Lasqueti to Campbell River

23 June 2010


Dave headed out in the AquaSport first thing in the morning to go fishing and explore. tilly and I remained on the boat. Plenty of chores to do (always!) and it was a glorious morning to do them in. The windows needed a good cleaning. The salt air can make them pretty grimy awfully quick! After that, a few small loads of laundry needed to be dealt with. These chores might sound like grueling drudgery to some, but to me...in this environment...I am in heaven! While washing windows I noticed a pair of otters play on the rocky island on our port side. And as I was doing laundry on the aft deck a half dozen eagles were dog-fighting overhead. Amazing entertainment!


Dave returned around 10 am and noticed that our anchor was on a very shallow shelf. In order to pull it up we would have to bring the Sea Crest into uncomfortably shallow water near the rocks. It is handy having the Aquasport in times like these. We had already had a secondary line attached to our anchor to assist us in pulling her up (also, in case we should lose this one...it would make it easier to find and bring up). We hooked the anchor line to the stern of the "sport" and drug it into deeper water. I then climbed up the rock face where we had our stern line tied, and unhooked our line. By 11:30 am we were off!



We traveled through the Sabine Channel west of Taxada Island (the name "Texada" reminds me of the movie, The Father of the Bride, for some strangre reason...TUX-Aaaa- dos!) Quirtky me! We were then once again in the Straits of Georgia. Lots of water! Mountain ranges east and west of us, and smooth sailing! We arrived at Cape Mudge on the tip of Quadra Island (across from Campbell River, BC) around 6 pm as it was starting to drizzle. The tides were in our favor and we wer pushing 12 knots! Anxious to get to our next anchorage, we selected Growlland Harbor on Quadra Is., behind a small island provincial park called Stag is. As we entered into the harbor we noticed that a large yacht (120 ft in length) was following us in. They were looking for anchorage, as well...an auspicious sign! We finally set anchor in approximately 20 feet of water and were set for the night. Good thing that we didn't select the more attractive cove behind us, for we would have been on the rocks with the mornings low tide!

Another long day, but a happy one! Life is a wonderful journey...

Lasqueti Island - 22 June 2010

We made 3 sojourns into Nanaimo this morning... the first to grocery shop. the second to visist the library for "online time" and the third to fill up our fuel and water tanks before heading north up the Newcastle Island Passage towards the Straits of Georgia. All that I have been reading about the Straits is that they can be treacherous if the winds pick up and the tides are wrong. Luck was on our side today and neither was the case. In fact it was like traveling on a calm lake!

Matilda and I did a 10 km trek around Newcastle Island this morning, so as we had passed through the channel, it was interesting to see a different perspective to our mornings hike. We had passed the old Sandstone quarry that had been part of a thriving community in days of yore. Nanaimo had once been a coal mining town - the largest mine in British Columbia! If I have the facts correct, the mines traversed beneath the very cannel which we are cruising through in our boat this afternoon!

We all have different strenghts, some of us are quick under pressure, while others of us are plodders & planners. I am the later and my partner is "the party of the first part (to quote The Quiet Man), is the former. Today there was no plan...just head north. I am quite alright with the concept of "impromptu", however I do inherit several family traits (for which I am quite proud) those being "prior planning and attention to detail" and strong "multi-tasking skills". Our chart plotter had quit showing detailed charts of the island passage we were traveling through. We had the appropriate paper charts, but we all get a bit complacent and begin relying on our technology. Prior to our trip I had wanted to buy a backup copy of the electronic charts of Canada, I wish that I had. Would have been nice to have it aboard this evening.

No matter! We found an inviting little cove about 1 nm southeast of Lasqueti Island (I now believe that Lasqueti is Native American for Many Large Mosquitos!) as a potential anchoring location. As we entered, a man and 2 ladies in a zodiac-styled boat came into the cove and verified that it would be a good place to anchor. We tied a stern line so that we would not swing on the hook (and possibly hit the rocks aroung us in doing so.) Our anchorage reminded me of the boat launch area at Loon Lake (off the Umpqua River on the Central Oregon Coast, USA). We are encircled in a cove of rocks...save for the northern entrance. The sounds we hear are of woodpecker, beating a cadence on the trees above us, and the cry of eagles in the distance (on the adjacent rock cliffs)...an occasional splash is heard, whether it be fish, sea lion, or whale, I do not know...a truly magical place!

Dodd Narrows to Nanaimo - 21 June 2010

We pulled anchor in Montaque Bay around 8 am. The day was overcast, but temperate and calm. We enjoyed the rocky island scenery. Homes tucked away in the most remote of places. Befor entering the Northumberland Channel, just before Nanaimo, we had to journey through the Dodd Narrows. An extremely narrow passage, like traveling through a river rapid with rock cliffs on either side! Beautiful and rugged. Fortunately at our time of passage, traffic was minimal, so we slipped through easily. It was a good first run through a tidal rapid, which is quite common on the inside passage. After passing through we heard on the radio, massage after message of the bottleneck of boats waiting passage through the Narrows.

We have set anchor at the Newcastle Island Marine Park. Many boats are anchored here. Nanaimo is the second largest city on Vancouver Island, BC. We have only been spending 3 - 4 hours traveling to each destination, since arriving to the Straits. This has given us plenty of time to settle into each area and explore a bit (even on the short stop overs). Dave set out in the AquaSport in seach of a dive shop. Tilly and I stayed onboard to catch up on our reading. I am the proud owner of a Kindle e-book reader, which is a perfect tool for a trip like this. It is small and compact and carries thousands of books in its memory. After completing just a few chapters, Dave returned with full air tanks, hungry for an early supper. Later we motored to the dock at Newcastle Is. so that Tilly could take care of her "business" and I could get some "land time".



The entire island is a marine park and wildlife sanctuary. Electric passenger ferries shuttle people to and from the city almost every half hour. from the Sea Crest we could see deer grazing on the grazzy beach. Right after hitting the first trail we saw, we met up with 2 deer (approx. 3 meters away - trying to think metric!) In total, we came across a minimym of 12 deer - 3 of which were bucks. Also several rabbits scurried before us on the path. the island is inhavited by a rare albino raccoon. Unfortunately we didn't catch a glimpse of them (Tilly probably scared them away with all of here snorting!). There are miles and miles (km and km) of trails on the island...I hope I get another opportunity to explore.

Montaque Harbor - Galiano Island, BC

20 June 2010

We took a morning jaunt into the village of Roche Harbor to use the free wifi that was available at the maina docks. Afterwards we headed back to the Sea Crest to plan for the next leg of our journey. The Gulf Islands are the British Columbiaa equivalent of the San Juans. On Galiano Island, in Montague Harbor, there is a CanPass reporting station for customs entering Canada from US waters. Being CanPass members we are already prescreened for security clearance, making travel through Canada a much more straight forward process. A few hours before entering Canada, we phoned CanPass to inform them of our destination port and ETA. After a short verbal interview, we received our clearance # (to be placed on our boat window for reference). Once we arriced in Montaque Harbor, we awaited the customs official.. He/she didn't show, so we were then able to proceed. We have since learned that only about 1 in 1000 boats are ever boarded...that makes going through customs a very simple task.

Before finding an anchoring location we filled up our water tanks (they were getting low) at the dock and did a bit of shopping in the two gift shops. Dave bought us matching souvenir t-shirts, and I found a beautiful skein of sock yarn that is a product of the island. We enjoyed a beer on the deck of the local grill, and then set out to anchor in the bay. There were approximately 75 vessels anchored there without feeling crowded. A very restive spot.

Roche Harbor - San Juan Island

After an unsuccessful dive in the bay in Port Angeles to retrieve our stern anchor (or unretrieve, as the case may be); we readied the Sea Crest to set out into the Straits. Our next destination - somewhere in the San Juans! The Straits were calm and it was only a half days travel to our next port of call.

As we neared the San Juan Is. (the county seat of the San Juans) we watched pods of orca playing close into shore. We traveled to the northwestern corner of the island, through Mosquito Pass (a narrow channel running between the western islands) into Roche Harbor. A beautiful little marine village. We dropped anchor, had supper (crab louie - a souvenire of Dave's dive excursion that morning), and enjoyed the sunset with the sound of the chapel carolon chiming in the distance.

The next day we leisurely began our day. Happily we had wifi from the boat (a slow, but periodically available connection none the less), so I was able to catch up on blogging. We then took the AquaSport into town. Davewas looking to refill our air tanks for future dives, and I just wanted to play tourist. Roche Harbor is a great place for that. I got a kick our of the Phecal Phreaks as we floated into the docks...the village is full of history and historic sites. The largest lime processing kiln west of the Mississippi was located here. You can see remnants of it throughtout the area. I ventured to the old mausoleaum site. An amazing structure, tucked away in the forest. It was a nice, peaceful walk in the woods. When I cam back from my walk, Dave and Tilly had taken the AquaSport and had headed back to the Sea Crest. I took the opportunity to treat myself to lunch at the Lime Kiln Cafe. No sooner had my meal arrived and my ride appeared at the dock. I took my order to go and had an enjoyable meal on the boat.

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing chores on the Sea Crest. It was warm and sunny, so I donned my swim suit and began doing some brightwork (stripping and staining the deck railing).

Port Angeles : 13 - 18 June 2010

Port Angeles has been a wonderful place to call home for the time we have been here. We have found the people here to be some of the friendlies folks around...even the hoodlum teenagers seem to have manners and personality. We are grateful to the City of Port Angeles for having their public dock available to large boats for a nominal fee. No serves (electicity and water), but the location is fantastic...right in the heart of downtown PA!

Dave and I are Elks members, so we have frequented the Elks Lodge here. It is just several blocks up from where we are docked. We spent Dave's birthday (Flag Day) at the lodge...it was bingo night and Dave made a haul!!! It was a good time; Eric and Candice were working in the lounge. Great folks! Hearing of our exploits at Destruction Island, our new friends, Don & Mary Lou, came down to the boat the next morning to offer to drive us to Port Townsend to find a suitable anchor. Don had seen large anchors at a resale boat supply sotre there recently. He and Dave made the excursion while Tilly and I stayed on the boat to do laundry and other chores.

Laundry day on our boat is very primitive. Thing of log cabins and pioneers on wagon trains and then you got the idea. I do have a wonderful gadge that helps me to agitate a small load to get it cleaner than what I thing an electric washer does, but it leaves out the spin cycle. Wringing out laundry by hand is a real chore! It has been sunny here with a slight breeze, so I hung the wash on the line that runs along our flybridge deck. Tilly and I then headed out for our walk.

Port Angeles has an amazing trail system that runs along eht waterfront from the Marina Boat Haven east to Sequim, WA. Dave, Tilly and I have walked the pathway many times during our stay here to and from the Boat Haven. We have found more friends at Waypoint Electronics. Ann and Hank (along with their pug, Wheezie and their pug/boxer, Maggie) have been extremely helpful in securing us the needed supplies to get back on our journey. They are much more than a marine electronics store, let me tell ya! They have access to a plethora of marine supplies, and if you can wait for a Thursday to come around then you can get your supplies shipped free of charge! We are so thankful for all of their help on our journey. Should you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods come visit, or you can visit them online at http://www.waypointelectonics.com/

Dave and Don had found an anchor for us. It was used and needed some cleaning up, but looks like it will do the trick. Our anchor line (rode) and chain will arrive tomorrow morning (Thurs, 17 Jun). Ann will even deliver it to us...what service!

If you have never experienced Port Angeles before, I encourage you to do so...it is a beautiful spot. With the Olympic mountains prominenetly portrayed in the background this old port town is reminiscent of a picturesque scene from the "Sound of Music". for the sportsman there is a little bit of everything here (with all of the comforts of civilized life). Once we leave the shelter of this port we will travel on to the San Juan Islands.

Straits of Juan de Fuca - Port Angeles

12 June 2010

If we had relied on the marine weather report we may not have decided to venture out into the big blue on this day. However, we watched small boat, one after the next, leave the harbor, and we did the same. It was a glorious morning with very little wind. We left the safety of the dock by 6 am. It was a low tide, and the harbor is very narrow and shallow, so Dave let the Quilyuette River guid us out to sea. Once in open water, we released the tender from her tie up at our starboard side, and began to tow her at our stern.

This coastline is amazingly beautiful. Fugged and rocky. We followed the coastline approximately 3 - 5 miles offshore to Tatoosh Island (Cape Flattery). Along the way we met a pod of orca traveling south. The ocean was smooth and gave us an enjoyable ride. Matilda and I got to spend time on the deck, sunning ourselves! And Dave got to spend some time fishing. He caught us a nice salmon for supper.

We have spent quite a bit of time on the Straits between Tatoosh Is. and Pillar Point (east of Clallum Bay) halibut and salmon fishing, so we were now in familiar waters. Once entering the Straits we averaged 8.5 - 9 knots speed (a good clip for us). We had anticipated anchoring at either Pillar Pt. or Crescent Bay, although Dave was reluctant with the winds and our current anchor situation. We proceeded to head to Port Angeles where there is a protective breakwater and full marine services. We arrived at 8 pm, found and anchorage in the bay in front of the Red Lion Hotel, and secured the boat for the night.

It was a good thing that we decided to make the run to Port Angeles...at 3:30 am the temporary anchor bropke loose and we were adrift (yet again). This time, however, we were not in a storm and we were in a fairly well protected bay. We motored to the public dock and tied up. We had not realized on arriving to Port Angeles that they have a convenient transient dock for larger vessels outside of the official boat haven. We are now secured to a dock...safe and sound once again. This will be a much more convenient location for replacing our main anchor and doing and necessary repairs.

Rest & Recuperation - June 11, 2010

Much work needed to get done today. The crab lines/bouy needed to be removed from our prop. Our medicine cabinet in our head had broken off with the throttle that we had received. The cabinet had to be put back together and rehung. All of the items displaced by action of the sea had to be put to order.

I assisted Dave in donning his wetsuit to begin to clear the prop. He was quickly able to dislodge the crab float and line that had wedged itself into the prop. It would have been a herculean task to accomplish in rough seas (even with the air tank), but in a calm harbor the job was quickly done.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch of rockfish; the fruits of our labor at Destruction Island. Dave caught the community bus into Forks, WA; a location well-known worldwide for it's "Twilight" saga fame. While Tilly and I stayed behind to rebuild the medicine cabinet and organize our belongings. Busy work, but relaxing, as well.

When Dave returned we went to AquaSport to s;urvey the damage. The nose of the bow had been hit hard in the storm and cracked; cosmetic damage, but not crucial to her operation. A piece of the Lucite windshield had broken off, and the antennae was down. A bilge wire had come loose, so we needed to hand bump water out of the bilge. Once the water was out, we moved the tender over to the Sea Crest to ready it for the next days tow.

Dave was unable to find an anchor for us in Forks. We will temporarily have to rely on our stern anchor; a good Danforth anchor, although smaller and with a lighter chain and line than what we will need for more stable anchorage. Once we reach Port Angeles we should be able to find a suitable replacement.

Surviving the Storm - June 10, 2010

I now have a full comprehension of how Destruction Island earned its name. After a thoroughly restive day the storm came. Our anchor had benn holding well during our stay, and throughout the night the winds and seas increased. In the morning, after being jostled about rather well by the rough seas (however, the Island was providing a great deal of protection than what was happening in open water) the anchor was holding fast. We decided to nap in the mid-morning...catch a few winks that we had missed the night before, when we were awakened by the thudding of our Qqua Sport against the bow of the Sea Crest. When we got to the salon we realized that we were adrift! The winds were blowing over 25+ knots and the sea swells were NNW at oveer 10 feet. The anchor line had snapped under the stress and strain. The Aqua Sport tow line was under the Sea Crest.

The Coast Guard was already aware of our position and had been making regular calls to us via radio and cell phone. We radioed for assistance at this point. Destruction Island is approximately 3 miles off of the Washington Coast. The winds where pushing us Southeast (towards the rocky shoreline). We had already drifted about 1/2 mile, fortunately the winds were pushing us more "south" than "east", so we weren't heading directly to shore.

The next call that came from the Caost Guard was that their ETA was 40 minutes. The waves were hitting us hard on the port side. Latched cupboards weren't staying shut...cans of food, totes full of necessities; virtually everything in the boat was flying this way and that! And of course, my habitual seasickness was kicking in full-bore at this point! Waves were hitting us on our port side...a few times it felt like they would most certainly capsize us.

Prior to the Coast Guards arrival, Dave and I were able to clear the AquaSports tow line. Dave had me disconnect the line from the stern of the Sea Crest and fling it away from the stern. Then as the line drifted under the boat, he picked it up with our hook at the bow of the Sea Crest and tied it to the bow.

I have never been so happy as to see the Coast Guard boat coming towards us, but we were far from being out of the woods! We still needed to secure the Aqua Sport back to the stern of the Sea Crest and attach the tow lines that the Coast Guardsmen would be throwing over to our bow. Our aft dect was littered with debris (lawn chairs, tackle boxes, coolers, etc.) that had been tossed about in th storm, making maneuvering around the deck difficult at best. Our pug, Matilda, would not leave our side, so she had to be stowed in a lower stateroom...she followed us on deck a few times and I was afraid of losing her over the side!

Dave secured the lines and we began the several hour journey to La Push/James Island, WA (a small Indian village west of Forks, WA). It was a lumpy trip, but we were in competent hands. On the way I was seriously contemplating my desire to continue this adventure...I thought of my family, of land and solid things, earth and trees...then we entered the safety of the harbor, surrounded by James Island, and outcropping of rocks that is an ancient tribal burial site of the "ancestors". Funny how quickly ones perspective can change. My seasickness left me, and I was very happy to be alive!

After tying up to the fuel dock, we walked a short distance to a local eatery and had our supper. While dining, we watched eagles across the bay waiting for their dinner. There were sea otters playing right below the window where we were seated. The scenery was breathtaking and I felt alive; I realized that THIS was why I was taking the risk of this journey.

Note: We later learned that we had made it into the local county paper in Port Angeles. There is a nice article with a photo of the Sea Crest alongside the Coast Guard vessel which rescued us. The stone monument in the front is a Seamans Memorial.

www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100611/NEWS/306119985

Destruction Island - Day 2

After a restful sleep (for me and Matilda, at least), we slowly meandered out of our bunk and up to the salon for our morning coffee/tea. Dave couldn't wait to get out on the deck and fish some more. He didn't even wait to get dressed! So in his bare feet and bathrobe, he proceeded to catch fish...after fish...after fish... (I caught a few myself, too!) He decided to give up the fishing when he got tired of cleaning them all! Needless to say, we aren't going to go hungry out here.

Dave mad another attempt to dive below and clear the port prop, but was unsuccessful. We began our search for an air tank. It is not an easy thing to find in a small town when you are on land, but imagine the difficulty when you are 3 miles offshore in a remote part of the Washington Coast! Fortunately we had good cell phone coverage, so we were able to talk to the local Coast Guard in La Push and also in Port Angeles, WA. We tried to find a diver or dive shop ANYWHERE on the western Olympic Peninsula, but the nearest one was in Port Angeles. The James Is. Coast Guard Station in La Push, WA has offered to bring tanks out to us, if we could have them delivered to their station. After several hours on the phone our friend and dive shop operator Craig, from Capitol Divers in Olympia came to our rescue. I had taken my dive lessons through Craig at his shop and Dave had purchased many of his dive supplies their also. Craig has tanks ready for Dave's son, Sean to pick up today and deliver tomorrow to La Push. Hopefully, the transport will go smoothly, and we will continue on our merry way. However, Dave and I must admit that we have thoroughly enjoyed our time in this very special place, and are glad for the extra time that we have gotten to spend here.

Prior to our leaving Westport, I took the time to visit the Wesport Maritime Museum. It is the home of the original Frenel lens from the lighthouse that is on Destruction Island. The lighthouse still stands on the westward side of the Island. We glimpse the top of it from our anchorage spot; a silent and dark sentinel of a bygon age. I encourage everyone who visits Westport, WA to take the time to spend at the museum, the Desturctio Lighthouse exhibit is particularly spectacular. Sadly my photos of the light mysteriously vanished from my photo card in my camera...

I will be sad to leave this wonderful place, but it is only the beginning...

Westport to Destruction Island

The voyage of the Sea Crest continues. We left Wesport at approx. 9 am. The morning was a beauty with minimal winds and swells from the NW at about 4 - 5 feet. This was our first experience towing our tender ( the AquaSport); a 17 foot center console sports fishing boat. The Sea Crest is our "home" and the AquaSport our "sports car". Dave had special tow lines made for this task. We left the marina with the AquaSport tied to the starboard side of the Sea Crest. Once we were in open water, in the bay, we hooked the AquaSport to the tow lines that we had already secured to the stern. It was a fairly simple task, and she towed nicely behind us all the way to Destruction Island.

Shortly after crossing the bar in Wesport we came upon a virtual minefield of crab bouys. Dave was at the helm and navigated successfully past the first onslaught of bouys. We headed for deeper water (150 - 250 ft) hoping to avoid the crab bouys, but to no avail. A derect bouy, black with seaweed and difficult to see, got wrapped around our port prop. This gave us no option but to run on only our starboard engine; drastically reducing our speed. We pulled into the lee side of Destruction Island at 8 pm.

Having spent time here before, Dave was mindful of the best place to anchor and obstacles to watch out for in doing so. Setting the anchor was a quick task for Dave (salty dog that he is...) after the anchor was set he went to work catching our supper! In no time at all we had sea bass in our fry pan. It made for some tasty eating...

Among Dave's many accomplishments, he is a Master Diver, so he had brought along his dive gear, however, the one thing that we didn't have aboard was air tanks. Dave made two attempts to snorkel down to the prop to cut off the snagged crab lines, but the line was so thick and gnarled that it was an impossible task without the air tanks to prolong his time underwater.

After prying Dave out of his wetsuit, it was time to hit our bunk. The Island offers some protection from the sea, but our home rocked us gently back and forth to sleep...

Memorial Day in Westport

The last week in May and the first week in June on the Washington Coast had been fraught with storms; delaying our voyage north until the weather is more agreeable. Memorial Day weekend was windy and wet. However, this gave us the opportunity to use our new diesel furnace which Dave installed successfully. It makes our salon warm and inviting, a perfect place to be on those blustery days. With a short break in the weather, we watched a crew of Navy Divers board their vessel across from our slip on Memorial Day. A simple celebration, and a fitting one. Honoring the men and women who have served our country - simply and diligently. We thank you.

Our freezer arrived mid-week. Dave has been upgrading our electrical system so that the freezer will operate while we are underway (as well as, when we are on shore or generator power). The Sea Crest is becoming more and more like "home" with every task completed. Most of our belongings are now aboard, so we are staying overnight more often than not. I sleep better here...the bed is much more comfortable than in the RV. It is more tranquil. The gentle swaying of the boat, the slight creaking sound of the dock rubbing against the pilings, the distant cry of the seagulls...boat life is much simpler and straightforward. When you work; you work hard. When you rest...you truly rest.

The past week's storms brought many boats into the safety of the Westport Marina. Fishing boats (which spend most of their time at sea), sailboats both large and small. We enjoyed watching the activity. Folks loading their vessels with supplies, filling up with fuel & water, hoisting their laundry sacks over their shoulders as they trek to the nearest Laundromat. It matters not, the size of one'ss vessel or the amount of coin in one's purse...we all have the same tasks to do when we come into port. Surprisingly, for the amount of boats (and people) congregated in such close proximity the setting is rather serene.

While hauling more supples to the boat the other day, a gentleman from a crabbing boat offered a fresh Dungeness crab to me from his days catch. We have received another such gift during our stay in Westport...goes to show the kindness of strangers.

The weather is starting to break. It appears that we may finally get our opportunity to head north Tuesday morning (June 8th). Exactly one month from our arrival in Westport.