S.V. CAMBRIA

Prideaux Haven, Desolation Sound Marine Park

Friday, September 30, 2011TheCambrians

A black bear foraging along the shoreline.

Though my least favourite days, there's a special beauty to be appreciated when it rains in the Pacific Northwest. There's a vividness that doesn't exist when the sun is shining: The trees are a deeper green. The moss appears more golden in colour. The granite glimmers from the moisture. And the sea reflects all of these images down to the low-hanging clouds in the trees. If you take the time time to look around, it's all there waiting to be discovered. Today was one of those days.

The rain stopped late in the morning giving us another opportunity to explore Prideaux Haven by kayak. In hopes of seeing the bear again, we made our way to the lagoon on the southern side of the channel leading to Laura Cove, the same place I had seen him scrambling back up into the bush yesterday. I could hear something moving in the brush so we lingered and eventually saw him higher up eating berries from the bushes. He knew we were there. Or at least he could smell us and, from time to time, would stop eating to sniff around trying to catch our scent.

The current was pushing me towards land but I wasn't too concerned because he was about 20 or 30 feet above me in the hills. And then suddenly he came sliding down through the brush to the shore and the adrenaline took over again. My heart was racing through my chest but I managed to take a couple of good pictures before paddling back to a safer distance. But before I did, David reckons I was within six to eight feet of him. Whether foolish or not, I can't say. I never do anything I don't feel comfortable with and, though I'm sure some would argue against it, I felt secure ... just in awe.

He stayed along the shoreline and we followed him as he grazed from the blueberries to shellfish. Every now and again, he'd look in our general direction as if to tell us that he knew we were there and, for now, that was okay. We eventually came to a section of the lagoon that was too shallow to continue, leaving only one way out. Neither of us were comfortable with that, so we left him to finish feeding and went back to the boat to warm up. For the second day in a row, we were both left speechless. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine an experience like the one we had today... and now we've had it twice.

Bears British Columbia Desolation Sound

Prideaux Haven, Desolation Sound Marine Park

Thursday, September 29, 2011TheCambrians

With another beautiful day in store, I had BIG plans (none of which involved sitting around the boat) to enjoy the great outdoors before the next weather system moves into the area. Our days are limited. The barometer's dropped from a high of 1028 MB yesterday morning to 1013 MB today. But, according to Environment Canada, it should continue to be descent through the weekend. We'll keep our fingers crossed!

You know what they say about best laid plans? Neither do I, but it has something to do with them turning out differently than designed. Like today, for instance. Yes. I took Sally to Melanie Cove for a walk. But no. We didn't make it to Melanie Point -- the trail was too difficult. And yes. David and I ended up lazing around in the kayaks after lunch. But not exactly how we had intended.

We were out on the deck around 1:30 pm and I kept hearing rustling in the trees. I thought it might be another couple who went for a walk while I was shoring Sally, but nobody was talking. And then the noises grew louder and more destructive -- branches were snapping and leaves were crackling. Suddenly I could see a black spot peaking out of the bushes. I grabbed the binoculars and, sure enough, it was a bear so I handed them off to David and went down to get the camera. We were too far away to get a good picture, so I got into my kayak as quietly as I could and paddled down for a closer look.

The first several pictures didn't come out at all. I was so nervous and full of adrenaline that I couldn't keep my hands from shaking. I must have been within 20 or 30 feet of this beautiful, wild beast and neither one of us seemed to know what to make of the other. David joined me a few minutes later and we watched this majestic creature forage along the shoreline for what seemed like hours but was merely minutes before he went back inside the bush. We floated around a while in case he came out again and then, all of a sudden, a small animal came running out of the bush followed by the bear who easily captured his lunch. It happened so quickly that we don't know what he caught, but he turned to look at us with this lifeless creature hanging from his jowls before bringing his his prize back into the bush. Thinking that would be the last of him, we paddled back to the boat, but it wasn't more than ten minutes later that he reappeared so we quickly returned watch him as he stood along the bushes, pulling down leaves to eat berries. It was nothing short of amazing!

He tired of us following him around and disappeared back into the bush, so David went home to put on some long pants and I slipped around the corner into a lagoon because I could still hear him rustling about. I saw him again, but he didn't want to be followed and started to snort as he quickly climbed the steep hill and vanished.

The similarities between the bear and Sally were apparent to both David and me. Many people believe chows (she's half husky and half chow) actually descend from bears and not dogs. Whether they do or not, I can't say. What I can tell you is that there were moments when the bear would look at us or move in such a way that we were taken aback by the resemblance.

It was too nice out to go back to the boat, so I paddled over to Williams Islands where I floated around in the sun enjoying the view and the absolute silence feeling like I was the last person on earth -- and taking great pleasure in the thought -- even though I clearly wasn't.

When I got back to the boat, David was visiting with Rod and Sandra, the couple from Powell River we'd met yesterday. They're a canny pair and it was fun chatting with them and recounting the story of our bear encounter -- making it somehow seem more real by sharing it with someone else.

Bears British Columbia Desolation Sound

Prideaux Haven, Desolation Sound Marine Park

Wednesday, September 28, 2011TheCambrians

British Columbia Desolation Sound the Inside Passage

Grace Harbour, Desolation Sound Marine Park

Tuesday, September 27, 2011TheCambrians

The upland lake in Grace Harbour.

Though much shorter than they were only a few weeks ago, the days seem longer and more difficult to fill. Long gone are the hours spent lazing about in the kayaks exploring new anchorages, only to have been replaced with hiding out below decks from the wind and rain listening to the weather.

The wind was forecasted to die out this afternoon, but it hasn't and we're both growing tired from the noise and motion. But it's not raining and it's warm enough that we don't need to run the heater for the second day in a row, not to mention that the solar panels are actually doing their part to recharge the batteries – they won't manage the entire job, but they will contribute their fair share. And, at the very least, is some good news.

In need of some fresh air and exercise, I went back to shore after lunch and hiked the trail to the lake while Sally and David stayed aboard. In the lee of the wind, it was actually nice on land and I really enjoyed myself even though I only had a bear bell as company (annoying little thing). There's some debris and a couple of newly fallen trees along the path from the wind, but it wasn't as muddy as I had expected and the walk was pleasant, even if the lake wasn't.

Bill and Sylvia are leaving in the morning, so they came over for a farewell dinner. It was a really nice evening topped off with the Northern Lights shimmering in the distance. As we were saying good-bye on deck, we could see a glow in the northern sky, again, where no city exists. After they left, we turned off the boat lights for a better view and went back on deck, but the lights were gone. And then they were back again, suddenly and without warning, lighting up the Coast Mountains and dancing on the distant tree tops. Not a multitude of colours like you see in so many photographs but, rather, a soft blue light flashing and glowing. It was incredible and so beautiful in a way I'd never experienced beauty before, raising goosebumps on my arms – sort of magical and mysterious ... other- worldly, if you will. Never in my life did I expect to see the aurora borealis, though I had always wanted to, and there they were in full view from the safety and comfort of my home while sitting next to the man I love – how perfect is that?

British Columbia Desolation Sound Marine Weather

Grace Habour, Desolation Sound Marine Park

Monday, September 26, 2011TheCambrians

It's been a difficult day aboard and we're both feeling battered and beaten after all hell broke loose in Malaspina and Johnstone Straits. According to Environment Canada, there were hurricane force winds over the central waters. What exactly they mean by "central", we're not sure. But it implies inside around the Discovery Islands, which is just north of where we're anchored, rather than outside along the West Coast of Vancouver Island. As I write, there's a 970 MB low over the Queen Charlotte's and a building ridge. Forty to 50 knot winds inthe Inside Passage with 1.5 metre seas – some mention of 11 metre seas, again we're not sure where (the radio keeps cutting out) with up to 65 knots of wind pouring down Johnstone Strait. In otherwords, it's UGLY out there and we're smack dab in the middle of it all (literally).

The wind should start to diminish in the evening (which it did) but continue to blow from the southeast on Tuesday and Wednesday before turning southwesterly on Thursday and going back to the northwest on Friday, indicating improved conditions as early as Wednesday. Whether or not the forecast holds remains to be seen but, at this stage, we need something positive to look forward to so we'll believe it until it changes.

Again, even with everything that's been happening around us, we were quite comfortable and safe in Grace Harbour and only saw gusts up to 20 knots throughout the day with very little chop on the water. But we did spend most of the afternoon "sailing" at anchor, swinging back and forth in reaction to the wind. Coupled with the noise from the howling wind, it was a long and tiring day leaving us both feeling a lot worse for the wear.

Bill and Sylvia stopped by in the afternoon for a cup of tea and told us that they were thinking about leaving with the improved weather on Wednesday. We were sorry to hear that, but not surprised. Waiting out storm systems is onerous and doesn't make much sense if you have a home to go to, but we are home so we'll stick around a little longer. Were both happy with the protection Grace Harbour offers, so we'll venture out later in the week to other anchorages ready to return when the next system approaches. Though we may not be alone, I imagine it'll be close. Most people will move south later this week when they have the chance.

British Columbia Desolation Sound Marine Weather

Grace Harbour, Desolation Sound Marine Park

Sunday, September 25, 2011TheCambrians

British Columbia Desolation Sound Marine Weather

Grace Harbour, Desolation Sound Marine Park

Saturday, September 24, 2011TheCambrians

The Emmens eating apples fresh from the tree.

By nine o'clock this morning, the rest of the boats in the anchorage were gone leaving only Cambria and Salubrious behind – the others taking advantage of a lull in the weather before the next system comes through which promises to be "a repeat performance or worse". The season's clearly coming to an end, but we'll stick it out a little longer – we did come all the way backup here, after all.

Over the past four days, we've seen a front, a low, another front and are preparing for the next front and low (998 and deepening) which is approaching Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island and moving north. At this stage in the forecast, it looks like Wednesday before the weather settles again and we'll be able to move to another anchorage. But one thing's for sure: we won't want to venture too far from the all-around protection of Grace Harbour.

With a lull in the weather and sun in the sky, we took a dinghy ride around the anchorage in the afternoon to get some fresh air. Thinking it would be nice for Sally as well, we drug her out of bed. Bill and Sylvia were onshore burning trash so we stopped by, but Sally, who's deathly afraid of fires, was being difficult so we didn't stay long and continued motoring along the edges of the anchorage stopping by a boat that had come in this afternoon to ask what the weather's been like outside of Grace. They turned out to be a couple we'd met in Princess Louisa Inlet, Phil and Kate, a couple of years ago. They had come from Prideaux Haven where it sounds like they had good protection but less sleep than we did in Grace Harbour.

We went to shore again at the site of a collapsed cabin in a bay just off the channel leading to Grace Harbour. Bill and Sylvia were there but, once again, Sally was a maniac, so we had to go. There were too many accidents waiting to happen with nails sticking out of boards and plenty of bear scat lying about the trails leading to the apple trees and blackberry bushes – it would be a great spot to camp out in the kayaks and wait for bear activity. But with Sally being difficult, we called it an afternoon and went back to the boat. We'd just have to be satisfied with what we got before the next round of weather moves in overnight.