Travels of "Emma B" (JD powered Helmsman)

[Durant F]

Yep, just around the corner from Egmont point.
Good staging for Princess Louisa

[Durant F]

Yes...too funny how calm with few twirlies they can be at slack.....and how absolutely crazy at full run!

[Durant F]

Pics of Salmon Inlet on the way down just now.
Gotta love the double rainbow!

[ghost]

Funny story about Egmont. We stopped there in 2010 on the way to Princess Louisa. I’m walking around, checking out the store and the pub, telling everyone it was my first time I’d ever visited Egmont. Then I walked out back of the restaurant and I see this doorway, when the hair stands up on the back of my neck and I immediately feel cold. I was alone at the time.

About 5 years prior I had been part of a field trip where we hauled a few vans worth of Helium and other mixed gas up to Egmont and took video of some giant sponges at around 250 feet in depth along Agamemnon. Sponges bigger than me, you could kind of crawl in one, just incredible. Not sure anybody had ever photographed them in their native environment before, other than pulling one up from the depths on a grapnel. But, It’s a long ways from help, you don’t want to get hurt there. My unlucky number of course came up that trip and I ended up collapsing in the doorway of the gas shop with an arterial gas embolism. Anyway, it eventually turned out alright and that’s where my diving days ended. For years I had told people that we were in Lund and that’s where my mind had patched my memory. When I saw that door, it all sort of flooded back. Really freaked me out. My mind had blanked out the whole thing.

So every time I go to Egmont, I take a fresh walk and photo of that stupid doorway. Still makes me shiver.

Egmont!

Go visit my door and pay it homage.

[koliver]

For those who have not passed through the Skookumchuk, a visit should be on your to do list. Before taking your boat through, stop at Egmont and walk down to view the rapids at full ebb or full flood. Best if you can time your visit for the biggest change, or the fastest current. Very cool, especially if there is small boat fishing or a couple of river kayaks playing in the rapids.
Viewing the video of the tug flipping a few years ago demonstrates the power of those big currents. You should also be aware of the deaths in 2012 of 2 of our RCMSAR volunteers on a training exercise in the rapids.
Don't ever get complacent while transiting the narrows, even at slack water.

Once through, the cruising is among the most scenic along the BC coast.

[Durant F]

Yes Kieth...you are so right.
Even timed at slack, we got turned and bumped about. Simply couldn’t imagine an hour before or after....

[Durant F]

ghost....
250 feet is a very deep specialty dive.
What were you using?
Must be very dark at that depth in these waters.
Glad it turned out ok in the end
Next stop there, I take a pic of your door.....

[Durant F]

Was able to raft up at the marina where my buddy John keeps his boat. We will be pairing up cruising for a week or so in a few days. Have had may good times with him on the old trawler, this will be the first time joining with his new Helmsman 43. Had forgotten how big the full width salon feels on the 43 but it’s the pilot house I like best. Will be a rare sight to see 2 Helmsman vessels cruising together in Canadian waters. Hope to be in Vancouver mid next week.


Raft up
Big John
Pilot house

[Fletcher500]

Frank, I need to retire so I can travel as much as you. Nice to see another 43 on the Forum.

[Durant F]

Yep.....retirement is good. Year 3 now for me.
John was showing me some of their earlier cruise pictures.
I just love this shot of him and Marian on the bench, looking up Narrows Inlet, their Helmsman 43 out front. Awesome pic!

[Durant F]

Back underway and will take a slow trip to Vancouver with a few stops along the way. After being blessed with great weather, today is one of those dull, wet and dreary west coast fall days. I’m so thankful I had Scott install a bus heater complete with defroster outlets. Nice to have “free heat” underway and a clear windshield. If you’re warm and dry, the weather doesn’t matter too much. These dull days can render mystical back drops as the haze surrounds mountain. All good.



Pic is just now and shows defroster outlets.

[Durant F]

Stopped to relax at Narrows Inlet on the way out.
Pretty place!

[Durant F]

John and Marian on Integra (H43) joined me the next evening and we had his famous pizza aboard watching TV. Such decadence!

[Durant F]

Awoke to fog today...not unusual on the PNW
Timed the Skook’s at slack and it was an easy run all the way to Gibson’s!

Pics are
Coffee time
Underway
The light marker right at the narrows

[Durant F]

Once the fog lifted it was a beautiful day.
We were blessed as the Strait of Georgia was calm. This is a large body of water and can kick your butt when the wind is up!

Last pic is the Strait of Georgia yesterday

[Durant F]

I always liked Gibson’s
It’s a funky little town with everything convenient for boaters.
The long running Canadian TV show “The Beachcombers” was filmed here and the home base for the show “Molly’s Reach” restaurant is still in operation.

Pics are

Coming in
View from marina
Molly’s Reach
Sunrise at the marina with a pair of Helmsman Trawlers.

PS....
John’s may be far bigger...
But my 31 gets the most compliments

[Durant F]

It’s only a couple of hours run at hull speed from Gibson’s to Vancouver and again the God of Georgia Strait was kind to us with calm seas.
It struck me how dramatic the contrast is in such a short time.
From a feeling of remote beauty to metropolitan city in a couple of days!

Run down
The approach
City life

[Plane Nauti]

Frank,


Really enjoying the photos. Thanks for taking the time to post!


Keith

[Durant F]

Thanks Keith

Strong winds forecast later today so gave up the great Vancouver views and headed in to a marina. John had taken their last slip, but once he was tied and went to look, saw that I could come into the face dock between 2 fingers.
I squeezed in nicely. Gotta love smaller boats sometimes!

[Sugardog]

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/a...ight-to-repair. Since you have JD, what are your thoughts?