#7 Across the Strait, Through the Sound, Around the Cape

Lagoon Cove is so hospitable. Usually the cruisers meet at Lagoon's boat house on the pier for fresh BC prawns, snacks, beverages and sometimes dinner. Since the Lagoon folks were just arriving, we enjoyed dining with the Seeker crew.  

Thursday's dinner topic was the coming rugged weather, keeping us pinned down on the protected inside waters.  It looked as though we might be confined to points below Cape Caution for several days as the weather passed.  Seeker and Wild Blue would be cruising together for several days so Friday's plan was to push northwest towards Cape Caution, bailing out to a secure cove when the ride became too uncomfortable.

Lagoon Cove's Boat House.

With high winds forecast for Friday, we left Lagoon Cove at after 8AM, sort of late for making any distance as we expected to be detouring to Sullivan Bay, Blunden Harbor, or Allison Cove, protected weather anchorages for crossing the Queen Charlotte Strait and Sound before rounding Cape Caution. We motored out onto the Strait and the wind was 10 knots or less, so we continued passing Sullivan Bay.  Then we made Blunden Harbour with light winds and moderate seas and decided to continue.  At Allison Cove with a West Sea Otter Buoy forecast of less than a meter seas, we decided tp round Cape Caution while the "getting was good".  We ended the day at 8:30PM anchored in little Frypan secure in light winds.

Our 12-hour run from Lagoon Cove to Frypan Anchorage.

Seeker rounds last point at Rivers Inlet, turning towards Frypan Anchorage.

#6 Up Johnstone Strait, Then through the Blow Hole

We were up early again in Gorge Harbor on Wednesday, May 2nd.  We aren't normally early risers but it’s either that or challenge Mother Nature’s swifter currents, bigger waves and stronger winds.  Slack current at Beasley Passage, Surge Narrows, Upper Rapids and Lower Rapids in Okisollo Channel occurs around 8AM so our oh-dark hour shove-off means we’ll have the least tricky current conditions. We entered Beasley Passage with a 1-knot push, much better than the 7-knot peak current that tries to drive boats into Tusko Rock.  Then it was through Surge Narrows and into Okisollo Channel without incident.  Upper Rapids was a breeze and Lower Rapids was so flat we decided to run it instead if detouring through Barnes Bay.  All-in-all it was a smooth transition into Discovery Passage and then Johnstone Strait.

 Now the flood current was building against us and we continued to hug the edges of the Strait to minimize the adverse current.  Finally at the west end of West Thurlow Island the water was flowing over 3 knots against us.  At $4 per gallon of fuel, one thinks, and so quickly we bailed out, anchoring in Vere Cove.

After a tabouli lunch, quiet nap, and fish pole casting practice, we resumed cruising under gray skies, showers, light winds, flat seas and less than 1 knot of the "anti-current".  Not long after leaving, we spotted our boat neighbors on the Selene Seeker via AIS pulling into Port Neville for the night.  We made our goal of Cutter Cove by 5:30 and settled in under anchor. Leftover tabouli, our dinner, is always great as the juices get time to mix bringing out lots of flavor. 

Gordon Jensen plows through stiff 3-knot current up Johnstone Strait

Our favorite boat wreck.  We seem to snap this shot year after year.

Prawning season opens at noon so the boats "guard" their areas ready to drop traps.

On Thursday the 3rd we wanted to make our annual spring visit to Lagoon Cove.  Just across from Cutter Cove is Minstrel Island and the Blow Hole, a narrow passage that connects Chatham and Clio Channels, saving a bunch of time if you’re headed for Lagoon Cove.  The Blow Hole can get big breeze funneling to cook up 40-knot plus winds at times.  At mid-morning it was calm and in a few minutes we tied up behind Seeker at the Cove’s resort.  Within a few minutes, owners Bill and Jeanie arrived for the season.  

#5 Gorge Harbour Again this Year

Today we awoke early to a quiet harbor.  The ocean just outside Sturt Bay looked flat and calm so we expedited our morning routine and cast off at 6AM.  Gray skies with clearing potential accompanied us on the way to Gorge Harbour.  Halfway into the 4-hour motor, we noticed the Selene Seeker 12 miles ahead on AIS rounding Cape Mudge for a Campbell River shopping stop.

Hail to the Wild Blue

With less than 2 miles to the Gorge Harbor entrance, a giant storm dumped on us!  Big rain drops, then hail started bouncing and filling the decks.  Suddenly the navigation GPS failed, most likely caused by static electricity in the air.  Later we determined a regulator power supply had been fried, killing power to the main GPS.  Luckily our back up chartplotter, the old Garmin 3010C, kept functioning throughout so we didn't get lost, or even rub the sides of the skinny Gorge Harbour entrance channel.  We tied up at the Gorge Harbour Resort, one of the best maintained and provisioned resorts on the BC Coast.

Love birds in Gorge Harbour.

Two geese a-laying.

The new-ish and well-maintained docks.

One of the resort accommodations.

Pat's lamb rib chops, polenta with tomato-bean salsa, and rainbow chard. A lemon and oil tossed salad was served on the  side.

Of course Alex skipped the meat.  Lately he has been attempting to limit meat, approach vegetarianism, with a goal of veganism.  Although he's consumed only four meals with meat since January, he still consumes seafood, so his goal is probably difficult without further sacrifice.  All this being the result of watching the "Forks Over Knives" film (documentary?).  It's on Netflix.

Tomorrow we will motor through Surge Narrows, near slack current, then the Upper Rapids, and squirt out onto Johnstone Strait.  Blind Channel or maybe Lagoon Cove could be destination.  Tomorrow then.....

#4 Up Province

On Monday, April 30, we waited out the morning's southeasterly winds until 8:30, then at slack current, departed Vancouver for our cruise "up province".    Following seas and winds built again as we exited Burrard Inlet making for some second guessing, but as usual, the Wild Blue crew adapted to the rock and roll.  We noticed the Selene 55 Spirit on the way into Vancouver.  Patrick said he is being followed by Serena, another Selene 55 heading to AK.  So now we are sandwiched between them and the Selene Seeker who is leading the pack.  We hope to rendezvous with the leader at Lagoon Cove this Thursday.

Seaspan Corsair pulls two large barges south along the east side of Texada Island

As we cleared Welcome Passage, abeam of Smugglers and Secret Coves, the wind and seas flattened making for smooth motoring.  We decided to skip Pender Harbour and push on to Sturt Bay on the northeast side of Texada Island.  Texada, named for one of the Spanish explorers (or was it a land grant), has several large limestone mines.  Ships pull right up next to the island while the stone is loaded.  About 1000 souls make Teaxada home year round, most located near Sturt Bay. We entered the Bay and tied up at the abundant transient moorage.  The price was right!

Texada Island town of Van Anda just south of Sturt Bay

The moorage rates are very favorable.

Texada Boating Club docks at Sturt Bay.

Pat's Caprice: Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella.... Yum!

The Wild Blue garden: parsley, Canadian "Wilson", colorful flower basket.

#3 In the City

The Langara Fishing Lodge is moving north from Vancouver for the summer.

It was a calm night at Sucia Islands, probably the calm before the Customs storm. We are dreading the Canadian Customs transition as Pat doesn't want to give up Wilson, our Fescue grass potted plant that has been aboard since 2005.  Canada Border Services has been adamant that the plant must go, so much so that Alex has been chewed out during the clearance phone call the last few times.  After lots of discussion we decide to end Wilson's life, so to speak, before Vancouver and more Customs trauma.

Pat "ends" Wilson's life.  Why does she look so cheerful?

But what do you do with discarded plant parts?  What is the "half-life" of a Fescue grass?

With a smooth run up the Salish Sea, we arrive at False Creek and Customs is a snap when no soil based plants are aboard.  We check in at Quayside Marina quite happy to be a long way from home, only to find our San Luis Obispo "neighbors" on the Selene Seeker just down the dock.  It's just so hard to get away anymore!


We're spending a few days in this fine City.  We'll wine and dine, then do the final provisioning for all those things Canadian Customs won't let us bring to Canada without duty..... wine, wine, and more wine.  It's Canada, Eh!

Wild Blue enjoying Vancouver night life.

Superb dining establishment in the False Creek area.

#2 Off the Dock..... Finally

From the Pilothouse with Sucia Islands on the horizon.

It's 730. We left about 6pm from Anacortes and we are northbound on the flood tide to a Sucia Island anchorage. Will arrive at sunset and anchor for the evening. The big wide open ocean is flat and we don't expect any south chop this evening. Tomorrow we'll get out early and work our way up to Vancouver so we can do our Canadian Customs plant dance.


Drove the Honda Element, loaded with more boat stuff, 1200 miles from California to Anacortes over Wednesday and Thursday. Pat shopped Trader Joes, Fred Meyer and our favorite homemade pie store today. We loaded 1200 gallons of diesel and many containers of provisions. Spent $6,000 on food and fuel, a couple thousand more than last year.


We're happy to be off the dock. See you tomorrow in the City.
x

#1 - The 2012 Alaska Cruise Begins - Almost

2012 marks our 4th Alaska Cruise and Alex's 35th year of boating and boat ownership.  Beginning in 1977, he began cruising then racing sailboats. Power boat charter cruising came next in the mid-1980's and continued during the summers.  Wild Blue arrived in 2005 and today the boat has just about 2400 hours of running time, or roughly 20,000 cruising miles.  Our 2012 Alaska Cruise begins this month, on Saturday, April 28th.

Wild Blue enters Princess Louisa Inlet, September 2011

As usual, the Wild Blue had a few cruises this winter.  Our 2012 New Year's Cruise took us along southern Vancouver Island's eastern shoreline visiting Ladysmith, Chemainus, Genoa Bay, Tod Inlet and Butchart Gardens, Victoria. Then back to the US and Friday Harbor, Rosario Resort, La Conner and Anacortes. We travelled with a small fleet of Selene's consisting of the Selene 55 Spirit, the Selene 50 Seeker and the Selene 48 Z-Worthy.  Unfortunately Z-Worthy lost her rudder on the way to start the cruise, but Ron and Bonnie joined the group as crew. You can read all about it on the Z-Worthy Blog.

In February, Pat and Alex took a short cruise to Port Townsend and Poulsbo, spending some good times in these port communities.  We left the boat in Poulsbo and returned to California. 

In late February, Alex delivered Wild Blue from Poulsbo through stormy seas to Seaview Boatyard Seattle for haul-out, bottom maintenance, and new equipment installations. Ken Klassen of Marine Technical Service, the boat's original commissioner, completed a long list of maintenance and upgrades.  These included:

A new coat of bottom paint,

Zincs replacement,

Existing Grunert freezer system and sea strainer removal,

Keel-cooled galley refrigerator/freezer installation,

New Frigoboat keel-cooled freezer system with digital thermostat installation,

New 8-battery main bank installation,

DC-AC inverter relocation,

Stern scupper flapper repair,

Saltwater wash-down leak repair,

Fresh water wash-down leak repair,

Crane hoist cable fray repair and re-swedging to crane hook,

Relocation of lead ballast needed to counter addition of 1200-lb battery bank,

Change engine and transmission lubricants.

On the hard in the yard!

While the boat was in the yard on the hard, Brian at Canvass Supply Seattle took our fly-bridge canvas top and gave it a tummy tuck. He also reupholstered the guest berth cushions. Pat upgraded some carpets and artwork.  These gave the Wild Blue a "like-new" feel.

Alex completed some improvements including replacing the seal-a-meal machine, installing new navigation laptop, configuring the old laptop as a hot backup, installing a fish cleaning table, adding to the salmon lure collection and installing an engine room video camera.

Alex then delivered the boat back to Anacortes and was invited to Mickie and Charter Capt. Jay Field's for Easter dinner.  And just like last year, the skipper of Alaska Ocean, America's largest commercial fishing ship, Capt. Scott Symonds joined us for a great dinner.  The ship provides the main ingredient of McDonald's famous Fillet-O-Fish sandwich. You can see this fish boat and Capt. Scott on a National Geographic video on Youtube.  After dinner everyone swapped their favorite sea stories, but no one could top Captain Scott's Bering sea storm of 90 knot winds, buckled in a helm chair, riding out the seas.

As we arrived in Princess Louisa Inlet last September on the last leg of our 2011 Alaska Cruise, a watching boater snapped a fine photo of Wild Blue.  The photo was submitted to the Trawler Forum website and now serves as their logo background.  Thanks to Richard on the trawler Tonic, you can see his work and Wild Blue on the Trawler Forum website.

Unlike past Alaska cruises, our 2012 Cruise will be a clockwise tour of Southeast AK, visiting Sitka just after Ketchikan. This more conventional route follows the peak King salmon run and allows bear viewing during the July and August runs at Pack Creek and Anan Bay.

For the first time our family will be joining us during an Alaskan Cruise.  Son Max and his girl Katie will cruise with us from Sitka to Juneau, and son Ryan and his fiancee Cailin will be with us from Petersburg to Ketchikan.  The regular Wild Blue crew is back for more including, the San Luis Obispo cowboys and cowgirls, the turkey and chicken farmers, the Simi-Valley folks, and a new crew, the Baron Canyon ranchers.  Once again we look forward to sharing our stories.

The detailed 10 leg itinerary follows:

1.                SAT-APR 28 ANACORTES, WA TO SAT-MAY 5 PORT MCNEIL, BC. Northbound BC cruising with Vancouver and small resort visits, prawning and crabbing. Vancouver, Gorge Harbor, Desolation Sound, Broughton Islands, Port McNeil – 8 days.

2.                MON-MAY 7 PORT MCNEIL, BC TO THU-MAY 17 KETCHIKAN, AK.  Northbound BC cruising, anchoring at night with Prince Rupert and small town visits, prawning and crabbing. Port McNeil, Namu, Shearwater, Boat Bluff/Alexander Inlet, Hartley Bay, Prince Rupert, Dundas Island, Ketchikan  – 11 days.

3.                WED-MAY 30 KETCHIKAN, AK TO FRI-JUN 8 SITKA, AK.  Northwest bound Alaska cruising, anchoring at night, visit to Craig, fishing, prawning and crabbing, El Capitan Cave exploring: Ketchikan, South Kaigani Harbor, Craig, El Capitan Cave, Port McArthur or Kell Bay, Port Alexander, Red Bluff Bay, Warm Springs Bay, Peril Strait, Kalinin or Fish Bay, Sitka – 10 days.

4.                SUN-JUN 10 SITKA, AK TO FRI-JUN 22 SITKA, AK.  Cruising the northwest coastline of Baranof Island with King Salmon fishing in waters north of Sitka, anchoring at night, visit to a hot springs and small town of Pelican: Sitka, Kalinin Bay, Piehle Passage, Ford Arm, Baker Cove, Ilin Bay, Mirror Cove, White Sulfur Hot Springs, Pelican, Double Cove, Sitka – 13 days.

5.                SUN-JUN 24 SITKA, AK TO WED-JUL 4 SITKA, AK.  Cruising the southwest coastline of Baranof Island with King Salmon fishing in waters south of Sitka, anchoring at night, hot springs visit, Sitka Firework show (JUL 3): Sitka, Goddard Hot Springs, Shamrock Bay, Jamboree Bay, Whale Bay, Secluded Bay, Scow Bay, Kidney Cove, Sitka – 11 days.

6.                SAT-JUL 7 SITKA, AK TO SAT-JUL 14 JUNEAU, AK.  Northeast bound Alaska cruising, anchoring at night, with King salmon and halibut fishing, crabbing, visit to Tenakee Springs and Juneau: Sitka, Peril Strait at Baby Bear Bay, Killisnoo Bay, Tenakee Springs, Crab Bay, Hawk Inlet, Auke Bay, Juneau  – 8 days.

7.                SUN-JUL 15 JUNEAU, AK TO TUE-JUL 24 PETERSBURG, AK.  South bound Alaska cruising, anchoring at night, with salmon and halibut fishing, crabbing, glacier visit, up close brown bear and whale viewing, visits to Juneau and Petersburg: Juneau, Taku Harbor, Fords Terror, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, Tracy Arm Cove, Pack Bay (2 nights), Cape Fanshaw Anchorage, Petersburg – 10 days.

8.                THU-JUL 26 PETERSBURG, AK TO SUN-AUG 6, KETCHIKAN AK.  South bound Alaska cruising, anchoring at night, with salmon and halibut fishing, crabbing, up close brown bear viewing, visits to Petersburg, Wrangell and Ketchikan: Petersburg, Wrangell, Olive Cove in Zimovia Strait, Anan Bay-Dewey Anchorage, Meyers Chuck, Karta Bay, Hollis Anchorage, Polk Inlet, Ketchikan  – 11 days.

9.                WED-AUG 8 KETCHIKAN, AK TO FRI-AUG 17 TO SHEARWATER, BC. Northern BC Southbound, anchoring at night, Coho salmon run fishing at Lowe Inlet, crabbing and prawning, and a visit to Prince Rupert: Ketchikan, Prince Rupert, Baker Inlet, Lowe Inlet (2 days), various northern BC ports, Shearwater – 10 Days.

10.            SAT-AUG 18 SHEARWATER, BC TO WED-AUG 29 ANACORTES, WA. Southern BC Southbound cruising, anchoring at night, salmon fishing, visits to small boat resorts and Vancouver: Shearwater, Ocean Falls, various coastal BC ports, Port McNeil, Lagoon Cove, Desolation Sound, Smugglers Cove, Vancouver, Anacortes – 12 days.