Aussies' Adventures Along The Northwest Inside Passage

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Part 4: From Gillard Passage To Kamux Island, Farewell Harbour

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,

28th JUNE - Thursday

The sun is back and after breakfast we prepare to move. Pay the account at the store and we are ready to go.

1115 Away from the Marina and motor slowly out towards Gillard Passage into the last of the flood. Jade Myst is close astern and a motor vessel ahead of us. Into and through Gillard Passage and then Dent Rapids with the last of the flood into the ebb and once through Dent we have the ebb tide under our tail and so ease off on the motor and move along with the tide just admiring the scenery.

We pass to the west of Denman Island and cross Nodales Channel. The wind is non existent and the water is like a mirror. The hills/mountains on either side of us drop almost vertically into the water and there are snow covered peaks away to the North. Between Frederick Arm and Phillips Arm the chart shows 3 peaks of 1010 metres, 1213 metres and 1219 metres (Treblel Mountain).

Crossing Shoal Bay on our port side the small settlement of Thurlow opens up to us with a couple of boats at its public warf. Jade Myst leaves us and heads into the wild excitement of a night in Thurlow.

Rounding Godwin Point we continue South West along Cordero Channel and off Bifkley Bay spot what we think could be a dolphin away to port.

Approaching Erasmus Island we opt to leave it to port and not use the channel through Crawford Anchorage.

As we are about to turn into Mayne Passage to Blind Channel a Bald Eagle swoops on a fish directly ahead of us and then flies up to a nest on the point to port.

1500 We approach Blind Channel and the Guide is out again to read up on the approach. The current swirls within the bay just as described and we nose into the finger closest to the fuel dock and tie up with the assistance of a most personable young man who happens to be the grand-son of the owners.

This is another of the places we have looked at in the NBT Guide and on the web site over the last two and a half years and now we are here.

After checking in at the store we sit out the front looking out over Mayne Passage and we spot more Humming birds.

A look at the Menu in the store prompts a reservation for the restaurant that night and so we head up there at 1900. Another grand son of the owners and equably personable as his brother is the waiter. The food is excellent.

Just outside the window we spot a brightly coloured bird at a nest in the small pine tree and it turns out to be a male Bohemian Wax Wing and it is busy going to and fro and feeding the hen which is apparently sitting on eggs.

The long twilight paints the Passage and the trees on the other side in softening colours and apart from the gentle noise of the current around the fingers all is quiet.

To cap the day off we spot a pair of Violet-Green Swallows who have a nest in between two of the piles on the finger two over from us.

29th JUNE - Friday

0830 Up and have a leisurely breakfast and potter around the boat. The view across Mayne Passage is good and boats arrive and depart from the Marina.

The inevitable washing has to be done and the facilities here are great- so are the showers which are sparkling clean, hot and with unlimited water. This takes up most of the morning and early afternoon.

Late in the afternoon we take the walk up to the Giant Cedar Tree. The path is steep but the walk through the forest is worth it. The sights and sounds are so different to the Australian Bush and everything is new and enthralling.

David is watchful and noisier than when we are out in the bush at home as an unexpected encounter with a bear is not on the list of things to do.

Back at the marina we talk to two blokes who are up from Victoria to do some serious fishing up Knight Inlet and they pass on more useful local information.

Another quiet evening.

30th JUNE - Saturday

Blind Channel Resort. Fine weather again - you just can't help good luck. No wind but who cares - actually we do because the sails haven't been up for a week.

The temptation is too great and so we give in and shower ashore in the more than adequate facilites here. As we have to pass through Greene Point Rapids our departure is governed by the slack water time there.

We are lying at right angles to the fuel dock on the nearest finger and is there is a strong current running through the bay and past the docks David decides to warp SKYamsen around to the fuel dock and lays out the lines to do so to the great interest of the attendant who says he has never seen it done before.

1156 We loosen off our lines and the current swings our bow out into the bay and with an absolute minimum of effort we are out into the still flooding current to carry us down to Greene Point Rapids.

The last of the flood is still coming through the rapids and so we nose into it following three other yachts to come out into Chancellor Channel.

Just through the rapids we encounter two tugs heading with the flood. One is towing two barges with what looks like a complete Logging Camp on them - residential buildings and all. The second is towing a barge with a crane and other mechanical equipment on it.

There is a noticeable lift in our speed as the flood turns to the ebb and so we throttle back and just wander along soaking up the scenery.

Ahead of us one of the yachts has slowed down and as we come up behind her we recognize Jade Myst. Alongside we confirm that Wendy and Larry are going to Forward Harbour as well and so we slowly pull ahead of them while they try and catch a salmon.

A couple of floating log camps against the shore line and some areas of clear felling along the shore to port. The view down channel towards Johnstone Strait is clear and the mountains on Vancouver Island stand well clear of West Thurlow Island seeming to beckon us on into the Strait.

Time to try our luck with the salmon and so David puts over this "never fail lure" (according to the bloke in the tackle shop) and slows down our progress. Somebody forgot to tell the salmon about the lure and we miss out again. So have Jade Myst. As we reach Wellbore Channel and prepare to turn to starboard we are passed by another yacht under power - Star out of Seattle - and it is obvious that he intends to barrel straight on through Whirlpool Rapids and so we follow him up and watch with interest.

Picking mid-channel he passes through without a tremor in his mast and so we decide to follow his example and head into the rapids keeping a careful eye out. Some turbulence but none of the whirlpools that form north and south of Carterer Point.

Irene calls Jade Myst on the VHF and advises them of our passage and they come on through after us.

1555 Into Forward Harbour. There are several other boats ahead of us and so we anchor out in about 15 metres on a falling tide. There is a magnificent view up Forward Harbour to this enormous mountain with snow well down its sides - sigh!! Another part of paradise.

1st JUNE - Sunday

We wake to brilliant sunshine again and a fast emptying anchorage. Soon there is only us and Jade Myst left and so David pulls up the anchor and moves closer into the little beach which forms the bite of Douglas Bay.

The decision has been made to stay here for the day and take the ducky up the harbour. Keeping close to the north shore we wander slowly up harbour admiring the trees which hang down over the water.

We are hoping to see a bear - some distance behind us Wendy is trolling for salmon in their bright orange ducky.

There is a group of buildings at the head of the harbour and probably a logging camp though seemingly no activity so we assume that it is not in use. Five Common Merganser Ducks have their morning reverie on a covenient floating log shattered by our intrusion into their world and they fly away to the south.

Back at the boats Wendy informs us that she was about 30 metres from a Black Bear standing on the little promontory we had passed only minutes ahead of her.

As the afternoon stretches on other boats start to arrive and anchor.

A large tug with a log boom in tow appears in the harbour and heads slowly towards the end of the harbour and then turns and stops. We assume he is waiting for slack water outside.

Two power boats sit rafted up about 50 metres away and someone on board gives everyone on the two boats - and the rest of the anchorage as well - a briefing on where they are going the next day. Perhaps he doesn't realize how sound carries over the stillness of an anchorage. The briefing was adequate but not up to Staff College standard.

1700 Wendy and Larry come aboard for afternoon drinks and we watch a converted tug enter and anchor. Her name is Elf and the life ring bears her name and the date 1902. She has been converted into a very attractive cruising boat but probably costs a fortune to run and maintain.

The clouds move in and the forecast is not brilliant. David puts the side curtains up in the cockpit as it starts to spit rain drops - a certain method of preventing rain and it does.

Two days in a row. We are still in Alert Bay and will leave tomorrow to explore the Pearse Group next to Cormorant Island and will then go to Port McNeill.

We are having the time of our lives and the experience is sometimes a sensation overload.

After a leisurely breakfast we prepare to leave and catch the afternoon ebb tide. Coming from an almost tideless influence on our home waters the daily reading of the favourable tides for sailing gives a new meaning to the old saying - "We will sail on the tide".

1400 We motor slowly out into the flooding tide and push against it across Bessborough Bay and then turn down Sunderland Channel towards Johnstone Strait. The day is clear and there is no wind and we can quite easily pick out York Island at the confluence of Sunderland and Johnstone.

What little wind there is is on our nose and is bitterly cold and so we rug up. It seems we have crossed some mystical line separating the warmth of Southern BC from the chill of Northern BC.

Johnstone Strait offers a flat surface and no wind and so we stay close in on the northern side as it is our intention - at this stage - of staying at Port Neville. Perhaps we will see whales.

Approaching McLeod Bay a twin engined float plane lands directly in front of us and taxis into the bay to what looks like a camp of some sort. A short stay and it taxis out and takes off right in front of us. We never cease to be enthralled by them as they are not common in Australia - in fact they are downright uncommon.

The view ahead of us is of a long stretch of flat water with high mountains to our south on Vancouver Island and lower hills to our north and a sun which is clear and bright but not offering us much warmth. No matter we are content with the beauty which surrounds us and the tranquility of the scene.

Drawing level with Port Neville the strait is still flat calm and we have the tide under our tail and so we decide to continue on to Port Harvey and hopefully see a whale. No whales but masses of drifting kelp. Broken Islands are given plenty of clearance and we bear almost due magnetic north into Port Harvey and up to the end past Range Island to the anchorages that Hugo and Rachel Anderson had marked on the chart. The head of the inlet is now being logged and we arrive to the sound of machinery on shore.

On the way in we pass a "float house" close in on the west side of the inlet. What a fascinating way to live.

1915 Anchor in 10 metres of water at low tide.

Square away and make all secure.

Fresh prawns for dinner followed by cherry pie. Life doesn't get any better than this.

3rd JULY - Tuesday

Wake to the sound of machinery working on shore. Sun is shining again and there is a light breeze blowing up the inlet. Perhaps we will get some sailing in - then of course we may win the State Lottery at home.

1030 Motor quietly out into Johnstone Strait and there is a little wind from the South East. Up with the sails and the bloody wind dies. Aaaaarrgghhhhh!!!!!!

We are keeping West Cracroft Island about a half mile to starboard with Irene carefully watching for whales. The best we can do is two dolphins about 100 metres off to Port.

The tide is flooding and we are nosing into and it is our intention is to go into Boat Bay opposite Robsons Bight and hopefully see some Orca.

There are no Whale watching boats about and that seems to indicate the state of play on the whales. We have crossed over the Strait to close to the Vancouver Island shore and the chill breeze that had been keeping us refrigerated dies away. The water is flat and there is still a lot of drifting kelp and wood.

The decision has been made to press on to Alert Bay and as we approach the Blinkhorn Peninsula there are lots of small sport fishing boats about and racing to and fro.

A huge white cruise liner appears slowly out of Blackney Pass. The first indication of its presence was the huge red funnel looking a bit like a Hammerhead Shark which protruded above Cracroft Point and we wonder at how many people are looking our way and wondering why people go to sea in little boats like ours while we are wondering why people bother to go to sea in floating hotels like that.

Pressing west from the Blinkhorn Peninsula there is a lot of turbulence in the water and small whirlpools appear. We are supposed to have the tide under our tail but our speed over the ground drops and we have obviously picked up a counter current.

Kayakers are appearing as we get closer to Cormorant Island and the weather starts to close in as we are abreast of the Pearse Islands. It looks like the forecast high winds are going to materialize.

They do as we enter Alert Bay and Irene prepares us to come alongside in behind the breakwater.

Nosing around the end of it there is a nice big vacant spot near the end of E row and we nose in starboard side to while willing hands take our bow and stern lines. I would have liked to have spun her nose into the rising wind but will settle for being secure alongside.

Snug behind the breakwater we watch the wind rise and the Canadian courtesy flag at our starboard yard and the flags in the port yard are stretched out hard. Our big Aussie ensign is also standing out and it takes a lot of wind to do that.

4th JULY - Wednesday

Alongside in Alert Bay. They only have 20 amp power and we have 30 amp leads. Ho hum not one of lifes greatest tragedies.

We are staying for the day and so it is planned out and we head off into town and down to the burial ground on the south end of town to look at the totem poles and after enquiring at the information centre about e-mail access pick up some needed shopping from the supermarket facing the water. Very helpful people.

The U'mista Cultural Centre is the next target and we wander slowly along the water front to the centre.

If you are a visitor then this is a "must see". A half hour video on the culture of the people and then an hour or so looking at the artefacts and marvelling at the skill of the craftsmen and women who made them is truly satisfying. From reading exerpts of his correspondence it seems that George Vancouver was more understanding of the native culture than later Europeans.

The wind has died for the moment but the forecast is for 40 knot winds and so we spin SKyamsen end for end so her nose is to the wind and tie her securely. We can now sit in the cockpit behind the dodger in comfort - from polar fleece to T shirt in one short step.

After lunch we visit the Graphics Designer shop next to the bicycle store next to the laundromat and access the e-mail for news from home. Late dinner again and the decision is to stay another day as there is so much to see.

We are in Port McNeill. A small problem with the Wabasto water heater and we have come in to find someone to look at it.

Linda and Jack Schreiber are here and by chance they have a mechanic looking at a small problem on Sanctuary so he is going to look at us as well.

5th JULY - Thursday

Alongside in Alert Bay. This town has a nice feel to it. Chores to be done so off to the laundromat with a book and the lap top.

The e-mail facility [take your own lap top or use their computer] is at Anansi Enterprises which is next door to the bike shop which is next door to the laundromat and is run by Terry O'Neill. Very obliging and reasonable rate.

David takes the washing and the lap top back to the boat and we ascend the steps alongside the large tanks on the main street and head to the ecological park at the top of the hill - like straight up.

Walking throught the trees you suddenly emerge on to a board walk through a wet lands with an almost pre-historic feel to it. Fascinating and quite beautiful so long as you are into the beauty of wet land areas.

Clouds of small insects - non biting - and dozens of swallows having quite a feast.

A bit more shopping at the excellent supermarket fronting the water and a little more maintenance on the boat and the day is done.

6th JULY - Friday

0700 The alarm goes off as we want an early start as the intention is to go into the Pearse Island Group for a couple of days and go gunkholing in the ducky.

Fire up the Wabasto for hot water - well the idea was to fire up the Wabasto but all we get is cold air out of it and that does not bode well for hot water. Change of plans as we now need to get the Wabasto looked at so Port McNeill is to be the destination.

0840 Out of the Alert Bay Marina and along to the fuel dock to top up the diesel.

0911 Away from the fuel dock and head out into a still water situation with not a breath of wind and light rain falling. Wet gear on for only the second time for the trip.

Leaving Alert Rock and its marker well to Port we head west with the ebb tide under our tail. Some small boat traffic and we know that the Port McNeill - Alert Bay ferry is going to be coming after us soon as it was heading into Alert Bay as we left.

Exercising our ability, as a craft under 20 metres, to use the inshore traffic traffic zone we stay close into the Vancouver Island shore and leave Haddington Island well out to starboard.

There are quite a number of large house being built along the water front between Broad Point and Deer Bluff.

The ferry catches us and we alter course out of its way and as it goes past turn into its not inconsiderable wake.

We nose into the Marina at Port McNeill and into a berth on the very end of the fingers to be met by the wharfinger. We accept his offer of a snug berth in A row and on finding we have a long keel and therefore do not steer all that well going astern he advises us to nose in as there is room to swing SKyamsen at the berth.

1056 Alongside and square away. Side curtains are zipped into the bimini, power connected and the ducky made fast keeping it away from the hull. Linda Schrieber appears out of the mist and we find that Sanctuary is also here for a couple of days. We catch up at last.

The decks are long overdue for a clean and so David is out with the deck mop and the hose in the rain and a half hours work sees us gleaming again.

We are stern in to the main walkway and our big Australian Ensign is draped out across the bimini for all to look at and our home port, Melbourne, is emblazoned across the stern. Passers by can be heard commenting on the boat from Australia.

Linda and Jack have a mechanic looking at a small problem on Sanctuary and he is going to look at us when he finishes.

7th JULY - Saturday

Up at a reasonable hour for a change and shower at the Marina facility - nice to just stand under the running water.

Potter around the boat waiting for Graham MacDonald, the fixit man, to arrive. He does so at 1100 hours.

A real nice bloke.

We go on a sharp learning curve with the Wabasto as Graham points out all the various bits and pieces that are on it - remember heaters in boats at home are virtually unknown and the hot water is usually generated from a heat exchanger leading from the motor.

We discover that it also has the facility to heat water from shore power as well as the diesel furnace and so we have hot water again.

The search for the problem takes all day and Graham discovers that the system has overheated and shut down, one of the water hoses has come off - probably as a result of the overheated motor on the pump which is found to be in need of replacement.

David accepts the responsibility for the problem as he has not realized that the system has its own header tank for cooling. It draws its fuel from the main tanks but has a separate cooling system. That's a mistake we won't make again. We are going to be here until at least Monday.

As dusk settles we go for a walk around Port McNeill.

8th JULY - Sunday

Now that we have hot water again we can shower on the boat.

We have been recommended to a coffee shop in town and so head up there for breakfast and eventually Irene translates what David wants to the young lady who is working there.

They have coffee cups the size of buckets and a great cappucino - bliss.

The gallery "Just Art" - see page 198 of NBT Guide - is on our list of places to go as it has Kwakiutl art and SKyamsen is the Kwakiutl word for Thunderbird.

A very pleasant hour and a half is spent looking at the carvings and paintings in the gallery and chatting to the owner. At the end of it we but a "talking stick" and a mask to take home with us and add to the collection of bits and pieces we have accumulated in our travels. The gallery is well worth the visit when you are in Port McNeill.

The afternoon is spent with Linda and Jack Schreiber on Sanctuary chatting and looking at the charts of the area and discussing places to visit and things to see. A pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

Pizza for tea and an early night.

9th JULY - Monday

We are at Port McNeill awaiting news on the part for the pump to determine when we can get away from here and back to the wilderness. Graham MacDonald appears and informs us that the part has been ordered and will probably be here tomorrow but not to hold our breaths.

Lug the washing up to the laundromat and Irene converts the grubby washing into clean washing while David downloads the digital camera onto the lap top and onto disc for Phil & Gwen.

The afternoon is spent restocking the larder and the liquor cabinet. Call back to "Just Art" and pick up our purchases all packed in bubble wrap and boxes.

In the hope that we are out of here tomorrow David loads the gas (Propane) bottles into the "ducky" and heads to the fuel dock to fill them. On reconnecting the seal on the fitting it is not working - AAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sandwiches for tea.

10th JULY - Tuesday

Graham appears on the dock - no part until tomorrow. David heads off to the Radio Shack and gas dealer to get a replacement part for the gas cylinder.

They do not have one on hand and so order one to arrive tomorrow - popular word in this part of the world but we are philosophical about it all anyway. This is a very social place and our berth near the ramp ensures that there is a constant stream of people stopping to admire SKyamsen and chat to us about what a couple of Aussies are doing in this part of the world.

David attends at the Craft Shop in the shopping centre and sends and receives e-mails so that we are still in touch with home and family. You guessed it the bloody Sailmail is still not working and David is about to give up on it until we get home.

1245 Catch the ferry "Queen of Quadra II" from Port McNeill to Sointula to look around. First stop is at the pub - called The Bilge - for lunch. Good food and good value. We can recommend it even though it is a bit of a walk if you go into the Marina. It is a two minute walk from the Ferry terminal.

At the museum the curator gives us a potted history of Sointula and points out the Aussie connection. Apparently the settler who started the Finnish language newspaper had been enticed from Australia to do so. It is worth a look and a bit of time to read the various articles and items on display - most of which are in English.

1615 David estimates the wind is gusting to about Force 7 and the trip back across to Port McNeill is made in a high wind with a low sea - not something we generally see at home except near shore when the wind is from the North.

Frank Black, who works for the municipality and lives on his boat in the Marina, arrives for a chat and offers to take us for a tour around Port McNeill and to look at the big burl. This is a huge growth which was cut from a tree in the area and is supposed to be the biggest in the world.

The barbeque works so it is hamburgers and salad for tea and Frank comes to socialize in the evening.

11th JULY - Wednesday

You guessed it we are still at Port McNeill, the part and Graham have not materialized as yet and the forecast is bloody lousy. We have made arrangements for Graham to access the boat if the part arrives and we head off for the day on the FREE Forestry Tour.

0930 Depart from the Marina. The tour runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday and takes you into the forestry area to show you the industry warts and all. Our guide is Jonathon Lok from Timber West and our bus driver is Gabby Wickstrom who is a friend of Linda and Jack Schreiber - the world gets smaller and smaller.

We are taken to look at clear felling areas, rejuvenation areas and the retrieval of logs from a steep (like really steep) hillside. The logs are retrieved with a huge machine with cables stretched up the hill and a grapple attached to it - sort of like a huge version of the games you sometimes see in amusement parlours where you can keep whatever you can pick up with the grapple. All this can be done from a distance of up to 200 to 250 metres from the person in the control cabin.

While we were watching one of the logs being retrieved broke off and the loose part headed down the slope like a spear - anything in its way was just mown down. This is a dangerous occupation.

The last port of call is the dry sorting area where the logs are sorted into type and size and then wired together to form the boom. The "bump boats" which push them around are tiny and obviously very deep drafted with powerful motors and big props. To watch them work is fascinating - a sort of water borne Dodgem Car.

Apart from some birds the only animal we saw all day was a tiny squirrel which Jonathan called a Timber Tiger - perhaps he knows something about them that their size conceals.

We expected this tour to be something of a propaganda exercise by the timber industry but instead it turned out to be an exhibition of the industry as it really is and not some glossy and biased view of the industry. No question was too hard and none were avoided in answering. The attitude was refreshing and we reccomend the tour to anyone who cares to take it.

1630 Back in Port McNeill. The part for the gas system has arrived and Gabby has given us some Moose steaks and Moose pepperoni.

Graham turns up to tell us that the pump part will be in tomorrow - oh yeah.

Anyway the gas is working to the house system and so we can cook food in the galley and make coffee.

12th JULY - Thursday

Irene tears a calf muscle while retrieving her glasses from the shelf alongside her bunk and is in considerable pain so she is made comfortable in the main cabin with an ice3 pack on it.

Graham arrives with our pump at about 1000 and the process of fitting this little bugger to the hot water system follows. For some reason Wabasto have created the system so that the lead from the pump runs up the inside of the rest of the system between the bulkhead - or whatever you fasten it to - to the rest of the electrics so the whole pump has to come off.

1400 The job is finished and the system works again. David won't forget to check the header tank in future to make sure that there is water there.

1600 Ring home to Australia to the physio and get advice on further treatment for Irene to be told that she should not do anything on it for a couple of days - there goes leaving on Friday.

David wanders back up to the commercial part of town and sends and receives e-mails and then comes back to tidy up and get the dinner.

A very quiet night with Irene laid up.

13th -JULY - Friday

If you are superstitious this is a good day not to set sail. We aren't but have decided to give Irene's leg another day of recuperation.

The domestic chores fall to David and so he sets off with the laundry to get that done and have a long shower at the dock office while it is on. The shower on the boat is fine but you can't just stand there with your mind in neutral and let the warm water run all over you.

As we are here for the day we take the opportunity to e-mail home again as we are not sure whether that will be possible before we come back on the 23rd to pick up our friends.

Graham MacDonald - the wizard who found and repaired our small problem - pokes his nose in to say hello and is quick to accept a cup of "real coffee" and a chat.

We fill the water tanks and get ready to head out of here.

14th JULY - Saturday

1130 The lines are released and with a some willing hands to turn our bow sprit out past the adjacent finger - the wind is blowing us on to the dock and there is not sufficient room to use the stern spring to turn us - David puts it slowly ahead and we move quietly out into the basin. As we do a ladies voice from Blue Turtle calls "Goodye SKyamsen" and somebody else waves from the dock. We have made friends while here and that is always a blessing. Past the breakwater there is a bit of wind but the decision is not to sail as Irene is not capable of scrambling around while we tack.

We are out of the shelter of the breakwater and heading towards Haddington Island and there is a great black cloud behind us spilling rain and obscuring the view back up into Port McNeill. Wet weather gear is the order of the day and we watch this rain creep slowly down behind us but not to us. Could it have been low cloud? Hard to believe it was as the clouds approaching had those dark filmy veils stretching earthwards.

We leave Haddington Island to Port and out into Cormorant Channel leaving Cormorant Island to starboard and cutting close to Leonard Point to stay clear of Leonard Rock.

The dark cloud seems to have stayed with the land along Vancouver Island and elsewhere the sun is out but the temperature is not that warm.

Whales - where are the whales? Irene is keeping a close look out as we head down Cormorant Channel towards Blackfish Sound.

Two large cruise ships appear from Queen Charlotte Strait and, in obedience to the traffic separation scheme, pass out of view to the south of Cormorant Island to appear again as they cross Pearse Passage.

Can that be fog way behind us? There is no way of telling and we have yet to encounter our first fog in this part of the world where large solid things abound

. We are going to stay in Devonshire Passage in the Pearse Islands group. Devonshire Passage? It is the name the Whale Tour man from Alert Bay has given it as when they run a day tour they come through the passage to show the people the charm of the place and while there serve Devonshire Tea. It is the passage just above the southern most island (and incidentally the largest) and the rest of the group.

The chart shows a marker on the west end of the island on the north side of the passage at the west end but it is not there and so we nose slowly into the passage. The islands match the chart and the electronic chart shows us right at the mouth of the passage so in we go. Chart 3546 shows three islands in a row above the large island and marked 73, 75 and 72 from West to East. Between 73 and 75 there is a small passage which is not navigable. 75 has a little hook on it at the south end of that passage and we drop anchor off there in 6.5 metres of water on a rising tide.

1500 The anchor is down and holding.

This looks like a good anchorage and we seem to have good holding against the wind coming along the passage. It would be more sheltered with a stern tie to take us in towards the little bay east of the hook but David is still to be convinced that tieing your boat at right angles to wind and possible current is a good thing and so we sit out about 50 metres. As we are the only boat here that is not a real issue.

David heads off in the ducky to explore the anchorage. There is an abandoned float house beached at the high tide mark in a little bay in the passage between 73 and 75.

Just astern of us a cliff face drops 35 to 40 metres straight into the passage but the little ledges and cracks are a riot of wild flowers with little patches of white, red and yellow clinging to almost impossible places.

There is a lot of kelp in here and it would pay to have a good look where you are going if you decide to come in here.

Gone are the sounds of shopping trolleys coming down the ramp onto the Marina wharf to be replaced by the call of birds and the lapping of the water against the hull.

As the evening progresses there is a little stream of small craft using the passage as a short cut to avoid going out around the island.

15th JULY - Sunday

We have woken up to a rising wind and a lousy forecast and so the decision is made to head to Farewell Harbour as at least the bottom there is a known quantity in terms of achoring.

1055 The anchor is up. There is a lot of kelp on the CQR and we surmise that the bottom is heavy with weed. We motor out against the current setting into the Passage and once clear turn to starboard to set a course almost due North (Magnetic) towards Mitchell Bay on Malcolm Island.

The wind is about 15 to 20 kts and straight up Cormorant Channel on our beam. With Pearse Reefs clear of our starboard quarter we alter course to run down wind along Cormorant Channel.

We leave Stubbs Island to Port and pass between it and the Plumper Group and through an area of current turbulence from Weynton Passage.

The sky is overcast and there is the threat of rain and we are both done up to the neck in our wet weather gear and several layers of polar fleece. This is summer?

There is a constant stream of small craft butting into the wind and waves heading back towards Cormorant Island, Telegraph Cove or Port McNeill. It must be an uncomfortable trip in these conditions - being in a large sailing vessel with its clean underwater lines such trips are not uncomfortable as the clipper bow parts the waves nicely throwing the water well out to the side.

Blackfish Sound - Whale country we are told. A likely story as there is not a large fin to be seen anywhere. Keeping a lookout in case they do turn up we cross Blackfish Sound with a quartering sea and rising wind to end up off the northern entrance to Farewell Harbour.

The sea abates as we nose in past Fresh Rock to follow the small passage north of Punt Rock into Farewell Harbour. Half way through the passage we are overtaken by another sailing vessel under motor which steams past us at around 5 to 6 knots - twice our speed. He either knows the passage well or is a complete dill - we don't bother to ask.

After having a good look at the anchorage and the depths available we anchor close in under Kamux Island near the Farewell Harbour Yacht Club. There is one other boat in there - not the dill in the sailing vessel.

1300 Anchor down in eight metres with about 40 metres of chain out and hoping the anchor will set as the wind is piping up into a quite fierce little storm.

We are sheltered from the sea by the reefs and Star and Apples Islets at the mouth of the harbour but not the wind.

Irene spots a small brown deer on the point of Kamux Island and there are a pair of Bald Eagles soaring above us obviously hunting and every now and then they disappear into the trees - is there a nest in there? Every now and then the soaring birds would stall, extending their talons dropping like a stone towards the water - a fascinating show.

2100 A float plane appears and drops down into the harbour to deposit somebody at the dock near the entrance and then runs down the harbour before turning into the wind to take off to the west.

The light from the setting sun in the layers of clouds is eerie and quite spectacular and holds us fascinated as it slowly changes creating different images from the clouds.

The wind keeps rising and David anticipates a long and not very restful night getting up to check our security at frequent intervals. The anchor alarm on the GPS is set and about 2200 the wind starts to die away.

Despite being open to the West as far as the wind is concerned this is a better anchorage than the Pearse Islands.

We may have been more comfortable if we had gone up into the cove behind Goat Island.

Tonight we have been entertained with a nature, sound and light show - who needs television?

Go to Log #5