S.V. CAMBRIA: August 2013

Ucluelet: A Walk On The Wild Side

Sunday, August 25, 2013TheCambrians

British Columbia Clayoquot Sound West Coast Vancouver Island

Clayoquot Sound . . . Or Not

Thursday, August 22, 2013TheCambrians

The approach to Bedwell Sound

One night in Ritchie Bay was enough; even in the calmest of conditions, the anchorage isn’t the most comfortable. But we chose it solely for its convenience to Bedwell Sound and Matlset Narrows, and it served that purpose well.

Reputed to be one of the most beautiful fjords along the West Coast of Vancouver Island, Bedwell Sound didn’t disappoint. Despite the heavy logging that scars the low-lying hills and the fish farms that now dot the shoreline, the inlet is very pretty and offers a spectacular view of the Strathcona Peaks from the river's delta. And even though the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort with its luxury canvas tents (some with ensuites), mooring buoys and dock now occupies the head of the sound, it manages to remain picturesque.

The head of Bedwell Sound

We only had time for a quick trip if we wanted to transit Matlset Narrows at slack tide, so we didn’t linger. Although there aren’t any turbulence to be concerned about, the fairway tapers down to a 0.15 mile and the current can run up to four knots during spring tides. We arrived at what was supposed to be slack tide but we saw more than three knots, fortunately, in our favour. Once through, we made our way down Fortune Channel to the east side of Meares Island and our destination for the night, Windy Bay– an anchorage that’s named well.

Cambria at anchor in Windy Bay

Windy Bay doesn’t offer the best protection but ranks up there as one of the prettiest spots we’ve visited along this side of Vancouver Island: Tree limbs extend over the waterline and a steep granite escarpment rises from the sea on the north side of the bay. The view out into Fortune Channel, backed by rugged mountain peaks, is impressive. And the pyramid-shaped rocks onshore are interesting to look at; but landing a dog can be challenging, especially at lower tides. The mud is like quicksand and I had to carry Sally to firmer ground while I struggled to walk in muck that didn’t want to let go of my sandals – not exactly something you want in between your toes.

Cambria at anchor in Windy Bay looking out to Forward Channel

After a peaceful night at anchor, we woke up to a deteriorating forecast: A low pressure system is approaching the area and gale-force southeaterlies are due to hit the region tomorrow so, rather than continue our circumnavigation of Meares Island, we decide to backtrack and make way for Quait Bay, an all-weather anchorage, situated off Cypress Bay. After taking Sally to shore (this time at a higher tide), we upped-anchor and made our way back to Matlset Narrows. Based on our experience yesterday, we shouldn’t have been surprised to see over four knots of current; but this time it was against us and our progressed slowed to a whopping one knot over ground. So much for our slack tide calculations!

Though it didn’t sound too promising on paper becauseof a floating lodge that’s located on the northern shore and descriptions of sports fishing boats coming and going throughout the day, Quait Bay is surprisingly quiet and nice. The barge housing the resort building along with the land-based infrastructure is still here but, come to find out, the actual resort moved eight years ago to Bedwell Sound (Clayoquot Wilderness Resort) and there’s only a caretaker in residence. Once again, it looks like our cruising guides for the West Coast need to be updated; even Waggoner (which is published yearly) had it wrong.

With the anchor dug into mud and plenty of protection from all-quadrants, all we have to do now is wait and see what tomorrow brings.

British Columbia Clayoquot Sound West Coast Vancouver Island

Ahousat: A Genuine Wilderness Outpost

Tuesday, August 20, 2013TheCambrians

Ahousat General Store

We could have stayed in Bottleneck Cove forever, but time and tide waits for no man so we reluctantly left yesterday after two fantastic nights and made way for Ahousat*, in Clayoquot Sound, where we tied upto the dock at the general store.

Owned and operated by Hugh Clarke, whose father donated the land at Hot Springs Cove to the BC government, Ahousat has a 1950s feel about it – laid back and friendly. Local children play along the dock and try to catch fish while Rowdy, the resident stray, watches on. Most hours of the day, Hugh can be found sitting by the front door of the store holding court with whoever passes by and has become somewhat of an attraction for visiting yachts. But the main draw for us was the café: I have no idea why but, if there’s one thing we crave on a regular basis that isn’t chocolate, it has to be French fries – the best answer we can come up with is the salt.

After having our fill of fish and chips, we chatted with the couple who run the café for Hugh and learned about a recent encounter with a cougar that was caught on surveillance camera. Watching the video on Bill’s computer, we weresurprised at how fast they can swim, and I have to admit that I was worried about a repeat performance: Apparently, I wasn’t the only one. Sitting on the deck of the boat last night, I could hear people onshore talking about the cougar. Hugh patted his hip in effort to reassure everyone and told them that he had his gun ready. Rumour has it that he’s killed three over the years and even has one unlucky cougar’s head mounted on a wall in the store. But he suffered a stroke not too long ago and I have to admit that I wasn’t sure what to be more concerned about– being attacked by a cougar or his aim.

As it turned out, I needn’t have worried. It was a quiet night and just to prove the point, Sally had me up at five this morning with an emergency trip to shore but the only predator lurking about was Rowdy, who has a bit of a crush on her. She was sick again at 8:00 am, so it’s back to a chicken and rice diet until her stomach settles down again. She still doesn’t have any other symptoms, so we’re convinced that she keeps picking something up on a beach – that dog will eat anything.

Sally wasn’t the only one out of sorts this morning. David woke up with another rotten head and went back to bed until 10:00 am when I finally got him up so we could finish our chores and be on our way. We had planned to continue up to the head of Matilda Inlet and Gibson Marine Park to have a bath in the warm spring and take a hike to the beach but, because of the recent cougar activity (not to mention the wolves), decided it was best to move on.

After topping up with fuel (Hugh keeps his prices lower than Tofino by as much as CA$0.10 a litre) and water (which has a cedar tinge to it but tastes fine), we finally got away around one o’clock and went to Ritchie Bay, on Meares Island, for the night. Considered a roadstead anchorage, it’s open to the western quadrant and a slight swell enters in, but it’s convenient stop and about all David could handle for the day. Besides, the holding is good in sand and mud and the anchorage is quiet, which is all that really matters at this point.

*If you’re using an older cruising guide like us (Dreamspeaker Vol. 6: The West Coast of Vancouver Island, Exploring Vancouver Island’s West Coast), things have changed a bit in Ahousat. Hugh’s sister no longer runs the café, and the place is for sale for CA$2.5 million but has been on the market for several years. An outfit out of Oak Bay near Victoria expressed some interest while we were there, but we don’t know if anything became of it.

British Columbia Sydney Inlet West Coast Vancouver Island

Bottleneck Cove: From the Ridiculous to the Sublime

Sunday, August 18, 2013TheCambrians

Bottleneck Inlet

From Hot Springs Cove, we rounded Sharp Point yesterday and travelled up Sydney Inlet to our next destination: Bottleneck Cove. It was only an eight nautical mile trip, but a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the previous four days and I fell in love immediately.

After navigating through yet another narrow entrance that tapers down to less than 60 feet, the anchorage opens up into a large bay with enough swing room for several boats. The holding is good in mud, and the cove is well-protected from all quadrants, barely allowing a breath of air to cross its threshold. From outside the boat, we can hear water running down a stream and the call of a loon in the distance, but very little else. The silence is only occasionally broken by the sound of a float plane, a reminder of the chaos that lies justover the hill. It’s pure heaven and we have it all to ourselves, a welcomed respite after the time we’d just spent in Hot Springs Cove.

Surrounded by old-growth cedar that branches out over the water at high tide and granite outcroppings covered in moss and lichen, there are few, if any, signs of man and it would be easy to believe that we’re the first ones to have ever visited this place . . . but we’d be wrong. During prohibition, rum runners used the bay to avoid having their boats discovered carrying loads of alcohol. They would hide their stores of liquor near the entrance before coming in and when federal officers arrived to check their holds, they wouldn’t find a thing – a bit of history that appeals to our sense of moral justice.

As much as we’d like to linger, our plan is to spend one more night here and then move on. It’s getting late in the season and we’re feeling the pressure to finish our West Coast adventure and move back to inside waters. So with four or five days of fine weather ahead of us, we need to use it to explore Clayoquot Sound and make further southing. But honestly, I feel like I could stay here forever . . . it’s that perfect.

The entrance to Bottleneck Cove looking out to Sydney Inlet

British Columbia Hot Springs Hot Springs Cove

Hot Springs Cove: Alone at Last

Saturday, August 17, 2013TheCambrians

The view from the hot springs

One night anchored in a place as busy as Hot Springs Cove would normally be enough . . . normally. But I can be somewhat obsessive and was bound and determined to get my fill of hot baths without the additional company of fifty strangers. The weather did its part to help my cause: Day after day of approaching frontal systems, weakening lows, dissipating troughs and weakening cold fronts played havoc with the conditions. All along the coast, gale-force southeasterlies blew, causing the sea state to rise, and rain poured down in buckets – the perfect excuse to go absolutely nowhere. And, in all honesty, after moving every day or two, the break was welcomed.

Hot Springs Cove (also known as Refuge Cove for a good reason) offers protection from all quadrants, except the south. The five moorings described in most cruising guides are long gone; but the holding is good in mud and, apart from sailing around a bit at anchor and the wakes from passing boats, we were comfortable as we waited for the weather to pass through. The only challenge was getting Sally to shore. Dogs aren’t allowed in the park so we had to go beyond the best protection from the peninsula into a slight chop and swell to get her to land.

David making the long walk to the hot springs

But today’s a brand new day. The wind has subsided, along with the seas. The rain has stopped. And the barometer’s on the rise, which could explain why David woke up with a rotten head this morning. He doesn’t get headaches very often but, when he does, they can be debilitating. To his credit, he got up early anyway and walked the two kilometres with me to the hot springs, which we were finally had all to ourselves.

Enjoying the time alone at Ramsey Hot Springs

After four trips, I can say with 100% certainty that this is the only way to enjoy them – without distraction and with the one you love. Quintessentially West Coast, the granite pools look out onto the Pacific Ocean as waves crash along the rocky shore, unfolding an impressive scene. It truly is beautiful but tourism has made a significant and negative impact on a place that otherwise would be among our favourite hot springs (that honour goes to Bishop Bay where the water is odorless, the temperature is just right, and pools are easily accessible). Sadly, the daily influx of tourists and the facilities built to accommodate them have sanitized this natural wonder.

As if on cue, the first tour boat rounded the corner at 9:00 am as we gazed out to the Pacific and we knew our time was limited . . . in 30 minutes the silence would be interrupted, replaced by the chaos of excited tourists. Even still, it was difficult to leave this place behind, in all its scenic ruggedness, so we lingered until the first sightseer appeared and it was time to move on.

British Columbia Hot Springs Hot Springs Cove

Reflections on the West Coast: The World According to David

Wednesday, August 14, 2013TheCambrians

I’m not really sure how or why, but the website’s a task that’s fallen to me since its inception. I’ve asked David to contribute here and there over the years, but it hasn’t been something that he’s been interested in doing . . . until now. So, without further ado, I give you David:

Solitude at anchor: Cambria alone in Rae Basin

At anchor in Hot Springs Cove:

Reflecting on the past twenty or so days cruising the north and central sections of the west coast of Vancouver Island, it occurs that, while not as spectacular as the scenery and surroundings of the Central Coast or as kindly as the waters inside Vancouver Island, this area has a unique attraction, a rough charm all of its own.

As an unprotected coast open to the influences of the Pacific Ocean, cruising these waters is, at least, challenging. Changes in conditions brought about by approaching and weakening weather systems, some at a considerable distance, the occurrence of frequently dense fog, and the very nature of the coast itself with its many off-lying rocks, scattered reefs and shoals, require a crew to be constantly aware and performing to their best abilities. Couple this with the natural anxiety in rounding the major local west coast capes – Scott, Cook, the Brooks Penninsula, and Estevan Point – the dangers and difficulties of which are supported by a history littered with numerous accounts of lost ships and crews and it is clear that this is not a venture to be approached casually. Despite the challenges, the solitude found in many of the areas, the absence of noise and bustle which accompanies busy population centres, and the rugged nature of the area and its few inhabitants are, in some strange fashion, alluring; almost magnetic. A sense which is difficult to describe in words. It’s almost as if the locals carry with them the unspoken attitude “not only can we survive in this area, we thrive in it, and given the choice, would not wish to be anywhere else than here.” I can understand that.

A fellow cruiser, in speaking of the Inside Passage and the cruising grounds inside Vancouver Island, commented that “the easy cruising there encourages poor seamanship.” I entirely agree – we have witnessed many such examples first hand. Throughout the trip thus far we have only encountered serious, skilled people, intimately familiar with and embracing the challenges of cruising this area. No “weekend warriors” here since I suspect that attitude would be the shortcut to calamity. Prior to spending time along this coast it was not truly apparent how much of a misnomer Desolation Sound, with its anchorages harbouring boatloads of holidaymakers packed in from shoreline to shoreline, really was. Perhaps desolate during George Vancouver’s time but no longer. Sharing an anchorage with float planes and water taxis coming and going, once a novelty, is now just an unwelcome intrusion; a reminder of a populace governed by time, schedule and convenience rather than the cycles of nature. Some distant place; in attitude,a million miles from here. There was a time when I too was one of those people. Now I share nothing in common and can barely understand them.

We are now a little more than halfway “down” the coast and, although I am looking to the next anchorages with eager anticipation, I am already starting to mourn the passing of the “wild north coast”, its remoteness, its solitude, its tranquility, and its unabashed rugged beauty.

The rugged west coast during a southeasterly blow

British Columbia Hot Springs Hot Springs Cove

Hot Springs Cove: A Hot Time in the City Tonight

Tuesday, August 13, 2013TheCambrians

We departed Rae Basin this morning, running into heavy fog as we exited Hesquiat Harbour, and made way for our next destination, Hot Springs Cove. With less than 100 feet of visibility, it was a little nerve wracking, to say the least, but something we’ve grown accustom to in the month that we’ve been cruising these waters.

Once inside the cove, it was sunny and warm. And busy. After days of solitude and peace and quiet along the“wild coast”, nothing can quite prepare you for the immediate assault on the senses from the hustle and bustle of water taxis, whale watching boats and the endless arrival and departure of float planes with groups of tourists aboard. It begs the question: where’s the solitude now? So we spent the afternoon sitting in the cockpit watching the constant flow of arrivals and departures, attempting to make it fit within our experiences of sailing down the West Coast, but it was an impossible task.

As the name implies, Hot Springs Cove is home to a natural hot spring, the only one along the coast, and is an incredibly popular spot during the summer months. The best advice to visiting yachts is to go to the pools in the morning or evening in order to avoid the crowds, so we waited patiently for the tourists to leave before making the trip . . . but not without some resentment. We worked hard to get here and the fact that you can walk up to window in nearby Tofino and purchase a ticket simply doesn’t seem right . . . or fair. But it is what it is.

The boardwalk leading to the hot springs

The trail to the pools consists of a two-kilometre stretch of wood boardwalk that takes you through a beautiful section of coastal rain forest, a highlight of the park that’s often overlooked. Many of the planks have been carved with the names of boats that have visited the over the years, a tradition first started by the fishermen who sought refuge from bad weather in the cove. Some have been professionally crafted while others are merely a rudimentary attempt at leaving a mark behind. But they all make for interesting reading during the 30-minute hike to the hot springs.

The hot springs at quieter times

The water that feeds the spring travels along a fault, five kilometres deep, where it’s heated before pressure forces it back to the surface through fractured rock at a temperature of about 50° C (122° F) – a little too hot for comfortable bathing. The smell of sulfur hangs in the air and steam rises from a creek that finds its way down a ten-foot granite wall before spilling into three rocky pools that form small tubs, each with a decreasing temperature, on its way to the Pacific Ocean. I’m sure under the right circumstances it’s very beautiful, but our timing was bad. The Pacific Swift, part of a summer sailing program for kids, had arrived in the anchorage while we were eating dinner and made their way to the hot spring – all 39 of them – without our realizing it. The pools, which can hold 10 to 15 people comfortably, were littered with bodies and it was difficult to find a spot to squeeze into; but we managed and had a nice chat with one of the volunteers aboard the ship who told us more about the program, which certainly has merit (even if it does impose on your own personal adventure).

We’d hope to steal away a few minutes on our own, but by the time the SALTS group left, it was getting dark and we were overheating so we made the long trek back to the dock with the aid of dimming flashlights feeling somewhat disappointed. Back aboard Cambria, we sat on the deck of the boat and watched the beautiful square-rigger swing at anchor in the moonlight while we discussed our plans. With the realization that we’re more than half way through our trip, our reluctance to move on has grown (along with our desire to gain some space between ourselves and the Pacific Swift) and the decision came easily – we’ll give Hot Springs Cove another chance while we wait out some strong southeasterlies and higher seas that are forecasted to move through the area.

British Columbia Cruising with a Dog Rae Basin

Happy Birthday to Sally: Sweet 17 and Counting

Monday, August 12, 2013TheCambrians

Cambria at anchor in Rae Basin looking back towards Estevan Point

With a good forecast for rounding Estevan Point, we upped anchor this morning and left Friendly Cove behind for our next destination: Rae Basin at the head of Hesquiat Harbour. The bay itself is shallow throughout and requires transiting a bar but, because the conditions were calm (a one to two foot swell with one to five knots of wind), entering was straight-forward. From all accounts, it's a flat, sandy bottom, but we couldn’t really see. Not because of fog. But because the water suddenly turned muskeg and smelled like rotting vegetation.

Sally's eyeing her birthday treats

After we anchored, I got busy baking because we had some celebrating to do – it’s not everyday that your dog turns 17 (that’s 92 in people years). Once the cupcakes were cooled and frosted, David pulled out his guitar and serenaded Sally with a rendition of “HappyBirthday”. She came out of her “room” to see what the commotion was about but, like most teenagers, walked away when I started to sing along (everybody’s a critic). But we managed to torture her long enough to get a couple of pictures in return for doggy treats.

Celebrations aside, it was time to take stock. The main attraction in Rae Basin is Cougar Annie’s Garden, five acres of land where one of Canada’s most colourful pioneers grew exotic plants for a mail-order nursery business. In recent years, the garden has been uncovered and brought back to life as part of a heritage site and is supposed to be quite spectacular. The only problem is that we have no idea where to find it (we later learned it was staring us straight in the face) and neither one of us felt compelled to physically search.

The truth is that the smelly water dampened our need to explore onshore. Whether it’s algal bloom or runoff from the recent rains, we’re not sure. Either way, it’s disgusting and one night here will be more than enough, even if it means missing out on one of the highlights of the West Coast.

The muskeg waters of Rae Basin

British Columbia Nootka Sound West Coast Vancouver Island

Nootka Sound: Let There Be Light

Sunday, August 11, 2013TheCambrians

Cambria at anchor in Friendly Cove with Nootka Light in the background

We left Bligh Cove this morning and made our way over to Friendly Cove on Nootka Island. As far as anchorages go, it’s not great. The holding is good in sand in mud, but it’s shallow and you’re exposed to the swell from the east as well as the wake of passing boats. What it is, however, is historic and home to one of the remaining manned lighthouses in North America.

The official name of Friendly Cove is Yuquot, which means “four winds” or “where the wind blows in four directions”, and it’s the ancestral summer home to the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations people who have resided in the area for thousands of years. But leave it to the Europeansto ignore that fact: Captain James Cook claimed the land for Britain in 1778 and the Spanish subsequently took control of Nootka Sound in 1789, resulting inthe capture of British ships which almost led to war between the two countries but was avoided by the signing of the Nootka Convention in 1790, placing the area back under British rule.

Chief Maquinna

Once the site of the greatest whaling community in North America and home to more than 1500 summer residents, Europeans introduced disease and the population was reduced to one-tenth that size by 1900. Today there are only two families remaining and Jordan, the summer caretaker. After visiting with him a bit and learning more about Friendly Cove, we walked along a cliff overlooking the Pacific and a beautiful, pebbled beach to see the Welcome Pole of Chief Maquinna, a powerful chief during the height of the European fur trade, before visiting the Catholic Church.

The church at Friendly Cove

Houseposts at the entrance to the church

A stained glass depiction of the signing of the Nootka Convention

Now a culture site and museum, it’s there that we learned about the Whaler’s Shrine. Originally located on an island in a nearby lake, which is now forbidden, a shaman built a shrine where purification rituals and prayers were conducted in secret to help bring whales to the people. The “exhibit” of 92 carved wooden figures, sixteen human skulls and the wooden shelter has great historical and cultural value but has been held in storage at the American Museum of Natural History in New York for more than 100 years.

According to some, the shrine was stolen. Other say it was purchased. Either way, the artifacts remain in the basement of the museum and there’s a continuing debate as to whether or not to exhibit them. The band is trying to repatriate the shrine but have yet to build the facility to house the treasure. Plans for a cultural center (including a museum and long house) were drawn up years ago but, unfortunately, no progress has been made.

Walking along the causeway the connects Nootka and San Rafael Islands

From the church, we walked down to the causeway which connects Nootka and San Rafael Islands to visit the lighthouse where we talked to one of the keepers, Joanne, and her dog, Lucy. The government has proposed automating the lights, but pressure from the Canadian Lightkeepers Association has kept them open. Although it’s the more expensive option, there are some real benefits to mariners . . . and the government: Keepers maintain the properties, deliver current weather reports several times a day, and provide search and rescue aid when required, to name just a few. In fact, Joanne and her husband performed three rescues this weekend alone but, in all fairness, they had to help the same boat twice.

Nootka Light

Back aboard Cambria, the conditions were settled enough that we're able to spend the night in Friendly Cove, in the shadow of Nootka Light. On shore, the local First Nations band is holding their annual Summerfest, a time when they come together for a salmon barbeque and campout on their ancestral grounds. There was a wedding last night and the bride was delivered by way of a traditional war canoe, and the celebrations continued until the early hours of the morning. But tonight, it’s much quieter. The mist is lightly falling and there’s only the sound of a muffled drumbeat coming from shore: A fitting ending to the day.

British Columbia Nootka Sound West Coast Vancouver Island

Historic Bligh Island Marine Park: We Came, We Saw, We Anchored

Saturday, August 10, 2013TheCambrians

Leaving the sunshine of Bodega Bay behind . . . it's difficult to see, but somewhere at the head of the inlet is the entrance to the anchorage

There’s a lot of history along this section of the West Coast and we were anxious to get to it so, with Sally feeling better, we said our final good-byes to Cool Change and left Bodega Cove for Bligh Island Marine Park in Nootka Sound.

Named after William Bligh, master of the HMS Resolution on Captain James Cook’s third and final expedition (he was killed by the Hawaiians the following year), approximately half of the island is now a protected marine park and appears much as it did over 200 years ago when the first Europeans came to this coast. Arriving in light fog with overcast skies ourselves, it was easy for us to imagine Cook’s two ships ghosting in to port so many years ago.

Resolution Cove, Bligh Island Marine Park

The vessels, the HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery, anchored in a bay on the southeast corner of the island, now called Resolution Cove, on March 29, 1778 to make repairs and Cook became the first European to set foot in British Columbia. First Nations people arrived in canoes to greet “the floating islands” and shouted, “itchme nutka, itchme nutka,” which means “go around, go around” in an effort to direct them to Yuqout, now Friendly Cove, where there was a better anchorage. Cook misunderstood the shouts and thought they were calling out the name of the area, “Nootka, Nootka”, a moniker that managed to survive the years.

But because Cook died shortly after his visit, Nootka Sound is the only place in British Columbia where you come into direct contact with his footsteps. Likewise for William Bligh, best known as commander of HMS Bounty when the infamous mutiny occurred. Like so many other sailors, Cook’s accomplishments have grabbed our imaginationfor years. For me, it started in New Zealand which was “discovered” and charted by Cook. But for David, the story began decades ago as a young boy growing up in Middlesbrough, only three miles from Cook’s birthplace, where he continues to be heralded as the region’s greatest hero.

Bligh Cove

There’s only one completely protected anchorage on the island and Resolution Cove isn’t it, so we motored up to Bligh Cove which lies at the head of Ewin Inlet. The anchorage is a pretty spot backed by hills that rise 1,000 feet into the air, but it pales in comparison to the Spanish Pilot Group, a cluster of rocks, islets and islands located at the southwest end of the marine park popular with kayakers. And Ewin Inlet, which cuts three nautical miles into the island, where the granite rock that lines the channel is covered in golden moss and lichen, eagles perch themselves high in the trees and watch as you slowly motor past, and evergreens line the shore – sometimes the journey truly is the destination.

There were two other boats anchored in the bay when we arrived taking the prime spots, so we settled in behind one of the islets on the outskirts for the night. I jumped into my kayak for a look around the cove while David, who’s giving his shoulder a rest this season, stayed on the boat and played his guitar. Unfortunately the wind picked up and it started to get cool, cutting my trip short. It’d be nice to explore more of this area, especially the Spanish Pilot Group, but we have a good forecast for rounding Point Estevan, one of the last major peninsulas on the West Coast, on Monday and still have so much to see; so we’ll up anchor tomorrow morning and make way for Friendly Cove, where Cook claimed the surrounding area for Britain.

Ucluelet: A Walk On The Wild Side

Clayoquot Sound . . . Or Not

Ahousat: A Genuine Wilderness Outpost

Bottleneck Cove: From the Ridiculous to the Sublime

Hot Springs Cove: Alone at Last

Reflections on the West Coast: The World According to David

I’m not really sure how or why, but the website’s a task that’s fallen to me since its inception. I’ve asked David to contribute here and there over the years, but it hasn’t been something that he’s been interested in doing . . . until now. So, without further ado, I give you David:

Hot Springs Cove: A Hot Time in the City Tonight

Happy Birthday to Sally: Sweet 17 and Counting

Nootka Sound: Let There Be Light

Historic Bligh Island Marine Park: We Came, We Saw, We Anchored

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