Aussies' Adventures Along The Northwest Inside Passage

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Part 9: Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel and Marina to Maple Bay.

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.

29th AUGUST - Wednesday

We are at the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel awaiting the news on the prop shaft. We know you shouldn't do it but it is great just to stand under the shower without giving a thought as to whether you are running your tanks dry.

The noise of the city around us is strange after nearly three months of being away from a large inhabited place. If it wasn't for the prop shaft we wouldn't be here.

At least the laundry is now up to date.

Afternoon brings the news that the shaft is out and that it is in the machine shop. David asks that the cutlass bearing and steady bearing between the back of the gear box and the stuffing box be replaced when the shaft goes back in.

We have a lazy day reading and pottering.

On the reading front we have tried to find local books to give us a greater insight into the place we are visiting. Among the books we have found fascinating are;

The Curve of Time by Muriel Wylie Blanchett is great value in terms of a family exploring this beautiful coast at a time when the cruising boatie was a rarity.

Heart of the Rain Coast - the story of Billy Proctor from Echo Bay and a life time in the Broughton Archipelago - we had the opportunity to meet Billy and he has signed our copy of the book.

Journeys Through The Inside Passage by Joe Upton - the memoirs of a Seattle/Alaskan fisherman.

Understanding Northwest Coast Art by Cheryl Shearar - an easy to read treatise on the art of the tribes of the Inside Passage with explanations of the various terms used.

Passage to Juneau by Jonathan Raban - a somewhat dark and negative book.

We have also accessed a large number of reference books which in their own right are good reading to acquire the necessary knowledge to negotiate and appreciate the waters of the Inside Passage.

The view from our window is of the North Arm of the Fraser and we can watch the work boats plying back and forth. There are seals fishing and salmon jumping and we are almost in the heart of a city.

Dinner in the Elephant and Castle Pub which sits out over the river. David is in his element as he loves Pub food.

30th AUGUST - Thursday

Breakfast in the hotel and David has another cholesterol fix on scrambled eggs.

A phone call from S&H tells us that the parts are there for SKYAMSEN and that it will be put back together today.

We have to fill in the day so we catch the 98B bus to Granville Island and do the tourist thing. Quarterdeck Marine book store gets a working over and we pick up a new Log Book for SKYAMSEN as the old one is now full. We also pick up "The Ultimate Encyclopaedia of Knots and Ropework" by Geoffrey Budworth for $C40.00. It is 256 pages of beautifully illustrated knots and how to tie them. If you are into rope work, both decorative and functional, then this is worth having on your book shelf at home or on the boat. As David cannot stand to see a bit of scrap rope lying around without turning it into something useful or decorative this book is going to get a lot of use.

The purpose, allegedly, of this visit was to find a good ships chandler and start to list things we would like to put on SKYAMSEN to go back home. The cruising grounds here from Seattle to Skagway have resulted in a great deal of equipment designed for the cruising boaty that we never see at home and we have seen quite a few bits and pieces we would like.

We never did get to a chandlers but we know where there are two good ones on Vancouver Island and one of the people we met along the way is a wholesaler who will get anything for us that we can identify. By the time we have finished browsing he may regret the very kind offer.

A late phone call from S&H and it appears that SKYAMSEN will be back in the water tomorrow and we can head off first thing Saturday morning. Hopefully there will be a decent North Westerly blowing for a quick trip across the Strait to the Gulf Islands so that we will get in another seven days sailing/boating before we are back in the Fraser to have our boat prepared for the trip to her new home in Melbourne at 37 degrees 51 minutes South, 144 degrees 57 minutes East - a distance of around 7,000 nautical miles. 31st AUGUST - Friday

A leisurely shower and breakfast and then a phone call to S & H. SKYAMSEN is ready to go back in the water. Check the e-mail and send a couple and then throw the few things we had brought to the hotel into the bags and we're off.

Shortly after our arrival at the boat yard our floating home is picked up by the travel lift and driven around to sit suspended about three or four metres above the water. This is heart in mouth stuff as we watch her slowly descend until she is afloat.

1130 SKYAMSEN is afloat and we get to to get her ready for sea. With a bit of luck we can leave in time to make slack water at Porlier Pass at 1635 hours. There is a good brisk South Easterly blowing and that will put it almost on the beam.

1330 We are away down Cannery Channel and into the Fraser River and turn towards the Strait of Georgia and push the throttle forward. Smooth as silk - no rattle, no vibration and we run down river at 6.2 knots.

Near the mouth of the river we meet two tugs going up river with barges behind them and we give them a wide berth.

There is a small chop on the Strait and we can see what we believe is the gap between Valdes and Galiano Islands. A quick check of the chart and the course laid on it and a look at the compass and we have Porlier Pass in sight. It is now a matter of simple pilotage allowing a little for the flooding tide in the Strait.

We were prepared for more boat traffic in the Strait heading for the Gulf Islands with a long weekend coming up but there is surprisingly little at this stage.

Half way across David looks astern to see a large power boat overhauling us and laying his course close to us. The idiot passes us about 30 metres off our port side at around 20 knots and throws a wake like a Tsunami - the moron actually waves as he goes past but we are busy rounding up to meet the wake bow on. The passengers on the aft deck are treated to a colourful dissertation of the helmsman's illegitimate parentage. Unfortunately we do not get the name of the vessel or it would be printed here.

A call to Thetis Island Marina on #68 lets us know that we can get a berth there tonight. We were booked in for Saturday and Sunday nights.

1639 We are off Porlier and lining the transit up to go through as the slack turns to the start of the ebb in our direction. It seems a dozen boats have materialized in this spot from different directions and we all head through with all but us turning toward the south end of Reid Island.

The breeze is still good but the water in Trincomali Channel is almost flat and we set a course to pass Reid Island to port and lay the Ragged Islets on the north end of Thetis Island.

It is a beautiful evening and our passage is smooth as we turn SW across the top of Thetis Island and then SE to run down the west side of the island.

A quick study of the chart and we decide to go in through Preedy Harbour and so we wind our way in and take care to leave the well marked rocks on the eastern end of Preedy to port and hold our course until we can see the public wharf at Telegraph Harbour on Kuper Island and then turn up into Telegraph Harbour.

1845 Alongside at Thetis Island Marina and make fast.

Drinks and nibblies in the cockpit on a very pleasant evening. It is good to be on the water again.

1st SEPTEMBER - Saturday

The few days in the yard have not been kind to the boat as she is pretty grubby topsides. The morning is spent cleaning up and chatting to some folks from a couple of Roberts 44's who have spotted the Aussie ensign on the stern.

1230 We head off and walk to the ferry to Chemainus and head there via Kuper Island. In this country on land if it is not uphill then it is down hill - there does not appear to be any flat land. A pleasant trip across a smooth piece of water sprinkled with white sails of yachts making the most of the steady 10 knot South Easterly breeze.

After lunch we find the "train" which does the tour of the town and take that. It is good value at $6.00 and takes you around all the murals and the guide points out the historical aspects of the town. This is a town that took the bit between its teeth when the mill shed so many jobs and created something additional for itself.

The shopping centre has enormous hanging baskets of flowers on the verandahs and the place is pretty as a picture.

The only fault, if it is a fault, is the limited docking facility for visiting boats. The best solution is one of the marinas in Telegraph Harbour and the ferry ride across.

Another balmy evening and a yacht pulls in on the other side of the finger and we spend a pleasant hour or so just chatting to the three blokes on board who are away for the long weekend.

As it gets dark the movement of boats along the harbour is highlighted by the phosphorescence at the bow and stern as they move - it is quite spectacular and we have not seen it as bright as this. The skipper of the yacht next to us tells us that he was told [he works for the government] that it now had to be referred to as bio-luminescence. Whatever you call it the spectacle is great. Some youngsters are on the end of the next finger splashing and throwing water and the surface of the harbour sparkles as the drops hit it.

2nd SEPTEMBER - Sunday

A leisurely breakfast and then we start to sort out what is left in our stores and arrange it in to more convenient locations for use and put some aside that we will not be able to take back to Oz due to our quarantine regulations.

We are hailed from the dock and, as David is ashore, Irene goes up to find that there is an Australian and his wife on the dock who have come off another boat and wandered over for a chat. They have been living in Canada for about 20 years but have a boat back in Townsville, Queensland, at the northern end of our east coast.

David has to bail out the ducky again as it has acquired a bit of water.

1200 We head off in the ducky to explore the top end of the harbour and look at Boat Passage between Thetis and Kuper Islands - the tide is too low and we can't get in. Back to SKYAMSEN for lunch and wait for the water level to rise and we'll try again.

1400 Another bite at "The Cut" or "Boat Passage" [depending on who you speak to] and the water is deep enough to enter and we head along the narrow channel on a rising - and opposing - tide and out into Clam Bay where the slop ensures that we both get wet. The land on Kuper Island has a sign on it proclaiming it as belonging to the Penalakut Tribe of the Salish First Nation.

We spot two black birds with large orange beaks which we have not seen before. They allow us to get up close to photograph them and remain totally disinterested in us in the ducky. On the way back one of them gets up and walks off on short legs with a most comical little walk. A check of the excellent book Birds of Coastal British Columbia reveals them to be Black Oyster Catchers.

Back at the marina we sit in the cockpit and watch the passing boat traffic. The harbour is seemingly alive with "duckies" scuttling back and forth like so many water beetles with their occupants intent on matters of great import.

1630 An Endurance 35 [Destiny] pulls in to the dock just ahead of us and the owners come to say hello. The Endurance 35 is based on the same hull as SKYAMSEN but has a pilot house and flush deck ahead of it in place of the long low coach house of the Fraser 36. A pleasant half hour just comparing notes on the design and construction of the Endurance/Fraser vessels.

1725 Feast or famine - another Endurance 35 [Sarina] motors slowly up the harbour to drop anchor half way between the two marinas.

The sky is getting overcast and there is the feel of rain in the air. Tomorrow we sail to Maple Bay.

3rd SEPTEMBER - Monday

0700 Up and about and prepare to leave. There is a light breeze blowing up the harbour and the sky is clear and blue - it looks like a great day. Forecast is for wind at around 12 to 15 knots.

0910 Away from the marina and motor down the harbour and out into Stuart Channel on a heading to take us out beyond Escape Reef. There is a very light wind ripple on the water - certainly no sign of the 12 to 15 knots of the forecast.

A number of other yachts and power boats are coming out into the channel behind us. We think it is a forlorn hope but the sails go up anyway and the motor is turned off. Quiet reigns - unfortunately the boat speed dies away to less than one knot and twenty minutes later we are still alongside the light on Escape Reef.

Reluctantly the motor is started and we start to move on a direct course to the mouth of Sansum Narrows. Our movement creates an apparent wind and the sails fill as we move South East down channel.

Looking back up behind us there is a patchwork of boats heading towards Sansum to catch the ebb and several emerging from the Narrows.

North Reef light is abeam and there is a wind ripple on the water so the motor is off again and we start to lay into Booth Bay and prepare to tack up to the Narrows however our sailing does not last long and the wind dies again. This time David takes the sails down and we change course to head straight for the gap between Grave Point on Vancouver Island and Erskine Point on Saltspring Island.

There is no sign of activity at the large Crofton Pulp and Paper mill in Osborn Bay to starboard and not even a wisp of vapour from the large chimneys. It was these chimneys that we saw through the gap between Kuper Island and Saltspring Island on our way north nearly three months ago - where has it gone? It seems like only yesterday.

The narrowing entrance to Sansum Narrows starts to draw the south bound boats together and the faster motor vessels draw abeam and then ahead of us and then we enter the narrows.

Just north of Arbutus Point Maple Bay opens up ahead to starboard and we alter course into the bay and head to the Maple Bay Yacht Club to tie up at the visitors dock.

Bruce Atkinson and Patti Ogilvy are there to meet us. Patti has watched us cross the bay from the vantage point of her house high on the north shore of the bay. We met the Atkinsons and Ogilvys in Shawl Bay at the time when the transmission quit on us.

SKYAMSEN is back in the bay which was its home port for most of its existence and it seems fitting that it should return briefly before finally leaving Canada for its new home in Melbourne.

Bruce heads off to care for his boat and Patti loads us aboard her car and we head off to play the tourist and explore the Cowichan Valley to end up at Duncan to admire the totem poles and visit the Coast Salish Cultural Centre at Duncan.

Dinner is at Dave and Patti Ogilvy's and the six of us spend a very pleasant evening dining, chatting and looking out over the waters of Maple Bay at the changing colours of the evening sky. It is great to catch up with these wonderful people again and a privilege to be invited into their homes.

4th SEPTEMBER - Tuesday

Maple Bay. Dave and Patti arrive and collect us and we head off for the day to Victoria to play the tourist.

This is our first visit into downtown Victoria and it would be difficult not to like this city. Certainly the Inner Harbour with its docks full of boats overlooked by the Empress Hotel and Parliament Building are most impressive and Dave tells us that to come into the Inner Harbour and tie up of an evening and watch the passing parade is a great experience. It is not difficult to imagine it would be.

There is an old world charm about the buildings in the harbour precinct and surrounds and a lot of effort has gone into making this a tourist haven. The crowds have gone largely as the schools are back in and so we are not battling to find parking spots nor are the shops too busy to make shopping easy.

Lunch is at the Swan Pub where they brew their own beer - David is in Seventh Heaven as there is steak and kidney pie on the menu and an oatmeal stout.

There is some serious shopping to be done before we head off to explore Victoria and head down towards Clover Point and Ross Bay to look out over the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Whale watching boats are dashing about in different directions at high speed either going to find whales or returning from watching them.

Dave and Patti have reciprocal visiting rights to Royal Victoria Yacht Club and so we drop in to pay a visit. To our delight we find that the Royal Melbourne Burgee is displayed in the bar and David is invited to sign the visitors book.

Dinner tonight is at the Atkinsons and Shirley and Bruce have put on a small dinner party. A great night with friendly and interesting people from the Maple Bay Yacht Club.

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