Log #6
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Log #8
Log #9
Log #10
Part 1: From Australia to Sidney By The Sea
And The First Days & Nights In Canadian Waters
By David & Irene Axup
Editor's Note: Northwest Boat Travel Club members and designers of the NBT Club burgee, David & Irene Axup, of Melbourne, Australia, have spent over two years carefully planning for "an adventure of a lifetime". Several articles were published in our club magazine, describing their preparations. Now they are here - on our lovely waters, sailing northwestward on their adventure of the next four months. We asked them to share their cruise with our members and with us. Here is the first installment.
G'day to all 
Sorry to be so long in contacting you, but things have been hectic and we still have not got the Sailmail up and running properly - a little annoyed at the system, but it may just be me. We have kept a diary and it follows. Despite the usual "teething" problems of taking over a new vessel, and familiarizing yourself with the intricacies of its systems, we have had a great deal of fun. Everyone we have come across thus far has been most helpful. We will supply a list of names and contact numbers which could be of use to other boaters who have similar problems. Just need a bit of time to put it together.
The decision to come to Canada's Inside Passage was certainly one of the more clever things we have done in our lives and a large amount of the success has been due to your personal help (Phil & Gwen Cole) and to Northwest Boat Travel Guide and NBT Club's other information services.
We will send more of the diary as we go along and hopefully some photos on disc when we come to a post office.
4th JUNE
Up at 0600 hours and dress. All the bags are ready to go.
0700 We head to the airport.
0800 Tullamarine Airport - wheel two trolleys (baskets) of bags to QANTAS, check in and watch the bloke behind the jump weigh each of them. All, with one exception, were in excess of 27 kg. No problems with them at all. Breakfast and then into the International Departure Area.
1030 On the way - only 14 hours flying to go.
0720 We have crossed the International Date Line and have landed in Los Angeles. Through Immigration with a minimum of fuss. Load up two trolleys (baskets) again and head to the Customs Point. No drama in going through and a comment from one bloke that we were "travelling light". The silly part is that, having gone through Customs we immediately put the bags on to a conveyor which takes them off for loading onto the plane to Canada.
0820 Check in at Alaska Airlines at the next terminal where the lady seemed somewhat amazed that we were to collect six bags in Vancouver.
0925 In the air again for another 2 hrs 45 min on the way to Vancouver.
1220 Vancouver - no drama with the Customs. Pick up a Yukon from Hertz. It's a huge 4 wheel drive into which we load the baggage and head to the Alaska Air Freight office. Our shipped freight hadn't arrived, according to the young bloke who has been looking for it for a couple of days. While he continues "looking", we head off to see James Way at Emotrans and pick up some other gear. Back to Alaska Air and our stuff has materialized - some Bozo had put it in the Bond Store and not filed the paper work. We are wished the best of luck with Customs and head off to their office across the road. Hardly a challenge. They cleared us in a matter of minutes and we were back to pick up the boxes containing some very valuable radio equipment. We loaded these things into the now bulging Yukon. A reasonably short drive and we were sailing on the 1700 ferry to Swarz Bay.
1830 Sidney By The Sea. Picked up the keys to SKyamsen and a key to the Marina, and we took the gear to off-load. Folks on the boat next door to ours [Graeme and Miriam] introduced themselves and Irene had a chat while I off loaded the gear from the truck.
5th JUNE
1000 Up - we were going to be up at 0830!
1120 We started to unpack and stow equipment on SKyamsen. Met the couple on the boat on our Port side, Bryan and Susan from Alberta.
1920 Finished for the day, and we were off to the Pub for "tea".
6th to 11th JUNE
This entry is going to encompass almost a whole week. We hit the deck running and straight into the organization of unpacking all the gear we had brought with us. It was starting to look like we would never finish and then miraculously we had a stack of empty bags and a tidy [almost] main cabin. After that it was on with the running around. Shopping seemed to take up all of our time and our plans of leaving on the 9th were receding by the minute. Fortunately we had extended the hire (rental) car which allowed us to get around much more easily.
On the 7th we moved on board and started to adjust to living in the restricted space. We descended upon the Thrifty Supermarket and Irene had a detailed conversation with some very helpful young people and four shopping trolleys (baskets) later we had most of the groceries we needed. Delivered to the boat just as promised in the Northwest Boat Travel Guide - oh what a gem of a publication.
Larry The Broker [a really helpful bloke] had found us a good second hand inflatable dinghy, which required a new valve in the keel and a check up, and so we became the owners of a Polaris inflatable of 9' 6" [2.89 metres in real measurements]. He also directed us towards a reliable dealer where a new Johnson 4 hp outboard was added to the inventory.
Friday the 8th started off in a rush and then came to an abrupt halt, as we visited Butchart Gardens to again soak up the atmosphere of this wonderful area.
Arrangements had been made for the radio tech to come and fit an HF radio [SSB] to our love boat. This was supposed to happen on the 6th. It started to happen on the 7th and, according to "Sod's Law of the Sea", it extended over into the following week. As a result of this the connection of "Sailmail" and checking out the system before we were due to leave, went down the gurgler (drain).
On the positive side, we settled into living on SKyamsen very well thank you and quickly adapted to "shipboard life".
12th JUNE
Our original arrangements were to pick up a friend at Blind Channel Resort on the 19th and it was now going to be tight - remember we are a sailing vessel.
1030 SKyamsen was up out of the water to have her bottom pressure cleaned, and an hour later, she was back in the water.
1300 We dropped the lines at Westport and SKyamsen's home for the last 12 months was behind us - only one thing left to do and that was to top off with diesel and water and get some "2 stroke" for the outboard, so we headed for the fuel dock.
1330 Away from the fuel dock and down the harbour. We have set ourselves a target of Wallace Island for tonight and so it is the "iron topsail" (engine) for today's trip. The sun is shining, the wind is light, and the day could not be better - our dream trip is starting to turn into reality.
Our course takes us out through the passage between Coal Island and the Little Group and then turning north to pass between Portland and Moresby Islands. There are a few boats under sail and not going anywhere. By fortuitous circumstance we have the tide and what breeze there is under our tail and the trip is most pleasant.
We pass two BC ferries going in the opposite direction and ponder on the thought that our last trip across these waters was on one of those ships.
At Portlock Point on Prevost Island we turn to 284M and head up along Trincomali Channel to Wallace Island.
We had contemplated staying the night in Conover Cove but were advised against it. As we motored close by its entrance we could see that it was well stocked with boats and we were not going to add to the number.
1820 We slowly entered Princess Bay about a mile north of Conover Cove to find that there was one sailing vessel and two power boats already there but there was plenty of room. Motoring slowly up to the second window out onto the channel we dropped the anchor in 9 metres of water and set it. It was to be OUR FIRST NIGHT OUT OF A MARINA.
This is a great little anchorage and should be given more reference than it is in the books. It is open to the North but well protected in terms of a swell coming in. Shore ties would probably be advisable in the height of the season, but for now, you can swing comfortably to anchor.
To top our day off there is a bald eagle sitting on a tree on the outside arm of the bay. It has been a great day, even if it was under motor.
13th JUNE
We have a problem with our anchor winch. Sod's Law strikes again. The only thing not checked while we were in Sidney was the anchor winch. It took time, but we got the anchor and chain up. All was not gloom as our Bald Eagle has turned into two sitting in the same tree.
1030 The decision was made to head for Nanaimo to have the winch repaired. The thought of manhandling such a large piece of metal and its chain does not appeal to us. Once again the day is beautiful and the motor is on so as to not miss the tide at Dodd Narrows.
Heading out of Princess Bay the weather looked like it was going to be kind to us and give us a pleasant day's motoring, despite the needed change of plans - we had intended to go through Gabriola Passage and then across the Strait of Georgia. Our new course is around Jackscrew Island, leaving it to starboard, and into Houston Passage. As we clear the northern end of Saltspring Island a view of Chemainus and its smoking chimneys opens up to port. We have opted for the channel between Kuper Island and Norway Island, to take us back into Trincomali Channel. While not all that wide there is a constant 20+ metres on the depth sounder and a reduction in speed provides that little extra caution. Once again we had a "soldiers wind" but the sails remained furled because the tide was against us and we were constrained by the need to be at Dodd Narrows on time.
The trip up Stuart Channel towards the Narrows is pleasant with Vancouver Island closing in on us from Port and the De Courcy Group from Starboard. We passed our first log boom with two tugs in attendance. The Nobeltec Chart system tells us that we still have a couple of hours until slack water and a double check with the Tides and Currents Publication confirms this. Both give the ebb as 3 knots. Passage through the Heads on Port Phillip is frequently made against stronger currents, so we nosed into the narrowing gap with a large launch in front of us. It passed through without trouble, so I committed SKyamsen to the increasing current and with the throttle opened we pushed into the narrow point. The shore to Port seems to be one huge wood chip mill as we push along Northumberland Channel to turn into Nanaimo.
1500 We were alongside the fuel dock in Nanaimo Harbour and the attendant kindly referred us to a couple of possibilities for repair to the winch.
1530 We are alongside at Hub City Boat Yard and a technician pronounces the motor on the winch in need of surgery, so we are here for a couple of days.
There was now a need to let Paul, who was to meet us at Blind Channel, know that we had no hope of making it by the 19th.
The wildlife is appearing on schedule. There are five adult Canada Geese and two goslings alongside and looking for food. They hang around as long as we feed them bread and then they head off.
14th JUNE
Alongside at Hub City for the day. The winch motor has been removed and dispatched for repair. We were given access to a phone line and so, we had communication with the outside world. A reference to a computer tech helped us get the program for Sailmail, but I still could not get the bloody thing to work.
A Harbour Seal turns up in the evening.
The day was spent tinkering with bits and pieces on SKyamsen.
15th JUNE
The winch motor has been refitted. Hub City is adjacent to the fuel dock and there is a huge oil lighter and tug alongside. All the fuel for the island has to come across by barge because there is no pipe line from the mainland.
1430 Out of Hub City and heading to Nanaimo Municipal Marina.
1500 In at the Municipal Marina. We arrive in time to have our photographs taken with the boat as part of a promotional project they have.
Tea at a floating "fish and chippery".
There is a great deal of interest in SKyamsen and us. We guess the attractive boat and the Aussie ensign on her stern intrigues people.
