S.V. CAMBRIA: August 2014

Destination: Europa Bay (Gardner Canal)

Saturday, August 30, 2014TheCambrians

Entrance: 53°26.835’N, 128°33.613’W

Moorings: 53°26.970’N, 128°33.566’W (approximate)

53°26.977’N, 128°33.408’W (approximate)

Hot Springs: 53°26.996’N, 128°33.675’W (approximate)

Cabin: 53°26.962’N, 128°33.154’W (approximate)

Disclaimer: This blog article is not to be used for navigation. It is purely an account of our personal experience in Gardner Canal, a remote wilderness location, during calm weather conditions. There are no services or VHF reception and any boat that enters should be self-sufficient.

We fell in love with natural hot springs on our first visit to the Central Coast in 2012 and that love affair has only grown over the last two years. For us, there’s not much that can top the experience of taking a long, hot soak in the middle of nowhere, washing away the stress of the day and then going home, clean and refreshed. Not to a hotel room surrounded by other tourists, but home. Our home. It’s heaven on earth by any definition, especially ours. And it was our quest for hot springs that first brought our attention to Gardner Canal.

After spending six years in the Pacific Northwest (mostly in British Columbia), we’ve come to take the descriptions listed in local cruising guides (in this case, Douglass’ “Exploring the North Coast of British Columbia”) with a dose of skepticism – let’s face it, not every anchorage can be the most beautiful in the world. But we are equal opportunity cruisers, so when Douglass described the pools in Europa as “by far the most pleasant hot-spring experience on the North Coast” we were ready to put their words to the test. And we’ve got to say . . . they failed.

The hot springs in Europa Bay. The upper level of the structure has a picnic table and overlooks the bay,
making it a nice place for lunch (if they bugs aren't out).

First, in all fairness, I should tell you that we were there on a hot, sunny day and the deer flies were out in full-force so I’m not sure our visit is the best judge. Not only are these vicious biting machines pests, but David’s a complete lunatic when it comes to killing them. Listening to him rant and rave for hours while he runs around killing every single one that he can while claiming victory for future generations really wears on my nerves and can make even the best of circumstances (i.e. hanging on the hook in the middle of nowhere) a real drag. And secondly, we (stupidly) chose to visit the pools around 10 or 11 in the morning when the sun was blazing rather than going in the cooler hours of the evening like reasonable people.

The two hot spring pools in Europa Bay. As you can see, the whole area is a little cramped.

So, while we aren’t big fans of Europa the pools really are very nice. The rock work is beautiful, giving the tubs a more natural feel, and they overlook the bay with a nice view out to the canal. But that doesn’t change the fact that the water’s way too hot. A thermometer in the main tub says it’s 40°C (105°F), but we think it’s stuck because it feels much warmer than that and after 10 minutes we were both lightheaded and had to get out. The temperature in the smaller pool is a more practical 37°C (98°F), but it’s small (really small) and only a couple of feet deep – not what you’d call “soaking” depth.

Cambria tied to one of the moorings in Europa Bay.

The anchorage itself isn’t particularly beautiful or interesting: The surrounding hills are low in comparison and, in have been heavily logged in the past. The bay is open to inflow winds and sees a slight chop in the afternoons. The holding is reported to be poor in rock in depths of 33 metres (109 feet). But BC Parks has set up two mooring buoys in the bay for public use (despite being marked “Private”), making it a good option in settled weather.

And although Europa Bay doesn’t rank high on our list of hot springs at the moment, it’s easy to see that under the right conditions it could. I only hope we have the opportunity to improve on our experience in the future . . . the sooner, the better in my opinion.

Things to Do:

Soak in the hot springs.
Explore by kayak.
If you go to shore near the cabin or venture up stream, be bear aware.

British Columbia Destinations The North Coast

Destination: Gardner Canal

Wednesday, August 27, 2014TheCambrians

Gardner Canal (Devastation Channel, North Coast, BC)

53°34.683’N, 128°48.323’W

This is our sixth season sailing the waters of British Columbia and while we’ve barely made a dent in the more than 13,900 nautical miles of coastline, we have spent time cruising the best of the best – from the Inside Passage to the West Coast of Vancouver Island. And Gardner Canal is, without a doubt, the pinnacle of Pacific Northwest Cruising. Located off the beaten path of the Inside Passage, it’s by no means a detour: Gardner Canal’s a destination in its own right; one well-worth the time and effort it takes to reach.

So, what’s the catch?

Well . . . paper charts are very difficult to find. It’s remote and there’s no VHF reception, so you need either a sideband radio or satellite phone in case of an emergency and for weather information. The anchorages are deep and steep-to requiring more skill to anchor in than most. The fresh, glacial waters can wreak havoc with depth sounders and hide hazards in the water. Mist and fog are common in the summer, so it may take days of waiting for skies clear enough to actually see the mountains. But if you’re prepared and have a boat with gear that can handle the environment, it’s an opportunity not to be missed.

The canal, a 46-nautical mile fjord that runs southeastward into the mainland, is divided into five legs, or reaches. From mouth to head, they are: Alan, Europa, Barrie, Whidbey and Egeria. At the head of the canal lies the Kitlope Valley, the world’s largest undisturbed coastal temperate rain forest and ancestral land of the Haisla Nation. Small, side inlets that offer anchoring possibilities are dotted along the canal and include Collins Bay, Triumph Bay, Europa Bay, Kiltuish Inlet, Owyacumish Bay, Kemano Bay, Chief Mathews Bay and Kitlope Bight.

Europa Bay (53°26.835’N, 128°33.613’W)

Alan Reach has been heavily logged in the past and held little appeal for us, so we skipped Collins Bay, Triumph Bay and Kiltuish Inlet (which sounded appealing but is protected by a shallow, rocky entrance and rapids) and went straight to Europa Bay, situated along the north side of the canal between Shearwater and Europa Points. The small bight is open to the winds blowing in the canal and the holding is reported to be poor in rock, but BC Parks has set up two mooring buoys marked “Private” that are for public use. The anchorage itself isn’t overly beautiful or interesting but what makes it worthwhile are the hot spring pools located along the western side of the bay . . . they’re lovely.

Cambria tied to a mooring in Europa Bay.

Owyacumish Bay (53°29.90’N, 128°22.10’W)

Once past Alan Reach, the logging ends and the real journey begins. The landscape seems to grow with every mile and just when you think the view couldn’t possibly get any better, you turn a corner and another incredible vista, more amazing than the last, unfolds right before your eyes. In and amongst all of this, at the junction of Europa and Barrie Reaches, lies the next anchorage – Owyacumish Bay. Hidden from the main channel, it doesn’t look very promising but is one of the most scenic spots we’ve ever stayed in and now tops our list of favourite anchorages.

Setting the anchor can be a little tricky – the bottom is steep-to and shoals quickly at the head of the bay but the holding is good in soft mud near the eastern wall in depths of 30 to 40 metres (99 to 132 feet). Once anchored, you’re surrounded by incredible views: a large waterfall along the northeastern shore, the Brim River Valley to the north, granite domes to the west and snow-caped mountains in Gardner Canal to the south. It honestly doesn’t get much better than this.

Cambria at anchor in Owyacumish Bay - a slice of heaven on earth!

Kemano Bay (53°28.28’N, 128°08.25’W)

Five nautical miles down inlet from Owyacumish Bay along Barrie Reach, you have Kemano Bay where Alcan set up a small townsite to maintain a power plant built to supply power to their aluminum smelter in Kitimat. In 1999, the site was dismantled and now crews come in from Kitimat to service the plant. The docks, once belonging to the Kemano Yacht Club, are still there but are private property and no longer maintained. We’ve heard from several other people that you can tie up for the night if you ask permission but didn’t stay there ourselves because less than 10 nm away in Whidbey Reach there’s, what we consider to be, a better option – Chief Mathews Bay.

Leaving Kemano Bay behind and making our way up Whidby Reach.

Chief Mathews Bay (53°22.51’N, 128°03.51’W)

The bay, which is actually a side-inlet, is large and culminates in a valley backed by glacial-capped mountains. Waterfalls cascade down granite faces along both sides of the shore and snow packs down to the water are still evident late into the summer months. The scenery in here is among some of the best in Gardner Canal and it’s an amazing place to spend a day or two exploring by kayak or dinghy.

The west side of the bay, near the mouth of the river, is shallow and foul with deadheads but you can anchor along the east shore off a small creek, south of the landslide, in 20 to 30 metres (66 to 99 feet) where the holding is good in mud. The anchorage feels somewhat exposed because of its size but, apart from the 10 knots of inflow winds on our first night that caused a ripple on the water, the conditions were calm during our five day stay.

Our friends aboard Salubrious leaving Chief Matthews Bay.

Price Cove (53°16.16’N, 127°56.90’W)

From Chief Mathews Bay it’s 11 nautical miles down to Price Cove, an incredible glacial valley backed by steep granite walls and cascading waterfalls. In our opinion, it stands out from everything else along Egeria Reach and is the only reason to venture to the head of the canal (apart from bragging rights). But the cove, which is merely a bend in the road, is steep-to with depths of 40 to 50 metres (132 to 165 feet) and we didn’t attempt to anchor.

Stunning Price Cove.

Kitlope Valley (53°15.22’N, 127°54.69’W)

We’d planned to drop a lunch hook and spend a little time at the head of Gardner Canal exploring Kitlope Valley, the world’s largest remaining coastal rain forest, by dinghy but we’re conservative cruisers and didn’t care for the look of Kitlope Bight as an anchorage. The bottom shoals very quickly into mudflats littered with deadheads, making Kitlope Valley the least attractive and inviting section of the fjord.

The Kitlope Valley.

To be honest, neither David nor I really knew what to expect from Gardner Canal. When we first considered it, the fact that Alan Reach had been extensively logged was a real turn off and we didn’t think it would be worth the effort. Most inlets we’ve explored along the coast have only been day trips because they offer no safe anchorage along the way and, at 46 nautical miles, Gardner Canal is too long for that. And even though Douglass lists several possibilities, none of them sounded particularly good or looked too promising on the chart. But then we started to ask around and found a couple who had actually been. After talking to them, we had a better appreciation of our options and were sold!

And we hope you are too.

Destinations the Inside Passage The North Coast

Destination: Bishop Bay Hot Springs

Sunday, August 24, 2014TheCambrians

Bishop Bay Hot Springs (Bishop Bay, The North Coast)

Entrance: 53°26.24’N, 128°54.76’W

Anchor: 53°28.03’N, 128°50.77’W

Dock: 53°28.22’N, 128°50.20’W

Cambria is tied to the dock and barely visible in the center of the picture. The two boats, bottom right, are tied to one of the park moorings and Salubrious (to the left) is tied to the other.

Bishop Bay Hot Springs, situated at the head of Bishop Bay on the east side of Ursula Channel, is a popular destination for residents of nearby Kitimat and those en route to or from Alaska. And it’s easy to understand why.

The 15-metre (50-foot) dock that lies along the northeastern shore is free to use but is short and rafting with other boats is the norm – sometimes as many as five or six deep. If tying up, a rock shoal extends on both sides and only shallow draft boats should use the ends closest to shore. BC Parks, who maintains the area along with local residents, has posted a sign on the gangway that requires boats over 30 feet to anchor or use one of the two mooring buoys located near the head of the bay (a request that is rarely followed . . . or enforced). The concern is that if the wind picks up, larger boats could un-anchor or move the dock – something that happened during storm conditions recently.

Cambria tied to the dock (overhanging by 15 feet) in July of 2013.

If you chose to use the dock, take care to leave plenty of room for other boats, especially if you’re longer than 30 feet. And be prepared to share your space – the dock can be a lively place and there are occasions when the “quiet time” rules that are the norm for most provincial parks are overlooked.

The holding in the bay is reported to be fair to poor in rock and gravel and the bottom slopes quickly into deep water, from depths of 20 to 86 metres (66 to 284 feet), so it’s preferable to use one of the two mooring buoys that were installed by BC Parks a few years ago: They’re marked “Private” but are for public use. According to two rangers we spoke with, a third mooring will be added later this year. If they’re occupied, anchorage can be found along the southwestern shore (along the head of the bay) in depths of 20 metres (66 feet). We’ve been told by people with local knowledge that it’s best to use a stern-tie, but we’ve seen plenty of boats swing freely at anchor without a problem during calm conditions.

The bath house nestled in amongst the trees along the northern shore.

The hot springs are located in a covered bath house that sits along the northern shore. To reach them, turn left after walking up the gangway on the dock and follow the boardwalk to its end; the trail continues uphill and leads to a composting outhouse. A campsite with three tent platforms and a fire ring is located in the opposite direction (turn right after walking up the gangway), toward the head of the bay.

The bath house in Bishop Bay (2013).

There are three tubs in all. The main tub, the largest, is under cover and hot, odorless water is piped in from a crevice in the bedrock beside the bath house. At the source, it’s 41° C (105.8° F) and cools to 39° C (102.2° F) in the main tub. From there, water flows to a secondary, smaller tub outside where the temperature is cooler and the tub is slightly smaller. And finally, there’s a small tub to the side of the bath house for bathing with soap. There’s a hole in the bottom side that’s plugged with a bung and, when you’re finished, you simply remove it to empty the water. Once the tub is clean, replace the bung to fill it up for the next bather.

A view of two of the tubs: the outside (bottom) and main pools.

In the past, fenders and floats decked out with boat names and dates hung from the rafters of the bath house and made for interesting reading while taking a soak; but over the winter, they were removed. Visitors are replenishing the collection, but progress is slow. We made our first trip to Bishop Bay last year and David crafted a plaque that we hung in the changing room. It, along with three or four others, survived. We have no idea why, but are happy that it did.

David hanging our plaque in July of 2013.

Things to Do:

Soak in the hot springs
Kayak
Crab
Fish

Celestial Navigation Freebie Friday Sextant

Freebie Friday: MIchael Schulze's Sextant

Friday, August 22, 2014TheCambrians

Destinations the Inside Passage

Destination: Butedale (Princess Royal Island)

Tuesday, August 19, 2014TheCambrians

Sum It Up Sunday The Central Coast the Inside Passage

Sum It Up Sunday: 13 July, 2014 – 23 July, 2014

Sunday, August 17, 2014TheCambrians

There’s an old Chinese proverb that reads, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” I believe that’s true. So, rather than write a blog in a vain attempt to “sum” up everything we’ve been doing over this past week or so, I decided to let a few of the hundreds of photos we took do the talking for me. They don’t compare to our actual experience, so I’ll do what I can to help them along. But I have to warn you in advance, there truly are no words grand enough to describe where we’ve been and what we’ve seen . . . none that I know of at least.

Looking out to Princess Royal Channel from Khutze Inlet.

After spending one night anchored behind the sandbar in Khutze Inlet, we left Sunday morning and made our way north to Bishop Bay, ducking into Butedale for a look on the way. Not much has changed since our first visit last year, but we heard somebody bought the property and has plans to make improvements in the future, including new docks. After taking a few pictures, we continued up Fraser Reach and Ursula Channel to Bishop Bay where we spent three days enjoying hot baths and sunshine.

Butedale and Butedale Falls.

The bath house at Bishop Bay Hot Springs.

Not all great weeks start on Sunday or Monday. For us, Wednesday is where it all really began. We left Bishop Bay around 9:30 am with the last of the tide and made our way up Ursula Channel to Verney Passage where we got our first glimpse of Gardner Canal, a 46-mile fjord located in Northern British Columbia, and its milky green glacial water.

Our first glimpse into Gardner Canal was breathtaking.

Our first stop was Europa Bay for the night to visit Shearwater Hot Springs.

The next day, Thursday, we dropped our mooring lines around 12:30 pm and made our way up-inlet. If Princess Louisa Inlet is the gem of BC cruising, then Gardner Canal is the crown jewel: At every turn the view is more amazing than the last and just when you think it can’t possibly get more beautiful, it does.

Salubrious is dwarfed by the mountain range in Gardner Canal.

The view goes on and on and on . . .

After spending the day in a constant state of amazement, we anchored in Chief Mathews Bay for the night, by far and away the most beautiful anchorage we’ve stayed in during our 13 years of cruising.

Approaching Chief Mathews Bay in Gardner Canal.

It rained most of the day on Friday, but David, Sylvia and I couldn’t be deterred and managed to get out for a paddle in the kayaks during a break – we returned home an hour or so later cold and soaked to the bone . . . but it was worth it!

David trying to take in his surroundings.

Cambria at anchor in Chief Mathews Bay.

Salubrious anchored next to the snow in Chief Mathews Bay.

The bay was alive with waterfalls after the rain, so Sylvia and I went out for a long paddle in the kayaks Saturday afternoon. We ended up several miles away from the boats (but still in the bay) and Bill came out in the dinghy to give us a tow back. It was getting late and we were cold, so we were grateful for the help.

Sylvia kayaking near one of the many waterfalls in Chief Mathews Bay.

Salubrious and Cambria anchored at the head of Chief Mathews Bay.

The glaciers may not be at sea level, but they're still beautiful!

It was foggy Sunday morning, showing us more of the many moods of Gardner Canal.

A foggy start to the day in Chief Mathews Bay.

The fog cleared by mid-morning so, not getting enough the day before, Sylvia and I went on another three-hour kayak tour of the bay after lunch.

Me enjoying an afternoon kayak around the bay.

One of the many waterfalls in Chief Mathews Bay.

It rained most of the day on Monday and, except for Bill and Sylvia taking Skookum to shore, we all spent most of it inside trying to keep warm and dry. Every now and again, David and I would poke our heads outside to watch the ever-changing view.

A glacier peaking out during the course of the day.

A granite peak in Chief Mathews Bay.

More glaciers in Chief Mathews Bay.

We reluctantly upped anchor Tuesday morning, leaving Chief Mathews Bay behind, and made our way to the head of Gardner Canal. We didn’t linger and, after taking a few pictures, continued up-inlet to Owyacumish Bay (Brim River) for the night.

Leaving Chief Mathews Bay.

Salubrious approaching the head of Gardner Canal.

If Chief Matthews Bay is the most beautiful anchorage we’ve stayed in, then Brim River is a close second and probably my all-time favourite: Everywhere you look, there’s an amazing vista to enjoy and the experience is akin to anchoring in the middle of a national park.

Cambria anchored in Owyacumish Bay.

Salubrious and Cambria at anchor in Owyacumish Bay.

On Wednesday, our final day in Gardner Canal, David and I set out in the kayaks in the afternoon to explore our new anchorage and had a new wilderness experience – an eagle foraging along the shore that allowed us to watch him . . . at a very close distance.