Summer 2008 Cruise – Leg 2
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Date |
Miles Inlet to Codville Lagoon |
Weather |
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Tues. July 8th/08
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Cloudy and calm |
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Codville Lagoon Marine Park sign at the entrance
Sea Foam and Veritas II In Codville Lagoon
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The weather looked good for a crossing of Cape Caution today. We listened to the 0400 report. West Sea Otter Buoy was reporting a 1.4 metre sea with winds SW8, Egg Island had a one foot chop with winds S6, Pine Island reported a one foot chop and winds W5. There wasn’t any fog so we headed off, leaving Mark and April sleeping in their beds at 0530.
The seas were good and as we passed Rivers Inlet I radioed the Sportsman Club and asked to speak to my teaching friend, Scott Susin. He is a fishing guide for this fishing resort several times over the summer months. The man at the camp that answered my call said Scott was in the area and must have his radio turned off. We left a message saying we had called in and carried on up Fitz Hugh Sound. The Captain needed a rest after the early morning wake up call so I took over the helm while he had a nap. The weather was cloudy and the seas were calm. I enjoyed the quiet and the solitude. I spotted a humpback off my port bow and kept a sharp lookout for where he might surface again. I had heard several stories of boaters being hit by these large animals and did not want to be included in the statistics. These whales don’t have the same sonar that killer whales have and don’t seem to take notice of approaching boats at times. Hitting one of those would do little damage to them but be worse then hitting a dead head for the Sea Foam. I didn’t spot him again after about ten minutes so assumed the coast was clear.
I took the Sea Foam into the anchorage at Codville Lagoon and when I slowed the engines the Captain woke up and took over the anchoring. There were six other boats in the anchorage including another Eagle 40.
Rick took Kona to shore and when they came back we headed out to the entrance of the lagoon to lay a prawn trap.
As we were preparing dinner the Captain of the Eagle, Veritas II, came to the Sea Foam in his dinghy to chat. It turned out he was the man who had contacted us several months ago by e-mail to ask about the Eagle and why we had chosen it. It was nice to meet Ken in person and learn of his travels to date. He was enjoying his boat and was now traveling south to meet some friends and family. We invited him onboard to chat but he said his wife was waiting at the boat to watch a video with him.
After supper we returned to our prawn trap and found 45. We reset it and planned to pick it up first thing in the morning before heading out. |
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Date |
Codville Lagoon to Rescue Bay |
Weather |
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July 9, Wednesday |
Cloudy Light Drizzle |
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Some Would Agree with the Name of This Boat
Dolphins Buzz By In Fitz Hugh Sound
Ivory Island Lighthouse on Route to Rescue Bay
Joy and Jim Eastman onboard MV Kimje
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After breakfast, prawn pick-up (another 40) and shore duty for Kona we headed off. We had stopped in our tender earlier to chat with the Captain of the MV Money Sponge. He and his crew had been in Alaska and were unhappy with the weather there and here. They were heading south in search of some sunshine.
We left Codville Lagoon 0900. Smooth flat sea and white-sided dolphins met us as we started to cross Fisher Channel to Lama Passage bound for Bella Bella. Once Lama passage changed to north/south we had cell phone reception from the tower at Bella Bella. Made calls to home and checked e-mail.
Transitting through Reid Passage and entering between
Ivory Island and Watch Island This route is into Mathieson Passage for the scenery and to avoid some of the swell from Milbank Sound. Lucky for us the day was calm and Milbank Sound swells were miniscule. You can see what the Douglass’ mean when they say, if the swells are large from the S the entrance to this passage is dicey. All the reefs around and the swells against them make sea foam that obscures the route. We couldn’t have had a better sea to come into this unfamiliar area.
Hecate Strait is calm and smooth as well – North Hecate Strait is .6 and South Hecate Strait. Rick said we should go for it but I say no way. As we were happily cruising up Reid Passage we heard Kimje, with Jim and Joy, calling another vessel. We hailed them back and they were sitting at Rescue Cove. We made arrangements to meet them there and maybe forgo our plans to go to Klemtu today. Enjoyed the scenery and listened to the weather forecast. Looks good until Sunday so have decided to go along the outside of the Inside Passage – behind Aristazabal Island, Estevan Group and Banks Island. If the opportunity presents itself we will cross Hecate Strait. If not, we will enjoy the route and can take the “ditch”, Grenville Channel on our way home.
I made supper on the run – pasta with fresh prawns caught from Codville Lagoon anchorage. The weather may be cloudy but the scenery, sea, and supper are perfect. On anchoring we noticed kayakers on the beach at Rescue Bay. Grassy shorelines, Kona is happy here. Anchored and headed to the Kimje, a 47 Grand Banks, to enjoy hospitality with Jim and Joy Eastman from Saltspring Island. Veteran boaters of some 45 years and still out cruising at 83 and 82 years old.
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Date |
Rescue Bay to Klemtu to Quiggly Creek
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Weather |
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Thurs. July 10 |
Sunny with Cloudy periods |
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Morning at Rescue Bay
Kimje Entering Jackson Narrows
Town of Klemtu Looking South
Totem Outside Big House Francis Robinson will give visitors a tour on the stunning interior
The Future of Klemtu
Kona Gets Her Pets and a Back Scratch too
Heading North Away From Klemtu Boats of Different Sizes and Purposes All Enjoying the Scenery
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Jackson Narrows was not difficult with the electronic charts and a marker to assist. Klemtu was interesting but not much going on. Bulwarks were torn off the new cement 210’ dock – maybe a big sienner had a rough night while docked.
Went into the store but apparently supplies come in by ferry on Sundays and not much fresh was left. Wanted bread but bought English muffins instead. Rick took Kona walking and shot photos of the town while I e-mailed. Good reception here for cell phones.
Kay and Jim took their cat for a walk on his leash and had a bite to eat on their boat before preparing to carry on up the way for Quiggley Creek.
We carried on our way and enjoyed the scenery to Quiggley Creek. The entrance was tricky and we were glad to have the Douglass’ book and the Kimje to lead the way in. After we anchored we took Catch-Up off the tow line and headed up Quiggley Creek as far as we could go. We enjoyed a meal with the crew of the Kimje and later explored the islets around the anchorage with Kona.
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Date |
Quiggly Creek to Monckton Inlet |
Weather |
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Fri. July 11 |
Sunny morning, cloudy with sunny through the day |
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Morning Mist Over Quiggley Creek
Only one other boat sighted all day.
Aristazabal Island and Hecate Strait behind.
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Slight wind coming out of Quiggly Creek that lapped against the hull most of the night. Said goodbye to Joy and Jim at 0900 and headed out. Almost went into the foul area as we were leaving but the sounder and a bow watch alerted us to the problem. We easily backed out and around and hugged the shoreline on the port side and then “Elephant Island” as the Douglass’ call it and we were out into Laredo Inlet and heading for Laredo Channel. We plan to travel 60 nm. To Monckton Inlet today with the option of turning into Campania Sound and Squally Channel if the waves from outside are uncomfortable once we get to the top end of Aristazabal Island. If all looks good we will continue on the inside along the east shore of the Estavan Group.
The sky was cloudless and the sea a deep blue color as we traveled along Laredo Channel. When we arrived at Caamano Sound and looked out into Hecate Strait we decided the slight wave on our port beam was uncomfortable so we headed into Campania Sound and traveled along the east shore of Campania Island. We are spoiled and enjoy the smooth water ride we have been experiencing with all this mild weather.
The clouds moved in and we had only a few sunny breaks but the day was warm and pleasant. We reached Monckton Inlet at 1715 and were happy to settle down at 1800 and relax. It had been a long ride up. We were both very tired even though we just sat and looked around all day. Great anchorage. Careful and slow through the narrow opening to the back lagoon but once in it looked bombproof just as the Douglass’ reported.
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Date |
Monckton Inlet to Larsen Harbour |
Weather |
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Sat. July 12/08 |
Raining, Socked in, south wind predicted |
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Our First Killer Whale Sighting
Sea Foam at anchor in Larsen Harbour
Kona on Shore Patrol
Larsen Harbour Looking out over Hecate Strait |
This morning the anchor was stuck in good and once up the Captain reported it was sticky mud. Left the anchorage at 0700 to catch the flood. Slack at 1000 so no funny business getting into a “new to us harbour” at Larsen, top of Banks Island where, apparently, five mooring buoys await. This will be our jumping off point to cross Hecate Strait when the weather is right.
Smooth water in Principe Channel as we poked our bow out from Monckton Inlet. Sea is flat but low cloud and misty on the horizon. Gave us 9.3 knots at 1800 RPM. Good until 1000 and then perfect for the tip of Banks Island where the tide switches to ebb in our favor as we round the top and into Larsen Harbour.
Not long out Rick spots a killer whale off our starboard side. We then see a cow and calf on our port side so we reduce speed and get ready to take pictures. Took too long for a good shot but had mom and baby off our bow about 30 feet for one breathe and then they disappeared.
We timed the current well as we approached the top of Banks Island. The wind was predicted to be south 20-25 knots and we had three footers on our stern. As we approached the north end of Banks the tide switched from flood to ebb but at this point the ebb goes north so we road one current all the way up and caught the next tide to continue to ride right around the point of the island and into Larsen Harbour.
As we made the turn around the top of Banks Island we congratulated ourselves on the timing. The wind and current were together and we rode in smoothly. Douglass’ write that this area has rips when wind and current are opposing making it “intimidating” to get into the harbour. They go on to say that some folks go to Spicer Anchorage instead. Our friends, Joy and Jim Eastman, recommended Totem Inlet on Dolphin Island as a good take off spot for Hecate Strait. They said they liked it because you just drove out the opening and you’re away. No negotiating kelp or swells or fog banks. A clear path across the strait.
As we continued to round the tip of Banks the wind was unable to get through and the waves flattened more. Rick was able to take some photos of Deadman Inlet, a beach kayakers enjoy.
As we entered the harbour we realized there were no mooring buoys as described in the Douglass’ guide book. No one else was in the anchorage so we dropped the hook in twenty-four feet behind the islets to the north. Kona went to shore and bread went into the oven to bake.
We had supper and went to bed early in case the weather was right for a crossing early tomorrow morning. As I laid in bed and listened to the sounds of the ocean I said to Rick, “What are we doing here? It feels like we’re at the end of the earth.” Hecate Strait was near and I slept restlessly.
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Date |
Larsen Harbour to Cumshewa Inlet |
Weather |
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Sunday, July 13/08 |
Cloudy South Winds turning to north around noon. |
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Leaving Larsen for Hecate Strait
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Rick woke up at 0600 and checked the weather. Today was the day. CA was awake earlier but didn’t listen to the weather, thinking that we were staying in one more day. I learned a good lesson. Don’t get stuck thinking on weather happening on a certain day. The south winds calmed today and the northwest “switch” was predicted for this afternoon. Bonilla Island report 3 knot winds and North Hecate Strait was 0.3 m. Today was the day and had I checked the weather when I woke up we could have left by 0500. I don’t think it would have matter but the moral of this story is, check the weather when you’re planning a crossing because it changes day by day. I got stuck on the idea that we were leaving on Monday as the three day forecast had predicted.
We jumped out of bed at 0530 and Rick took Kona to shore at 0613 while I stowed everything away, made coffee and popped two Gravol pills to help with any chance of sea sickness. Rick and Kona did the same when they arrived back and we were away by 0630.
The sea was a little lumpy but not too bad – we were able to take the swells off our port bow. Some of them were about a metre. We didn’t have any spray over the windshield and with the switch to northerlies coming this afternoon we expected things to only get better. It felt kind of like riding a horse with a very bumpy canter.
We thought we would have to be 30 miles away to see the Queen Charlotte’s but we were 40 miles away and could see Moresby Island mountains looming ahead waiting to welcome us. The cloud cover was revealing them across their top.
Our plan once we get across is to go into Cumshewa Inlet and anchor at the end in Gordon Cove. We will likely explore the inlet over the next several days and take it easy. It was been a continuous go, go, go to get here and now its time to relax. I don’t even get up to an alarm clock when I’m working so sleeping in has to begin sometime. I didn’t even go to shore in Larsen Harbour and look around because I thought that’s what we would be doing today.
As I look out the windows of the pilot house I could convince myself that this is the Strait of Georgia with the Gulf Islands waiting ahead of me. Crossing Hecate Strait is like crossing the Gulf Islands twice in one day.
The flood tide is going with the wind direction which is good and by the time we get closer the ebb will have kicked in and that will be when the north wind switches so, again, we will have the wind over current condition to help flatten out the sea. Once we enter Cumshewa Inlet the ebb will be against us but the tides are not severe so it shouldn’t be a problem.
We were underway about two hours and the sea conditions continued to improve. There weren’t any swells to speak of; just as indicated by the North Hecate Strait buoy – 0.3 metre sea. If there was going to be a change in weather it was a shift from south to northerlies and that wasn’t predicted to occur until the afternoon.
We haven’t seen any other boats since Friday when a sailboat passed us as we left Quiggly Creek and later a Coast Guard vessel and two small boats fishing when we were behind Campania Island. No whales to report and no cruise ships since the one we took a picture of north of Klemtu.
Arrived at Cumshewa Inlet at 1330 and road the last of a flood into the inlet at 8.8 knots. A long trip but not threatening, thank-you God.
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