Categories
Uncategorized

Pott’s Lagoon

Today finds us in Pott’s Lagoon. We have actually been here for over a week which is probably the longest we have ever stayed at a single anchorage other than False Creek. Pott’s Lagoon lies at the NW end of Johnstone Strait and the beginning of the Queen Charlotte Strait.

There is no particular reason that we stopped here but it is a pretty nice anchorage. The anchorage itself lies within a rock-fish conservation area but it is only a short dinghy ride to an area where fishing is allowed. Flounder and Greenlings are abundant and we have caught several of them. We have also had considerable luck prawning and had a few good meals

Potts Lagoon

We have had some success with our watermaker as well. We finally got it installed just before leaving the dock. While working on the watermaker I was also able to fix our refrigerator. We finished installing the watermaker and thought that we’d leave the next day but then realized that running our refrigerator for the day had completely drained our batteries. I have been expecting to have to replace the batteries any day for the past several years so it came as no surprise. Nonetheless, it was an unexpected delay.

When our batteries finally arrived we extricated them from the boat (they’re 110lbs each) and took them up to the van to take them to the store and get our new batteries only to find that the van battery had shorted out during the night during an uncharacteristically heavy downpour and the battery was dead. If only we had a wheelbarrow full of batteries that we could use to jump start the van… Oh wait, we do!

Anyway, we got the batteries changed, fridge is fixed, watermaker is installed and here we are sitting in Potts lagoon making water and eating ice cream!

Next stop, probably Growler Cove and then Port McNeil for reprovisioning.

Categories
Uncategorized

It’s been a little while…

Admittedly, it’s been a little while since we last updated anything. We, like a lot of people have spent the last couple of years in a little bit of a “holding pattern” – at least in terms of travelling. But, yesterday we rigged up the jib, today I’ll start installing the watermaker etc etc and by next week, we’re sailing!

Rigging the jib!

Jerome and Maureen have been busy with school. Jerome finished a couple of weeks ago with a 100% average in math and on the Gold Honour Roll! I’ve spent the last couple of years working as the Fire Chief and Senior Clinician at an industrial operation in northern Alberta which involved way too much time away from home and wasn’t nearly as much fun as it sounds like it ought to be.

Oh, the places you’l go…

So, at the end of May, we hauled Finn. Once we had him back in the water and hadn’t broken the bank, I resigned my position and we made a plan:

Head north and then turn left (or right).

We’ll try to be back by October.

Haul out 2022
Categories
Uncategorized

Haul Out!

The Most Fun You Can Have with a Boat Out of Water!

You might think that hauling the boat out to repaint the hull, change all the zincs would be a lot of work and not much fun. Well, it is a lot of work but it was actually a lot of fun!

Categories
Uncategorized

A Short Cruise with Mom and Dad!

In March of 2018 Trystan’s parents came out to the island for a visit. They stayed in an AirBnb of course, because there is limited space on the boat but the weather is so nice that we thought we’d do a day cruise out to April Point. Its not far from Campbell River and its calm, very quiet and quite a nice place.

So, at 10:30 18th March we pulled away from the dock with Grandma and Grandpa aboard and caught the northbound current in the Discovery Passage bound for April Point. Jerome had just earned his PCO card so he took the helm and steered us across the passage, through the “swirly wirly” eddies at the far side and into April Point. We were visited by pacific white-sided dolphins, many harbour seals and, of course, the ubiquitous bald eagles. We dropped 60′ of rode and enjoyed a gourmet lunch of chicken tikka masala.

After lunch: a dinghy ride to the dock, a nice walk ashore and then back to Finn to catch the southbound current for the trip home. Not a long trip but a memorable one and maybe an insight for mom and dad into what we do and why we love doing it!

That evening Jerome made his signature chicken parmesan soup for Grandma and Grandpa at their AirBnb. A recipe of his own invention! Thanks for coming Grandma and Grandpa!

Categories
Uncategorized

The “Repositioning Cruise”

We have a little bit of catching up to do!

In September of 2017 we tied Finn up at the Waterfront Marina in Nanaimo. The owner there, Odai, found us a wonderful spot right near the shore protected by all of the other docks. No waves, no wind no problem! We left Finn, a little reluctantly, and went for a road trip, spent most of September and October at the farm in Hanna and then a couple of rainy months in Summerland and Penticton going to movies, having family over for dinner at “our place”. We had a nice landlubber routine for a little while of daily runs, school work, grocery shopping rather than provisioning. Running water and central heating – all very nice! On 27th December we finally got home to Finn and, as excited as we were to be back in Nanaimo, we immediately started preparing for a January 1st departure. Destination: Campbell River!

Categories
Uncategorized

Starting to Feel Like Fall

Rebecca Spit on Quadra Island is one of the most amazing parks that we’ve seen all summer. With whales off to the east side, wonderful walking and cycling paths, grassy patches large enough to launch bottle rockets and play frisbee or catch

Categories
Uncategorized

Anchorage hidden behind a rock…

On August 7th, we were on the way to the Von Donop Inlet on Cortes Island. It was a 19.1 nm trip and we had to make slack at the passage called “Hole in the Wall”. This is a narrow passage that runs between Sonora and Maurelle Islands and links Okisollo and Calm Channel. The currents here are bordering on ridiculous and can easily run at ten knots. A full keeled 40 foot sailboat running at full power usually tops out at around seven knots

Categories
Uncategorized

Going North Again!

At noon on August 3rd, we left a very busy Gorge Harbour bound for Octopus Islands Marine Provincial Park on the north end of Quadra Island. We had planned to pass through Beazley Passage and Surge Narrows at the 1522 hours slack time. This meant that we had to motor to get there in time. Trystan took us through the obstacle course at Uganda Passage

Timing is everything at Surge Narrows!

Categories
Uncategorized

Back to the Gorge

 

On July 31st, we decided to head back to Mansons Landing because we needed to pick up more insulin for Yas at the post office, drop off some library books that we had picked up at Q-Cove, get fresh food and drop into the bookstore. For once, we were the first ones to pull up at Walsh Cove, being as quiet as possible so our American friends (and Yas who wouldnt get out of bed to pee) could keep sleeping. It was a beautiful morning with the sun rising over East Redonda Island! Jerome took us out of Waddington Channel and into Pryce Channel

Categories
Uncategorized

Desolation Sound…Finally!

Sailing across Desolation Sound

We’re sitting in Walsh Cove right now, stern tied at a rocky shore that rises from a depth of 15m straight up into a steep pine covered slope over a space of maybe 10m. There are narrow, sun-drenched ledges all along the shore that reveal all the marine animals and the fishes swimming by. Nearby there is a steep “painted” cliff that Jerome says looks as though someone has spilled a bottle of ink down from the top. There are petroglyphs there too and caves.