Johnny was back at the boat before lunch installing a new solenoid, a cheaper and simpler solution than the battery isolator, while David put in the new alternator. Within an hour, the engine was running and the alternator was putting amperage back into the batteries. With eleven more days before we need to be back in Poulsbo, we decided to treat ourselves to a few days in Princess Louisa Inlet on our way south. A few hours later, we dropped the lines and made way for Dark Cove in hopes of seeing Randy again. He was home this time around and came over after dinner for drinks and to catch up. Once again, the wine flowed a little too freely and David pulled out the guitar playing well past midnight before we all finally called it an evening...4:30 will come awfully early!
The electrician came out this morning and discovered that the battery isolating blocking diodes on the boat are shot which caused the original alternator to blow…and the second. He took everything back to the shop and ordered a new alternator which will arrive tomorrow. They’ll repair the first (new) one so we’ll have a spare aboard and install the second (new) one so we can re-generate power. If all goes well, we’ll be able to leave by Saturday morning.
It’s another scorcher today but we put up our boom tent to help keep the boat cooler. It’s still 85 below decks as the breeze is coming off the land rather than the cool ocean water, but at least there’s a breeze which makes it more tolerable. Things are forecasted to cool down over the weekend and we should be back in the mid-seventies by Monday…fingers crossed!
Boat Systems
the Strait of Georgia
the Sunshine Coast
Dog Days of Summer!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009TheCambrians
We arrived in Westview first thing this morning and David removed the alternator and walked 5 km to Vanderkemp Sales & Service LTD where they tested it on the bench. Unfortunately, it’s shot. The windings are gone and the diodes and rectifier bridge have been blown. Basically, the whole thing’s cooked and not worth fixing. Fortunately, they had a replacement on the shelf that they were able to modify, and David brought it back to the boat and installed it. He’s still not seeing any output, so an electrician will come out tomorrow to have a look.
In the meantime, we’re trying our best to stay cool during what’s turned out to be the worst heat wave in 51 years. It’s another extremely hot and humid day. The temperature is well over 93 with a heat index of 100 degrees and absolutely no breeze making the air suffocating. At this point, we’re wearing nothing more than our swimsuits and aren’t able to eat much. Sally’s suffering the most. She never fully lost her winter coat this year and is visibly stressed. To make life more pleasant, I hosed her down with water and tied her to the shade of the boat next to us. She wasn’t happy about the hosing, but is resting comfortably for the first time in days – we wish we could say the same!
David lost the battle with the generator and it’s beyond repair at this point, so we motored back to the marina in Van Anda for the night to plug in. They don’t have the facilities to fix our alternator here but Westview, a larger town five nautical miles across the Malaspina Strait, does. The marina there was fully booked for the night, so we’ll motor over tomorrow morning after some dock space opens up.
We had a nice evening last night in Teakerne Arm. After heeding advice from Gerri Lee and Rich, we anchored in the bay south of the waterfall and had the place virtually to ourselves – the peace and quiet a welcomed change from the hustle and bustle of Gorge Harbour. The heat is becoming unbearable, so we spent most of our time on deck in the shade of the boat while watching the sunset and righting the world’s wrongs through our discourse.
This morning, I packed a picnic lunch and we dinghied over to the waterfall for a quick look around before tying up to the provincial park dock and taking a short hike to a grove of trees where we had lunch in the shade. After eating, we continued on the path which takes you over the top of the falls and behind to Cassel Lake – a beautiful fresh-water lake which is considered one of the best swimming spots in the area. After a fashion, we had ourselves organized and Sally happily tied to a tree at the top of the banks which are steep-granite making your only option for cooling off to jump straight in (using the ropes tied to trees to climb out). The water was FANTASTIC and just what the doctor ordered on such a hot summer day – I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a swim more.
Unfortunately, our efforts to keep cool were in vain when we got back to the boat as the generator wouldn’t start again and David had to go out in the heat to fix it. He managed to get it started, but it doesn’t look (or sound) very good.
We’re sitting at anchor in Gorge Harbour after making our way up from Van Anda yesterday morning in hopes of seeing Gerri Lee and Rick, a couple we met at the docks in Princess Louisa, again. We managed to find them and had a good time catching up but, as we’re on a schedule, we’ll be moving on this afternoon with the the tide for Teakerne Arm in West Redonda Island where there’s another waterfall and a fresh-water lake for swimming. It’s getting very hot now and Sally’s stressed from the heat (as are we all). With very little breeze, we haven’t been able to cool off or push any fresh air through the boat except when we’re under way and swimming sounds like a pleasant distraction for all three of us.
The portable generator is acting up (again) and David’s been out on the deck trying to fix it in the sweltering sun. Fortunately, he managed to get it working but, at this point, it looks like we’re beginning to push our luck.
Jervis Inlet
the Strait of Georgia
The Harmony Islands Marine Park
Friday, July 24, 2009TheCambrians
In desperate need of a place to dump our trash, we decided to make our way across Malaspina Strait to Texada Island and the town of Van Anda yesterday where we could also buy some provisions. But, as we came out of the protection of Dark Cove, the wind was blowing 18 knots on our nose, so we turned north into Hotham Sound and tucked into the Harmony Islands for the night until the weather passed through. We were told we shouldn’t miss the area, so this was a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. It’s a beautiful, but busy, little spot with a waterfall nearby that would be fun to explore in better conditions. We did manage to take the dinghy out for a tiki-tour in the channel, but there was too much wind to venture further than that. Maybe next time.
We left early this morning for Van Anda under better conditions and attempted to anchor in Sturt Bay. Neither of us was happy with the holding or the area, so we bit the bullet and tied up to the dock for the night to give the batteries a well-deserved deep charge. It turned out to be a good decision. One of the couples berthed nearby made crab nachos for dinner which they kindly shared with everyone along the dock. One by one, we all came around the picnic tables to thank them and ended up spending the evening together drinking wine and sharing stories of our travels while watching the sunset making a somewhat ordinary day extraordinary.
After spending six wonderful days at the head of Princess Louisa Inlet exploring the area in our kayaks, bathing in the waterfalls, and making new friends over cocktails along the friendly dock, it’s time to move on. It’s been a magical experience for us both and we’re reluctant to leave. Every step we’ve taken so far is more beautiful than the last overwhelming us with options – do we stay and enjoy what we have or continue on to see what’s next? Surely nothing could top this!
Princess Louisa Inlet is called the pinnacle of cruising in the Pacific Northwest and will clearly be a favourite spot of ours – one we’ll return to every chance we have while we’re here. But for now, we must drop our lines early tomorrow morning and make our way out of Jervis Inlet.
Today we put the 8 hp outboard motor on the dinghy and travelled up the inlet to Malibu Lodge, a Young Life Christian summer camp for teenagers, for a tour and to take a peak at the rapids as they were running. As we pulled up to the dock, we were greeted by one of the many volunteer staff members who guided us through parts of the camp while explaining its history.
The lodge was originally built as a luxury resort in 1940 by Thomas Hamilton but closed due to the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1945, it re-opened and catered to Hollywood celebrities, such as John Wayne, and well-to-do families looking for isolation and privacy. Because of its remote location and short season, the resort didn’t do well financially and closed in 1950 after a polio death and quarantine two years earlier.
In December of 1953, Jim Rayburn, the founder of Young Life, bought the property as one of his premier summer camps for teens and it’s been running as such ever since.
This morning I hiked to Trapper’s Cabin by myself knowing the trail would be too difficult for Sally and beyond David’s interest as it’s described to be nearly impossible, not well-marked or maintained, and primitive. A couple of years ago, a man in his 20’s attempted the trek, fell down, broke his leg, and subsequently died. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting myself into but had decided early on to turn around if it got too dangerous. With a gain of nearly 2000 feet in elevation, it’s more of a climb than anything else and was the most challenging hike I’ve ever done, both mentally and physically. In many sections the trail rises 30 feet or more up nearly vertical rock outcroppings and the only way through is to clamber up and down natural ladders formed by exposed tree roots. With only distant orange and pink ribbons to guide me, I was careful never to lose sight of what little trail there was, stopping every few minutes to slow my heart rate and drink water. My determination almost failed me a time or two on the way up, but I took my time and finally arrived at a place where the forest ended along the base of a steep cliff and the path became more horizontal than vertical. A few hundred yards further and I was rewarded with an incredible bird’s-eye view of Princess Louisa Inlet, the collapsed remains of the log cabin, and a waterfall – all to myself. The hike down proved to be just as difficult as the climb up, but I was carrying an unbelievable feeling of accomplishment along with me for company which made the time pass more quickly. Four long hours after my departure, I returned to the boat both exhausted and exhilarated which kept me in a euphoric state the entire day and well into the next.
We left Dark Cove around 9:30 this morning to time our arrival through Malibu Rapids which guard the entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet with currents running up to nine knots during maximum flood and ebb tides creating white water and large overfalls.
The 30 nautical mile trip up Jervis Inlet was beyond any and all expectations we could have possibly had as we travelled further inland and approached the Coastal Mountains. The geology clearly changed becoming more rugged and spectacular. Rounded mountain tops covered in fir trees rose higher and higher as they grew into jagged granite completely barren of life other than smatterings of ice fields and ancient glaciers.
We arrived at Malibu Rapids around 2:30 pm when the tide was slack and made our way down Princess Louisa Inlet which is often described as the world’s most beautiful fjord, the eighth wonder of the world, and the “holy grail” for cruisers. For us, it’s all of these things and more.
Once inside the narrow inlet, you’re completely dwarfed by mile-high mountains that drop almost vertically into 1000-foot depths below the surface. It’s truly majestic and breathtaking, like entering a great cathedral. But not one made by man. The glory here belongs to Mother Nature. There was nothing more for us to do than stand there as we motored along and allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by its beauty.
At the head of the inlet lies Chatterbox Falls, the crown jewel of Princess Louisa, which drops 1600 feet in a series of cascades down the granite cliffs making it’s finale in a wide rush of water at the shoreline, surrounded by a bowl of high, sheer cliffs. Words do not exist to describe the pristine beauty of this place – virtually untouched by man over the years and now protected by the province of British Columbia – or the privilege one feels to be here. For the next week, this will be our home.
We left Howe Sound yesterday afternoon with the tides and had a nice passage up to Secret Cove along the BC mainland coast – not so secret, by the way, with hundreds of boats berthed and anchored there. The next day, we left for Jervis Inlet arriving late in the afternoon and began our search for an anchorage for the night passing on two before finally settling on Dark Cove. When we arrived, there were two large yellow mooring buoys planted in the only spot shallow enough to anchor. By this time, we were short on options, so we decided to help ourselves and ask forgiveness later not being sure whether they were private or belonged to the state. Come to find out, they’re private property and Randy, the owner, just put them in the week before for a large party he held celebrating the approval of permits he received to begin work on a large resort and marina. He was kind enough to allow us to use the mooring and invited us up on his deck for a drink which we gladly accepted.
As the evening drew on, the wine flowed more freely and we had an incredible time talking to Randy and two of his friends who were visiting from Winnipeg. We saw the plans for the resort; and, although it’ll be sad to loose another beautiful anchorage, looking out at Cambria resting at anchor, it was easy to see the appeal of the project.
David spent the past three days working on a series of diagnostic tests on the regulator and alternator. End result: the alternator is shot and needs to be rebuilt. Needless to say, it’s been a difficult weekend aboard Cambria.
Under normal circumstances, we’d make arrangements to have the work done before continuing our trip north. But because I’m flying out of Seattle in August to attend my niece’s wedding, we have less than a month on the water and are pressed for time, so we’re going to wait until we return to Poulsbo to have the repair done and depend on our auxiliary generator for topping off the batteries. It’s not an ideal situation, but one we think is manageable for the next three weeks if we’re prudent.
We’ll stay one more night in Port Graves while a trough moves through and continue north tomorrow. There’re still plenty of coves to explore in Howe Sound, but we just don’t have the time to spend here if we’re going to make Desolation Sound before we have to start sailing south to Poulsbo. In the meantime, now that David has a spare moment, we can spend the day walking around Gambier Island so he can at least have a taste of this beautiful place before leaving it behind.
As it turned out, one night in Gibsons was enough. The anchorage is deep and exposed to the wakes of the busy marina entrance, but it served its purpose. Sally and I were able to take care of the provisions first thing in the morning, leaving the afternoon for David and me to explore the town who’s claim to fame is the filming of the Canadian TV series the Beachcombers from 1972 to 1990 and continue our search for the best fish & chips in North America (Barbara’s in Princeton-By-The-Sea still holds the lead) before returning to the boat to up-anchor and find a more suitable spot to spend our second night.
The batteries were in need of re-charging, so we decided to run the engine and take a cruise down the sound on the way to our next anchorage. We were having a great time and enjoying some of the most amazing scenery we’ve ever experienced on our own personal boat when an alarm went off. David came up from below to say that the batteries weren’t charging; our moods dropped like lead balloons.
Feeling rather beaten, we anchored in Port Graves on Gambier Island for the night where, tomorrow, David will begin a series of diagnostic tests to see exactly where the problems lies and what our options are.
The passage to Gibsons Landing and across the infamous Strait of Georgia went well. Known for getting “snotty”, we had a light southerly breeze and current pushing us over flat seas. As we approached the mouth of Howe Sound, mountain tops rose out of the sea as majestically as they do in Tahiti and Fiji. The Pacific Northwest is reputed to be the best cruising ground in the world by people who have spent years on the water; we won’t disagree.
We checked in Canada Monday afternoon without incident. They had all of our information stored on the computer, so it was only a matter of answering a few simple questions over the telephone – how much alcohol do you have onboard? any fresh produce? any pets? – before we were given our new clearance number.
We chose an anchorage just outside the custom’s dock and Poet’s Cove Resort and Spa where the cliffs seem to appear straight out of the water; we honestly haven’t seen anything this beautiful since New Zealand. In fact, each stop is more beautiful than the last and it’s difficult to know whether to carry-on quickly and see what lies ahead or to savour each anchorage until we tire of it. If the latter were the case, we’d surely be here for weeks enjoying the resort’s heated pool, restaurants, and nearby hiking trails. Maybe we’d even take advantage of the local “car stop” where pedestrians can wait for a passing car to pick them up – hitchhiking, Canadian-style!
It’s been raining off and on since we arrived and we’re waiting for the weather to clear before we leave. Hopefully, that will happen this afternoon, but it looks unlikely at this point. In the interest of time, we decided to cross the Strait of Georgia over to the mainland of British Columbia where we’ll work our way north to Desolation Sound rather than take the route inside the Gulf Islands. If all goes well, our first stop will be Gibson’s Landing, just north of Vancouver, where we’ll buy more provisions and exchange US dollars for Canadian ones. Until next time….
the San Juan Islands
the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Port Townsend to Orcas Island
Monday, July 06, 2009TheCambrians
We left Port Townsend last Saturday and made way for Orcas Island in the San Juans where we spent the week visiting friends and exploring the island. Our short time there was filled with sharing wonderful dinners with our friends and seeing the sites. Bill and Sylvia lent us their Jeep, so we were able to make our way back and forth between Moran State Park, where there's a mass of hiking trails and an amazing view of the San Juan Islands from the top of Mount Constitution, and spend time visiting the township of Eastsound, where we saw the Fourth of July Parade and meandered through the Saturday Farmer's Market.
The beauty of the San Juans is far-reaching and can easily capture your spirit. Eagles soar within metres of you and literally take your breath away leaving nothing behind but silence. We could loose ourselves here spending months exploring each island and every nook and cranny along the way and, yet, this is only the tip of the iceberg -- there's so much more to see and do.
Unfortunately, we're somewhat pressed for time so, once again, we must move on. We'll leave Orcas later this morning and sail over to Bedwell Harbour on South Pender Island in the Canadian Gulf Group where we'll check in to Canada and spend a couple of days planning our next step.
