Salish Sea trip August 2022

This year our cruising was planned around a two-week trip with family from Ireland. John's brother Mike and his wife, Breeda would be joining us and we were looking forward sharing some of our favorite spots on the Salish Sea with them. We chose Desolation Sound as our most northerly destination and turnaround spot and set off on August 10th for what would be a wonderful cruise with glorious weather and more swimming than any previous cruise in these waters.

Wed Aug 10 - Squamish to Plumper Marine Park (26nm) We love Keats Island and Plumper Marine Park. It has a dock, mooring buoys, trails and a lovely beach area for swimming. We motor sailed from Squamish into 15kn of inflow. It took us 5 hours (usually takes us 4.5) and we arrived in the late afternoon to find that all the mooring buoys were occupied. However, there was room at the dock and we tied alongside the outer finger. I went ashore with Scout and had a walk before supper. That evening we made tentative plans for our cruise. Winds looked favourable for a crossing the following day, so we decided to head for Newcastle Island by Nanaimo. Mike and Breeda are both sailors so we wanted to make sure the cruising plans would allow for a few good sails, weather permitting.

August 11- Plumper to Newcastle Island (22nm) We left with a freshening morning breeze. As soon as we cleared Shoal Passage, we set the sails and turned the engine off. Bliss! A leisurely sail across the strait with winds of 10-12 knots and speeds of 5-6 knots had us at Newcastle by early afternoon. Once again, no mooring buoys available but space at the dock. We normally opt for a mooring buoy but given the amenities on Newcastle; washrooms, showers and a restaurant/cantina, tying to the dock is a really good option. Our plan was to stay 2 nights and visit Nanaimo the following day. We ended up staying a third night so that we could rendezvous with fellow cruisers, Jay and Anita Bigland. The hike around Newcastle is a good trek (approx.. 8 km) over easy terrain and well worth the effort. As soon as we were settled, we all headed off on the walkabout much to Scout’s delight. It was a glorious day to circumambulate the Island.

The following day we took the dinghy across to Nanaimo to do some shopping and sight-seeing with Mike and Breeda. This was their second trip to Canada and first to BC. Nanaimo is a great stop. It has an excellent Overwaitea grocery store close to the harbour, with many additional shops close by, perfect for picking up those items you forgot to bring with you or for restocking. We picked up a few extra supplies and stashed them in the dinghy before taking a walk along the waterfront. The next day Jay and Anita joined us on Newcastle and after lunch we kayaked and dinghied in tandem across to Protection Island. Another lovely island to walk around. Laidback island living with no cars, just golf carts, makes for a friendly, safe vibe. Later in the afternoon we went for a swim before having supper at the cantina.

August 13 – Newcastle Island to Smuggler Cove Marine Park (24nm) We left Newcastle at 0900 and started sailing as soon as we cleared the easterly tip of Protection Island. It was a beam reach across the Salish Sea in 10-15 knots that had us cruising along at 6 knots. Later in the morning winds increased to 20 knots and we put a reef in the main and rolled in the genoa to 100%. Sea Reach continued to gallop along at 6.5- 7.5 knots. Scout was a bit anxious during the sail and we set him up in the quarter berth which seemed to work better for him. Later he joined Breeda in the V- berth for some TLC. We arrived at Smuggler Cove at 12 noon at low tide. Stern tied just inside the entrance. We had lunch and then did the hike through the park and wetlands area and walked on to Frenchman’s Cove. All went swimming later in the afternoon. We had a fabulous night at anchor in dead calm conditions.

August 14 – Smuggler Cove to Westview Powell River (31nm) Our trip up the Malaspina was in calm conditions with very little wind. We motored all the way. Westview Marina was our Powell River stop. This is a nice marina to stay at with showers,laundry facilities and diesel. Cards are now required to use the showers. Fortunately, we still had ours from last year, so just had to top it up for all of us to have showers that evening. Also did a load of laundry. Only drawback to Powell River is the distance uphill to grocery store. The shoreline walk is lovely. The blackberries were ripening so we picked a small pail to add to the ship’s stores. We had supper at Thaidal Zone restaurant. If you like Thai cooking, this is the place to go. It’s close to the marina, food is yummy and staff are very pleasant. It’s also dog friendly if you sit outside, so gets a high paw from Scout.

August 15 – Powell River to Galley Bay (24nm) Had a late start next morning as we waited our turn to fuel up before leaving. We motored most of the way to Galley Bay with just about one hour of gentle sailing from a light following wind. We anchored in the inner east bay. The entrance to this arm is obstructed until you are well into the main bay area. It is an area that has a number of cottages so landing is only possible on the small islets to the northwest. A few other boats were already at anchor but we found an area off one of the islets that worked well. It was a beautiful afternoon and we all went swimming off the boat, including a small reluctant swim by Scout to cool off.

August 16 – Galley Bay to Pendrell Harbour via Redonda Island Medical Emergency(12nm) As we were leaving Galley Bay a Pan Pan came through on the radio for a medical emergency east of Martin Island. A group of kayakers had sent out the pan pan from a small cove on Redonda. The location was about 3 nm from us so we scooted across the sound as fast as we could to see if we could help. We managed to locate the group. Search and Rescue were already there. Great response on their part! We called out to let them know we had a physician onboard if they needed extra help. They indicated yes and sent their rib out to collect John who went to help with assessment and care plan. The prognosis was good and he came back with a smile on his face. We headed on to check out Pendrell Sound, reputedly the warmest water north of Mexico. We managed some light sailing with the whisker pole up enroute. We anchored and stern tied to a tree about 2/3 of the way up the sound. We had a swim in 23 deg water temperature. Later that night a squall came through and blew us too close and sideways to shore. There was still 2 hours before low tide and I could have jumped ashore off the stern. We decided it was too risky to stay put and at 0300 weighed anchor and headed slowly towards Tenedos Bay.

August 17 – Pendrell to Tenedos Bay (12nm) It was a beautiful moonlight night. We decided to put the sail up, turn the engine off and enjoy a quiet cup of tea under the stars. We ate breakfast in the middle of Waddington Channel with our sails down and engine off -just bobbing around in the early morning. We were in no hurry. We didn’t want to get to Tenedos before people who were planning on leaving had actually left. We got to Tenedos at 1000 and moored in the inner cove on the east side near the trailhead. Anchored in 90+ ft and stern tied. (270 ft of chain out). Cautionary note :- We almost lost the anchor and chain when John lost control of windlass pawl. – Always deploy under control – especially in deep water! Tenedos is fabulous! Unwin lake is a short hike away and a great place for a freshwater swim. We all had a refreshing swim and then took the dinghy for a tour of the bay. We decided we would stay for two nights and do the hike to Melanie Cove the following day. Next morning we headed off on foot to Melanie Cove. It was listed as about 3.5 km so we figured it would take about 2.5 hours round trip. We only brought a small amount of water with us. Bad planning. It was a really hot day and the hike was moderate to hard (depending on your age and fitness level) with lots of elevation up and down so coming back was going to be as hard. There was a section of the trail littered with fallen trees where we had to climb over or crawl /stoop under. We persevered. Breeda collected salal berries for the flagging troops and they definitely helped. My regard for salal berries went way up on that trip. We made it to Melanie Cove and all plunged into the seawater to cool down. The trip back wasn’t quite as arduous. Somehow when you know what to expect it is easier to endure. The round trip was 7 km with an elevation of 300m. We had a delicious swim at Unwin Lake upon our return and felt very satisfied with our accomplishment.

August 19 - Tenedos Bay to Vananda 33nm Next morning, we left around 1000 and had a leisurely trip to Vanada under motor power, arriving at the dock at 1530. The wharfinger assigned a club spot on finger 3 for us. Call or radio ahead as they are happy to accommodate extra boats in available member slips. Texada is a lovely welcoming island with showers up the hill at Maggie and Bob’s for $4. Lots of deer on the island. We contacted Kevin and Sharon Black who we have known since our days in Manitoba when we were both young couples recently arrived from Ireland. Kevin has run a solo medical practice on Texada for years, providing great service to the community. The following morning we had breakfast with Sharon and Kevin before leaving.

August 20 – Vananda to Bargain Bay (Pender) – 22nm Left Vananda at 1100 and decided to try a new anchorage on the outside of the main entrance to Pender Harbour. Bargain Bay is tucked away on the south east side of Francis Peninsula. There is a small drying channel that connects it to the inner reaches of Pender Harbour. It is a very nice anchorage and good option for a short stay. We dinghied through the channel when the tide was high enough and went to Madeira Park Public Wharf. We walked to the Mexican restaurant about ½ a mile from harbour – up the hill for supper that evening. Great food! We will be back.

August 21 – Bargain Bay to Plumper Cove – 27nm Left Bargain Bay at 1030 with wind from the SE and the tide against us. Main sail helped to steady and propel us forward but as the wind increased to 15 knots our speed went down to 4.5 knots with the engine on. A bit of a grind but weather generally pleasant. We arrived at Plumper at 1600 and picked up a mooring buoy. We hiked to Keats Landing and back and had a swim before supper. Sea temperature still 21 deg at Plumper.

August 22 Plumper to Squamish – 25nm We started the final leg of our journey home at 1000 the following morning under a glorious blue sky. We had been away for almost two weeks and had warm – very hot temperatures throughout. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions to showcase one of the most beautiful and diverse cruising grounds in the world. We made one final stop at Anvil Island where we picked up the Squamish Yacht Club mooring buoy and had our last meal together on the water. A very memorable trip with another 248 nm of Sea Reach adventures completed.

Circumnavigation Vancouver Island 2021

 With Covid Travel Restrictions lifted in British Columbia and the crew fully vaccinated, it was time to set out on an adventure. We had not been out on the West Coast since our 2015 voyage to Haida Gwaii and decided that a West Coast adventure would be the best antidote to the 2020 stay at home sailing season.

Necessary items for this trip included; a sturdy boat in good working order, sailing directions, charts, tide and current tables, an up to date cruising guide, VHF/marine weather, ample supplies and a stout hearted crew. It's an amazing part of the world but requires good preparation and planning to ensure a safe and pleasurable passage. 

We were really stoked about taking this trip and we felt Sea Reach was in great shape after a very substantial refit in late 2018, which included a new engine, upgraded electrical and new heating and water system. The sails had been serviced and all systems were in great working order. We purchased 2021 Ports and Passes and Waggoner Cruising Guide, made a Costco run to stock up on nuts, coffee and other non-perishable food items, did a last minute grocery shop at our local store, and on June 19th left Squamish Harbour heading for Plumper Marine Park on Keats Island. 

Going to Plumper is our regular weekend jaunt and is the perfect spot to relax and get into cruising mode before heading north. It's a 4-41/2 hour trip for us depending on what's happening on Howe Sound. We stayed for two nights and hiked to Salmon Rocks and Admiral's Bluff (the latter trail not so well cleared or marked). Keats is Scout approved as a very satisfactory canine destination. Gibson's Paddle Club have placed a plaque on one of the islets on the South Tip.  The trip for us started in earnest on June 21st when we headed north to Smuggler's Cove. 

Looking out over Barfleur Passage

Plaque for Paddlers

The Sunshine Coast Leg

Plumper Marine - Smugglers Cove- Powell River -Refuge Cove  (78nm)

June 21st - left Plumper at 0530 to avoid the high forecasted winds. It was very lumpy going through Shoal Passage due to the previous days of high winds. We motor sailed to Smuggler's Cove and stern tied in our favourite spot in the first cove inside the entrance. The entrance to Smuggler's is narrow and can be hair raising the first time you enter but favouring the north side of the entrance will keep you clear of the drying rocks on the south side. It is a wonderful anchorage with several anchoring nooks for those who want to venture further in. The weather was settling in for a heat wave and we enjoyed both a hike and a refreshening swim. The hiking trail can be picked up from the inner anchorage and leads through a wetlands area along a board walk where beavers have been and still are active. Lots of wild fowl to identify along the route. It's a 4km round trip.  The park gets its name from its nefarious past when in the late 1800's it was used as a point to smuggle Chinese workers into the US and during prohibition, smugglers hid in the cove to avoid authorities as they transported alcohol south into the US.

John tried out the solar shower. It was deliciously hot and we both used it until it got punctured during our boisterous Cape Scott passage. 

A narrow entrance to Smuggler's Cove 

Plenty of room inside and very sheltered

John enjoying a solar shower

June 22 - Left Smugglers in light winds and motored all the way up the Malaspina Strait to Powell River.

It was a beautiful day and we would much prefer to head straight up the strait rather than tack our way up it against the sometimes strong northwesterlies that blow down it in the summer months. We went to West View Marina and had a layover day to do laundry and shopping. We were in no particular hurry. We had given ourselves 4-5 weeks to complete the circumnavigation. We had supper that evening at the Thaidal Restaurant across the road from  the Ferry Terminal. Very good value! Food was tasty and the service was excellent. We ate on the deck where Scout was allowed to join us. The following day we met Doug Tate on the dock, a former Spencer Yachts Employee who did a lot of fibreglass laying. He came to check out Sea Reach, which he would have worked on, as she was the last of the Spencer 42' hulls to be made. He was happy to see her looking in such good shape. He also had a Schipperke called Benson. A bit on the scrappy side, was Benson, so he and Scout had to eyeball each other from a respectful distance. That evening we had a long walk on the seawall. The sunset was magnificent. Powell River is a good stop for supplies and diesel and the marina is clean and well run. It's a bit of a hike up the hill to the grocery store but but at least its downhill when the bags are full of groceries :).

Magnificent Sunset from Seawalk in Powell River

June 24 - Left at 0900 hours. We motorsailed in light winds. Another glorious day. The restaurant was closed at Refuge Cove and looked like some major renos were underway. The store was open and the showers and laundry available. It's a nice stop but nowhere to walk. I kayaked with Scout across the bay to find a place where I could bring him for a short hike.

Refuge Cove is our preferred jumping off spot for running the rapids north to the Johnstone Strait. We prefer the inside passes, avoiding Semour Narrows and most of the Johnstone Strait.

Refuge Cove

The Inside Passage

Refuge Cove to Forward Harbour 37 nm

Five rapids to transit. We broke this up into two days.

The run to Yuculta Rapids from Refuge Cove is 18 nm so we give ourselves 31/2 hours to get there.

We left at 0715 with low to moderate winds throughout the passage and arrived at Yuculta 50 minutes before low water slack so still running quite fast. We probably could have waited 30 minutes but started through early. First half of passage provided a lift of about 2 knots but once we reached Kelsey Point it was swirling quite a bit and were carried through at 9-10 knots. It was an ebb tide following a large excursion of tidal flow. Sea Reach handled it fine but it was a cautionary reminder that arriving within the final hour of a large ebb is more hazardous than coming in at the top of the tide.

Big Bay on Stuart Island is a welcoming stop with a fine community dock, a store and showers available for travellers. (The showers were closed as they were still on Covid Precautions) We had a hike and swim at beautiful Eagle Lake. It was 30 deg C. We returned to a nice hot solar shower later in the afternoon.

Stuart Island Community Dock

We all had swims at Eagle Lake

Our plan for the following day was to run Gillard and Dent in the morning and Green Point and Whirlpool in the evening.

We were careful the next morning to arrive at Gillard just 15 mins before slack and then on to Dent 2 nm further north, exactly at slack. This required a 0515 start but we got to Shoal Bay at 0730, anchoring close to end of dock - today was a 0 ft tide so needed to anchor away from shoaling area. We had a pancake breakfast and went for an early morning walk. Last time we were in Shoal Bay there was a large grizzly stalking the shoreline but we were assured that said grizzly hadn't been seen in over a year.

Had an afternoon snooze, went for a very short swim -- it was freezing!! - water was 10 deg C

Shoal Bay - Good to anchor but as its name suggests it shoals rapidly so watch your depths

Looking up Phillips Arm from Shoal Bay

We left Shoal Bay at 1700 and had a great run between Green Point and Forward Harbour, arriving there at 2030. Beautiful evening with just two other boats anchored. Went for a kayak to the beach with Scout and then kayaked to say hello to the other boaters. One was a lone fisherman in a very small boat with just a small cubby but he seemed comfortable and was in good spirits, the other boat was a larger sailing vessel with two people on board - heading for Prince Rupert.

The Johnstone Strait

Forward Harbour - Boat Bay - Port Mac Neill 52 nm

The Johnstone Strait has over the years not been particularly kind to us, with us usually running for shelter

in Blinkensop, Port Neville or Port Harvey. This year the sun gods had turned the usually taciturn strait into a gentle giant and we had a glorious and leisurely passage from Forward Harbour to Boat Bay. A 30 nm passage in sunshine and quiet seas. There was mystical thin line of fog across the entrance to Sunderland Channel as we left Forward Harbour, which cleared as soon as we turned the corner. We decided to take advantage of the conditions and continue on past Port Neville and Port Harvey. We had never been in Boat Bay before. We anchored in 25 ft of water. There was quite a lot of floating debris in the bay due to the very high tides. The bay is well sheltered from from the NW but open to the SE. There was some late afternoon southeasterlies that came into the bay but it settled down in the evening and we had a very pleasant night.  We went ashore for a picnic lunch to give Scout a good break. Met the wardens who keep an eye on Robsen Bight Reserve from this location. It is a reserved area frequented by whales that use the beach there as a scratching area. 

A wispy line of fog as we left Forward Harbour

John does early morning Tai Chi as we glide over a very calm Johnstone Strait

Anchored at Boat Bay 

The next morning we headed for Port Mac Neill but decided to do a detour to Alert Bay to visit Mary and and Steve Cook. John also wanted to connect with Dan who he did a 3 week locum for there in 2019.

Alert Bay has a lot to offer and should not be missed if you have time to visit. There is a thriving First Nations culture there. It is home to the 'Namgis and has an impressive cultural centre and longhouse where the potlatch tradition is very much alive. It is home to the world's tallest totem. (You need to lie on your back to take a photo of it ) There are talented carvers and cedar weavers on the island and a wonderful array of trails. There is a well stocked grocery store as well as a hardware store. The people are very friendly. The marina makes room for transients. The current at the Government dock can make docking tricky. 

This time we opted to anchor in the beautiful bay that has a sandy bottom and shallow anchoring depths. We anchored in 15 feet. We kayaked ashore and had a lovely visit with Mary and Steve. John also went to say hello to clinic staff whom he had worked with in 2019. Later in the afternoon we hiked to the Ecological Park, a combination of forest and open marsh traversed by a board walk. The site was created on the remains of a fish cannery  'lake' formed by damming a spring. Though it caused the drowning of many trees, their skeletal trunks still standing in the water, it is now home to numerous bird species and is teeming with life.

Alert Bay

June 29 - We made the short 7 nm hop over to Port Mac Neill. There was a power outage until 12 noon so we docked without fueling up. We did laundry, grocery shopping and had showers. We ordered take out at Gus' Pub for supper. It was a long way but a beautiful evening and we took Scout for a walk while we waited for our call back. Port Mac Neill is a favourite stop for us. It has everything close at hand - showers, laundry, grocery, fuel, a marine supply store and walking trails. (and don't forget the world's largest burl!)

Port Mac Neill

Getting Ready for the Big Jump around the north end.

Port Mac Neill- Port Harvey - Shusharte Bay 39nm

June 30, 2021 - Left Port Mac Neill for Port Hardy at 0745 as winds expected to rise to 25knots from the NW. There was quite a bit of chop off Graeme Point making for a bumpy ride but once cleared the seas evened out a bit and we managed some pure sailing on this run. The entry to Port Hardy is narrow and it had been several years since we had docked here. Yellow buoys mark an extensive sand bar. The fuel station is at the end of a narrow channel and doesn't come into view until you are committed to the blind channel. A bit awkward to use especially if there is a line up. We fuelled up and headed for the dock outside the inner harbour by the Coast Guard. It is more exposed (we found out later) but good during settled weather. The Coast Guard vessel Tanu was at the dock. Nice to see the fleet in service off the west coast.

Coast Guard Vessel Tanu

There we met two other sailing couples getting ready to go around the north end, Nick and Catalina on Rizpah and Guy and Judy (and baby Amelie) on Gennetay. We had a long discussion as to which day would be best for transiting to Winter Harbour. They were planning on going to Bull Harbour the next day and heading around Cape Scott on July 02. Winds had been high for a number of days and there seemed to be a slight easing forecast for July 02. We considered staying and extra day or two to let things settle more - especially the swells and predicted wave heights.

We waited until the following morning to make our decision. The forecast was not getting any better. Either we make our move now or wait 3-4 days for a possible easing. We decided to go to Shusharte Bay which is on the Vancouver Island side of Goletas Channel and round Cape Scott on July 02. We had not been to the anchorage before but it would allow us two things - walk the dog at the Cape Scott trail head that starts there and sneak around the island side, missing the main thrust of the Nawitti Bar. 

Shusharte Bay was sheltered enough but it shoals up very precipitously and we found ourselves moving anchor in the early afternoon. We anchored first in 50 feet with 120 feet at the waterline but swung back to to less than 5 feet below the keel - and the tide was falling - yikes! We moved further out and dropped the anchor in 80 feet with 150 feet at waterline and swung back to 35 feet. That was a more comfortable place to be. We had a short hike at the start of the Cape Scott trail. It is a drop off spot for some hikers and a few arrived by motorboat while we were on the trail. Quite an elevation - not easy. We lost one of our paddle blades on the way back to the boat. It just popped off. We had to do a kayak style paddle with the remaining paddle back to the boat. For the rest of the trip, we used our kayak paddles when using the dinghy. We also mounted the engine for some of our dinghy trips depending on distance to shore.

Rounding Cape Scott 

July 2, 2021 Shawarte Bay to Winter Harbour - 60 nm

We had been over the Nawitti bar twice previously and had rounded Cape Scott with very little difficulty in excellent conditions. Still its rugged reputation preceded it and we knew the conditions of the previous days had created 2-3 metre swells. The winds were forecast at 20-25 knots with the seas at 3 metres due to subside around noon. We left at 0600 to get through the bar at slack. It would be an ebb tide against the wind so we wanted to get it right. We used the inside passage behind Tatnell reefs. Even this quieter section had swells early in the morning but they were quite manageable as we made our way out past Cape Sutil into the main swell. We could see Rizpah and Gennetay making their way out from the other side over the main Nawitti bar and wondered what their conditions were like. The passage from Cape Sutil to Cape Scott was challenging with winds around 15 knots but the seas were easily 3 metres and coming on the beam. We motored sailed at 7 knots with the main sail up. This gave us both drive and good direction. As we made the turn towards Scott Channel, the winds curled round to the quarter making for a much more pleasant ride. The seas also started to calm to more in the 2 metre range. We released the Genoa and turned off the engine. The 40 nm trip from Cape Scott to Winter Harbour was either downwind or a broad reach all the way. We exhaled and settled in for the sleigh ride. Time for breakfast - I had prepared rice pudding the night before. We enjoyed this with a cup of tea as we let Otto (the auto helm) take over while we enjoyed the magnificent seascape. We could see Rizpah behind us but slowly narrowing the gap. Gennetay seemed quite a good bit further back. We wondered how they were doing. We radioed Rizpah. 

They were happy to be clear of Cape Scott. The Nawitti bar had been really rough even though they crossed at slack. Now they were really having fun. They slide by us about 4nm from Winter Harbour and were first to dock. Gennetay arrived about 15 minutes later so had made up time throughout the day. 

We paid for two nights mooring at the Government Dock. Time for a break :) At 75 cents per foot - it is very good value. There is water but no power on the dock, which suits us fine because we have lots of solar and never plug in anyway. 

Winter Harbour has a special place in our hearts. It is the welcoming destination that says - you have arrived! Welcome to the West Coast. We have stopped there several times. There is a boardwalk the length of the settlement as well as the Bottel Trail which runs through the forest to a lovely pebble beach. A magnificent old growth spruce can be seen close to the beginning of the trail. 

Sailing down the west coast - photo courtesy of Nick on Rizpah

Beach just around Greenwood Point

Sea Reach at Public Dock in Winter Harbour (middle boat)

The following evening we were invited on board Rizpah to play dominoes. A fun filled evening with much camaraderie. Scout stayed on guard on the dock and Amelie slept on board Gennetay. We ended up staying a third night in Winter Harbour while waiting for a good weather window. 

Dominoes onboard Rizpah - Oh the wonderful people you meet :)

The West Coast

Winter Harbour to the West Entrance of the Juan de Fuca 215 nm

The next leg of our circumnavigation was enjoying the rugged beauty, beautiful anchorages and the special people you meet who live in this remote region. We stayed mostly at anchorages docking only at Walter's Cove and Ucluelet.

On July 05 we left Winter Harbour for Klaskino Inlet. There was no cel coverage in Winter Harbour but as we made our way out, we picked up 10 mins of cel coverage coming from the lighthouse. There was a frantic catching up with messages and a few phone calls before we lost the signal and settled in for a wonderful sail in winds of 10-15 knots. The winds accelerated as we made our approach behind Lawn Point into Brooks Bay. We were still doing 7 knots after a second reef was put in the main. We hadn't been to Klaskino before, previously opting for either Klashkish or a direct passage around Brooks Peninsula. This added to the tension as we were not sure what to expect or when the winds would subside. However, once behind the shelter of Rugged Island, the winds totally dropped off and we glided slowly through the the two channel markers before putting the engine on and dousing our sails. Entrance to the anchorage is narrow with reefs to pay attention to but once inside it is beautiful, very sheltered with good holding. We stayed two nights there and explored the area with our dinghy as well as some kayak trips. There were a few other boats anchored and we were invited on board The Kidd for Happy Hour, with Rick, Karen, Colleen and Rob on board.

One of the pleasures of cruising is the people you meet. I often make a practice,(especially in a remote anchorage) of kayaking over to say 'hi' to any other cruisers who are anchored in the same place. 

A romp of a sail to Klaskino Inlet

Inside Klaskino anchorage is a large area to explore by kayak or dinghy

July 07 - Rounding Brooks Peninsula.

We left at 0500 to make the passage around Brooks. Winds were forecast at 25-35 knots south of Brooks so an early start was our best chance of avoiding the worst of the winds. We left Klaskino using south passage, carefully skirting the reefs - with good visibility and calm seas it was not a problem. The winds did pipe up around 0800 with large swells off Brooks. Winds did not get any higher than 22 knots and we were well prepared and appropriately reefed so it worked out fine. However we stayed so far off Brooks (about 5 nm) that we probably added 10 nm to our journey. The winds died down on our approach to Checleset Bay and we slowed down to 3 knots as we coasted in under a blanket of sea fog that filled in rather unexpectedly. We headed for Gay Passage and an anchorage in the Bunsby's. Numerous charted rocks to avoid which was a bit hair raising but we stayed at a spectacular anchorage in the west nook off the passage. It looks out over the islets to an imposing seascape and has a nice little Beach to explore - so Scout approved.

View from Bunsby Anchorage - Off Gay Passage

The next morning after a restful night and a sleep in, we headed for Walters Cove. This community has a sizeable Government Dock to moor to. There is no wharfinger and no fees - an added bonus. There was a seaplane at the end of the dock but lots of room for Sea Reach. The store was closed but the owner offered to open for us before we left. How welcoming is that :). We walked to the restaurant and had lunch along with a group of kayakers. They had free wifi so we managed to catch up with our e-mails, plus send some photos and have a chat with Regan to check on progress of baby Owen.

Next morning went the store to pay for water ($5 to fill your tanks)and  buy some groceries. I left 2 Nora Ryan books with shopkeeper for the school library. 

Public Dock Walter's Cove - Telus were visiting in the corporate plane

Uchuk at dock at Walter's cove - provides freight and passenger services 

We left at 1030, such a civilised hour and headed for Nuchatlitz Marine Park. It was an easy motorsail all the way and we covered the 26nm in 41/3 hours. Careful navigation is required to enter the inner anchorage and a good study of the charts was undertaken to plan our approach. The inner anchorage is lovely and has a large and wonderful beach to explore that is connected at low tide via a sandy/pebbly isthmus to a series of islets. We walked across at low tide that evening but had to wade through a small section on the way back due to incoming tide. The following morning we saw a large wolf on the beach while we we walking. He was a good distance away but we were quick to put Scout on a leash and keep our distance until he retreated back into the bush.  

Beach at Nuchatlitz where we encountered (from a safe distance) a large wolf

Meadow at Nuchatlitz 

July 10, 2021 - Passage to Friendly Cove

Next morning we left at 0930, an hour and a half after a 1.6 foot tide. We could really see the large exposed areas during this low tide with the channel markers on their side on dry land. It was a beautiful morning and we motored up to Esperanza and topped up our diesel at the Nootka Mission fuel dock. Two lovely young women came to help us tie up. There is a small store but it is mostly stocked with fishing gear, a few books and an ice cream freezer. They provide 2 free ice creams/boat for a fill up! What a nice treat.  

We continued on to Friendly Cove and had lunch enroute. We arrived at 1630 and anchored in the bay. Dock space had already been spoken for. We visited the lighthouse and the church and walked the trail to the lake as well as the beach on far side of peninsula. There is a landing fee of $10/person as well as a docking fee of $20, regardless of size of boat. It's worth a visit - with impressive carvings and totems - an historical site where the Nootka Treaty between the Spain and England was signed  and is commemorated in the stain glass to be seen at the church. 

Stainglass Commemorating Nootka Treaty

Totems inside Catholic Church

Totem at gravesite

Welcoming Totem off beach in Friendly Cove

Lighthouse was getting some upgrades to VHF range

Helicopter flew in the needed supplies

July 11, 2021 - Friendly Cove to Hootla Kootla (Flores Island) 30 nm.

Normally we would go from Friendly Cove to Hot Springs Cove but Covid restrictions had closed the springs and the First Nations had instituted a no landing order for the area. We looked at the charts for places to anchor close by. We opted for Hootla Kootla, a small bite  about 2nm SE of Hot Springs on Flores Island. We left Friendly Cove at 0630 after a short early morning walk on the beach. winds were forecast at 20-30 knots but they never materialised and we motored with a steadying mainsail all the way. The seas were rolling but very pleasant with blue skies (not the often present morning fog). we had a great view of Estavan Point lighthouse. We arrived at Hootla-Kootla and were anchored by 1430. We dinghied back to a beach we had noticed. It had a rocky entrance but provided some good shore leave for Scout. Having a dog on board encourages one to explore new places and always go ashore. We discovered, thanks to Scout trails that we had missed on previous trips because we had opted to stay on the boat and not go ashore. 

Passing Estavan Point on a clear day

July 12, 2021 - Hootla Kootla to Ucleulet 45nm.

Next day was another long run down the coast . We left the anchorage at 0730 in light fog and were expecting it to clear by mid-day but it just kept getting thicker. We motored all the way - only good point was that we made good time and got to Amphitrite Point by 1500 just as the curtain of fog lifted allowing us to see with the naked eye (instead of electronic chart) the many shoals to avoid. A bit of a stressful slog as we had to be continuously vigilant. Also John ended up doing quite a bit of hand steering when the seas were particularly rolly - especially passing by Tofino and parts of Long Beach, which we never got a glimpse of. 

July12/13 Ucleulet

We stayed at Ucleulet Small Boat Harbour, which has showers, laundry and water at the dock as well as being close to shops and restaurants. We had a layover day there to have showers and catch up on Laundry. We walked to Amphtrite Point lighthouse along parts of the Pacific Trail - lovely. The next morning we were offered a salmon by a fishing  tour operator who had just come in and was in a hurry to get home. He wanted to unload it. It was too big for us but he filleted it and gave us half and another cruiser the other half. What a gift! It was absolutely delicious. We ended up with 10 steaks from our portion. We ate some fresh and froze the rest. It was a Chinook which apparently were very plentiful and feeding heavily making them easy to catch. The salmon fishery is on the brink of collapse so we had some misgivings about accepting it. We have drastically cut back on our fish consumption. We were very grateful to the fisherman and the magnificent salmon for the wonderful meals we enjoyed during the rest of the voyage. 

Living wood sculpture on the Pacific Trail

July 14 Dodger Channel 

We decided to go directly to an anchorage on Dodger Channel (off Trevor Channel) as our jumping off spot for the Juan de Fuca, rather than stopping at one of the islands on Barclay Sound. The weather was mostly clear with some light fog but good visibility. We entered Dodger Channel off Trevor channel and found that we had just 3 feet under the hull at the narrowest part of the intricate entry. This on a rising tide. 

We would not make it  through at low tide and decided that we would leave via Imperial Channel the following morning. Recommend entering this anchorage from Imperial side. Inside on the south end of channel is a lovely anchorage with two beaches to explore, both on First Nations land. Both beaches have welcome signs, which gave this beautiful anchorage a feeling of warmth and curiosity about the lives once lived on these shores. Clearly they had been used in recent years as gathering/visiting locations but the small buildings had fallen into disrepair. It was a magical place to spend our last night before the final leg of our journey.  

Beautiful anchorage in south end of Dodger Channel

Juan de Fuca to Squamish 192 nm

July 15 - Left the anchorage using exit to Imperial Channel. The expected westerlies did not fill in until late afternoon so we had no sailing en route to Port Renfrew. The fog filled in around 1100 and our auto pilot quit at 1300. We were well out of the shipping lanes and there was little other traffic except for a few recreational vessels heading north. We arrived at Port Renfrew at 1430 and motored up to community dock to see if there was space there but none was available and it seemed that preference for recreational fishing vessels was the modus operandi when we enquired. We contacted Pacific Gate Marina on 66A and they had a spot on their transient dock for us. It is a very nice marina and very welcoming. Moorage was $1.64/ft so not cheap but worth the security and comfort it provided. The Bay is rolly and open and didn't look inviting as an anchorage, especially as the evening winds start to kick things up. We walked back to the community dock and stopped at some small gift stores along the way. Memories of our hiking the West Coast Trail 25 years ago came flooding back as the Port Renfrew Hotel came into view. 

Later that even a very large motor yacht (100 feet) docked behind us - squeezing into a space that was just big enough but had the bow towering over us. Anam Cara - a beautiful Gaelic name meaning - Soul Friend. We were happy that the captain/owner was well acquainted with its meaning. 

We were now jammed between a fisheries research vessel and Anam Cara and I dreaded trying to back out  the following morning. The crew of the research vessel was very sweet when they saw our situation and moved to one side while we were exiting to allow us an easy reverse out.

Hotel at head of community dock Port Renfrew

Eagles lined the breakwater at the Pacific Gateway Marina

Eagle with fish at Port Renfrew

July 16 we headed for Campbell Cove in Becher Bay 42nm

We had fog for several hours as we continued our journey down the the Juan de Fuca. We were interviewed underway by a border security vessel of the RCMP. We have never had an encounter with the RCMP on the water prior to this. They used the time to check out if we were fully compliant with all marine safety equipment for a vessel of our size. While we had all the necessary equipment on board both our flares and fire extinguishers were out of date and they informed us that this could lead to a $500 fine. 

However, they did not intend to fine us and ruin our holiday but extracted a warranty that we would remedy the situation as soon as we got home. Yes officer, sir!

We were able to sail for the final 10-12nm as the fog cleared and the westerlies filled in.  We anchored in Campbell Cove just inside Creyke Point and went ashore for a wonderful hike. The East Sooke Trail also known as The Farm Trail can be picked up close to the shoreline and provides 25 km of trails. There is a campsite and RV park there.

Scout on watch while at anchor in Campbell Cove

An easy run through Race Rocks

July 17 - 0830 we left to catch the run through Race Passage. A slow max of +2 made the passage very easy. It was a beautiful morning  and we arrived in Victoria at 1100 and got dock space at The Causeway Dock in the inner harbour in front of The Empress Hotel. There is something special about arriving into the vibrant elegance of Victoria after weeks on the Wild West Coast. It is both reassuring and discombobulating as one transitions from an environment sculpted and dominated by nature to one fashioned by human activity. 

We had friends Vasi and Valeria over for lunch on Sea Reach the following day and were able to share the last of our salmon steaks with them. 

We had leisurely walks around the harbour front and visited the grounds of The Legislative building where there was a very evocative display in memory of residential school children buried in unmarked graves recently found on the grounds of a former residential school site.

After two nights in Victoria we journeyed to Russell Island, taking the inside route around Trail Islands, Explorer and Mayor Passage (to be taken with the tide). We passed Sidney Spit crossed the various ferry routes and anchored at the entrance to Fulford Harbour behind Russell Island. This lovely island has  a heritage pioneer dwelling, nice trails and some small swimming beaches. It was a wonderful sun filled afternoon and a very peaceful night at anchor.  

Arbutus on Russell Island

July 20 - Russell Island to Reid Island 21 nm

Our passage from Russell to Reid was very enjoyable. We were able to put up the sails shortly after leaving all the way doing a leisurely 4-5 knots most of the way. The winds became a bit more brisk at midday and our speed increased to 5-6 knots. A lovely easy down wind sail - wing on wing. We anchored off Reid Island and went for a short walk on the small beach. The anchorage is a bit exposed to the SW winds but we seemed to be holding fine and were expecting the winds to decrease in the evening.

Sometime before midnight the winds shifted and changed to the NW and we were woken by the sound of our chain rubbing on the seabed. The noise was repetitive and we feared we were dragging - towards a smaller sailboat that had anchored later the previous evening. We got up and re-anchored a safe distance from the other boat and after a cup of tea to observe that we were truly set - we went back to bed and finally to sleep.

DownwindSail on Trincomali Channel

Sunset at Reid Island

July 21 - Reid Island - to Squamish 45 nm

At 0800 we weighed anchor to go through Porlier Pass at slack. The winds were light but we had some sailing for about an hour and then they disappeared. The seas were calm making for a very easy crossing of the Salish Sea. Strong inflow winds in Howe Sound provided us some fun downwind sailing for the last 30 nm. We stopped at Anvil Island for a late lunch and picked up the Squamish Yacht Club mooring buoy. 

Last Stop - late lunch at Anvil Island

We arrived home to our slip at Squamish Yacht Club at 1830 on July 22 with another 687 nm passed under the keel of Sea Reach.