Aussies' Adventures Along The Northwest Inside Passage

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Part 2: From Nanaimo To Desolation Sound

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.

G'day to all

16th JUNE - Saturday

We are in Nanaimo Harbour and have discovered a leak in the plumbing from the head. BUGGER!! With a great deal of luck we found a marine plumber who agreed to come and look at the problem. Terry Marshall of Nanaimo - phone 250 755 4028. Did a thorough job and traced a problem with our macerator. All fixed.

In the pm we wandered up to Tani's Internet Cafe and despatched and received mail from Sailmail and home. Still having problems getting Sailmail up and running. We'll get there. On reflection we could have done with another week in Sidney in the preparation stage.

On the way back we had a good look at a gallery of Native Art. The style and colour is great - really like it.

Back at the boat a fellow yachtie introduces himself and enquires about the outboard and invites us to visit his yacht on one of the other fingers of the Marina.

We eat at the Fish & Chippery again and go to visit Richard and Carol Moen on Suite Luxury. They have a large parrot called Mango which has an amazing vocabulary and keeps us and people on the dock amused. It will not have a bar of me but likes Irene.

17th JUNE - Sunday

0745 Up and about and prepare to get under way. Check the weather forecast which gives NW winds at 15 to 20 knots.

The wind is piping up in the Marina and it is going to be fun getting SKyamsen out of the berth as, being a typical long keel vessel, her response going astern is poor.

0930 Out of the berth and motor out through McKay Channel and the wind is fairly strong. Hoist the main to the first reef and the headsail and we are actually underway with the sails up for the first time. Joy!!! She sails like I remembered from the sea trial last year.

The wind is not kind to the Rhumb Line I laid on the chart and we head off on 358M towards the other side of the Strait of Georgia at a very brisk 5 knots on the log. There is a beam sea of moderate proportions and SKYAMSEN handles well.

The further we go across the strait the further the wind backs and we are eventually able to lay Welcome Passage on the nose. We also have the tide under our tail and so we fairly scoot into the narrowing passage to find the wind die on us. Down with the sails and on with the motor. There is little or no wind as we come out into Malaspina Strait and alter course to starboard to enter Secret Cove having decided that Smuggler Cove may be a little tight for us.

We drop anchor in the northern arm of the Cove near a small island and opposite the floating cafe at 1545 hours.

The rubber ducky and the outboard get their first real outing and we head around Secret Cove and down into the south arm. We stop to chat to a boat from Royal Vancouver Yacht Club who have an outstation there. They have a policy of denying access to other boats including those from Royal chartered clubs - I guess they have their reasons but it doesn't happen at home - their problem not ours.

This really is a beautiful little anchorage and we sit and soak up the atmosphere. A nesting pair of Bald Eagles is in the Southern Arm and there is one in the arm in which we are anchored. An unidentified motley grey eagle of large proportions sits in a tree just near us.

All around us we can hear and see small fish jumping and landing back in the water with a resonant "plop". We rechristen this little part of the northern arm "Plop Cove". To add to the store of wildlife a Banded Kingfisher is sitting in a tree nearby and then has an argument with another one which is seen off the territory with a great deal of noise.

Peace and quiet settles over the anchorage and we settle down for the night.

18th JUNE - Monday

Today's destination is to be Beach Gardens Marina where we are to meet Paul Wellington. It was to have been at Blind Channel but the small hiccups with the anchor winch and the plumbing on the head had put paid to that as a likelihood.

1101 There is a wind from the South and so we will have it under our tail at about 8 to 10 knots. Up with the main and the headsail - no point in the stay sail as the main will blanket it. It is going to be one of those lovely days with a pleasant temperature and sunshine - doesn't bode well for the wind staying with us.

We have set a course to lay North East Point on Texada Island and the sailing is sedate. The ubiquitous tug boats and barges parade past us. The wind is starting to die.

Lunch on the wing as we watch the distant point of Texada Island getting closer.

1420 Wind has left us completely and we sit like Coleridge's ancient mariner waiting for a breeze. Unlike that poor fellow we have a big diesel tucked under us and are not such purists as to reject its use so on it goes and the peace is shattered.

1704 Into Beach Gardens Marina and tie up.

The view across Malaspina Strait to the snow on the mountains of Vancouver Island is spectacular. It just gets better as we go north.

19th JUNE - Tuesday

Today is a rest day almost. We spend the morning cleaning up on SKYAMSEN and squaring a few things away that hadn't been attended to. A good wash to bring her up bright and shiny and as pretty as a picture.

As we are not sure Paul has got our e-mail as to which Marina we are at we catch a taxi to the airport at Powell River and strike one of those taxi drivers who knows where everything is and how to get the best out of whatever you are after.

If the Airline that is bringing Paul in is as efficient as its ground staff are friendly and helpful then Pacific Coastal is the way to fly around the Vancouver Island area.

The afternoon chore is to lay out the anchor chain on the dock and measure it. At intervals there are 20 or so links painted white and measuring the length of the intervals will certainly be helpful in determining how much chain we have out. The answer is 15 metres.

The marina does not have a restaurant but recommend the Jitterbug Cafe in Westview. We can now also recommend it. The food was excellent and plentiful.

20th JUNE - Wednesday

The sky is overcast and it has the feel of rain however there is a breeze out of the South.

After topping up our diesel and water we are ready to head for Desolation Sound.

1045 A late start but there is a breeze from astern and so we head north along the shore line to leave Harwood Island to Port. The last time we passed Powell River was on the Spirit of ‘98 and they made a point of showing us the ships as a breakwater. It was that trip that decided us on coming here to cruise the Inside Passage.

There are seals everywhere. Irene thinks that they are Harbour Seals but I am not so sure - she is usually right and they certainly look like the pictures.

The wind is dying away and it going to one of those days when there is thick cloud cover and sporadic rain - and the scenery is beautiful anyway so who cares about a bit of water.

1210 Here we go again - on with the motor. There are fishing boats everywhere, seals and sea birds so there has to be fish.

We leave Savary Island to Port and as we pass Dinner Rock we take the hint and lunch is served in the cockpit. The shore line to Starboard is lined with houses with great views out over Malaspina Strait and we wonder whether the occupants realize the beauty of what they see everyday and the privilege of having such a view - or are they just blasé about it all?

It is still raining as we pass Lund which looks like a fascinating place but we have a goal for the day and so press on into Thulin Passage. The little nooks and crannies along this Passage look as though they would be worth poking around in with a dinghy and perhaps we will do so on the trip south.

Who named the little settlement before Sarah Point as Bliss Landing?

Sarah Point lies to Starboard and we turn into Desolation Sound. There is still no wind and we keep on the motor up towards Mink Island. The view is breathtaking.

Discussion ensues as to where we are going to anchor for the night and we canvass Grace Harbour, Tenedos Bay and Prideaux Haven and finally settle on Melanie Cove in Prideaux Haven.

Wisdom dictates a few less revs on the motor and we slow down to pass between the little group at Curmes Island to Port and Otter Island to Starboard and then hug Otter Island to give a wide berth to the unmarked Sky Pilot Rock. The large knob of Morgan Island sits to Port and Irene has to take a photograph of it to show our eldest grand-daughter Morgan - now where do we find an island called Breanna to satisfy the youngest of the two?

Even using Chart 3555 the entrance to Prideaux Haven is not that clear but we spot the sign at the entrance and slowly nose in on a high tide carefully watching the depth sounder. There are three power boats anchored to the East near William Islands with stern ties to the shore and another at anchor down towards Eveleigh Anchorage.

We have looked at photographs of this anchorage now for two years and at last we are nosing into it in our own boats. The next photographs will be of SKYAMSEN in Melanie Cove.

Watching the depth sounder we pick a spot about a third of the way along Melanie Cove and drop anchor and secure the boat. The motor is off and the view and the soft sounds of the forest and the water lapping just under the lower boughs of the trees is like a gentle melody - bliss.

A couple of other boats further in share our anchorage.

The temptation is too great to wait for tomorrow so the rubber ducky is activated and the outboard's high pitched sound shatters the peace of the anchorage as we go poking around to see what there is to look at.

Tonight we also christen the barbeque on the pushpit rails and dinner is superb, followed by enormous strawberries splashed with Cointreau with a glass of wine and a port and chocolates to follow with the coffee - someone's got to do it.

20th JUNE - Thursday

We have now got Paul on board and after breakfast swing the boat onto the fuel dock and top up.

1045 We are out of the Marina into Malaspina Strait. The wind is light to moderate from the South West and so the main and headsail go up. We pass Powell River and the line of old hulks forming the breakwater. We are finally back where Irene and I can pick up things we saw from Spirit of ‘98.

We leave Harwood Island to Port. There are seals everywhere so obviously there are a lot of fish around. The wind is dying and it is starting to rain and the clouds are low. It is actually quite beautiful.

Motoring along we leave Savary Island to Port.

Lund is passed and it looks a fascinating little place - pity that we have set ourselves a goal for the day or we would pop in and have a closer look and we can see Thulin Passage in front of us.

I had always had in mind that Thulin Passage was the real start of the voyage and so it is with expectation that we motor into it. It looks like a place that would be fun to poke around in a small [like real small] boat in amongst the small islands and nooks and crannies.

Sarah Point is to Starboard and we turn the corner into Desolation Sound - sigh! The decision is made to go to Prideaux Haven to anchor and so we head up North East leaving Mink Island to Port and then through the gap between Curmes Island and Otter Island. Chart 3555 [Thank you Phil & Gwen] is sitting alongside the wheel and is getting a pretty intensive scrutiny.

Sky Pilot Rock on the chart is noted and so we hug Otter Island and then the mainland to keep well clear of it. We look into Eveleigh Anchorage on the way past and stick with our first decision. The slight breeze that had sprung up is now gone.

Down to bare steerage way we pick our path into Prideaux Haven very carefully with the guide in Irene's hand and under scrutiny and the chart alongside David.

In and no bottom paint lost and so we head across and into Melanie Cove and drop anchor about half way along. No shore tie.

1650 Anchor down.

We fire up the engine on the "ducky" and go exploring.

We have looked at photographs of this place so long and now we are here.

21st JUNE - Thursday

We are at anchor in Melanie Cove. There is a little cloud cover but it is looking good. Today is to be a day of relaxation.

Irene and I spend an hour or so pottering along the shore line gazing at the star fish and other sea life along the tide line. A little stream bubbles in at the end of the cove through the heavy forest and it is a picture of magnificence.

We spot what looks like a duck but has a pointed beak and a vivid brown crested head. It is a female Common Merganser and we mark another natural find off in our book.

Paul is feeling energetic and so David takes him to the head of the cove in the ducky and drops him off. As the ducky gets back to SKYAMSEN it cuts out and then the starter doesn't work. Out with the tool box and disassemble a new motor and rectify the problem. Just as well the dealer was a few miles away. It is fixed in time to pick Paul up at the head of the Cove as David was not looking forward to rowing back against the wind.

The wind is getting up and we swing across towards the South East side of the cove and David starts to get a tad nervous about the position.

Up with the anchor and motor out into Prideaux Haven near the bar separating it from Eveleigh Anchorage and down with the anchor with plenty of scope. All is well and we sit bow to the wind until it dies down and we become tide rode again.

22nd JUNE - Friday

Wake to an anchorage which is emptying.

1015 There is not much wind which seems to be the way at the moment and so we motor slowly out of Prideux Haven and around the East end of Mary Island and then head South West in Homfray Channel. The sun is shining and the day looks great. As we cross the mouth of Waddington Channel there is a great view up the channel.

Refuge Cove is the destination and the chart is examined and the passage between West Rodondo Island and Martin Islands is considered and then abandoned. Paul is on the wheel. His experience with boats is largely on Narrow Boats on the English Canals so SKyamsen is something new.

1215 Motor slowly into Refuge Cove. David is looking forward to one of the hamburgers which are mentioned in just about everything you read about Refuge Cove.

The storekeeper is very helpful and puts some late mail, from us, into the bag for the float plane which is about to arrive.

There are NO HAMBURGERS. The concession does not open until the beginning of July and David is not a happy chappy. We ring home to see if there has been a reply from SailMail - none. David is trying just about everything and not getting any results and is getting a little annoyed.

The float plane arrives and lands into the Cove - amazing.

1420 We depart Refuge Cove and motor out into a reasonably fresh wind so the sails go up and we spend the next two and a half hours sailing around between West Redondo Island and Cortes Island before motoring slowly into Squirrel Cove. It is lovely to hoist the sails and turn the noisy machinery off and watch and feel SKyamsen take on a different personality

1745 The anchor is down and Paul heads off to row around the cove for a "sticky beak".

Another late dinner and when the sun finally sets we get out the Star Chart for the Northern Hemisphere and start to try to identify the various constellations. There are stars we either do not see or see from a different persective.

We do manage to identify Ursus Minor.

23rd JUNE - Saturday

We are up late again. Pancakes for breakfast. There is now a full bag of refuse and it is time to dispose of it.

1030 Leave for Squirrel Cove Pier and the refuse drop. The tide is very low and so we opt to raft up alongside an ancient fishing boat with no one aboard while David climbs the ramp and deposits our bag of rubbish in the bin and the requested donation in the box on the office wall at the end of the pier.

1125 We are heading up along Lewis Channel to Teakerne Arm trolling a line for salmon but without any joy.

The line is left in the water until we are well up Teakerne Arm and then wound in.

There is no wind and so David just sits us about 40 metres off the falls while Paul rows ashore to climb up to Cassell Lake. This is definately the place we visited in Spirit of ‘98 three years ago.

A wind springs up which is blowing straight up the anchorage but the decision is made to try and catch a salmon so we motor slowly out of the arm.

By the time we are back in Lewis Channel and the wind dies both Irene and Paul have gone to sleep, Irene in the cockpit and Paul below - great company they are.

The fishing line stays out until we are near Boulder Point and then retrieved - minus fish.

1600 We are back in Squirrel Cove.

Dinner in the cockpit. There are fewer boats here than last night.

The sky has been getting darker by the minute and we are bombarded with a spectacular lightning show and rolling thunder and David looks around to see who has the tallest mast in the anchorage - not us.

As we prepare to bunk down for the night the sky opens up and it rains, and it rains and it keeps on raining.

24th JUNE - Sunday

The sky is clear but the buckets on deck are full of last night's rain and the dinghy is going to need bailing.

Paul is to leave us today and so he finishes his packing while David gets us ready to head across to Refuge Cove.

0937 Out of Squirrel Cove and on the way to Refuge Cove on the motor

1015 Alongside at Refuge Cove and up to the Coffee Shop for breakfast - latté and cinammon buns. Paul is advised that his plane will now be here at 1230 not 1130 so we just bum around the dock talking to people and doing a little shopping.

We hear a plane and head to the end of the sea plane landing and it starts to rain so Dan and Ele off Sea Sneaker offer us shelter while we wait. Irene and Dan spend the time pouring over the charts of where we want to go.

The DeHavilland Beaver arrives and flies by the mouth of the cove and disappears so David gets ready to photograph it as it turns and comes into land but it appears out of the north arm of the Cove and he misses the photograph.

Windarra, a US flagged vessel, which was near us in Squirrel Cove has tied up just in front of us and we chat to Rich and Elaine off her while we have lunch at the Coffee Shop. David leaves a small Koala with all the notes from visiting boaters to mark our visit to the Cove. Rich and Elaine [and two kids] are about to head off to cross the Pacific and so we chat about what there is in our part of the World and offer them our e-mail address to assist them in anyway we can when the come south.

1700 We have topped up the water and fuel and bought some supplies and it is time to head back across to Squirrel Cove we are going to spend the night again.

There is a light wind but the trip is too short so we stay on the motor.

1800 Back at anchor and we are on our own again.

This is a lovely anchorage and we can see why it is crowded in the season.

25th JUNE - Monday

Today is a day of relaxation and we just spend time cleaning and tidying SKyamsen before we head further north tomorrow.

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