British Columbia
Desolation Sound
Prideaux Haven, Desolation Sound Marine Park
Monday, October 03, 2011TheCambrians
The barometer's falling again and was down to 1006 MB this morning as the next weather system from the Gulf of Alaska moves southward. It won't be a large series of storms like last week, so we didn't need to seek better shelter but we did leave Prideaux Haven for Grace Harbour in order to set ourselves up to move south on Wednesday after the system moves through the area.
I took Sally to Williams Island this morning before we left, as I always do. But without knowing where the bear was, I felt a little uneasy. Last night I heard noises in the bush when we were there (not as loud as theones the bear made, but louder than a bird) and this morning Sally stood in one place for minutes just staring off toward the peninsula that separates Prideaux Haven from Melanie Cove. She wouldn't budge or acknowledge me and that made me VERY nervous. Her hearing is almost gone. Her eyesight isn't what it used to be. And her sense of smell isn't as keen. But something was clearly wrong and I wasn't about to stick around to find out what.
I soon got my answer. While we were upping anchor, I saw the bear on shore, majestically standing atop a moss-covered hill staring in our direction – the same area that had Sally mesmerized moments before. I signalled to David and we paused a minute, the three of us, to say good-bye before the bear turned and made his way back into the bush and we continued to bring the anchor in. It was a very special moment for us and the perfect way to leave Prideaux Haven for the season, an anchorage we've only just discovered but will forever be a favourite of ours.
The trip to Grace Harbour was slow. We didn't see much wind in Prideaux Haven, but the sky was overcast and raining (the weather being held in place by the Coast Range). But as we moved west, the sky began to clear and the wind increased. We saw a steady 15 to 20 knots with gusts as high as 34 knots before we turned into the channel leading to Grace Harbour where it died down to little more than two knots and the sun was shining! A very welcomed change from thepast several days.
0 comments