S.V. CAMBRIA: Johnstone Strait

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.

Johnstone Strait the Discovery Islands the Inside Passage

Campbell River to Thurston Bay Marine Park

Monday, August 16, 2010TheCambrians

Thurston Bay Marine Park

We woke up Sunday morning to another day of thick haze in the air. The local marine forecast called for light and variable winds with smoke in all quadrants limiting visibility – it was going to be another hot day. With a job to do, we upped anchor and made our way south to Campbell River via Sutil Channel where the air was so dense that you could barely see the outline of Read and Quadra Islands – less than two miles away. With no breeze to push the smoke out, let alone sail, we motored into the Strait of Georgia, around Cape Mudge, into Discovery Passage and Campbell River.

Back to civilization means cellphone coverage, internet access and a busy day. We took a berth at Discovery Harbour Marina for the night which is located just opposite a large shopping complex with waterfront restaurants, stores and banks – everything we need! We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for provisions and catching-up with friends and family by phone. In the evening, David worked out this morning's course up Discovery Passage and through Seymour Narrows, a stretch of dangerous water where the current can run 16 knots, while I tackled the laundry.

Somewhere along the way, he read that Julie Andrews and Blake Edwards keep their boat in Campbell River – the gateway to the Discovery Islands and Desolation Sound – and that she can be heard practising her vocal scales from the aft deck. An unsurprising little factoid when you consider the convenient location. We'd be interested in keeping Cambria there ourselves if the wind didn't blow like crazy off Discovery Passage, especially during winter storms.

We left the marina at 10 o'clock this morning to time our arrival at Seymour Narrows for slack along with dozens of other boats with the same idea. It was a little sloppy and we had wind against us (15 knots) but it was straightforward and uneventful – just the way we like it!

After leaving Discovery Passage for Nodales Channel, we tucked in for the night at Thurston Bay Marine Park on the western side of Sonora Island. There are several other boats here, more than we'd have expected, but it's quiet – a very nice change from the past few days. The heatwave has broken, either by natural means or change in location, so I finally aired up my kayak and went out for a paddle to enjoy the tranquil scenery with its islets, pale green water and deciduous trees peaking out amongst the evergreens pausing to bask in the warmth of the sun and savour the final days of summer...everyday should be so good!

It's only been a few days since we left Shoal Bay, but we managed to accomplish a lot and can now relax and enjoy the time we have left before we need to be back for the music festival and pig roast...a sort of vacation from our vacation, if you will.

Johnstone Strait The Broughtons the Inside Passage

Leaving the Broughtons Behind

Saturday, August 07, 2010TheCambrians

Johnstone Strait The Broughtons the Inside Passage

Alert Bay

Monday, August 02, 2010TheCambrians

The U'mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay, Cormorant Island.

Today we took the ferry to Alert Bay to tour the village and museum. The U'mista Cultural Centre was born under extraordinary circumstances. In 1921, a large potlatch was held on nearby Village Island where forty-five people were arrested. Potlatches are social occasions given by a host to establish or uphold his position in society, usually marking a significant event in his family – the birth of a child, a rite of passage, a wedding, or a funeral – where guests are invited to share food and receive gifts. Although protocol differs among tribes, the potlatch will usually involve a feast with music, dancing and spiritual ceremonies, the main purpose of which is the redistribution of wealth obtained by the hosting family.

Seen as the primary impediment in converting natives to Christianity by missionaries and government agents who considered it a useless custom that was wasteful, unproductive and hedonistic, potlatches were made illegal in Canada in 1885 with the US following suit shortly thereafter.

For years potlatches went underground to avoid prosecution, usually being held during winter storms when neither the police nor the Indian Agent could travel by sea as was the occasion on Village Island in December of 1921 when Dan Cranmer became famous for hosting one of the greatest potlatches in coastal history. After 17 years of preparation, the large gathering attracted the attention of white authorities under the direction of William Halliday, the Indian Agent in Alert Bay, and forty-five arrests were made. Twenty of the participants were sentenced to Oakalla Prison Farm on Vancouver Island while the rest were given suspended sentences on the condition that they surrender their potlatch regalia including coppers, masks and whistles.

The ceremonial regalia was then gathered up, inventoried and crated before being sent to Ottawa. There, the collection was divided between the National Museum of Man in Ottawa and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Some objects were set aside for the personal collection of Duncan Campbell, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs. And approximately thirty objects were sent to George Heye, a collector from New York, before the material left Alert Bay.

When the Indian Act was revised in 1951, the anti-potlatch section was deleted. Since 1921, those who'd lost their family treasures hadn't forgotten and the first attempts to repatriate the items began in the late 1960s. A few years later, the Board of Trustees of the National Museums Corporation agreed to return the part of the Potlatch Collection held by the National Museum of Man conditional on the construction of museums in Alert Bay and Cape Mudge to house the artefacts. On November 1, 1980, the U'mista Cultural Centre opened in Alert Bay with considerably help and guidance of Dan's daughter, Gloria Cranmer Webster, where part of the collection now lives and efforts to bring home remaining items continues.

It's a fascinating and emotional museum experience, especially the Potlatch Collection, that will stay with us for a long time to come. As always, we were struck by the similarities between the Native and Polynesian cultures, particularly the Maori from New Zealand; but beyond that, the arrogance and ignorance of our forefathers in their dealings with other cultures. It's a very old and familiar story: one that continues today....

Johnstone Strait Port McNeill The Broughtons

Port McNeill

Sunday, August 01, 2010TheCambrians

Johnstone Strait The Broughtons

Port Harvey

Friday, July 09, 2010TheCambrians

Johnstone Strait The Broughtons

Port Harvey

Thursday, July 08, 2010TheCambrians

Cambria at anchor in Port Harvey.

When I took Sally to a beach this morning I saw a black bear lumbering along the shore foraging for oysters as we approached. We've read a lot about how to avoid encounters with bears and one piece of advice stands out above all the others: be noisy. So I was. And he went back into the woods, but I still wasn't convinced that what we had read was true, so I landed the dinghy and let Sally out on her leash while I stood close-by with my back to the water speaking loudly so nothing would surprise me with its approach. In hindsight, I'm sure we were perfectly safe and I could have allowed her more time to leisurely stroll the beach to take care of her business, but I let my nerves get the best of me and our stay was short.

After I got back to the boat, we got everything ready and upped anchor making way for Port Harvey. In order to get there, we had to travel into Johnstone Strait, a consistently difficult body of water. Northwesterlies can funnel down the strait daily, which lies in a northwest-southeast direction, and, with a north-flowing ebb, a steep chop is common. To avoid this, we left during the morning flood when the wind and current would be flowing in the same direction, keeping the seas to a minimum. Overall, we had a good run and only had to bash the last thirty minutes after the current changed direction and the wind increased to 20 knots – all on the nose (the story of our lives).

We arrived in Port Harvey to discover another family-owned and operated marina at the head of the bay that had just opened last year. Preferring to anchor, we dropped our hook outside their water-lease before piling into the dinghy and motoring over to the marina store to see what they had on their shelves.

We weren't disappointed. The shelves were lined with most everything a person could need, including freshly baked bread (a nice surprise for a couple who had just eaten their last slice) and a licensed restaurant above the store that serves fish and chips. Heat affects our appetite and weren't very hungry, but the food was still exceptional and good value for money. And we can't say enough about the family who owns and operates the facility – everyone has been so friendly and welcoming that we'll make a special point to stop back by on our way south when the temperature will be cooler and our appetites heartier.

By the time we got back to the boat, it was close to 9 o'clock. We had originally planned to move tomorrow going through Chatham Channel in the morning, but we're tired from several days of motoring and decided to take a day off.

Adventures in Johnstone Strait

Campbell River to Thurston Bay Marine Park

Leaving the Broughtons Behind

Alert Bay

Port McNeill

Port Harvey

Port Harvey

Welcome Aboard

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