On our way to Alaska
- Thread starter Salish Nomad
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Actually, Sue Bay on the SE corner of Loretta Is looks promising and near Weewanie. Probably give that a close look. Thanks. Bouys at Europa also.
MurrayM
Guru
Best show in the area would be to stay at Europa hot springs, then go to the end of Gardner Canal and back to Europa the next day. This way you get to see "The Big Show" (very fjord like in a hairy chested Viking sense) in the second half of the Canal and sleep soundly on a mooring with no anchoring shenanigans.
If you come into Kitimat and need to do some shopping give me a call...the marina is about a 10 minute drive from town and there's no bus. I finish work around 4:00 in the afternoon.
Verney Passage is a beautiful way to approach Loretta Island.
MurrayM
Guru
Oh...one more.
You may want to visit Foch (fosh) Lagoon if you're coming so far up Douglas Channel. We've only been boating for five years and I haven't felt confident enough to go in there yet.
Slack in the entrance can be up to 1.5 hours after slack in Douglas Channel, but once you're in there it's supposed to like a place lost in time.
We anchored outside once at low tide and it was a tad disconcerting to stand at the low tide line in the main channel and look about 8 feet up to the waterline in the Lagoon. Standing waves with exploding tops in the rapids added to the drama
You may want to visit Foch (fosh) Lagoon if you're coming so far up Douglas Channel. We've only been boating for five years and I haven't felt confident enough to go in there yet.
Slack in the entrance can be up to 1.5 hours after slack in Douglas Channel, but once you're in there it's supposed to like a place lost in time.
We anchored outside once at low tide and it was a tad disconcerting to stand at the low tide line in the main channel and look about 8 feet up to the waterline in the Lagoon. Standing waves with exploding tops in the rapids added to the drama
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Thanx. We will consider the "double Europa" option. Verney is on tomorrow's plan; wife captivated by guide book description
Kitimat probably not...
MurrayM
Guru
Verney is like a string quartet where Gardner is like a full blown orchestra, so to speak...
Hope you enjoy your wanderings off the Inside Passage
Last edited:
MurrayM
Guru
Oops.
Beware of who you get your cruising destination recommendations from on this forum
If AlaskaProf did go up Gardner Canal, he might get quite the show near Kemano where a new forest fire has sparked up.
Sunrises and sunsets will be amazing.
Beware of who you get your cruising destination recommendations from on this forum
If AlaskaProf did go up Gardner Canal, he might get quite the show near Kemano where a new forest fire has sparked up.
Sunrises and sunsets will be amazing.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Murray,
We did go up Verney; I'm sure it would have been quite lovely...
We had a good soak at Weewanie and overnight at Kitsaway per your recommendation. You're right about the "Chinese perspective".
When the smoke was replaced by fog (1/8 mi vis!) We gave up on the Fjordland scenery; about an hour out of Shearwater now.
MurrayM
Guru
Hoo-boy am I glad you didn't go up Gardner! You would have been close enough to the fire to have ash falling on your boat, and everything inside would have stunk for ages.
Still a bit smoky here, but at least you can see the trees on the mountains again.
Maybe next time, eh?
Still a bit smoky here, but at least you can see the trees on the mountains again.
Maybe next time, eh?
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Well, the irony is that my wife has spent the duration of my AK/BC cruise whining about being left behind in the choking toxic air of Oregon. So she flies into Prince Rupert and...
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
So today we leave Bottleneck Inlet in 1/8 mile visibility ( honest, I'm a Weather Service designated examiner...err I once was) any way, between the rain, fog, propitious wind shift, smoke is miraculously gone, and sun appears mid afternoon.
New crisis: couple nights ago, I noticed that my fresh water-pressure pump was coming on in the night, followed by a very short cycle of one of my bilge pumps...about every two hours. And today on arrival in Shearwater I discovered about 20 gallons of fresh water...well, not that fresh (bleaah), but not sea water sloshing around the lazarette. After manually pumping the lazarette,(memo to self: drill some more limber holes) quick inspection shows serious drip on outlet line from pressure tank! Couple turns on awkwardly located hose clamp (im too old for these contortions) seems to be all that's needed.
But here's the real crisis: Shearwater is experiencing a drought! ...in BC! Really, no potable water on the docks... and I have something between 180 and zero gallons of water. Ocean Falls is looking pretty attractive right now.
New crisis: couple nights ago, I noticed that my fresh water-pressure pump was coming on in the night, followed by a very short cycle of one of my bilge pumps...about every two hours. And today on arrival in Shearwater I discovered about 20 gallons of fresh water...well, not that fresh (bleaah), but not sea water sloshing around the lazarette. After manually pumping the lazarette,(memo to self: drill some more limber holes) quick inspection shows serious drip on outlet line from pressure tank! Couple turns on awkwardly located hose clamp (im too old for these contortions) seems to be all that's needed.
But here's the real crisis: Shearwater is experiencing a drought! ...in BC! Really, no potable water on the docks... and I have something between 180 and zero gallons of water. Ocean Falls is looking pretty attractive right now.
MurrayM
Guru
We sea kayaked for decades drinking stream and creek water to no ill effect. On the west coast of Porcher Island the water trickling out of a crack of bedrock was as brown as root beer and had a creamy head. Nummy!
We carry several large water jugs on Badger, just in case we need to top up somewhere.
Might want to steer clear of anything with spawning salmon though...
We carry several large water jugs on Badger, just in case we need to top up somewhere.
Might want to steer clear of anything with spawning salmon though...
Last edited:
dhays
Guru
- Joined
- May 26, 2015
- Messages
- 9,048
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Kinship
- Vessel Make
- North Pacific 43
Good luck with the water situation. I have thought that a portable watermaker would be nice for the occasional trip where water could be scarce.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
So, because of the uncertainty arising from our (now repaired) fresh water leak and likely 4-5 day voyage to next source, we went about 40 miles rt off course to Ocean Falls for drinking water. No idea about flow rates, etc, but it took 39 minutes to top up my 180 gallon tank. Definitely dodged a bullet. Think of it as trading 30 gallons of diesel for 150 gallons of life-sustaining water.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Yeah, they say one dose of giardia lamblia will change your perspective...
Shearwater has two 5-gal jerricans you can schlep out the dock. One 10- gallon cycle was enough, especially after the spout fell off, spilling about 40 pounds of prime h2o into the scuppers.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Codville last night; very special intimate feel.
Just anchored in Pruth Bay, planning a long walk on the ocean beach. Great spot for overnight before crossing Queen Charlotte Sound. Open wifi, nearby vhf weather antenna facilitate weather planning. ...and checking the Forum, of course.
Just anchored in Pruth Bay, planning a long walk on the ocean beach. Great spot for overnight before crossing Queen Charlotte Sound. Open wifi, nearby vhf weather antenna facilitate weather planning. ...and checking the Forum, of course.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Pruth Bay is awesome
Have you taken the trails to the seven beaches, or the hill top overlook?
Yes. Walked the beaches when I came this way end of May. Gonna go today, right after my nap...
MurrayM
Guru
I’m jealous.
My favourite part is the end of the trail, when you can hear the surf, then walking through the trees into the openness of the beach...like stepping back into the distant past.
My favourite part is the end of the trail, when you can hear the surf, then walking through the trees into the openness of the beach...like stepping back into the distant past.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Swarm of boats in here, i assume checking the weather for tomorrow, including the marvelous Pacific Yellowfin.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
Crossed QC Sound uneventfully. No wind, long onshore swells. Spent last night in Blunden Harbor and wound our way through the Broughtons to Pierres Echo Bay today. Fun quirky place feels like 1958--BTW, the marina/resort is for sale.
Ken E.
Guru
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2016
- Messages
- 1,978
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Hatt Trick
- Vessel Make
- 45' Hatteras Convertible
Murray, we did anchor in Weinburg inlet on Campania Island, in the northernmost bay which is the deepest. The passageways to the south of us were like a maze and it would be easy to get lost without nav aids. We didn't explore them by kayak this time but we will on our next visit. Fishing was good in that area too. We then headed south and went inside through Meyers Passage. The area west of Princess Royal island is pristine and seems untravelled, at least by the boats heading to and from Alaska. We saw one other boat.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
We're in Campbell River tonight, discharging a crew member. Comox, then Nanaimo for a couple days at least. Gotta get at least one breakfast at "Mon Petit Choux".
We spent Monday night in Lagoon Cove, which I now think is the best of the BC marina resorts. The 5pm prawn-and-potluck-happy-hour exceeded already high expectations. Great staff.
I've for a while maintained that being escorted by a pod of Dall porpoises is the most thrilling of wildlife encounters, but pulling into Big Bay at Stuart Island on Tue, we suddenly found ourselves beset by a swarm of orcas slaughtering sea lions. For a thrilling and horrifying display of "nature, red in tooth and claw", it would be hard to beat.
We spent Monday night in Lagoon Cove, which I now think is the best of the BC marina resorts. The 5pm prawn-and-potluck-happy-hour exceeded already high expectations. Great staff.
I've for a while maintained that being escorted by a pod of Dall porpoises is the most thrilling of wildlife encounters, but pulling into Big Bay at Stuart Island on Tue, we suddenly found ourselves beset by a swarm of orcas slaughtering sea lions. For a thrilling and horrifying display of "nature, red in tooth and claw", it would be hard to beat.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
We seem to have run well ahead of Hatt Trick, but will be slowing considerably, having met the intermodal transport connections of the last guest of the season.
My wife has graciously decided to skip her September bookgroup in Ashland and extend her cruise for ten days or so. This is a big concession, but I offered the unbeatable inducement: Ganges Saturday Market on the 8th.
My wife has graciously decided to skip her September bookgroup in Ashland and extend her cruise for ten days or so. This is a big concession, but I offered the unbeatable inducement: Ganges Saturday Market on the 8th.
MurrayM
Guru
Yikes!
OP
OP
Salish Nomad
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2017
- Messages
- 317
- Location
- Anacortes WA U.S.A.
- Vessel Name
- Salish Nomad
- Vessel Make
- American Tug 34
We are anchored in Nanoose, heading for Nanaimo tomorrow.
AlaskaProf
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,239
- Location
- US of A
- Vessel Name
- boatless, ex: Seeadler
- Vessel Make
- RAWSON 41
We're planning Comox tomorrow, Nanaimo YC Saturday... may be anchoring at Newcastle because of holiday weekend.
Last edited:
Ken E.
Guru
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2016
- Messages
- 1,978
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Hatt Trick
- Vessel Make
- 45' Hatteras Convertible
Hatt Trick is moving south in the slow lane, rounded Cape Caution yesterday in the fog but in calm winds and a low ocean swell. Also in QC sound was TFer Dream Catcher, who we saw a couple times in SE AK. Going to do some fishing in the Blackfish Sound area before moving down Johnstone Strait.
