S.V. CAMBRIA: July 2016

Sum It Up Sunday | What Happened to Saturday?

Monday, July 18, 2016TheCambrians

The view from the webcam at the Hakai Institute with Cambria and JouJou rafted together.

What happened to Saturday? It was the biggest question on my mind this week. I didn’t forget to pull a page off the calendar. It didn’t get lost in the shuffle of a busy week. And it didn’t, by some super natural means, just vanish into thin air. No, I slept through the whole day, missing it entirely which is why I’m summing up our week on Monday rather than Sunday.

We had a plan, but plans are meant to be changed: David got the oven working again Sunday morning, so we were going to up anchor and leave Pruth Bay behind for Burke Channel until he received an email from some friends of ours. They were six miles south of Cape Caution and on their way to meet us. So, we stopped getting the boat ready to go and sent them an email back saying we’d be waiting.

For the next three nights, we rafted together in different anchorages – Pruth Bay, Sea Otter Inlet and Shearwater. During the day we moved, taking advantage of the southerly winds blowing in Fitz Hugh Sound. And in the evening we shared stories and meals aboard each other’s boat, doing our best to make the most of our short time together before they continued on to their final destination: Alaska.

Thanks to Laurie, we finally have a picture of us aboard Cambria.

It was a lot of fun, but it was also tiring. Not used to being so social, I was wiped out by the time we said our goodbyes. So, we upped anchor and motored through Gunboat Passage to a canny little spot called Forit Bay for the night. Come Thursday, it was David’s turn to be tired but he was able to push through his fatigue and we finished off the passage to Ocean Falls where we tied up to the dock and walked up to the lodge to say hello to our friends who own the place, Rob and Corrina Darke. By now you must be picking up on one of the major themes for this cruising season – visiting friends. And because I finally fessed up about our plans to sell Cambria and move back to England, it’s all probably starting to make sense.

The barometer had been on the rise over the last several days and the sun finally showed its face on Friday. I got to work first and pulled out the hose and brushes to give Cambria’s topside a good cleaning, leaving David to his own devices in the afternoon while I went out for a walk around town to take some pictures. I stopped by the lodge on my way back to the boat to see if Rob and Corrina were headed to the pub in Martin Valley, a big event in Ocean Falls. They said they were going at 4 o’clock but needed to be back by 5:30 pm to get dinner out for the logging crew that was staying with them. An hour and a half? Perfect! I’d have a couple of beers and still have plenty of time to get dinner ready myself. David wanted to finish what he was working on, so I hitched a ride with them and said I’d be home soon. I’ll just end the story with this word of advice: Don’t go out drinking with loggers because they’re very generous when it comes to buying rounds but, if you do, make sure you read the alcohol content on the can before you start throwing them back.

Saturday’s a blur. My best guess is that David spent the day working on the boat and poking his head into our cabin every now and then to see if I was still alive (unfortunately, yes). He also made a decision: Neither one of us could seem to figure out how long we wanted to stay in Ocean Falls, hemming and hawing every time we broached the subject because being tied up makes getting things done so much easier . . . and we hate being tied up. So, he took the bull by the horns and booked us in for a full month. Sound drastic? Yeah, I suppose it is. But we’re both eager to put Cambria on the market and move on to our next adventure.

It’s not going to be all work and no play: Eucott Bay and its natural hot springs are only 30 miles away and Roscoe Inlet, one of British Columbia’s most beautiful fjords, is equally as close. Corrina and I are hatching plans to do some kayaking on Link Lake. Rob wants to take us out salmon fishing. There’s supposed to be a good hike or two leading to an overlook around here. And we still plan to make a trip up to Gardner Canal before we have to be south of Cape Caution the first of September. But, in the meantime, there’s a long list of jobs to do and, now that summer has finally arrived, we can finally get to it!

Living Aboard a Boat Ramblings From the Dockside Reflections on Cruising

Dreams for Sale

Friday, July 15, 2016TheCambrians

“We’ve moved on, haven’t we?” It was another one of those random questions I like to pull from thin air and throw David’s way, one that was attached to no particular conversation. But he knew immediately what I was asking, and I knew what his answer would be: “Yeah, we have.”

We were sitting in the cockpit chatting about the day or whatever topic happened to pop into our heads. I was looking around the bay, taking in the view and feeling bothered by the fact that I wasn’t motivated to move on to our next anchorage, or any other for that matter. Something was wrong and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until the question escaped my mouth. And now that the answer’s out there, maybe it’s time to finally fess up and make our plans be known.

David and I have decided to put Cambria on the market. It’s time for our home of 13 years to belong to somebody else . . . to be somebody else’s dream. We don’t want to go offshore again and she belongs on the open-ocean, sailing fast and free. It’s only fair. We’re still going to finish our season – one last hurrah re-visiting our favourite anchorages and friends along the Inside Passage – but expect it to be our last. It wasn’t an easy decision, but we’re ready to move on to our next adventure and have started taking steps to make that happen.

Where do we want to go?

I’ve written about this before and alluded to the fact that we’d already made our decision, which we had, but the reality is just starting to hit home. Before it was something we said we were going to do and now we’re actually doing it. Cambria’s not on the market yet, but we are laying the groundwork for that to happen . . . and soon.

Our plan is to move back to the UK and explore the canals of England and Wales on a narrowboat. I’ve already picked out the name of our next blog (From the Towpath) and have saved it on Facebook and Wordpress. We’ve been researching information and looking at boats for sale online (we know what we want but haven’t found it yet). But David did something the other day that set me back a little bit: He contacted a friend of ours who’s a boat broker.

We’ve been down this path once before. When we moved back to the States in 2007, there were so many things we wanted to do but felt we couldn’t because we didn’t want to leave the boat unattended for long periods of time. And then we got an idea: What if we sold the boat? We’d be free! So, we sat down with a broker in San Diego and talked about our options. By the time the meeting was over, both David and I had tears in our eyes and knew we couldn’t do it. We loved Cambria; she was our home and we weren’t ready to part ways. But now we are.

What’s different?

We are. We’ve been doing this for 15 years now and we’re ready for a change. We’re also ready to go “home”. It’s been 40 years since David left England and he still has family living there that we want to spend time with. So, after a lot of thought and consideration, we decided that travelling the canals would be a great way to accomplish that and more (like adding another dog or two to our family). But what if we don’t like it? The answer is simple: We’ll go back to cruising aboard a sailboat . . . just not this one.

That doesn’t mean it was an easy decision to make. It wasn’t. And it took me, personally, a year to get on board but, after carefully weighing our options, I eventually came to the same conclusion as David. So, here we are once again, staring down the face of another abyss – one that requires selling just about everything we own, packing up the rest, and moving half way across the world to start all over. Sound exciting? It is . . . but it’s also scary and a little overwhelming.

The first thing we want potential buyers to know when they come down the companionway steps is that Cambria is well-loved and our heads spin in 100 different directions whenever we think about how to make that happen, especially while still living aboard. And then there are the questions: What stays? What goes? How do we market the boat? Where do we market the boat? But we’ll get there in the end. We always do.

What’s a narrowboat?

A narrowboat is exactly what it sounds like: a boat that’s narrow, 6’10” wide to be exact, and purpose-built to fit the canals of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland which were created to transport goods from town to town on barges pulled by horses walking along a towpath. In the mid-1800s, railways began replacing the canals and they eventually fell into a state of disrepair. One hundred years later, people started to see the potential for recreation on the waterways and began the process of bringing the system back to life. Today, there are over 2,000 miles of canals in use and more are being renovated and reopened every year.

At this point you might be thinking, “Six feet and 10 inches, how can you live like that.” Easy. Lengthwise. Not only are narrowboats narrow, they’re long and we’re in the market for one in the 58 to 62 foot range with a owner’s cabin forward, a bathroom with a tub (if possible), a main living area, a walk-through galley with a breakfast bar and an office that seconds as guest accommodation so we can kidnap David’s brother and sister-in-law for long periods of time.

What does this mean for the blog?

Well, it means that I’m going to bring you along for the journey of selling a boat, the ups and downs of it all. This isn’t our first rodeo; Cambria’s our third boat together, but she’s been our home for the last 13 years and we have a lot of blood, sweat and tears invested in her . . . along with a lot of memories. Saying goodbye and letting go is going to be one of the most difficult things we’ve done as a couple. But it’s not something that’s going to happen quickly, I’m guessing it’ll take 18 months for Cambria to sell. So, in the meantime, it’ll be more of the same: summing it up on Sundays whenever I can, information on anchorages along the Inside Passage and blogs about whatever subject happens to catch my attention (like this one). But now that the proverbial cat’s out of the bag, at the very least, I can be more open and honest about what’s happening aboard the good ship Cambria and why.

In 2007, David and I spent 7 weeks in England visiting his family and had the opportunity to spend an afternoon on a narrowboat with his brother and sister-in-law. The photos from the trip are (01) David standing aboard "Longmead", (02) Derek, D's brother, and David at the rudder, (03) me, with about 20 inches less hair, in the companionway, (04) our sister-in-law, June, at the dinette, and (05) David working the locks.

Have you ever sold a boat that was your home? We’d love to hear any advice you might have. Join the conversation below in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

Boat Maintenance Pruth Bay Sum It Up Sunday

Sum It Up Sunday | Have I Mentioned It’s Been Raining . . . A Lot?

Sunday, July 10, 2016TheCambrians

The date on the calendar may read the 10^th of July, but it feels more like March. We’re in the midst of an atmospheric battle for dominance and the low-pressure systems are winning. There’s really no other way to say it: The weather sucks. And not just here at 51° N, it’s happening all along the Inside Passage – the North Coast, the Central Coast, the Broughtons, Desolation Sound, all the way down to Puget Sound. It’s been cold, wet and windy – not exactly the summer we were hoping for, but it’s the one we’ve been handed.

Not every day has been bad. We’re seeing two or three decent days, followed by four or five poor ones right now. When we anchored in Pruth Bay last Sunday, we were at the end of one of these weather cycles and the first part of the week was somewhat nice, allowing opportunities to get to shore and walk the beaches – the main reason boats come to Pruth Bay in the first place. But by Thursday, the clouds had rolled back in, the heater was on, and the rain was falling once again. Even today, after the barometer has steadily risen over the last two days to a reasonable 1015 Mb (up from 1001 Mb – quite low for this time of year), it’s wet and dreary.

Our plan was to only stay a couple of nights but we received an e-mail from some friends saying they were on their way north. I wrote back to tell them where we were and that we’d wait for them. So, we waited. And then waited some more. By the time we decided they weren’t coming, the weather had turned so we kept waiting, using the time to look at our options and decide where to go next.

We were thinking about making a run up Burke Channel to Bella Coola, someplace we’d never been. But I ran into some folks on shore the other day and, as luck would have it, one of them was from the area. I wouldn’t say he talked me out of the idea, but the look on his face when I mentioned our plans told me all I needed to know: Don’t bother. But he did give me the head’s up on a natural hot spring pool that he claimed was better than Eucott Bay. And believe me when I tell you, we’re ready for a long, hot soak. So, we scratched our plans for Bella Coola and decided to go up Burke Inlet, find the Tallheo Hot Springs, spend a night in nearby Larso Bay, sail up to Eucott Bay for a couple of days and then sail down Dean Channel to Ocean Falls where I have a new charger for my camera battery waiting. Perfect! Until David tried to start the motor and it wasn’t interested in our plans.

It wasn’t just the engine. The first to dig in their heels and say no was the inverter, a piece of equipment that converts 12 volt direct current (dc) from the battery bank to 220 volt house current (ac). Then the gas detector failed, shutting down the entire LPG system in the middle of cooking dinner. And the bilge pumps went on strike as well. Diagnosis: a bad battery switch. Fortunately, we carry spares. Unfortunately, like with every other boat in the world, a job that should take an hour or so, took all day. So, we’re still anchored in Pruth Bay.

But the good news is that’s about to change. The bad news is the stove still doesn’t work. It looks like a fuse may have blown, likely from a power spike, and the gas detector alarm won’t reset or allow the solenoid to open. In other words, we can’t cook until we find the fuse . . . shame it’s not located on the control panel. David’s going to take another stab at it this morning, if he gets it fixed, we’ll stick to our original plan. If not, we’ll move up to Shearwater where we have access to a chandlery if we need it, a store to buy some bread now that I can’t bake any, and start all over again.

Hakai Hiking Pruth Bay

Hiking the Hakai

Friday, July 08, 2016TheCambrians

I think I feel the same way about hiking that some people feel about sailing: I love losing myself on a trail (not literally, of course). I love feeling the wind in my face. I love climbing hills and trees, pushing myself every step of the way. I don’t care where I’m going. I don’t care how long it takes. And I don’t care what’s at the end of the road. I just want to be on the trail. It’s a major high. A rush. And always, always the best part of my day.

West Beach under blue skies.

I’d been waiting for the moment all week. The timing had to be just right. And finally, on Wednesday, it happened: The sun began to shine. The beaches of Calvert Island are best when the sun’s out, making the white sand and turquoise waters of the Pacific look downright tropical. It truly is breathtaking and what so many people who cruise are looking for. Of course, they’d probably like the water to be warmer than 54°F so they could actually enjoy it, but that’s an entirely different subject. I’m writing about hiking and the trails on Calvert Island that lead to eleven different beaches (if you count North Beach and Wolf Beach, which I am).

The hike starts at the largest and most easily accessible of the beaches: West Beach. The trail to West Beach is well-maintained and winds through bushes, ferns, and a forest of Sitka Spruce before opening up to the Pacific Ocean. If you stop there, you won’t be disappointed. West Beach is beautiful and it’s easy to spend hours walking barefoot in the sand, combing the beach for any treasures that may have washed ashore. But, for the more adventurous, the trailhead to one of the best hikes (in my opinion) along the Inside Passage starts is at the southern end. If not the best, it’s certainly the most unique.

Without a map, it can be difficult to follow at times, but there’s one on display on the dock. I was smart enough to take a picture of it before I set off but the level of detail on the camera screen wasn’t large enough to show some of the smaller trails and beaches. But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.

The trail from West Beach parallels the shore and, in some spots, offers beautiful views out to the Pacific and Foggy Cove before splitting – the lookout to the left and 2^nd Beach straight ahead. The lookout, with incredible views out to West Beach and the surrounding islands, is not to be missed, but it can be done either at the beginning or the end of the hike without backtracking.

The view from the lookout is worth the climb!

From 2^nd Beach, there’s a short trail that leads to 3^rd Beach. And while short, the thing to bear in mind is that the trail can be rugged at times and requires good shoes and some climbing. It can also be wet and muddy. The Hakai Institute, in partnership with BC Parks, has installed boardwalks over some of the trail but they pretty much end at 2^nd Beach.

2nd Beach.

3rd Beach.

4th Beach looking out to 5th beach (I think).

Another short trail leads from 3^rd Beach to 4^th Beach where there’s a trail that leads to 7^th Beach. What happened to 5^th and 6^th Beach? Good question. One I wished I’d had the answer for on Wednesday: Apparently, there’s a short trail at the western edge of 7^th Beach that takes you to 6^th and another trail on 6^th that will take you back to 5^th. But if you’re really lucky and the tide is low, you might be able to walk directly around the southern headland on 4^th to 5^th. This is where forward planning is helpful. Had I been able to study the map before I went to shore, I could have timed my arrival for the bottom of low tide and had access to all of the beaches. But I wasn’t, so I didn’t. The tide had come in enough that the trail from 7^th Beach was completely closed off so I continued on in search of the rest.

My version of a selfie on 7th beach.

The trail inland picks up again at the southern end of 7^th Beach and this is where things get interesting. It takes you up and inland, above the tree line, to a bog and the trail becomes difficult to find, let alone follow. I was fortunate enough to find a series of footprints in the mud to track (along with some wolf prints), but even that wasn’t enough. There are some markers here and there and I was able to get close to 8^th and 9^th Beach, but wasn’t able to find the trail leading down. After several attempts, I gave up when I kept loosing my way in overgrown bush. It’s a shame, too, because 8^th Beach looks beautifully dramatic.

There's 8th beach, but where's the trail?

So, if you’re looking for an opportunity to do some interesting beach hiking and are anchored in Pruth Bay, give the trails along Calvert Island a try. Whether you take the level path to West Beach, the one to North Beach, or go full-out in search of beaches 9 and 10, you won’t regret it. In fact, it may end up being a highlight of your cruising season . . . I know it will be for me.

How about you? Do you have a favourite hike? We’d love to hear about it below in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

Anchorages Bute Inlet Desolation Sound

Destination | Bute Inlet

Wednesday, July 06, 2016TheCambrians

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

With some cruising destinations, it's all about what lies at the end of the road – a sandy beach, a waterfall, a special hike. With others, it's what takes place along the way. Bute Inlet, one of British Columbia's longest and deepest fjords, falls into the latter category where mile after mile of high, steep mountains and snow-capped peaks surround boaters as they sail deep into the mainland and through some of the most beautiful scenery in and around Desolation Sound.

There's no question that both David and I are fjord people – we can't get enough of them – and one of the things we've tried to accomplish during the years we've been cruising the Inside Passage is to explore as many as we can. But try as we might one fjord, more than any other, has eluded us until recently because of inclement weather – Bute Inlet. This year, the forecast was in our favour so we seized the opportunity when we could. Unfortunately, our plans to spend a few nights exploring and enjoying several of its anchorages would have to change.

Every Experience is Different

There isn't a lot of information written about Bute Inlet in the cruising guides and what there is, is out of date and doesn't provide a complete picture. Some guides have opted to use generalized statements and singular accounts to describe an area that is unpredictable, remote and has its own micro-climate thanks, in part, to the steep mountain ranges and large ice fields. For example, the Waggoner Cruising Guide has been printing the following account from correspondents Gil and Karen Flanagan for several years regarding the head of Bute Inlet, Waddington Harbour:

There is no protection from wind, but we had no wind. We didn't see much driftwood on the beach, either. We doubt if inflow winds blow hard or long, probably because even on hot days the massive ice fields in the mountains above preclude high land temperatures (p. 267).

And Dreamspeaker makes a similar claim in their guide, "A Dreamspeaker Cruising Guide: Desolation Sound":

Afternoon inflow winds occur during settled, sunny weather. They are generally light but can be accelerated by the inlet's length and steep-sided shoreline (p. 111).

While both statements stem from personal experience and Bute Inlet surely has its share of fine days, they're both somewhat misleading. Inflow winds can blow hard and long . . . and they can reach the entire length of the inlet. Our personal experience is an example of that. The day we went up-inlet, it was sunny and warm. But the further we sailed, the less settled the weather became. The inflow winds didn't die out; instead, they built to a steady 20 to 25 knots, running the entire length of the inlet. Some cruisers we know had a similar experience and turned around before reaching Waddington Harbour when katabatic winds knocked their sailboat on its side. And while Bute Inlet is better known for strong outflow winds, inflow winds deserve just as much consideration because anchorages along the 35-mile inlet don't offer adequate protection.

Lack of Anchoring Possibilities

Before our trip up-inlet, we studied the charts and cruising guides and had a few anchorages in mind: Leask Creek, Orford Bay and Waddington Harbour, in particular. But by the time we reached the head of the inlet on our first day, both David and I were concerned about the changing weather and were ready to get out of there so the only first-hand information we have is for Waddington Harbour. Here's what the Flanagans had to say in Waggoner Cruising Guide:

Waddington Harbour, at the head of Bute Inlet, has a lot of good anchoring spots in 10 to 50 foot depths (p. 267).

Like so many heads of inlets we've visited over the years, Waddington Harbour is a roadstead anchorage at best, and we didn't feel that there were a lot of good anchoring opportunities despite its shallow depths. Additionally, the flats at the head of the inlet shoal rapidly and the milky, glacial waters make reading the bottom more difficult so careful sounding was required (though there was agreement between the charted depths and the depths we saw along the southeast corner). We were able to find a place to anchor (50°53.64 N, 124°47.65 W) that got us out of the bulk of the wind, but the better protected spots were fouled with deadheads (logs that stand upright in the water with only a few inches or feet showing) and logging equipment from the Southgate River operation that occupies the southeastern section of the bay.

What we can tell you about the other anchorages I mentioned is that none of them provide protection from inflow winds and Leask Creek has been taken over by (what appears to be) a high-dollar fishing resort, Orford Bay is home to a large-scale logging operation and Waddington Harbour, as I've already mentioned, is a roadstead anchorage only suitable in settled conditions. There's also a little nook along the eastern shore just south of the Orford River at 50°34.38 N, 124°52.46 W (mentioned in Waggoner) that looks like it would provide some protection from inflow and outflow winds on the chart but we didn't take a look at it ourselves.

Despite their inclusion of the Flanagan account, the 2016 edition of Waggoner Cruising Guide has the most helpful advice when it comes to the anchorages inside Bute Inlet:

Except in small areas near the mouths of rivers and at the head of the inlet, it is not good for anchorage. Usually, the bottom drops away steeply, making a stern-tie to shore necessary. Anchorages should be chosen with an eye to strong inflow winds during the afternoon, followed by calm, then by icy outflow winds in the morning (p. 267).

And the Douglass guide, "Exploring the South Coast of British Columbia", provides the most information, devoting two and a half pages to Bute Inlet, including excerpts from Sailing Directions.

Our Thoughts

At the end of the day, we're glad that we finally had the opportunity to make a run up Bute Inlet: It's a beautiful fjord with arguably the most dramatic and striking scenery in the Desolation Sound area. The shore is lined with steep, rugged mountains but they've been heavily logged along the entire length and, for us, that's huge downside (along with the lack of good anchorages). It's also very wide, spanning over a mile at its narrowest point, and lacks the intimacy of many of the other fjords along the Inside Passage. And for what's considered to be a wilderness destination, there's a lot in the way of commercial development. Having spent so much time along the Central and North Coast of British Columbia exploring pristine fjords, Bute Inlet is somewhat of a letdown and we won't be back. But if time doesn't allow a trip beyond Cape Caution, Bute Inlet might be a good alternative for those in search of a more remote cruising experience closer to home.

Fury Cove Pruth Bay Sum It Up Sunday

Sum It Up Sunday | Motor-Sailing and Rainy Days

Sunday, July 03, 2016TheCambrians

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The site of a former First Nation village in Blunden Harbour.

The week started off pretty much how it ended – with strong northwesterly winds in Queen Charlotte Strait . . . and everywhere else. But that wasn’t what kept us anchored in Blunden Harbour. Before we could sail above 51° N, we needed to add a rider to our insurance coverage. In the past, it’s always been issued within 24 hours of making the request but this year it took over a week. I’m not sure what the problem was but, whatever the reason, Monday and Tuesday had us waiting at anchor for the answer to arrive, which it finally did: We were good to go.

Wednesday morning, the forecast called for a nice westerly breeze and the West Sea Otter buoy reported a 0.9 metre swell – perfect conditions for rounding Cape Caution. So, we upped anchor and started, what would be, another 50-mile day. Both David and I were excited to get back to the Central Coast. With our trip to Alaska last season, we weren’t able to spend much time there and it’s, by far and away, our favourite cruising grounds along the entire stretch of the Inside Passage (though I’d argue that Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay in Southeast Alaska were the best).

True to the forecast, we had a nice westerly (beam on) breeze once we rounded Cape Caution, but it wasn’t enough to carry us northward so we had to motor-sail. Still, this year has started off to be one of the best we’ve seen for sailing winds and hopefully we’ll have more days like that in our future.

Our first stop in the Central Coast is a popular one, Fury Cove, and there were a dozen or more boats already at anchor when we arrived. One of them hailed from Opua, New Zealand, a former home port for us, and we were looking forward to chatting with the crew but missed the opportunity by waiting until the next morning – they were gone before I even got out of bed.

Thursday was a beautiful day, so we launched the kayaks and paddled around to the outside of Fury Island to spend the afternoon at one of the best beaches along the coast . . . or at least it seemed like it was one of the best when we first discovered it two years ago. The last couple of winters have been hard on the island and there’s been some beach erosion and more driftwood on shore but, worse than that, the rope swing someone had made was gone. Still, we suffered through the day by walking along the beach, sitting on rocks in the warmth of the sun and enjoying the view. It’s a rough life.

Any other plans we had to explore on land were quashed by the weather. The barometer started a steady descent and the southeasterlies built as we spent a couple of days waiting out a dissipating ridge, a cold front and a low. But, if there’s one positive thing you can say about the weather this time of year, it’s that it moves through quickly. Today, the barometer’s back on the rise and there’s nothing but northwesterly winds in the forecast, which means we’re in for some better weather. I hope so. At this point, it’s hard not to feel like we’ve picked up where last season left off – with cold, rain and southeasterly winds. It really is par for the course for this time of year at these latitudes, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating . . . or annoying.

Our week ended with another passage, a shorter one this time – only 20 miles. In an attempt to take advantage of the last of the southerlies for a few days, we left Fury Cove and sailed up to Pruth Bay, Calvert Island. Unfortunately, the wind died out after a few miles and the motor had to stay on but at least the sails had a chance to dry out . . . before it started to rain again.

One of the draws of Pruth Bay is that there’s a research institute on shore and they pipe free wi-fi into the anchorage (which they’ve decided to limit to 300 Mb since the last time we were here). The other draw is a stretch of beautiful white sand beaches on the west side of Calvert Island and a great hiking trail that connects eleven of them, which is where I plan to spend the bulk of my time while we’re here.

We don’t have any set plans for the coming week. I imagine we’ll spend a couple of days here in Pruth Bay before moving on. If the northwesterlies arrive, then a sail across Fitz Hugh Sound may be in the works. We haven’t made a run up Burke Channel to Bella Coola yet and hear it’s really pretty up there, so that’s on the table. After that, a trip to Eucott Bay to soak in the hot springs sounds pretty good. And, of course, no season would be complete without stopping in Ocean Falls to visit our friends, Rob and Corrina, who own the lodge in town. Then again, we made decide to take an entirely different tack . . . we’ll just have to wait and see where the wind carries us.

Have a great week, everyone!

Note: Don't be fooled by the sunshine in the photos. I can't find the battery charger for my camera and have been recycling photos from previous seasons until I get a new one (with the exception of Bute Inlet). The good news is that we're only days away from that happening. I ordered a new one and it should be waiting for me when we get to Ocean Falls.

Sum It Up Sunday | What Happened to Saturday?

Dreams for Sale

Sum It Up Sunday | Have I Mentioned It’s Been Raining . . . A Lot?

Hiking the Hakai

Destination | Bute Inlet

Sum It Up Sunday | Motor-Sailing and Rainy Days

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