarce this summer, and the gardens are all hand watered. A lot of hard work!
In the garden we meet Herb from Campbell River and his friend Karen from Burnaby. We saw her painting on Herb's boat, Chiquita III. He is a frequent visitor here and filled with knowledge on local history.
We can't miss happy hour at the pub! It is a chance to relax in this terrific setting and chat with Les, another boater who has been here often. He has been sailing these waters for 33 years! Les is from Sidney, B.C., and has lots of stories and history to share with us. This was a booming mining center in the early 1900's with some 5,000 people living here. Now, it is just Mark and Cynthia!
We return to NORTH STAR just as the 57 foot Hobbit pulls in and docks beside us. NORTH STAR is dwarfed! Three former hockey players from Duncan are aboard, having a reunion cruise. They have obviously been having a very good time. Their generator gets fired up, and about the time when we are about to ask them to please turn it off, they leave. Nice guys, but noisy. We all wonder where they are headed at 9:30 at night.
We return to NORTH STAR just as the 57 foot Hobbit pulls in and docks beside us. NORTH STAR is dwarfed! Three former hockey players from Duncan are aboard, having a reunion cruise. They have obviously been having a very good time. Their generator gets fired up, and about the time when we are about to ask them to please turn it off, they leave. Nice guys, but noisy. We all wonder where they are headed at 9:30 at night.
The Bessie J with Mark and a load of supplies for Shoal Bay arrives. Cynthia has been worried about him. He has been to Campbell River and was expected back by 8:00. It is now almost dark. We are all on the dock to greet him (Cynthia, Les, Herb, Dan and myself). He has lots of water bottles and beverages for the pub aboard. Unloading will wait until tomorrow.
Clouds are building. Rain tomorrow?
Date: July 11, 2015
Shoal Bay layover day
Weather: Rain! Cooler. Lovely clouds sitting low. 60's. A wet day.
RAIN! We wake up to the wonderful sound of raindrops on our roof and canopy. The world is gray once again, but with refreshing rain instead of smoke from the skies. The sailboat "Silverwood" from Nanaimo pulls in after spending two months in the Queen Charlottes. It is so inspiring to hear where boaters go and for how long. Les is leaving, heading to Blind Channel. We may see him there tomorrow. He is going down memory lane this year, visiting all of the places he has been in the past before he gets too old to cruise. His family has already told him that he shouldn't be out on the water by himself anymore. His wife and sailing companion is no longer living.
Fish are jumping out of the water, as if they, too, are happy to have the rain. They add larger rings to those made by the raindrops. A seaplane arrives, docking next to us. Its wing stretches behind our canopy. Two are aboard, along with the pilot. A woman from Florida is showing her father the property on the point that she has purchased, twelve and a half acres. She has plans to build a 3600 square foot home there. The home is being built in Montana and then will be shipped to the island. Mark and Cynthia will have a neighbor!
Mistress II from Campbell River pulls in next to us when the plane is gone. And then more boats fill the docks on this rainy Saturday. Herb and Karen serve coffee aboard Chiquita III. Otherwise, it is a day to stay tucked in and read a good book.
Date: July 11, 2015
Shoal Bay layover day
Weather: Rain! Cooler. Lovely clouds sitting low. 60's. A wet day.
RAIN! We wake up to the wonderful sound of raindrops on our roof and canopy. The world is gray once again, but with refreshing rain instead of smoke from the skies. The sailboat "Silverwood" from Nanaimo pulls in after spending two months in the Queen Charlottes. It is so inspiring to hear where boaters go and for how long. Les is leaving, heading to Blind Channel. We may see him there tomorrow. He is going down memory lane this year, visiting all of the places he has been in the past before he gets too old to cruise. His family has already told him that he shouldn't be out on the water by himself anymore. His wife and sailing companion is no longer living.
Fish are jumping out of the water, as if they, too, are happy to have the rain. They add larger rings to those made by the raindrops. A seaplane arrives, docking next to us. Its wing stretches behind our canopy. Two are aboard, along with the pilot. A woman from Florida is showing her father the property on the point that she has purchased, twelve and a half acres. She has plans to build a 3600 square foot home there. The home is being built in Montana and then will be shipped to the island. Mark and Cynthia will have a neighbor!
Mistress II from Campbell River pulls in next to us when the plane is gone. And then more boats fill the docks on this rainy Saturday. Herb and Karen serve coffee aboard Chiquita III. Otherwise, it is a day to stay tucked in and read a good book.
Cynthia spends her winters here making wonderful ceramics in her kiln. She is a well known potter and has exhibited her work in California, Chicago, and France. We purchase one of her bowls as a remembrance of our visit to Shoal Bay.
Boaters crawl out for happy hour in the pub. Then everyone is tucked in once again as rain continues into the night.
Date: July 12, 2015
Time Start: 1:25 p.m.
Time Finish: 2:40 p.m.
Cruise From: Shoal Bay, East Thurlow Island
Cruise To: Blind Channel Resort, West Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 216
Engne Hours Finish: 217
Weather/Sea Conditions: Gray with showers, 60's
Clouds are still sitting low although the rain has stopped for now. Mistress II pulls out forgetting her dinghy is tied to her side instead of the stern. The dinghy capsizes when they are just offshore, outboard motor still attached, and items stored inside. Several boaters go to assist, and she is on her way again.
We idle away the morning chatting on the docks. There are so many ways we connect with these people, segments of our lives overlapping. And, we enjoy their stories, learning so much from them.
A lovely old classic cruiser "Paramour" with the Butlers from West Seattle (I grew up there!) arrives. I enjoy a chat with Donna on "Champagne Charlie" from Vancouver. She is a docent at the Vancouver aquarium. A zodiac tender brings in a gal to tune the piano in the pub! They have come from a 160 foot yacht moored in Big Bay. It is an easy going life out here!
Date: July 12, 2015
Time Start: 1:25 p.m.
Time Finish: 2:40 p.m.
Cruise From: Shoal Bay, East Thurlow Island
Cruise To: Blind Channel Resort, West Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 216
Engne Hours Finish: 217
Weather/Sea Conditions: Gray with showers, 60's
Clouds are still sitting low although the rain has stopped for now. Mistress II pulls out forgetting her dinghy is tied to her side instead of the stern. The dinghy capsizes when they are just offshore, outboard motor still attached, and items stored inside. Several boaters go to assist, and she is on her way again.
We idle away the morning chatting on the docks. There are so many ways we connect with these people, segments of our lives overlapping. And, we enjoy their stories, learning so much from them.
A lovely old classic cruiser "Paramour" with the Butlers from West Seattle (I grew up there!) arrives. I enjoy a chat with Donna on "Champagne Charlie" from Vancouver. She is a docent at the Vancouver aquarium. A zodiac tender brings in a gal to tune the piano in the pub! They have come from a 160 foot yacht moored in Big Bay. It is an easy going life out here!
We leave to catch the best time to pass through Greene Point Rapids in Cordero Channel on our way to Blind Channel Resort on West Thurlow Island. The cruise is a short one, and we arrive in a blustery downpour. The dock crew at Blind Channel take it all in stride and do a terrific job of getting us and three other boats that are just arriving into dock space. They talk us in on the VHF radio and are there to take our dock lines.
"Sunbreeze" with Les is docked off our starboard bow. "Champagne Charlie" with Frank and Donna ties up behind us. It is old home week! We see Mark Bunzell from the Waggoner Cruising Guides here, too. He is leading a cruise to the Broughtons.
We pick up fresh groceries, have shore showers, and explore the resort a bit, enjoying the mosaic art on display on buildings and along the dock.
We pick up fresh groceries, have shore showers, and explore the resort a bit, enjoying the mosaic art on display on buildings and along the dock.
Date: July 13, 2015
Time Start: 1:20 p.m.
Time Finish: 3:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Blind Channel, West Thurlow Island
Cruise To: Shoal Bay, East Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 217
Engine Hours Finish: 219
Weather/Sea Conditions: Foggy morning with sun breaks, partly cloudy, mid 70's
A good half of the boats left early to make their way through rapids and Johnstone Strait. Morning is lovely with fog drifting by and giving peekaboo views of our surroundings. The store has fresh scones! And then they put out freshly baked cinnamon rolls, followed by bread hot from the oven. The baked goods are hard to resist, and NORTH STAR smells like a bakery. We indulge in scones for today, and stow away some cinnamon rolls and bread for future meals.
Time Start: 1:20 p.m.
Time Finish: 3:30 p.m.
Cruise From: Blind Channel, West Thurlow Island
Cruise To: Shoal Bay, East Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 217
Engine Hours Finish: 219
Weather/Sea Conditions: Foggy morning with sun breaks, partly cloudy, mid 70's
A good half of the boats left early to make their way through rapids and Johnstone Strait. Morning is lovely with fog drifting by and giving peekaboo views of our surroundings. The store has fresh scones! And then they put out freshly baked cinnamon rolls, followed by bread hot from the oven. The baked goods are hard to resist, and NORTH STAR smells like a bakery. We indulge in scones for today, and stow away some cinnamon rolls and bread for future meals.
We aren't leaving until early afternoon so have time to enjoy the resort, take a short walk, and visit with fellow boaters, including Les and Donna.
Lunch on the dockside deck is a treat, more German food. We indulge in the brats and potato salad, and then it is time to say goodbye to Blind Channel. It is a beautiful cruise in Cordero Channel today.
Instead of going directly to Shoal Bay, we turn into Phillips Arm for a bit of exploration. Well forested, this is a big area for logging activity as we are along the B.C. mainland coast. A large fish farm is the other activity in the arm. As interesting as the shoreline is, we cannot ignore the sky on this cruise. White billowing clouds against the blue sky reflect in the water, creating such a beautiful scene.
We tie up in "our" spot on the dock at Shoal Bay, same as before. A large vessel, "Pacific Yellowfin", is anchored out in the bay today. She has lots of "toys" aboard for her guests! We enjoy the happy hour out of doors on the pizza patio with Al, Jen, Bev and John from the Bayliner tied near us. They were also here with us two days ago!
We have smoked salmon salads tonight with some of that fresh baked bread!
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