S.V. CAMBRIA: November 2014

Adventures in Johnstone Strait

Sunday, November 30, 2014TheCambrians

This week brought a lot of changes – the biggest being that, after two months, we separated with Salubrious. We’re going to miss them, but it was time. They needed to go into Port McNeill for provisions and we simple didn’t have the heart to return to the place where we said good-bye to our Sally. Not now. Maybe not ever. So we continued south with one thought on our minds – making miles. And that’s exactly what we did.

Sunday morning started off slow as we motored down Queen Charlotte Strait in the fog and mist. There were logs and kelp patches everywhere, and it was a challenge to avoid hitting the debris in the poor visibility – in fact, we may have nicked a log or two. But things picked up by the afternoon and we went screaming down Blackfish sound at 9 to 9.5 knots. Screaming is a relative term, though, because a little later we found ourselves motoring at a whopping 12.2 in Blackney Passage before hitting a wall and dropping down to 5.5. We made it all the way down to Port Neville – 58 miles, not a bad day’s work – before the tide turned and we ran out of steam. Currents are amazing things!

A tug towing two apartment buildings or lodges down Johnstone Strait.

The forecast for Monday called for a ridge of high pressure to pass over Vancouver Island with gale-force northwest winds ahead of the front. Johnstone Strait was looking at 20 knots increasing to 30 late in the morning. It looked much better for Tuesday but, after a horrible night’s sleep, I really wanted to get out of Port Neville (never good reason to leave) so I deferred to David. We decided to give it another day . . . and then changed our minds 30 minutes later.

In hindsight, we should have waited. We had a fantastic run down Johnstone Strait, reaching over 12 knots through Race Passage, but had our hands full with a spring tide, strong winds, rough seas, major currents and debris. The weather was from behind us but, had we waited until Tuesday, we probably could have put a sail out and had a more relaxed ride down the strait. But we were anxious to put the miles behind us, so we did. And by early Monday evening, we were tucked inside the Discovery Islands at one of our favourite anchorages – Octopus Islands Marine Park.

We spent four really nice nights anchored in Octopus Islands enjoying the sunshine and paddling around in the kayaks watching the raccoons feed at low tide and finally making a visit to the kayakers’ cabin where passing boats leave their mark behind, most in a very artistic way. I hiked up to Newton Lake a couple of times for a quick swim while David stayed on the boat and tended to some maintenance (he doesn’t like to hike). The water was really cold, but refreshing and I managed to have the lake to myself both times. I also managed to put a hole in David’s kayak when I snagged it on a crusty rock. We love the inflatables, but they definitely have their shortcomings!

David enjoying lounging in the sunshine at Octopus Islands Marine Park.

Watching the raccoons feed along the shore at Octopus Islands Marine Park.

David reading the guest book at the kayakers' cabin in Octopus Islands Marine Park.

David lubricating the windex while at anchor in Octopus Islands Marine Park.

As much as we enjoyed our time in Octopus, we were running low on fresh provisions so we made the trip down to Rebecca Spit Marine Park on Friday. And with nowhere to go and nothing to do, we dropped anchor, pulled out the Air Chair and called it a week.

Holidays Living Aboard a Boat Notes From the Dockside

Giving Thanks

Thursday, November 27, 2014TheCambrians

Cambria at anchor in Prideaux Haven, Desolation Sound.

Blog ideas come in all shapes and sizes at different time of the day – on my morning walk, while having dinner, in my sleep. This one was born in the shower.

It started off as a simple thought: I need to come up with a nice way to say Happy Thanksgiving on our Facebook page. I decided to post a picture of the boat at anchor with the text, “I’m grateful for it all.” But that just didn’t seem to cut it. I wanted to say more.

David and I have been cruising for 13 years, though not in a conventional way. We set out to see the world and discovered that we enjoyed living in different countries, on a boat, for long periods of time while exploring and meeting new people. We’re both retired and haven’t worked since 2001 . . . we’re very fortunate. But, like a lot of cruisers, I tend to underplay our lifestyle as if I’m somehow embarrassed at its greatness. Or worse, afraid I don’t deserve it. But I do. We both do: David and I have worked very hard over the years to get where we’re at in life, him undeniable more so than me. And we continue to work hard: Cruising isn’t easy. It is, however, extremely rewarding.

But, apart from the blog, we don’t say much about our way of life – even then, I hold back because I’ve heard “must be nice” covered in sarcasm one too many times along the way. And to be honest, there are people in our lives who aren’t very interested: some because they’re envious and others because they have no basis of understanding of how we live. This issue isn’t unique to us. Thousands of other cruisers have the same problem. We get where it comes from, have accepted it and have long since moved on.

The truth is, though, we have an amazing life: We sail the ocean with nothing to keep us company except the stars. We experience the kindness of strangers who later become life-long friends. We sail amongst the mountains where we bathe in waterfalls and soak in natural hot springs. We watch the whales frolic and dive from the deck of our home. We follow bears as they feed along the shore in our own backyard. We pursue our passions – the things that bring joy to our daily lives – and still have time to watch the sun set in the company of the one we love the most.

And I’m grateful for it all . . . today and every day!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Cambria motoring down Gardner Canal in northern British Columbia.

A humpback whale dives in Fitz Hugh Sound.

A male black bear searches for food along the shore in Eucott Bay.

Destinations The Central Coast the Inside Passage

Fury Cove

Sunday, November 23, 2014TheCambrians

Best New Things Boat Project Living Aboard a Boat

Insulated Portlights: The Best New Thing In the Boat

Friday, November 21, 2014TheCambrians

A couple of months ago, I started a series on the blog called “The Best New Thing In the Boat.” Well, “series” might be a stretch since I’ve only written one other post, but you have to start somewhere. And now that I’ve started, it’s time to build on it.

First, a little background.

We have a Sirus satellite radio on board and I used to listen to the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC almost every day (I’ve since been treated for my addiction and now it’s all Classic Vinyl or BB King Bluesville for me!). Rachel does a segment from time to time called, “The Best New Thing In the World” where she introduces something new that’s caught her attention. It can be a product, an idea or something somebody has done, and it was her segment that inspired me to start this “series”. My first post was about our new portable freezer. And while I have to admit that our second item isn’t as “sexy” or life-changing, it really is “The Best New Thing In the Boat” – window insulation!

Winter has made its return and the entire country has been blasted with Arctic temperatures thanks to Typhoon Nuri out of

Japan

. It’s been no different here in the Pacific Northwest and last week we experienced below freezing temperatures that left frost on the decks and the portlights dripping with condensation.

For years, friends have been raving about window insulation. You know the stuff – the kits they sell with double-sided tape and a plastic sheet that are supposed to seal out the cold air and keep things warmer. But, for one reason or another, we hadn’t gotten around to trying it until last week and, I have to say, we’re impressed!

I was dubious at first and couldn’t see how a very light piece of plastic was going to keep all that dew at bay. After all, when it comes to living-aboard during the winter months, we are Cambria’s biggest enemy. But it does. We still get some drops around the port rims from the cold (which are aluminum) and have to wipe them on occasion, but the windows themselves are dry as can be. Even cooking, which used to steam up every portlight and hatch on the boat, is no longer an issue. IF the plastic film gets foggy at all, it clears up in minutes.

It’s still early days but both David and I are incredibly happy with the results: The boat’s warmer, dryer and a lot more comfortable – all for under $10.

The Product:

There are several brands out there, but they’re all basically the same thing – a thin sheet of plastic they call “shrink” wrap (it doesn’t actually shrink) and heavy-duty double-sided tape. We opted for the large window kit from Duck because that’s all that was on the shelf the day we finally remembered to look for it. We had plenty of window film left over but ran short of tape. We ended up purchasing a roll of Frost King which did the job but I found more difficult to work with than the Duck brand.

Living Aboard a Boat The Central Coast the Inside Passage

A (Very Good) Day in the Life

Wednesday, November 19, 2014TheCambrians

Fury Cove Sum It Up Sunday The Central Coast

Sum It Up Sunday: Leaving the Central Coast

Sunday, November 16, 2014TheCambrians

The sunset in Fitz Hugh Sound as seen from the anchorage in Fury Cove.

It’s not always smooth sailing when you live-aboard and cruise: Sometimes it’s the weather that gets you. Other times it’s a piece of equipment that’s failed. And sometimes it’s simply you. This week it was us . . . without a doubt.

The fact that our time along the Central and North Coast has ended is sad for both David and me. The area is arguably one of the most beautiful places in the world, and we always enjoy the time we spend here – day by day and mile by spectacular mile. We’ve developed a real affection for the remoteness of the region – the seclusion and the need to be self-reliant. Leaving that behind is difficult. Very difficult. And that’s left us both feeling a little out of sorts.

But the weather window we’d been waiting for to round Cape Caution kept getting pushed back: Thursday became Sunday. Sunday became Monday. And Monday started to look more and more like Wednesday, buying us some extra time in the place we love so much. We spent it wisely.

Kayaks on the midden beach in Fury Cove.

In order to cut 20 miles off the passage that takes us round Cape Caution and down to Blunden Harbour, we moved to Fury Cove on Monday and waited. By Tuesday, the sky started to clear. And by Wednesday, the sea state was beginning to die down. Thursday was going to be the day.

To pass the time, David and I took the kayaks out and paddled beyond the protection of the anchorage to the west side of Fury Island where we discovered one of the most beautiful white sand beaches we’ve ever seen. We spent hours walking barefoot in the sand in our own private world, leaving us with only one choice – we had to stay an extra day.

So we did.

Come Friday morning, we upped anchor and made our way into Queen Charlotte Sound and round Cape Caution, finishing the week off in Blunden Harbour: Our northern adventure was finished for the year. But Fury Cove had given us a beautiful send-off, reminding us we still have two months before our season is over. What we do with it, is up to us.

Salubrious sailing Queen Charlotte Sound with a pod of orcas.

British Columbia Destinations The Central Coast

Destination: Pruth Bay (Calvert Island)

Wednesday, November 12, 2014TheCambrians

Destination: Kisameet Bay

Wednesday, November 05, 2014TheCambrians

Sum It Up Sunday The Central Coast the Inside Passage

Sum It Up Sunday: Moving South for the Winter in the Summer

Sunday, November 02, 2014TheCambrians

While summer isn’t entirely over, there’s been a significant change in the weather this week and it’s time to move south – something both David and I loathe doing. We have a special affection for central and northern British Columbia: It’s here that we feel the most at home. But the winters are difficult – cold, wet and stormy – and it wouldn’t be long before I caught cabin fever if we attempted to stay. David, on the other hand, would be fine.

There are practical reasons to move south as well. Our insurance, for one, requires us to be below 51° by the first of September, though we’ve asked for and received an extension. But mostly it’s the weather. It won’t be long now before the Pacific High breaks down completely and low pressure systems from Southeast Alaska start rolling in, bringing storm-force winds and heavy rain along with them. If we wait too long, rounding Cape Caution, which is open to the Pacific Ocean, will be too difficult. So this week, we reluctantly started our passage south.

It was another foggy, rainy and generally uninspiring morning when we set out – one that matched our moods perfectly. And we slowly motored 38 miles past Bella Bella, down through Lama Passage and to Fisher Channel, stopping in Kisameet Bay for a couple of nights. The forecast for rounding Cape Caution doesn’t look good for several days, so we felt no need to rush. And Kisameet Bay is as nice as any to pass the time.

From there, we moved a short distance across Fitz Hugh Sound to Sea Otter Inlet for one night before continuing on to Pruth Bay – another one of our favourite destinations. David likes it because they pipe free wifi into the anchorage and he can get a clear picture of the weather by downloading synoptic and forecast charts*. And I like it because of its beautiful white sand beaches and incredible hiking. When it comes to me and David, I think it’s fair to say that “opposites attract” . . . he’s much more practical than I am.

Now that we’ve committed to moving south, we’re anxious to put the miles behind us but the forecast is proving to be frustrating. The weather window we’d been shooting for has closed up: Thursday quickly became Saturday. Saturday became Sunday. And Sunday has been pushed back to Tuesday. So, we decided to do the only reasonable thing we could under the circumstances – go for a nice walk on the beach. Maybe we’re not exactly opposites after all.

*We have a sideband and Pactor modem aboard but the internet gives us access to a broader range of weather sources and current satellite imagery.

Adventures in Johnstone Strait

Giving Thanks

Fury Cove

Insulated Portlights: The Best New Thing In the Boat

A (Very Good) Day in the Life

Sum It Up Sunday: Leaving the Central Coast

Destination: Pruth Bay (Calvert Island)

Destination: Kisameet Bay

Sum It Up Sunday: Moving South for the Winter in the Summer

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